Bitter
Hawkshead Brewery /
- From:
- Hawkshead Brewery /
- England, United Kingdom
- Style:
- English Bitter
Ranked #153 - ABV:
- 3.4%
- Score:
- 82
Ranked #35,210 - Avg:
- 3.41 | pDev: 24.05%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 7
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 02, 2026
- Added:
- Mar 01, 2005
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
82
Good
82
Good
A pale, hoppy and bitter ale: a slight elderflower aroma from Slovenian "Celeia" hops, followed by long bitterness. The hikers' favourite -- the perfect thirst quencher after a day on the Fells. A great session bitter.
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Reviewed by Efraim_Barkbit from Sweden
2.19/5 rDev -35.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
2.19/5 rDev -35.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
0.5l bottle into a nonic pint. My bottle says 3.6 ABV, but 3.4 does indeed seem to be what's stated on the brewery's site.
Caramel and strawberry presserve nose. Dark rum in the background.
Very lacking in boddy and taste. Watery in the wrong way. Slight bitterness and diluted grain note. Feels pointless to drink. Nearly saved my bottles to have with a friend, glad I didn't. Makes we wonder if there's something wrong with my bottle or this batch. Hint of a grassy strawberry note. Rose hip? Bark. Rowanberries. Sickly honey, advent calender chocolate? Did not finish it.
May 02, 2026Caramel and strawberry presserve nose. Dark rum in the background.
Very lacking in boddy and taste. Watery in the wrong way. Slight bitterness and diluted grain note. Feels pointless to drink. Nearly saved my bottles to have with a friend, glad I didn't. Makes we wonder if there's something wrong with my bottle or this batch. Hint of a grassy strawberry note. Rose hip? Bark. Rowanberries. Sickly honey, advent calender chocolate? Did not finish it.
Reviewed by willelw from Sweden
3.46/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.46/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Amber colour, small head.
Aroma: malt, bread, caramel, some citrus, hint of floral.
Taste: bitter malt, toasted bread, hint of citrus.
Quite thin, but drinkable. A nice some bitter.
Apr 26, 2026Aroma: malt, bread, caramel, some citrus, hint of floral.
Taste: bitter malt, toasted bread, hint of citrus.
Quite thin, but drinkable. A nice some bitter.
Reviewed by JamFuel from Sweden
4.17/5 rDev +22.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev +22.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours a clear amber with soapy head.
Smell is crisp and crackery with some fruity hints. Quite light with notes of toast, elderflower and citrus with hints of chestnuts and soap.
Taste is crisp, crackery and a bit nutty. Soft bitterness and notes of toast, rye, citrus and elderflower. Very refreshing and quaffable.
Mouthfeel is thin to medium with good carbonation.
Overall, a supremely sessionable bitter.
Feb 03, 2026Smell is crisp and crackery with some fruity hints. Quite light with notes of toast, elderflower and citrus with hints of chestnuts and soap.
Taste is crisp, crackery and a bit nutty. Soft bitterness and notes of toast, rye, citrus and elderflower. Very refreshing and quaffable.
Mouthfeel is thin to medium with good carbonation.
Overall, a supremely sessionable bitter.
Reviewed by flyingpig from Scotland
2.98/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
2.98/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
500ml bottle from Morrisons (£2.05):
Medium amber with a thin, foamy white head holding well & a clear body. Slightly nutty, a faint sweetness, biscuit & bitter malts but fairly light. It's quite bitter tasting too, earthy malts & hops but noting particularly distinct; it's light-medium bodied with plenty of fizz too.
May 31, 2025Medium amber with a thin, foamy white head holding well & a clear body. Slightly nutty, a faint sweetness, biscuit & bitter malts but fairly light. It's quite bitter tasting too, earthy malts & hops but noting particularly distinct; it's light-medium bodied with plenty of fizz too.
Reviewed by vinicole from England
3.5/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle. Clear burnished copper/gold. No head.
Smells of sweet hops and caramel malt.
Tastes more perfumed and floral with a touch of tobacco.
Light body. Fizzy feel.
Even with a bitter finish it's a bit too sweet for an EB.
Mar 26, 2025Smells of sweet hops and caramel malt.
Tastes more perfumed and floral with a touch of tobacco.
Light body. Fizzy feel.
Even with a bitter finish it's a bit too sweet for an EB.
Reviewed by hopley from Massachusetts
3.51/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.51/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Bought bottle from Waitrose 11/24 and drank the same night at room temp. Bottle says “serve cold” and it may have been better colder.
Nice clear gold color with some white head and a little lacing. A little breast fresh smell. Much more bitter than a bitter typically is, IMO, but still tasty. Feel was a bit light.
All in all for a 1.75 pound supermarket pint of bitter, I got what I wanted, and needed after a long Thanksgiving day with no turkey in the UK…(!). Would get again, but only to try cold…but would seek out on cask if up north.
Nov 28, 2024Nice clear gold color with some white head and a little lacing. A little breast fresh smell. Much more bitter than a bitter typically is, IMO, but still tasty. Feel was a bit light.
All in all for a 1.75 pound supermarket pint of bitter, I got what I wanted, and needed after a long Thanksgiving day with no turkey in the UK…(!). Would get again, but only to try cold…but would seek out on cask if up north.
Rated by JonSchwartz from North Carolina
3.96/5 rDev +16.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.96/5 rDev +16.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On cask in Bristol.
Jun 20, 2017
Reviewed by JohnfromDublin from Ireland
4.08/5 rDev +19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.08/5 rDev +19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I had several pints of this brew at The Brown Horse, Winster, Lake district on 18.07.2008.
It was served (when they bothered with the correct glass!) in a pint glass that bore the legend "beer from the heart of the lakes".
Appearence was a clear amber brew with a decent white head. Smell was of fruit and hops.
The taste was a deliciously fruity, hoppy bitter; very refreshing and at 3.7% ABV made for an excellent session ale. Plenty of flavour for a beer so low in alcohol. I would definitely drink this again, given the chance.
Jul 24, 2008It was served (when they bothered with the correct glass!) in a pint glass that bore the legend "beer from the heart of the lakes".
Appearence was a clear amber brew with a decent white head. Smell was of fruit and hops.
The taste was a deliciously fruity, hoppy bitter; very refreshing and at 3.7% ABV made for an excellent session ale. Plenty of flavour for a beer so low in alcohol. I would definitely drink this again, given the chance.
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