The Ale Archive

What they say: “A smooth, full-bodied, pale chestnut traditional bitter for everyday drinking” No argument with that. A good all around bitter from this East Anglian brewery that can now boast that most of their beers are gluten free. Found on a return visit to a pub I first tried to get into over 20 years ago. The owner was rather ‘eccentric’ to put it nicely and I was told by the barman – who was camper than a row of tents – that they “don’t serve men with earrings”! Not cheap but great food – the steaks were divine. The Tickell Arms , Whittlesford, Cambridge. December 2017

What they say: “A full golden coloured beer with a soft hop flavour and finish.” One of the clearest beers I’ve had on this trip. Very enjoyable too and from nearby Nuneaton. The hops were subtle and while I usually prefer a darker ale I would happily drink this again given it’s quality. The food was superb too, certainly the best we’ve had so far this week. 4.2% A.B.V The Red Lion , Corley Moor, Coventry. October 2016

What they say? Well, www.perfectpint.co.uk reckon this: “A sweet malty beer with bitter hoppy aftertaste brewed in Burton.” Bearing the M & B name but now brewed it seems by brewing giants Coors. Reviews online suggest it is a poor imitation of the original. They may well be right. Inoffensive and a good session beer but a little insipid. 3.6% A.B.V. The White Lion , Hampton-in-Arden, Solihull. October 2016

What they say: “The pale brown to amber medium bodied beer has a strong hop character. It's a bitter but with unconventional warm tones of malt that lingers on the palette, the complex malty flavours gives richness, balanced by the clean hoppy finish. A good session bitter brewed with local British hops picked from the farm seven miles down the road in Worcestershire - Fuggles, Goldings, Challenger and Progress.” Lovely. Didn’t find it too hoppy, just a good honest bitter. From nearby Shropshire. The White Lion , Hampton-in-Arden, Solihull. October 2016

What they say: “ Bank’s Amber is a beautiful, easy drinking bitter with lots of malty, hoppy flavours – delivering a beer which is refreshingly bitter. Unsurprisingly, once you’ve finished savouring this deep gold bitter, you’ll finish on an addictive, dry note.  Needless to say, Bank’s Amber is a classic, easy-drinking beer made from high quality ingredients, which makes this particular bitter far too easy to drink. Brewed using the same yeast stream for over hundreds of years, Bank’s Amber is a beer which keeps delivering.” The first ( I thought) of hopefully many new beers on our trip to Warwickshire and around but it needed a visit to a second pub to find something I hadn’t tried. Oh the hardship! However it appears that this is just a rebranding of Banks’s Bitter but I’ll include it again anyway. The Queens Head , Meriden, Warwickshire. October 2016

What they say: “Malty and fruity  aroma with a satisfying flavour and bitter finish, Cambridge Bitter is the main brand beer at an ABV of 3.8%………..A mild brown bitter with a good balance of malt and hop character give a pleasing session drink.  The finest pale ale malt (made from Maris Otter barley) is blended with torrified wheat, invert sugar and a small amount of roast barley, to ensure consistent colour……..Hops used are English Fuggles and challenger, a blend that gives a full hop character to the beer.” A recent visit to our old home town to catch up with HRH, aka Trev’s Mum gave us the opportunity to visit a couple of hostelries once familial duties had been completed. Located in the next village, the pub in which we found this also had rooms and could well be our destination next time instead of the cheap and comfortable but rather characterless Travelodge. They had several guest beers but I only got to try this one, however I wasn’t disappointed. Tasty, but not too s...

What they say: “Pale amber bitter. Fresh floral hop notes, spicy orange, crisp grapefruit and a hint of caramel. “ Well, it’s been a while since the last addition to the archive. I haven’t been out much and the usual post holiday diet has started (again) meaning that ‘research’ activities have been somewhat curtailed. You would be right in thinking that this wasn’t really for me but it was pleasant enough at at 4.6% A.B.V was quite full bodied - and brewed just a few miles away too near Arundel. The Thomas a Becket , Worthing, West Sussex. September 2016

What they say: “A cornerstone of our range of real ales, this chestnut-coloured wonder is a mouthwatering example of a cask-conditioned bitter.Brewed using Maris Otter and Crystal malts together with locally grown Target and Goldings hops, Wye Valley Bitter has a delicate hoppy aroma leading on to a full malty flavour and ending in a crisp, clean bitter finish.” A straightforward name for a straightforward beer, but that’s no bad thing in my book when it seems so many are trying create something unique that ends up smelling like a vase of flowers. A good honest pint of bitter. It was lovely – and the right strength to have a few without reaching for the paracetamol in the morning. 3.7& A.B.V The Twelve Bells , Cirencester, Gloucestershire. July 2016

What they say: “The Half Bore has an aroma of malt and barley sugar made with Devon honey to produce a smooth and sweet taste that will leave you wanting more…….Nose: Fruity smell, with aroma of malt and barley sugars. Palate: Smooth, sweet and moreish malt flavours with a floral finish.” My first local brew whilst staying in Devon – in a bottle anyway – did not disappoint. Full of flavour but still easy drinking 4.0% A.B.V. July 2016.

  What they say: “ Crafted from British hops, Maris Otter barley and Cornish spring water, Cornish Best is an easy-drinking, traditional, well balanced bitter with wide appeal. Cornish Best is brewed from the heart of Cornwall but with a flavour that appeals further afield. For its strength it drinks much fuller with plenty of toffee and biscuit flavours complemented with a hint of bitterness on the finish. A very nice well balanced beer.” Our first stop on our summer jaunt is in North Devon just up from Woolacombe but our first taste was from over the border in Cornwall and it didn’t disappoint. In a word, delicious. It was everything I like in a beer, it’s flavour belying it’s strength and at less than three quid a pint, a bargain. The Chichester Arms, Mortehoe, Devon. July 2016

What they say: “Double Dragon has an ABV of 4.2%. It is a full drinking, premium Welsh Ale, which is malty and subtly hopped. Double Dragon has a rich colour and smooth balanced character. This deep copper red ale has a tangy red fruit flavour with nutty, toffee overtones.” The first canned beer outside of the USA apparently and I got to sample the tinned version a couple of years ago when we were staying on a campsite in south Wales and a fellow caravanner who lives just up the road kindly deposited some at reception for us.  This bottled version also came courtesy of another caravanner who we met up on site recently thanks to a foray into Aldi who are now stocking it. It reminded me of some of the lovely Irish reds we got to sample a couple of years ago - very drinkable and one I’d happily ‘sample’ again. May 2016

What they say “ A well-hopped and well balanced refreshing amber session beer. Triple hopped with Brewers Gold gives light citrus notes and a fresh clean finish. The one beer to have when you’re having more than one.” Those who noticed the word citrus will guess correctly that this wasn’t one of my favourites. A good session beer but not ‘bitter’ enough for me and a bit too fruity. 3.8% A.B.V.   The Postal Order , Crystal Palace. February 2016

What they say “ A distinguished best bitter with warm malt flavours and a clean bitter finish.Brewed using the highest quality Pale ale, Maris Otter, Wheat, Crystal and Roasted malts and hopped with a blend of Challenger, Goldings and East Kent Goldings whole hops.” Another excellent guest at one of our favourite watering holes in Crystal Palace. Best Bitter is my choice of ale and this was delicious. Nothing fancy, just a mighty tasty pint, served at the right temperature and in excellent condition.   The Grape & Grain , Crystal Palace. February 2016

What they say: “The aroma is toffee malt and fresh green hops with a full body and lingering bitter finish” I was so pleased to come across this on or first ‘research’ expedition whilst staying in Ramsgate. I’d already tried the bottled version back in March and that was lovely – read my entry HERE . I wasnt disappaointed in the cask version either, it was as I remembered it – very tasty indeed. At 4.5% A.B.V it was full of flavour but not one to be taken too lightly. Sir Stanley Gray, Ramsgate, Kent. December 2015

What they say: A tawny-coloured classic best beer with well-balanced malt flavours, finished with a hint of blackcurrant and a slightly spicy, sweet aroma. One of my last tastes of ‘proper beer’ before we headed off to France - which is where this blog is coming from. Nice but a little on the sweet side for me. I went back to the ever excellent Harvey’s Sussex Best for the second pint. Not bad though but at 4.5% A.B.V a bit on the strong side for a session beer - for me anyway. From just over the border in West Sussex, so it didn’t have to travel far. The Rottingdean Club, East Sussex. June 2015

What they say: The definitive English Bitter. This fine golden-coloured beer has a full flavour that lingers pleasantly on the palate. With good bitter sweet balance, this beer has a subtle hop character described as citrus and spicy. It’s a refreshing and very satisfying pint – noted for the aroma of its Fuggle hops and the dry hopping of Bramling Cross to add to its characteristic Theakston aroma Yes, a great Best Bitter but I did find it a little too gassy, even though it was hand pulled. Apart from that - great stuff. 4.0% A.B.V. The White House , Whitby, North Yorkshire. March 2015

What they say? “Dark ruby red robust full bodied ale, slight toffee edge with a subtle vine fruit finish ” Clearly my taste buds are less complex than some as I don't recall the toffee of fruits but I do remember a damn fine pint from this brewery by the sea. Brewed out the back and served in the pub out the front right on the coast. The Ship Inn , Low Newton, Northumberland. March 2015.

What they say? Rich malty, amber, toasted sesame & spicy cedar & pine. Brewed on site by the coast at the delightful Ship Inn in Low Newton, Northumberland, I found it to be quite malty but very drinkable still. A nice pint. March 2015