Day 72: 03.13.10 Wells Bombardier English Premium Bitter

Wells & Young's Brewing Co. Ltd.

Bedford, England


Bombardier English Premium Bitter


Style: English Bitter
Availability: Year Round
Format: 16.9oz
ABV: 5.2%


Bottle text & Info:

Wells Bombardier English Premium Bitter from Wells and Young's Brewing Company, has become synonymous with St. George's Day and all that is English, throughout the length and breadth of the country. It is known as the 'Drink of England.'
In the pub industry survey for the 'Publican' magazine '2005 Market Report' licensees were asked to name three brands that they would most like to stock in their pubs: "...the big news is the storming new entry of Wells Bombardier at No.3".

'A burnished copper colour, it has a rich, tempting aroma of peppery hops and raisins, while the palate is dominated by more dark fruit, juicy malt and tangy hops.'Roger Protz Editor, The Good Beer Guide

As most lovers of cask ale know, water is the most important ingredient in beer, and Wells Bombardier has an enviable natural advantage over other premium bitters; it is uniquely brewed using natural mineral water from an independently accredited source - our own well. Wells Bombardier uses only the most flavoursome part of the ripest, hand sampled English hops to guarantee a delicious sultana fruit taste and a wonderful, spicy aroma. We also use more malt per pint than other premium bitters and our English 'Crystal' malt is carefully crushed, not ground, to deliver the rich flavour and deep copper colour for which Wells Bombardier is renowned.

all information related to this ale can be found at it's website....right....here!

Tasting Notes:

Pours copper with a quarter inch white head that creates a creamy retaining layer on top. Typical muted english hops on the nose with fruit and bready malts. Light body without being watery holds a short burst of English Fuggles. Doughy malts hold down the middle until some toasty notes give way to a dry, spice ridden finish. A beautiful bitter where English Fuggles and Crystal Malts co-exists and make the sum greater than their parts. Totally refreshing and an English draught staple. Makes me want to transport myself to Liverpool and have 4 or 5 pints of this with a healthy heaping of fish and chips all while braving a Reds Premiership match.

Day 36: 02.05.10 Coniston Bluebird Bitter

Coniston Brewery Co. Ltd.

Coniston, Cumbria, England


Bluebird Bitter


Style: English Bitter
Availability: Year Round
Format: 16.9oz
ABV: 3.6%
Malt: Maris Otter Pale, Crystal
Hops: Challenger


Bottle text & Info:
It is, quite simply, a wonderful beer. It is exceedingly pale (21-22 units colour), with just a hint of colour in its cheeks from the dash of crystal malt. It has a massive orange fruit aroma from the challengers, balanced by
biscuity malt.


Tasting Notes:
Pours an off orange/ peach-like color that shows some slight haze. Big wispy top that settle down to a half inch head with good retention. It really takes some work to pull the nose apart on this one. Some caramelized malts, some pear-like fruits and some subtle herbal notes. Drinks light although I'd say this one is medium-bodied. Fruit up front, dry in the back. Pear, red apple and some honey like sweetness that gives way to a biscuity, woody and somewhat lemon-like dryness that intermingles with some wood and spice. This is an ale where the sum is definitely greater than its parts. There is a lot going on if you take the time to dissect. But the true beauty of this ale is the yin and yang of sweet v. dry. Overall, an enjoyable bitter that has some solid legs and is a good representation of a bottled version of a normally cask conditioned bitter.