Wye Valley Bitter
Nov 14th, 2007 by steve
Purchase location: “Varsity Bar” – Cheltenham
Served as a great looking amber pint, maybe it’s all the swish lighting and mirrors in Varsity but this pint looks like it’s been created by Faberge as it sits there basking in its own smugness.
First taste this is a lot more earthy and sweet than I thought; I assumed I was in for a yeasty bready pint, but no, the Wye valley tastes almost like it’s been brewed using mushrooms. Yes, definitely a ‘mushroomy’ taste, not unpleasant but not expected either.
The pint head has lasted to about half way down the glass, giving some lacing down the side, after the pint has warmed it’s got a much more floral taste to it and the hops start to show through, there’s a bitterness at the back of the throat.
Not my favourite pint on the night, and quite a low ABV, but a nice pint that would sit well with a Sunday dinner.
My Rating: 6/10
Hops used: English Target, Goldings
ABV: 3.6%
Visit the Wye Valley Brewery website for more information.
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I have enjoyed Wye Valley Bitter at the Barrels, Hereford, in agreement with most of the above, although it could be that this beer does not travel that well and the mushroom scent (that I have tasted in one or two other beers, not WVB though) has developed at the pub rather than the brewery.
Although my experience of it was a highly satisfying first pint in a session, one was enough and I moved on to other beers. Try it elsewhere and see if the mushroom flavour is absent.
Thats an interesting point, ‘how well do beers travel’ I hadn’t considered that.
I thought it may have been due to the WVB being stored in very cold cellar then heating up, then cooling down, heating up etc, which may have attributed to the taste variation.