I’m down south for an ale this time, visiting Sheffield for a work event. After the hard day’s graft I fancied a beer, so I bought a pint of Black Sheep’s Best Bitter in The Scholar on London road and took a seat in amongst the halloween decorations and spiderwebs (fake ones thankfully).
The first smell reminded me, if I’m honest, of dried drip trays and spilled beer. Not entirely sure this is going to be a fair representation of the ale – perhaps this isn’t the most frequently used tap… After the first sip though the taste settled down so perhaps it’s ok. The colour is quite dark with a golden tinge. The taste is initially pretty smooth and subtle but it has a dry aftertaste, with a bit of citrus. There’s almost a wee bit of a tannin feel to it, drying out the tongue.
Half way down now and I think it’s a bit tainted by seldom used pipes or bad bar maintenance. I’m gonna give it the benefit of the doubt and call this a mis-taste. Next time!