On our way home from the cinema at the Barbican yesterday - Indiana Jones rocks - we popped into Dirty Dicks for one, as I wanted to see if Young's Bitter had improved any. It hadn't. Watery, barely hopped, with a dry aftertaste that went less than well with the aforementioned wateriness. I didn't have another.
All character seems to have been removed from this beer. Views?
Young's describes it thus: "Bursting with taste, Young's Bitter is an easy to drink, refreshing cask ale with a fresh, fruity aroma that leaves a long, satisfying bitter finish. It is traditionally brewed to deliver a clean taste and is light and dry in flavour with a subtle taste of hops."
9 comments:
If this indicates a general decline in the quality of Young's beers after the Wells merger/takeover, it is disappointing as I have usually enjoyed them when I can get hold of them here in Merseyside, Young's Special in particular. Let's hope your pint was just badly kept.
Rednev
I'd like to think so, but wishing it would be so can't make it so!
I find people like to drink Ordinary at lunchtime. Sometimes inoffensive is what one wants, I suppose. I'm no great fan, but there are far worse beers out there.
Young's beer lost its destinctive flavour before it moved out of LONDON.As a scotsman it took me a long time to get used to it's hoppy dry flavour when i first came to London as i was used to malty beers.I recently had a pint in a pub famous for its Young's Ordinary.Got to say it looked perfect but sadly lacked flavour.If i was at a beer fest and saw tasting notes that included the words Clean-Light-subtle i would give it a miss.Actually they sound like words used for Bud etc.
Last pint I bought was OK but incredibly dull.
Looks like the Bud analogy is disturbingly accurate.
I went into the Lamb in Lamb's Conduit St (for decades the greatest Young's pub in central London) the other week, to be faced with a row of handpumps offering: Young's Ordinary, Wells Bombadier, Courage Directors & Deuchars IPA.
The Ordinary was unremarkable. I asked about other Young's beers & was told they still ahd Special, on a handpump hidden away at the back of the bar.
Obviously I can only talk for the bottles but they have all displayed a marked decline in favour in my opinion. Winter Warmer has just hit the shelves here, sweet, watery and a tad worty. Special London Ale is simply a heart break .
I'll buck the trend here and say I've been really enjoying Young's bitter recently. Found it extremely hoppy, more so than I remembered.
Not sure what's going on! Perhaps someone put the wrong tap on?
I don't know about the ordinary, but the dumbing down of the Special has happened gradually over the years. They admitted this in the Ram magazine some years ago - it would supposedly give a broader appeal...
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