I’m constantly interested by the fact that we can all get something different from the same beer, our palates are so individual that a simply drink like a pint of Bitter ca cause arguments over what it tastes like and whether or not it’s any good.
Last night I had a couple of bottles of beer from Redchurch, a brewery who I generally like and will happily drink, and I decided to start with their Shoreditch Blonde as people seem to like it quite a lot.
But I didn’t.
I didn’t like it at all.
Their Bethnal Pale Ale on the other hand, that was a different story.

Shoreditch Blonde (4.5%)
Wow, this is lemony.
Too lemony for me.
I find it scours my palate, bullying any and all other flavours out of the way.
I can just about make out a trace of caramel and some yeasty bread, but it’s way off in the distance as the harsh citrus beast obliterates everything in its path.
Not a fan.

Bethnal Pale Ale (5.5%)
Where Shoreditch Blonde is overly harsh, Bethnal Pale Ale has a good round malt body to temper its hoppy attack.
There’s a very good caramel wafer sticky crunch forming thew backbone of this beer, and over it the hops are big and lively.
You get a face full of orange zest and a whole bouquet of garden flowers, and then some sharp green herbal leaves that lead you to a long dry and refreshingly bitter finish.
I like this a lot.