Not-so-new year beer

Is that the time? 10th of January already and not a peep out of me all year. No, I'm not doing one of those principled January detoxes, I've just been away for a while and have been putting my life back together since I returned. A report on where I was and the beer I found will follow after I've tried the two bottles I brought back with me. It's all about completeness and coherency, see?

So, just to mark the start of a new year of beer, and to demonstrate that I'm still alive and drinking, a review of a random untried beer from my stash: St. Peter's Organic Best Bitter.

It pours a lovely cloudy amber colour with only the lightest skim of a head. The aroma is citrus and candy in equal proportions. The caramel candy hits the palate first, followed close behind by a quite sharp and acidic bitterness. Neither flavour lingers on very long, however, and soon it's time for another sip.

This is a well-balanced session bitter, and with its toned-down flavours is much more to my hop-wuss liking than Landlord or any of the other bitterer bitters. It also ticks the boxes I found wanting with the brewery's Organic Ale. A criticism? Well, just at the end there's a faint hint of that metallic tang that I find in a number of English ales. I reckon I can live with it though.

All in all a decent and unfussy pint... er, half-litre.