Dorking DB One Best

Tasting Summary

These comments are the opinion of the individual reviewer and represent what they thought of the beer on a particular day in a particular pub. If a review is less favourable, it may be because the beer suffered somewhere in the supply chain between them and the brewery.

Oxted Royal British Legion Club, Oxted, Surrey

Who	Score	When	Notes
Hogan Sampling		11 Apr 2026	Good head and lacing to start with but not lasting the whole way on this best bitter from Aldhurst Farm in Capel, Surrey, roughly 20 miles across the North Downs and Surrey Hills and where the brewery relocated to in 2018 following being set up in west Dorking in 2008. A very fruited first bite from its citrusy flavours. A dry bitterness rising with hints of toffee and biscuit from its blend of Bobek hops, also known as Styrian Golding B and a variety that originates from Slovenia, and Bramling Cross, a traditional British hop variety first developed in 1927 at Wye College in Kent. A fruity maltiness winning over from its 100% English malted barley. A sweetened hoppy note bowling out. Slightly beyond its best due to its loss of conditioning and lacing.

Tunbridge Wells Constitutional Club, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Hogan Sampling		30 Aug 2025	Superb head and lacing on this Dorking bitter, from south-east of Dorking itself at Capel, and lasting throughout. A very bitter but not too malty first bite. A moreish bitterness rising and a gentle fruitiness bobbing along aided by its Bobek and Bramling Cross hops and English malt, Maris Otter, in on the mix. A pleasantly dry bitterness sailing off. Very moreish indeed and could easily have done more than a half but others to meet from a London CAMRA branch back in Tunbridge Wells' town centre.

The Haywain, Bramling, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Jack William		20 Feb 2025	Full bodied, malty best bitter.
Jack William		21 Nov 2024	Solid traditional best bitter.

Grove House Club, Dorking, Surrey

Who	Score	When	Notes
Hogan Sampling		18 Jan 2025	Good head and lacing on this Dorking Brewery best bitter. A very bitter first hit. A hoppy mouthfeel with a malty sweetness. It had a pleasantly dry moreish aftertaste. Only £4.20 a pint in this Dorking-based CIU club and so a real bargain!