Vibrant Forest Canopy Series Bitter

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.

The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip		29 Jan 2026	Good condition but I drank it with hardly noticing.
Hogan Sampling		29 Jan 2026	1st beer of this visit: Fresh on and exhibiting a very good head and with its lacing staying fully engaged with the glass to the end on this Hampshire bitter brewed in the village of Hardley, on the edge of the New Forest and situated approximately 10 miles away by road (and roughly 3–4 miles as the crow flies across the water) from Southampton. A very dry bitter first bite. A hoppy fruitiness rising from its British-grown Goldings hops. No tropical fruits harmed here in the making. A malty, biscuity touch afforded by its Maris Otter. A dry hoppiness abseiling downwards with a hint of fruitiness to add colour for my taste buds' delight. This is more your subtle, classic English fruitiness rather than a prominent "fruit bomb" flavour that more modern, hop-forward beers have with their tropical and citrus fruit flavourings encapsulated in their hop varieties. Here in excellent condition and so stuck to it but for a decidedly more fruity half of something else to end on.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	23 Nov 2025	Ran out
Hogan Sampling		23 Nov 2025	I only managed to get almost the last one out of the barrel on its second day on. Still displaying good head and lacing and lasting on this New Forest bitter brewed just south of Southampton in Hampshire. A very malty first hit. Its Goldings hops lending it a dry hoppy bitterness. A hint of biscuity maltiness rising. Still got that fruity kick to it and did not taste tired despite now being at the end of its barrel. Sailing out with a good malty, fruity bitterness.
Hogan Sampling		22 Nov 2025	Fresh on and so head and lacing, good, and lasting, good, on this bitter brewed on the edge of the New Forest National Park in Hampshire and just south of Southampton. A malty bittered first bite. A dry hoppy bitterness from its British-grown Goldings hops rising. A malty, sweetish biscuity note bobbing up from its Maris Otter malt, comprising partially germinated cereal grains that have been dried in the process known as "malting". Sailing out with a malty, fruity kick to it arising from its English ale yeast. Perfectly palatable but a touch over fruited for my preference.
Hogan Sampling		26 Sep 2025	Fourth night on for this New Forest bitter from Hardley, south of Southampton and based on the other side of the estuary known as Southampton Water. Still some head and lacing to it but not lasting. A very malty first bite to it. A dry bitterness rising and a maltiness aided by its Maris Otter malt, giving it a biscuity flavour. A dry hoppiness, emanating from its British-grown Goldings hops, drifting out with the odd fruity kick aided by its English ale yeast strain.
Philip Pirrip		25 Sep 2025	Basic bitter in a rather tired condition
Hogan Sampling		25 Sep 2025	Third evening on is this bitter from Hardley, south of Southampton and based on the other side of the estuary known as Southampton Water. Head and lacing, still good, and lasting, still good. A malty bitter first bite. Its Maris Otter malt giving it its malty bitterness with a biscuity note or two rising. Its British-grown Goldings hops aiding its dry hoppiness and its yeast strain lending it a healthy hint of dry fruitiness!
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	24 Sep 2025
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	23 Sep 2025
Hogan Sampling		23 Sep 2025	Fresh on this evening is this bitter from Hardley, south of Southampton and based on the other side of the estuary known as Southampton Water. Head and lacing, good, and lasting, good. A very dry bitter first bite. A mildly malty bitterness rising aided by its Maris Otter malt, lending it a hint of biscuity flavouring. A dry hoppiness shining through from its British-grown Goldings hops. Its yeast strain giving it a slightly fruity kick on riding out and singing "Rawhide" no doubt!
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	03 Apr 2025
Hogan Sampling		03 Apr 2025	Third night on for this New Forest-based bitter and still holding its head and lacing. Taste-wise, still a bitter first hit. Greatly more drinkable than when fresh on a few evenings ago. A dryish malty mouthfeel and lingering.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	02 Apr 2025
Hogan Sampling		01 Apr 2025	This New Forest traditional bitter is perhaps a touch too fresh to my taste as just on this evening, but with very good head and lacing. A powerfully bitter first hit. A very fruity mouthfeel and a biscuity sweetness from its Maris Otter malts. Left with a sort of chewy aftertaste which was not very welcome! It certainly looked the part if not quite tasting it! One sufficed for me.

The Royston, Broadstairs, Kent