JW Lees (see also Lees) Boddingtons Cask

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		12 Mar 2026	Tiring a little. Rather a thin gruel version of a once full bodied ale
Hogan Sampling		12 Mar 2026	1st beer of this visit: Now its third day on but still exhibiting superb head and lacing and lasting the whole journey from being supped from a pint glass of this Boddingtons cask ale, relaunched in 2025 and now brewed at the Greengate Brewery in Middleton Junction, Greater Manchester.* A fellow regular relayed that it used to be called the “Cream of Manchester” and this sums up its recent reincarnation with a creamy foaming head! It would be truly wonderful if all bitters by their third day on had even half of the life of this one in terms of head and lasting lacing. Unlike its dry hoppy first hit two days earlier, now an unmistakably fruited but not sweet first bite. Still a gentle bitter hoppiness rising. Credit due to its Jester hops alongside traditional Goldings working their magic in the brewing. A citrusy fruity note somewhat now over-pronounced for my taste bud’s delectation. Still its hints of caramel and toffee. For me, not an old-fashioned enough hoppy tasting bitter to make it to stand out with the dry hopping notes in bitters I adore. Do not get me wrong, as its crystal malt is doing its stuff alongside the fruity notes of grapefruit. Perhaps it has been over-fruited in its reincarnation but again, do not get me wrong, as it was my pleasure in seeing it holding its life, head and lacing, and flavouring which has matured like a good Stilton from its first day on three days earlier. A hoppy bitterness still sailing out among its citrusy fruity notes. Moreish, yes, but not my own personal ideal bitter as it should be, as here over-fruited for my taste buds. *This marked the first time the cask version was brewed in Manchester since 2012 and at the city's oldest operating brewery, founded 1828, and located just miles from the original Boddingtons Strangeways site.
Philip Pirrip		10 Mar 2026	New cask on late in evening. Very zingy mouthfeel but lacking serious body
Hogan Sampling		10 Mar 2026	1st beer of this visit: Literally just on as I walked in as another customer was still finishing the last Tonbridge Country Best. A creamy head and lacing to die for and for the whole performance on this Boddingtons cask ale relaunched in 2025 and now brewed at the Greengate Brewery in Middleton Junction, Greater Manchester. This marked the first time the cask version was brewed in Manchester since 2012 and at the city's oldest operating brewery, founded 1828, and located just miles from the original Boddingtons Strangeways site. A dry hoppy first bite. A gentle bitter hoppiness rising aided by Jester hops alongside traditional Goldings. A fruity note tap dancing on my taste buds. A hint of caramel and toffee from its Crystal Malt alongside its fruity notes of grapefruit in on the act. A hoppy dryness sailing out. Very moreish indeed and so stuck to it but for a recommended half of a Tonbridge Blonde Ambition.

Star & Garter, Bromley, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	07 Nov 2025
Philip Pirrip		19 Sep 2025	Had to try it - a fake Boddingtons and even in a Boddingtons branded glass. An OK golden ale with enjoyable bitterness

The Royston, Broadstairs, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Hogan Sampling		11 Oct 2025	A good creamy head and lacing and lasting on this JW Lees' bitter from Manchester and the city's oldest brewer*. A lightly fruited bitter first bite. A dry bitterness rising. A fruited hoppy note or two bobbing up with hints of caramel, toffee and grapefruit. A moreish bitterness drifting downwards. *From on-line research, JW Lees is now the exclusive brewer of Boddingtons Cask Ale which they brew under licence from AB Inbev. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, known as AB InBev, is a Belgian multinational drink and brewing company based in Leuven, Belgium, and is said to be the largest brewer in the world.