Shepherd Neame Brilliant Ale (Bottle)
Bottle: Filtered.
Ingredients: Malt, Cascade hops
Historically this recipe was formulated with 100% pale malt and was bittered by the brewery’s signature East Kent Goldings hops, resulting in a golden, brilliantly bright, hoppy ale which has risen Phoenix-like from the ashes of time for the modern drinker to enjoy.
Says head brewer Richard Frost, “According to brewery records, Brilliant Ale was first brewed sometime between 1825 and 1855, making it our oldest Classic Collection beer to date. Although we’ve rejuvenated it by using the modern hop variety Cascade, we’re staying true to the spirit of this great pale ale, which was hugely popular in its day.
Ingredients: Malt, Cascade hops
Historically this recipe was formulated with 100% pale malt and was bittered by the brewery’s signature East Kent Goldings hops, resulting in a golden, brilliantly bright, hoppy ale which has risen Phoenix-like from the ashes of time for the modern drinker to enjoy.
Says head brewer Richard Frost, “According to brewery records, Brilliant Ale was first brewed sometime between 1825 and 1855, making it our oldest Classic Collection beer to date. Although we’ve rejuvenated it by using the modern hop variety Cascade, we’re staying true to the spirit of this great pale ale, which was hugely popular in its day.
3.1
157 reviews
Faversham, England
Community reviews
Botella. Claer deep golden. Malty aroma with some herb/spice to it and flowery hoppiness. Flavour is toasty malty like with spice and hops.
Refreshing and yet full of flavor. Copper and light ruby appearance. Bitter and hoppy taste with generous experiences.
Bottle. Pale Yellowy Gold in colour. Foamy white head. Malty; biscuity malts, caramel, honey notes. Fruity; citrus lemon. Faintly Spicy. Hoppy; Cascade hops. Starts sweet malty fruity; ends medium bitter. Easy drinking. (2016-01-06)
Now labelled as Blonde Ale, golden amber with a fine head and a malty-dry nose with hints of golden fruit, prickly mouthfeel has dry-sweet malts matched with drying hops and distant notes of peach, mint and pepper. Rather tasty, like English bitter crossed with American Pale Ale.
Bottled. A dark golden beer with a beige head. The aroma has notes of malt, over ripe fruits, and elderflowers. The flavor is sweet with notes of malt, caramel, elderflowes, and fruits, leading to a dry finish.
50cl bottle from Kellys Expat Shopping.
Thin white head. Clear light amber pour. Light malty bitter aftertaste.
Bottle 50 cl. Clear, golden with a small, white head. Typical British yeast aroma. Mediumbody, fairly neutral, malty body, with some late bittering hops. Decent if uninspired. 271216
Dull malts, a slight taste of caramel and much hops, with a short bitterness. The amount of bitter is very nice, but overall it ends up a little bit on the watery side. Very bright taste, though, so certainly not unpleasant.
An english, amber ale with white head. Aroma is caramel, light prune, malt. Taste is bitter and light sweet.
Copenhagen 27/9 2016. 50 cl bottle from Meny. According to the label a circa 200 year old recipe brewed by "Britain’s oldest brewer". Can it get more authentic than that? And with a very modest name to top it off. Pours clear golden yellow with small white head. Settles as thin layer of foam. Aroma is pleasantly fruity. Sweet peach, gooseberries and a little sour grape fruit. Medium carbonation and slightly thick palate. Flavor is medium sweet followed by distinct dry bitterness. Bitterness lingers in the aftertaste. Semi dry finish. A quite fresh and nicely bitter ale. Actually quite close to be brilliant.
Aroma; malts on hops, fruity malts, meadow spices. Look; pale straw clear golden body with an off white head. Taste; hops, roasted malts, malts, fruit peel, bitter grainy bread - clean balanced finish. Feel; good body, fine carbonation, drinks well. Overall; a good brew. [50cl.btl 5.6% BB.??]
Good, dense, lightly yellowish head over darker metallic golden beer, clear. Sweet nose with lots of caramel and butterscotch. Faraway hint at stale beer, but not really oxydation. Bit metallic, bitter-ish flavour. I’d never guessed Cascade, as it shows not the slighltest hint at citrus, nor resin. Faint sugary/caramel underbuild, no butterscotch in the mouth. Long lasting main flavours; thin body, even watery, medium carbonation. Why is it that near every new British microbrewery manages to turn out exciting bottled beers, whilst established, large familybrewers struggle to make this ilk as an optimum?
Bottle @ 14°C. Deep clear gold with big fluffy quickly diminishing head. Caramel sweet aroma with small notes of fruitiness. Lightly sweet. Medium watery body and low carbonation. O: Did not like
On first tasting this ale was really impressed. Whilst a little sweet and not as hopped as I would have liked it was very pleasant to drink and left a very nice aftertaste. No real aroma or smell but taste was excellent. Recommended.
bottle after day of checking out the South English surroundings, 500ml, 5.6%. pours bright golden with a white head. Aroma is dull, moldy, cardboard, old, malts. Taste of malts, weak grain, pilsener malts, at least i pulled this one out of the freezer, not it’s cold. This is however one of the first Ale’s not totally dominated by caramel and biscuitmalts. not that it’s suddenly a good beer....
Bottle from Alko, Helsinki.
Pours golden with a thin white head. Aroma features malts with some citrus and grass on the background. Tastes pretty much like a basic lager: malts, grains and hay. There’s a mild hoppiness and some pale ale like citrus, but not enough to really make a difference to an average lager. Low carbonation, medium watery body. Not bad, not special - decent and easy to drink.
Bottle from Alko. Pours golden with a little white head. The aroma features pale grainy maltiness, floral hoppiness and a touch of citrus fruitiness. Taste is initially lightly sweet and malty, later hoppier and more bitter, though subtly rather than assertively. Flavours of hay and grain, citrus fruits, floral and citrusy hops. The palate is medium-bodied, smooth and low to moderate in carbonation. Decent standard British ale: balanced and drinkable but lacks sharp edges and perhaps also character.
Nice color, but lousy almost non-existant head. Almost looks like cider. Nice aromas almost toffee-like. Pleasant flavors, not too bitter. Refreshing carbonation. But overall not really my style of beer.
0,5l bottle, from Damian Bottle Shop, Bratislava, BBD: 08-2016 Pours clear golden liquid, medium frothy white head, fell down quickly, Aroma: malty, caramel, light floral, Taste: medium sweet, light to medium bitter, light to medium sour, malty, caramel, herbal, floral, Palate: light to medium body, average carbonation, slick mouthfeel, abrupt malty aftertaste, Overall: nothing exciting.
Bottle at Uplands. Golden with white head. Aroma is malty, grassy hops and quite clean. Taste is malty, slight sugars, grass and hay.
50 cl bottle. BBE 08/2016.
Pours clear pale golden color with a large white head. Toffee and hints of honey on the nose, mild malt notes, sweet orange and subtle hop. Flavor is sweet malty with hints of toffee, hay and some subtle fruity notes. Slick palate, strong carbonation, sweet, somewhat artificial honey finish. Clean and inoffensive but not my cup of beer.
4313
0.5 l bottle from Alko. Dark golden colour (clear). Small head too. Taste is surprisingly malty. I didn’t quite expect it from such a pale ale. This is not bitter or otherwise hoppy. Just the taste of pale ale malts. Not like modern golden ales.
Bottle, 0.50l, courtesy of Saska. Clear amber color with medium creamy white head and average sparkling appearance. Aroma of caramel, toasted malt, grass and herbs. Taste starts with light sweet toasted malt and honey, follows herbal, fruity and earthy with moderate bitter finish. Light to medium body, slick texture and average carbonation in palate. Not really brilliant, but good enough...
Bottle from Damian. Clear golden colour with a stable head. Lively carbonation making for a nice sight as well as a refreshing drink. I am having this slightly above what might be recommended serving temperature, mind you. Yet no off notes present, only clean English style hops, with grassy and flowery flavours. Rather bitter, with malt providing only background. Sessionable and flavourful, clean and well executed. Good work.
Bottle from somewhere in Estonia. Pours a clear light copper with medium to strong white head and lots of bubbles. Nose has lots of malt, hay, caramel. Hay, bubblegum, resin. Not too sweet, not too bitter, just a bit salty and lightly sour. Light body, average carbonation and a bitter finish. A standard good Kentish product.
Pours golden amber with small white head. Barley malt and hops and sweet caramel. Low carbonation. Tasty and enjoyable
Pours clear golden with medium white head that quickly vanishes. Nose is lightly hoppy. Aromas are malt, herbal hops, fruits. Average carbonation, medium body. Long sweet and herbal finish.
0,5l bottle from alko. Pours golden with thick white head. Aroma is malty, fruity and little bit spicy. Light sweetness, really nice bitter finish. Kind of light and easy to drink for ale, but not at all watery. Very good.
hoppy citrus aroma, some malty and estery notes; golden, clear, medium white foam; medium- bitterness, lightly+ sweet; medium body, rather thin feel, average carbonation, moderately long lightly bitter finish;
Overall: drinkable and proper but mediocre
Clear orange small offwhite head. Spicy and deep malty aroma. Flavor is malty very spicy like a bitter but a bit more malty than that.