Abbot Reserve
Greene King in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England 🏴
Bitter - ESB / Strong Bitter Regular|
Score
6.71
|
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Very full bodied, rich and sweet with a higher bitterness to provide balance. Bursting with malty, biscuity and fruit cake character from the mixture of pale, amber and crystal malts. Masses of tropical fruits and floral fragrance from the hops, in particular the fragrant, floral and spicy Fuggles used as late hop together with extra Challenger, Pilgrim and First Gold. Very complex, rich and warming.
MALT: Pale, crystal, amber.
HOPS: Challenger, First Gold, Fuggles
MALT: Pale, crystal, amber.
HOPS: Challenger, First Gold, Fuggles
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7.3/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Deep copper colour off white head
A - sweet malt, fruits
F - malt, dark bread, fruit cake, toffee
smooth coating mouthfeel
A - sweet malt, fruits
F - malt, dark bread, fruit cake, toffee
smooth coating mouthfeel
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Apr 2026
at 19:45
7.1/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
Hand pulled pint in the 100 House, Norton at Will & Grace's wedding on 16th February 2026. Clean amber body, off white, but weak head. Nice blend and an old school ESB, malty front but with a solid hop content.
Tried
from Cask
on 16 Feb 2026
at 21:00
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Cask at Justice Mill. It pours clear chestnut brown with a thick, fluffy beige head. The aroma is sticky, bitter - sweet, dried fruits, raisin, sultana, toasty spice, toffee, fudge, brown bread, fruit cake and polished wood. The taste is smooth, slick, bitter - sweet, rich, chewy, toothy, raisin, sultana, toasty spice, woody, leather, warming booze, touch of tannin, toffee, caramel, fudge and cacao nibs with a drying, chewy finish. Medium body and moderate, fluffy carbonation. Rich and hearty. A big step up from the standard abbot ale.
Tried
from Cask
at
Justice Mill (JDW)
on 12 Feb 2026
at 12:36
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7
Bottle. Clear pale brown with an ok but small white head. Aroma of caramel, toffee, herbs and some alcohol. Taste of toffee, biscuits, caramel, fruitcake, fudge, herbs and chocolate pudding. Moderate bitterness. Medium carbonation. Very nice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Dec 2025
at 22:33
7.9/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Cask at the Old Trout, Southend on 10th December 2025. Crystal clear copper with shallow foam and almost no lacing. Rich malty aroma. Intense nutty maltiness in-mouth and finish. Velvet smooth texture and a full body.
Tried
from Cask
at
Olde Trout Tavern
on 10 Dec 2025
at 20:41
6.8/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Pint on cask at the gate house jdw.
Medium creamy off white head. Clear amber pour. Light bittersweet aftertaste
Medium creamy off white head. Clear amber pour. Light bittersweet aftertaste
Tried
from Cask
at
The Gate House (JDW)
on 12 Nov 2025
at 18:39
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
cask...Copper colour ... sweet caramel malt ... very sweet caramel malts but over powered bitter ... some grassy hop in linger
Tried
on 28 Jul 2025
at 14:08
6.5/10
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Feb 2025
at 16:15
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Old rating from 2017 - 500ml bottle, pours berries, caramel, toffee, biscuit, spices & malt. Moderate body. Dry mild bitter finish
Tried
from Bottle
on 31 Jan 2025
at 22:45
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
500ml bottle from Morrisons, online. Pours a clear amber with small beige head, spotted retention. Aroma is malty, toffee, fig, raisin. Taste is semi-sweet, quite rich with malty, toffee, biscuit, spice notes, some raisin fruitiness.Medium to full bodied, somewhat syrupy in mouth feel.
Tried
from Bottle
on 31 Dec 2024
at 02:23