The Kernel Brewery Bitter Simonds 1880

Bitter Simonds 1880

 

The Kernel Brewery in Bermondsey, Greater London, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

  Bitter - ESB / Strong Bitter Regular
Score
7.27
ABV: 5.9% IBU: - Ticks: 76
ABV has been seen to vary within the base beer and the various iterations.
Available on Cask and Bottled.

An 1880 Bitter recipe from Simond's brewery, Reading. Pale Maris Otter and Amber malt only. Goldings all the way through. Perhaps in style closer to how we now consider an ESB or Burton Ale.

Malt – Maris Otter, Amber Malt.
Hops – Goldings, Bramling Cross
Yeast – Blend of 2 London Ale Yeasts with a Yorkshire Ale strain

This recipe for a Victorian Bitter is brewed to an 1880 one from Simond's Brewery in Reading, via the archives of the Durden Park Beer Circle. Their notes on the beer state simply: 'Dream Bitter with a lovely flavour.

A Durden Park Favourite.

Round the brewery we just call it 'Dream Bitter'.

The malt bill predates the common use of crystal malts (which hugely influence a modern bitter's flavour), so comprises of just Pale Ale Malt (our regular Maris Otter being ideal for this purpose) and Amber Malt (a lightly toasted malt). Hopped with Goldings all the way through with some Bramling Cross lightly handed the dry hopping duties.

Aroma of citrus, spice and hedgerow leading through to a smooth body, flavours of marmalade and toast, with a touch of tea. Firm bitterness to balance. Perhaps in style closer to how we now consider an ESB or Burton Ale than a modern bitter?
 

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7.8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

cask at blue blazer ...small off white head ...dark amber ..small white head ...soft sweet oily orange fruit...juicy fruits ..soft lily fruit ..long soft pilt orange from

Tried on 30 Nov 2025 at 14:28


7.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

500ml bottle, 5.6% presumably the 6th edition. Slightly hazy amber with a big beige head. Aroma of caramel and toffee malts, some coffee(?). Taste is much the same, definitely getting some bitter coffee, event a hint of ashy smoke, with sweet toffee and caramel malts, hoppy bitterness. Medium bodied. An interesting and very different ESB to any other I've tried.

Tried from Bottle from The Fuss Club on 10 Nov 2025 at 02:31


7.6
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

cask at the cloisters ...deep brown ..thin tan lacing ..soft sweet cereal toffee fruit nose ....soft sweet caramel toffee fruit nose ..bitter soft bitter woody toffee malts

Tried on 04 Nov 2025 at 14:43


7.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Appearance- amber, with a big pillowy clingy beige head. Aroma- lots of malt, subtle hops, raisiny dark fruit hints, fruitcake, biscuity malt. Taste is very malty, hop bitterness, bready malt, hint of marmaladey orange, biscuit, some berry fruit, lots of bitterness. Lives up to the name.

Tried from Bottle on 22 Feb 2025 at 07:50


6.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Аромат достаточно хмелевой, есть сразу травнянистая составляющая, легкие специи, хмель как будто не только континентальный, горечь. Цвет темно карамельный, пенки почти нету. Во вкусе сразу горечь сильная, а также какие то намеки на специи сильные, карамели почти нету. Послевкусие более классическое, очень горькое. В целом классический биттер с доп хмелем.

Tried on 07 Feb 2025 at 06:01


7

Malty, dry, bitter. Caramel, slight roast, smooth. Very nice.

Tried on 24 Jan 2025 at 15:40


7.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 8

Cask (Belgium and Blues, Southampton) - Amber with a haze. Biscuity, nutty and slightly earthy aroma with hints of marmalade. Marmalade, biscuity malt and pecan nuts in the taste. Apricot in the aftertaste.

Tried from Cask on 20 Jan 2025 at 06:53


8.2
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Cask at kernel arch 7. A light hazed amber burnt orange coloured pour with a a lasting loose off white head. Aroma is semi sweet brown sugars, brown bread, grassy hop, leafy, dried fruits, raisin, orange zest. Flavour is composed of semi sweet, nutty brown bread, Terry's chocolate orange, grassy hop, trail mix, raisin, grainy finish. Palate is semi sweet, rounded, slightly creamy, mellow cask condition. Layered malts.

Tried from Cask on 12 Jan 2025 at 22:03


7.9
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

--Sample, thanks fonefan! -- Clear orange/brown, mid sized head. Leafy, bready nose. Mid dry with medium body and rounded mouthfeel. Leafy wuth hay and bread, Mid bitter finish. Harmonious and pleasant.

Tried on 04 Jan 2025 at 21:41


7
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Keg at Burton Bridge beer festival; Hazy copper pour, frothy beige head, tart fruit, bitter

Tried from Draft at Burton Bridge Inn (Burton Bridge) on 02 Jan 2025 at 20:59