Cask @ Cricketers Arms, Bedford. Golden beer, takes a white to settle. Once it does, it has a compact off-white head. The aromas are faint and confusing. Metallic and woody notes predominate, with something sweet (bubblegum?) also detectable. The taste is very unexpected: fresh at first fading to bitter. Extremely bitter, almost acrid, aftertaste. The very dry woody character takes a while to get used to.

Cask at the Alexandra Arms, Cambridge. Pours clear, yellow-gold with a lasting, white cream head. Simple stuff, with some of that odd golden-ale-but-smokey character. Pale malts, white bread. Light bodied with fine carbonation. Light sweetness on the finish with mild white sugars. I like it OK but the smokiness cannot possibly be intentional.