Dark Shield
Burton Bridge Brewery in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England 🏴
IPA - Black / Cascadian Dark Regular|
Score
6.95
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Inspired by the legendary Worthington White Shield, this Dark English IPA boasts rich, roasted malts with English hops in a dark, full-bodied ale.
Its classic hoppy bitterness meets subtle notes of treacle for a perfectly balanced, smooth dark IPA.
Black IPAs, sometimes known as Cascadian Dark Ales, have made somewhat of a resurgence in recent years. This controversial style (can an Indian Pale Ale really be dark?) is usually made with new-world hops. We’ve differed from this slightly, opting for traditional English hops.
In Dark Shield you will find all of the flavours of a traditional English IPA, with the only difference being the colour. Can’t wait to hear what you think!
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madmitch76 (40452) reviewed Dark Shield from Burton Bridge Brewery 1 month ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 5 | Overall - 6.5
3rd December 2025
Cask at Pigs Ear. Near opaque dark brown beer, small and fairly short lived tan head. Smooth palate, fairly flat. Mellow dark malts, a touch of chocolate. Fairly tasty plummy darkish fruits. Light smooth finish. Fine.
Theydon_Bois (46224) reviewed Dark Shield from Burton Bridge Brewery 2 months ago
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 5.5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 6
Gravity Cask at day 2 of the 41st Pigs Ear Beer Festival, 03/12/2025.
CDA #1000 on a rating site, although there'll be some in the backlog and likely lost a few in moving over from RB to BV, shame it was a crap one!
Light black with a thin tan head that escapes to the edge.
Nose is dark malts, modest roast, cocoa powder.
Taste comprises cocoa powder, brown sugar dusting, mellow roast, dried fruit rinds.
Medium bodied, soft carbonation, drying close with a light dusty hop presence.
Low end CDA.
Leighton (34941) reviewed Dark Shield from Burton Bridge Brewery 2 months ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Pigs Ear 2025. Gravity. Nice to see an old dog piling new tricks. Good roast, cocoa, burnt pine, eart, orange rind, ash. Toothy but balanced. Solid.
Reubs (35480) reviewed Dark Shield from Burton Bridge Brewery 2 months ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7.5
Cask@Dark Beer Fest 2025, The Hope, Carshalton (27/11/2025) - new English brewery ✅ roasted malty with notes of cocoa, dark caramel, brown sugar, hoppy backing, soft cask mouthfeel, malty leaning BIPA. Decent.
Cheeseboard (6269) reviewed Dark Shield from Burton Bridge Brewery 10 months ago
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7.5
Cask at Kings Head, Bristol. Pours deep brown with beige foam. Aroma: lightly toasty malts, caramel, nutty. Taste: light to moderate sweet & towards moderate bitter. More tasty malts, nutty, fruity, hoppy hints. Medium body with soft carbonation.
lad_newton (4207) reviewed Dark Shield from Burton Bridge Brewery 1 year ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7
Cask at CBC, Covent Garden on 26th January 2025. Deep sepia with minimal foam foam almost no lacing. Roasty malts aroma. Roasty in-mouth with spiced cherry fruits. Some nuttiness. A finish of ripe fruits and malty roastiness. Light to medium bodied with an engaging texture.