Available in a number of Devon locations, but I drank this on tap at The Firehouse in Exeter, Devon, England. Pat and Don are no longer the owners at the Firehouse (from my days of working there) but the building and the pub were almost identical. Happy to find the old place still looking the same after 15-20 years!
Back Beach was one of three or four cask beers available. I think this is the type of English Bitter that has gained in popularity so much in recent years and is often called a “Golden Ale” in the UK. Generally I’m not high on this type of beer.
This poured a light amber with a lively head and plenty of fresh, grassy notes in the nose. VERY refreshing and easy drinking, this struck me as a summertime bitter if ever there was one. Very clean Maris Otter/Goldings and a sharp clean finish too. The finish was reminiscent of a Pils clean bitterness.
This is certainly not a heavy beer by any stretch of the imagination, and to be honest I am generally not keen on these very light bitters but this one seemed to hit the spot. I think the combination of the freshness of the draft pour and the moment (high summer/nostalgia of the setting) may have allowed me to give this a higher score than I otherwise have might. Anyway, I enjoyed this very refreshing and drinkable brew.