Your Malty Matey's Burton Bridge Bitter is in the beer cupboard clearing.
I had Oliver's Golden Ale the other night. It also was put away for clearing but seemed to be taking it's time in doing so and so temptation got the better of me. It didn't help that I had a few bottles of James Squire Golden Ale in the fridge which inspired a side by side tasting.
I didn't bother with a picture of the JSGA. I'm sure you all know what it looks like.
Oliver's GA opened with a subdued hiss. Poured with a thin head that didn't hang around for the picture. A bit of yeast in suspension which was quite flavourful and not at all a problem in a bottle carbed beer. Or was it partially haze from the rye in the grain bill? Reasonably strong hop aroma was backed up in the taste with those famous, fruity, West Coast hops doing their thing. Yum.
When compared to the JSGA Dr.Smurto's (Oliver's) GA had: More hop aroma, the JSGA had none that I could detect. More hop flavour, the JSGA might have had some, but was hopelessly outclassed by the DrSGA. In retrospect I probably should have tasted the commercial version first.
Malt is where it got interesting. I'd say the JSGA had a bit more malt backbone and a touch heavier mouthfeel, with a note of crystal in the background. The DrSGA was a bit lighter in body, what I'd term refreshing, with a touch of something I can only guess would be rye but I can't really be sure with that amount of hop flavour.
Dr. Smurtos/Oliver's Golden Ale is a really well crafted beer and far superior to it's progenitor, JSGA. Something I could drink in real quantity without getting tired of.
2000 light beers from home.