White Shield

[Parky]

Finally got my hands on a bottle of this classic English IPA - in Tesco of all places! This beer has won numerous awards from CAMRA, and it certainly delivers on taste and balance. No harsh oily hop flavours or big bitterness here, a very drinkable beer, simple, refreshing and clean - enough said.

Actually found it in the mini fridge beside the champagne. Fair play to Tesco for differentiating it from other beers, but as it's bottle conditioned I'm not sure that being in a fridge will do anything much to help the yeast do it's work.

[Tom]

Better kept cool. By the time that bottle of beer made it to that fridge the yeast will already have done its work in the many unrefrigerated distribution centres, and the unrefrigerated Tesco stockroom. I mean, it looks carbonated!

I went into a pub over the weekend, and they had SNPA in bottles in the fridge. I asked how long they'd been sat, and apparently they'd only been there a day. Whatever the case, the beer was old and crap. I'd put that down to the long distribution chain between wherever Sierra Nevada is and Magazine St. in Derry. It definitely wasn't kept refrigerated all the way along the chain!

Actually, of all the beers I've had this weekend, all 'craft', the brew I've got in the shed is far better! I'm not saying it's better than a fresh SNPA, but far better than an old one.

[BrewDorg]

I found the same with a lot of the SNPAs I've had lately. It used to be a go-to but I've switched to Founders All Day IPA now when I want that taste. Distribution chain isn't much better I'd imagine but they still taste pretty good to me.

I think I've seen one of those Worthington's beers in Supervalu too. Not sure if it's White Shield, but I'll keep an eye out.