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Homeward Bound

United Kingdom·Extra Special Bitter
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A floral, earthy aroma leads to toasted bread, caramel and fruit, with toffee and a hint of roasty chocolate through the middle and a firm bitterness to finish. Homeward Bound is an extra special bitter at 4.6% with medium body, made with Special B and Chateau Melano malts and hopped with Magnum, Fuggles and Goldings. The name salutes the voyages that brought Charles Wells back to Bedford.

ABV
4.6%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
amber12
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
earthyfloralcaramel
earthy
floral
caramel
bready
fruity
chocolate
Aroma
The nose opens with herbaceous earthiness and delicate floral notes that invite closer inspection.
also:malty,toasty,roasted,hoppy
not found:juicy,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Homeward Bound

◎ Appearance

Homeward Bound presents a clear, amber-bronze hue with good translucency. The head forms a dense, off-white collar that clings to the glass with sustained lacing. Carbonation is moderate and even, lending the beer an inviting, well-composed presence.

amber-bronzeclearpersistent headgood lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with herbaceous earthiness and delicate floral notes that invite closer inspection. Beneath these are warm toasted bread and caramel undertones, with a subtle hint of stone fruit emerging in the background. A restrained roasty, chocolate-tinged note rounds out the aromatic profile without dominating.

earthyfloraltoasted breadcaramelsubtle chocolate

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and lightly sweet, with toasted malt and caramel establishing the mid-palate foundation. Toffee and bready characters build gently, complemented by stone fruit notes and a whisper of roasty cocoa. The finish transitions into a firm, clean bitterness that lingers without harshness, characteristic of the Fuggles and Goldings hopping.

carameltoffeetoasted maltfirm bitternessmedium body

◑ Finish

The bitterness persists into a dry, moderately long finish with lingering malt sweetness. Aftertaste is clean and hoppy, leaving a pleasant, earthy dryness on the palate.

firm bitternessdry finishclean aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
79
Taste
80
Appearance
77
Finish
76
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Homeward Bound

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About Extra Special Bitter

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Extra Special Bitter?

Extra Special Bitter is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Extra Special Bitter

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same earthy, floral, caramel character as Homeward Bound will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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