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Forward's Choice

Harvey's Brewery
United Kingdom·Ordinary Bitter·Rank 39 of 50 · The Best British Amber Ales
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A pale copper bitter at 3.4%, brewed for the rugby season and the Six Nations and sold on draught only. Maris Otter malt and four varieties of English aroma hops give lightly toasted malt, fragrant and earthy hop notes and a balanced palate with a lingering dry, bitter finish. The name honours local and national rugby clubs.

ABV
3.4%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
amber12
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
earthytoastyhoppy
earthy
toasty
hoppy
malty
floral
caramel
Aroma
Fragrant English aroma hops lead the nose, delivering earthy and herbal notes with a subtle floral undertone.
not found:juicy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Forward's Choice

◎ Appearance

Pale copper hue with good clarity and a fine, persistent white head. The carbonation is moderate, creating a stable foam collar that clings to the glass walls with each sip. A classic English bitter presentation, unpretentious and inviting.

pale copperclearpersistent headmoderate carbonation

◌ Aroma

Fragrant English aroma hops lead the nose, delivering earthy and herbal notes with a subtle floral undertone. Lightly toasted Maris Otter malt rounds out the profile, contributing warm bread and biscuit nuances without dominating. The aroma is restrained and balanced, characteristic of a session bitter.

herbal, earthy hopstoasted maltfloral notesbread, biscuit

◐ Taste

Entry is clean and malt-forward, with light caramel sweetness from the Maris Otter. The mid-palate develops subtle hop bitterness and a drying minerality that maintains balance. The 28 IBU remains gentle, allowing both malt and hop character to coexist rather than compete.

malt-driven palategentle bitternessdry mineralitybalanced

◑ Finish

Lingering dry and bitter finish with a subtle earthy hop aftertaste that persists without harshness. The low ABV allows the bitterness to fade cleanly, leaving the palate ready for the next sip.

dry finishearthy hop notesclean fade
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
78
Taste
78
Appearance
80
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 Forward's Choice

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About Ordinary Bitter

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Ordinary Bitter?

Ordinary 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 Ordinary Bitter

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same bitter, earthy, dry character as Forward's Choice will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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