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Bolt Head

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A ruby-red premium ale. The aroma is sweet and rum-like, the palate is full of fruit and malt, and the finish swings to citrus with a clear orange note. It comes across as rich and well rounded. At 4.7% it sits at the upper end for a best bitter. It is available cask-conditioned and bottle-conditioned and is one of the six beers the brewery lists as its most popular.

ABV
4.7%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Citrus hop 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
fruitymaltycitrusy
fruity
malty
citrusy
orange
caramel
Aroma
The nose opens with sweet, rum-like notes that suggest caramel and subtle oak.
not found:hoppy,roasted,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Bolt Head

◎ Appearance

A ruby-red ale with good clarity and a dense, persistent head. The color leans toward deep amber with garnet edges, typical of a well-crafted Best Bitter. Carbonation is moderate and even, supporting fine lacing that clings to the glass.

ruby-redclearpersistent headmoderate carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with sweet, rum-like notes that suggest caramel and subtle oak. Beneath this, soft fruity esters emerge alongside a warm malt backbone. Noble hops add a gentle, herbal undertone without dominating the profile.

rum-like sweetnesscaramelfruity estersherbal hop

◐ Taste

The palate is full-bodied and malty, with stone fruit and subtle dried fruit notes building in the mid-palate. A gentle bitterness arrives late and restrained, anchoring the sweetness without overwhelming it. The malt character remains prominent throughout, contributing depth and roundness.

full maltstone fruitrestrained bitternesswell-balanced

◑ Finish

The finish pivots decisively toward citrus, with a clear orange note that cuts through the preceding malt sweetness. The aftertaste is clean and dry, with lingering orange pith and a touch of herbal bite.

citrus finishorange pithdryclean aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
79
Appearance
77
Finish
78
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 Bolt Head

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About Best Bitter

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Best Bitter?

Best 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 Best Bitter

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same fruity, malty, rich character as Bolt Head will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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