Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter

Harvey's hits you with genuine bitterness right away—it's not aggressive, but it's definitely there. You get earthy, slightly herbal notes that sit on your tongue for a beat. The 4% ABV keeps it from feeling boozy, but the malt backbone is solid enough to stand up to the hops without tasting thin. It's the kind of bitter that tastes like someone actually cared about the recipe, not just threw something together.

Summerskills Best

Summerskills goes down noticeably smoother—the lower IBU means you taste the caramel malt sweetness before any bitterness creeps in. There's a slightly creamy mouthfeel that Harvey's doesn't have, and the finish is gentler, less drying. It's still clearly a bitter, but it feels more like a bridge between a brown ale and a traditional bitter. Works beautifully if you don't want to think too hard about what you're drinking.