Marks & Spencer

Marks & Spencer has created a special sector in its stores for bottle-conditioned beers - making it the first multiple retailer to give "real ale in a bottle" a distinctive in-store category. While they are own-label beers, M&S; lists the brewers behind the brands.

Buckinghamshire Ale (Vale Brewery, 4.6%)
Copper-red beer with a yeasty, bready nose and raisin fruit and spicy hops. Tart fruit, biscuity malt and bitter hop resins fill the mouth. The finish is dry and bitter with rich, juicy malt, burnt fruit and peppery hops.

Norfolk Bitter (Woodforde's, .5%)
Suphur on the nose gives way to biscuity malt, tart fruit and hop resins. The palate is a fine balance of juicy malt, floral hop and sultana fruit, followed by a long finish that is intensely bitter with floral and spicy hops, biscuity malt and dark burnt fruit.

Organic Scottish Ale (Black Isle, 4.5%)
Spicy and peppery aroma with floral and herbal notes from hops and sweet gale, with some tart fruit. A tangy, herbal palate is balanced by sappy malt and light hop notes. The finish is quenching and bittersweet with spicy, herbal notes.

Yorkshire Bitter (Cropton, 4.6%)
A big sulphury nose with strong undertones of floral and spicy hops and tart fruit. Tangy fruit dominates the palate with sappy malt and spicy hops. Hop bitterness and tart fruit dominate the finish with light malt notes; it becomes increasingly dry.