Duke of Edinburgh | Real Ales

Real Ales

At the Duke of Edinburgh we offer a fine selection of real ales from Arkells's of Swindon. Below are some tasting notes of the real ales we sell at the Duke. You will see from the list below that we stock 2B, 3B and Kingsdown permanently, and have at least one other seasonal ale (subject to availability). Please feel free to ask a member of staff for a tasting before ordering a pint.

Please note that in addition to the regular ales below, the Duke also offers 'special' ales and 'limited edition' ales from Arkell's. These are shown here. Be sure to check the Special Ales page often as there are regular updates.

Our real ales have been awarded Cask Marque status - Awarded for Excellence in the serving of cask beer.

	3B Arkell's Best Bitter Beer, as it was originally known, was first brewed in 1910 and has been affectionately known as BBB or 3B by customers ever since. (One Swindon landlord will tell you that 'BBB' stands for "Big Boy's Beer".) Today, 3B is renowned by Britain's beer lovers as a superb, amber brew with a very distinctive taste and a sweet scent of malt beneath the hops. Pale malt makes up 88% of the dry ingredients along with 10% crystal malt and 2% sugar. According to the 'Real Ale Drinker's Almanac', 3B has "delicate, beautifully balanced malt and hop with lingering dry finish and hint of nut". ABV: 4%

	2B Formerly called BB or John Arkell Bitter, this is our lighter beer, described as "Fine quaffable session bitter" in the 'Real Ale Drinker's Almanac'. Made from 92% pale malt, 6% crystal malt and 2% sugar, it has a light, hoppy aroma and is a thirst-quenching beer with a slightly tart taste and a dry hop finish. 2B is a low gravity drinking beer which is nevertheless full of flavour. It has been brewed constantly since the early 1900s and was Arkell's most popular brew until it was overtaken by 3B in the 1970s. 2B is also available in bottles when it is known simply as Light Ale. ABV: 3.2%

	Kingsdown Ale Kingsdown Ale is the strongest of our regular beers but is a brother to 3B as it comes from the same mash. It retains a strong character of its own, however, with its rich colour, ripe fruit 'nose' and that traditional Arkell's hoppiness. You can taste the malt too, along with a bitter-sweet finish and fruit notes. 'Kingsdown', which is named after the area of Upper Stratton where the brewery is situated, was originally brewed as a special beer to commemorate Swindon Town Football Club's League Cup triumph in 1969 and went into regular production in 1976. ABV: 5%

	Wiltshire Gold Real Ale The Duke (and Arkell's) receved such positive feedback on the limited edition ale, Wiltshire Gold, that it has now become a permannent fixture. After the guest period ended there were numerous calls for it to come back, so here it is! The ale is a light amber colour using Styrian goldings, with a gentle floral, hoppy aroma, and a sweet, malty taste. Perfect for a sunny day! Cask Marque - Awarded for excellence in the serving of cask beer. ABV: 4.0%

Seasonal Real Ales	These Real Ales shown below are offered at the Duke as seasonal ales, and are subject to change regularly or are only available for a few weeks. There are also a number of Arkell's 'Special Ales' that are offered from time-to-time, which are often brewed as celebratory ales - these can be viewed here.

	Moonlight Brewed in 2003 to celebrate the 80th birthday of Arkell's Chairman, Peter Arkell OBE. Specially called 'Moonlight' in commemoration of Peter's missions flying low-level sorties over France in 1943, picking up agents in central occupied France during the full moon period. This beer has been brewed using a special blend of malts and English Fuggles and Susan hops to give a beautiful golden colour, lingering taste and toasty aroma. ABV: 4.5%

	Noël Ale Launched in 1987 and named in honour of the present Chairman's father, Sir Noel Arkell, who was born on Christmas Day. The strongest of Arkell's Ales, this full-bodied beer is cleverly disguised by its distinctive light colour, and slides down very easily, leaving drinkers with a warm, tingling feeling.

	Organic Ale Following its huge success since its launch in bottles in 2001, Arkell's award-winning Bee's Organic Ale joined the regular roster of special, seasonal ales in April 2007. Organically-grown malted barley, hops and, unusually, organically-produced honey are used in the brew. These give this cask-conditioned ale a light, fresh taste - with the organic honey providing a delightful and surprising flavour. ABV: 4.5%

	Other Special Ales & Limited Edition/One Off Ales The Duke sees various limited edition and special occasion ales on tap. These ales are brewed by Arkell's from time to time as a celebration of an event or occasion. Ales such as: Hurricane, Royal Wootten Bassett, Blue Sapphire, Wiltshire Gold, JRA60, and Bees Organic Ales, to name but a few. See the Special Ales page for full details here.