Aldi Shipsterns Draught Original

£2.99 for four 440ml nitro-widget cans of 3.6% bitter. The brewery is unknown, and could be in the UK, France or Holland. The Shipsterns name evolved from Shipstones, a brewery in Nottingham, which through a variety of takeovers, the rights to the name ended up with Carlsberg UK who made the 4% abv Shipstone's Bitter for Aldi. At some point in or before 2012 Shipstone's Bitter was replaced by the 3.8% Shipsterns Original Bitter and Draught Bitter (Smooth Flow) which was replaced around 2015 with the 2.8% Shipsterns Original Bitter and the 3.6% Draught Original,

The nitro-widgit surges the beer, but it doesn't overflow from the can. This has more flavour than anticipated. There’s a reasonable crispness about it, despite the nitro, and a wheaty sweetness, balanced by hops - undistinguished to be sure, but pleasantly bitter. Surprisingly acceptable. Aldi own brand beers may be cheap, but they’re not nasty.

Shipstones Brewery in Nottingham closed in 1991

Score: 5/10