Originally Posted by
sheffield hatter
I'm not sure if I have had either ESB or 6X in bottle form - probably, back in the 80s or 90s. Old Empire I've had more recently I think - possibly 00s. It's my opinion that these types of beers don't work very well in bottled form. This may be something to do with the process of changing them from cask conditioned ales to pasteurised/filtered/carbonated. Whatever it is, they don't seem to me to have enough character to emerge with any distinction in the glass. Too lightly hopped to balance/overcome the sweetness of the malt, perhaps. Some beers can do it Riggwelter, Old Peculier, Dark Side of the Moose all come to mind.
This is something that the modern fruity IPAs do well - they emerge from the can (or bottle - but mostly cans) with the appearance and mouthfeel of a cask beer, and are much more drinkable and enjoyable than those old fashioned beers that you mention. I would much rather drink a can of Siren Craft Sold My Soul For Citra, even though, as I may have mentioned once or twice, I generally try to avoid Citra like dog poo on a pavement.
In a pub it's the other way round for me, because ESB for example is well suited to the cask format and is a beautiful drink - perhaps could do with being a little more bitter, but that would be my only criticism. And although I'll drink the occasional beer in a pub with New World hops in it, I usually have a little moan about it because I would prefer to be drinking those traditional English (or Scottish or Welsh) beers with their Fuggles and Goldings!