THIS ROSE IS NOT BITTER

In the late 1970s Peter Beales was approached by the Norwich Brewery to name after their bitter. Though Peter thought it was a suitable name for a bitter, he did not feel that it would be a good one for a rose. As a result the two parties came to a agreement to call it Norwich Castle, which is the emblem on the bottle of the bitter.

The rose, which has coppery orange flowers that have a mild fragrance, was bred by Peter by crossing (Whisky Mac x Arthur Bell) with an unnamed seedling. A floribunda rose, which grows to about 120cm by 120, was introduced by Peter Beales Roses in 1979.

While the bitter had originally been named as 'S & P Bitter' before Witney Mann took over the Stannard and Patterson Brewery in 1970. The Whitney Mann Branch at Norwich was to operate as the Norwich Brewery Company from 1976 until it closed in 1986.