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Ridley's was sold to the Greene King brewery on July 4th 2005. Greene King has already announced the closure of the old Ridley's brewery in Essex, and transfer of several beer brands,
including Old Bob, to Bury St Edmunds. So for traditionalists, snapping up a few bottles of the delightful Essex-brewed Old Bob now may be your last chance. CAMRA and other activists oppose the takeover, citing loss of regionality
and independence in brewing. Yet on the other hand, Greene King is one of the few large brewers committed to cask beers. It has also taken on the £8.8 million weight of debt under which Ridley's was staggering,
probably towards a slow decline. The modern world of beer production, buying, marketing and distribution is a tough one, and I for one am happy to give Greene King the benefit of the doubt that they are not the destroyers of tradition.
Whilst I regret the redundancies and loss of a regional brewer, I look forward to trying Suffolk-brewed Old Bob. That will tell us more about Greene King's philosophy and intentions.
Ridley's, Old Bob Strong Premium Ale (England) 
Old Bob pours a deep reddish amber, with a creamy yellow head. It has a delicious nose, thick with biscuity malt, spice and rich red fruits.
There is very good hopping too, with a lemon and grassy cut. On the palate it is creamy and dense, with fine, mouth-coating bittersweet flavours. At first I thought the sweetness may be overblown, but a lovely
underpinning of tart red fruits and biting hops really delivers into the long, tangy finish. A very fine beer. 5.1% ABV, 50cl, ?1.75, Sainsbury's.
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