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Buyer's Guide for Beer Lovers

2010 British and North American Ales

Cultural Exchange

Bitter

Bitter is an English specialty, and very much an English term, generally denoting the standard ale—the “session” beer—in an English brewer’s range. They are characterized by a fruitiness, light-to-medium body and an accent on hop aromas more than hop bitters. Colors range from golden to copper. Despite the name, they are not particularly bitter. Indeed, British-brewed bitters will often be less bitter than U.S. craft-brewed amber ales. A fuller-bodied bitter is labeled as “Extra Special Bitter” (ESB). These weightier versions of bitter often stand up better to the rigors of travel overseas than the lower gravity standard versions. An important element of faithful bitters is the use of English yeast cultures in fermentation. These impart a fruity, mildly estery character that should be noted in examples of the style. Bitters are now widely emulated in North America, sometimes with domestically grown hops, imparting a rather more assertive character than seen in traditional English bitters.

Interpreting the 100-point Scale

Consumers can translate the point score to the following quality bands:

Point Range Quality Band
96-100 points Platinum
90-95 points Gold
85-90 points Silver
80-84 points Bronze
Less than 80 Not Recommended
Legend
  • = Brewpub
  • ABV = Alcohol by volume
  • Date denotes the date on which the beer was tasted

91 Combined Harvest Multigrain Beer, Batemans (England). 4.7% ABV (2/09)
Brilliant pale amber color with a lacy head. Aromas of buttered multigrain toast and orange marmalade follow through on a soft, round entry to a crisp, dryish medium-to-full body with lively citrus acidity and walnut praline notes. Finishes with a tangy, palate stimulating fade of cocoa, nuts and mild citrusy hops. A superb food beer.

90 Tomos Watkin Lovely Ale, The Hurns Brewing Co. (Wales). 4.5% ABV (2/09)
Deep amber color with a frothy head. Mild toasted buttermilk biscuit and grain aromas follow through on a round, supple entry to a dryish medium body with a fine mesh of nuts and dried autumn fruits. Finishes with a snappy wisp of praline and earthy hops.

89 Tomos Watkins Old Style Bitter, The Hurns Brewing Co. (Wales). 4.5% ABV (2/09)
Hazy burnished amber color with a fine mousse. Aromas of cocoa-dusted nuts, dried apple, cooked okra and raisin toast follow through on a supple, finely frothy entry to a dryish medium body with tangy mild citrus and cream notes, and a refreshing white nut-accented fade. A spot-on bitter.

89 Honkers Ale, Goose Island Brewing Co. (IL). 4.3% ABV (3/10)
Aromas of sweet apricot and orange marmalade on pound cake aromas follow through on a round, silky entry to a fruity-yet-dry medium body with tangy sourdough toast and grapefruit notes on the gentle finish. A tasty quaffer.

88 Younger’s Special Bitter Ale, Rogue Ales (OR). 5% ABV (2/09)
Deep amber color with a fine blanket of manila foam. Roasted pecans and pumpernickel toast aromas follow through on a bright, vibrant entry to a dry medium-full body with firm tart grapefruit peel hoppiness and a nutskin-accented fade. A boisterous, West Coast hophead domestic version of bitter ale.

88 Old Legover, Daleside Brewery (England). 4.1% ABV (3/10)
Dark amber color. Aromas of chocolate mousse, roasted grains and pecan pie follow through on a round, silky entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium body with nice dried stone fruit and roasted nut notes. Finishes with a tangy, leafy vegetable accent.

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