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Cultural Exchange
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 Propeller Extra Special Bitter, Propeller Brewing Co. (Canada). 5% ABV (2/08)
Reddish mahogany color. Roasted nut, soy and smoky, seared and caramelized pork loin aromas follow through to a round, vibrant and frothy entry and a dryish medium-to-full body with a very crisp bittering hops finish. A must try beer for barbecue!
88 Extra ESB, Breckenridge Brewery (CO). 7.8% ABV (3/10)
Dark copper brown color. Molasses, apple cider vinegar, sour cherry yogurt and baker’s chocolate aromas and flavors with a smooth creamy, dryish medium body and a tangy, roasted nut, kalamata olive and sour citrus finish. Intriguing―pair with game barbeque.
88 Bachelor ESB, Deschutes Brewery (OR). 5.3% ABV (3/10)
Deep amber color. Bold raw honey, cocoa, roasted corn and baked peach chutney aromas follow through on a supple entry to a dryish medium body with brown sugar, sautéed kale and mint notes. Finishes with a long, tangy slightly charred citrus and nut finish.
87 Otter Head, Otter Brewery (England). 5.8% ABV (2/08)
Hazy copper color. Rich aromas of mocha, dried autumn and tropical citrus fruits, and toffee. A round, supple entry leads to a dry-yet-fruity medium-full body of dry caramel, roasted nuts and tangy citrus peels. Finishes with a fine expression of classic earthy hops and a bit of pepper. A spot on ESB with well-integrated flavors.
