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Buyer's Guide for Beer Lovers

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.

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

90 Scarecrow Ale, Wychwood Brewery Co. (England). 4.7% ABV (3/11)

Golden amber color. Lovely toasted brioche and mild lemon-peach butter aromas with a round, dryish medium body and a crisp, direct and minerally mossy hop-accented finish. Clean, precise and very much to style.

89 Merlin’s Ale, Broughton Ales (United Kingdom). 4.2% ABV (7/12)

Pale amber color. Aromas of fresh nut bread, roasted corn, orange blossom honey and dried tree fruit with a crisp, dryish medium body and a nicely astringent and foamy rapini, nut and earth finish. A spot-on session bitter.

88 Honkers Ale, Goose Island Beer Co. (IL). 4.3% ABV (3/12)

Brilliant deep amber color. Lovely, pure dried-apricot-pastry aroma with a round, frothy, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a juicy orange, rye crisp, mustard seed and greens finish. Very tasty and sessionable.

87 Eagle ESB, Pagosa Brewing Co. (CO). 4.42% ABV (3/11)

Copper. Pineapple yogurt, peach and grapefruit marmalade aromas with a smooth, fruity-yet-dry medium body and a relaxed fruit bread and water chestnut finish. An appealing, fruity session ale.

84 Cutthroat Pale Ale, Uinta Brewing Co. (UT). 4% ABV (3/11)

Aromas and flavors of doughy peach cobbler, dark-roasted nuts, bouillon and salty-roasted root vegetables with supple, dry light-to-medium body and a grain sack, peppered turnip and kale finish.

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