How to Know your British Bitter

Knowing your British Bitter is one of the many ways in which you can impress your family and friends and regulars at the pubs in your area. Also, it gives you a better enjoyment and understanding of the bitters you do drink, so that the next time you down a bitter, you’ll know exactly how it was made.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Figure out your pale ale. Most bitters in Britain, aside from your stout and Guinness refer to a Pale Ale. The fun lies in trying the many types of ale available in one of England’s many pubs or inns.
2. Know that a bitter can be dark and "roasty" like one of your favourite coffees or as pale and light as a summer ale.
3. Understand that a bitter breaks down into many different types. There are the beers made of more hops and less water, and then there are the more water, less hops type of beers.
4. Be aware that there are distinctions between the types of bitters themselves: best bitter, special bitter, extra special bitter and premium bitter.
5. Know that another differentiation between bitters is the Alcohol by Volume content or abv.
6. Learn about your bitter by speaking to the manager of a long-established pub that is owned by a brewery and schedule yourself for a small lesson in the art of the bitter.
7. Speak to the regulars and locals at your nearest pub. These men and women have developed quite a knowledge base about their bitters. Some even know the history behind a particular brew and whether the ingredients have a light apple to toffee flavouring or a more heady and earthy flavouring common in your darker bitters.
8. Be responsible and enjoy! Remember that your summer ales and your paler ales will have less alcohol by volume and most likely a more- water-less-hops make up than a darker, headier brew like Guinness.

Tips & Warnings

• The best way to know your bitter is to go on a tour of a brewery where you can understand the ingredients that go into the making of a bitter and the history behind that bitter. This is a surefire way to really appreciate your bitter.
• Drink responsibly. Don’t drink drive and if you are planning an afternoon or evening of testing your bitter skills, arrange for alternate methods of transportation to get you home.