OpenTube

What even is Bitter?

The Craft Beer Channel

55,341 views

Despite being the iconic cask ale style, Bitter was only the biggest selling beer in Britain from about 25 years. And today, we're not even sure what it even is.... Here's the history of Bitter!

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20 Comments

@tomdchi12 4 months ago

As an American a pint of bitter at a pub is a highlight of any trip to the UK for me.

@StratoJohn 4 months ago

Dear lord watching this makes me want to go for a pint of bitter

@yellow-surfboard 4 months ago

I moved to Tokyo 2 years ago and not a day has gone by that I've not dreamt about a good pint of cask bitter.

@GingerGames 4 months ago

What even is Bitter? Delicious.

@harveysbrewery 4 months ago

Didn’t expect to see Harvey’s pop up in the latest Bitter video from Craft Beer Channel, but what a nice surprise! Some genuinely great insight in there too on why bitter still such a special beer style.

Big thanks guys, and shout out to The Harp because the beer is looking 🤌

@Jaap-Relou 23 hours ago

There is nothing like a british, ireland, scottish pub experience! Coming from the Netherlands, im always counting my days to experience on of these again. Its just a one of kind experience that cant be replicated. Cheers 🍻

@jamaicantillidie6626 4 months ago

I fell in love with real cask ale on my first visit to the UK, after that, every visit was a beer pilgrimage and exploration. I drank a lot from Cornwall, Devon and London. I have not been to the UK for a while now, but I tried to find beer replacement mainly in the USA and the Caribbean resulting in years of bloating and disappointment. So, I switched to rum, I love rum. BUT I must return to the UK to rediscover good, proper beer. I do miss it.

@tonychettleburgh8953 4 months ago

Bitter is the highest expression of the brewers craft, combining pale ale , light ale and IPA using a high proportion of pale and crystal malt and usually highly hopped using predominantly Goldings hops. This is then dry hopped in the cask and served draught under it's own secondary fermentation where it gets it's description as 'bitter'

@vincentr.6109 4 months ago

Years ago, I had the pleasure of having my first cask ale, and it was London Pride. It wasn't a beer; it was art in a glass. Unfortunately, it's a lot easier to find Bitter in a can or bottle here in the States. I'm a fan of Black Sheep.

@misteralgotsson 4 months ago

"A beer that fuels the conversation, rather than being the conversation". Well put, sir. Well put.

@jeffreythx1138 4 months ago

As a brewer in the US, who predominantly makes English styles,it is one of the more difficult things to explain what a bitter is to an American. Thank you for some talking points that hopefully will make that a little easier! You guys are the best!

@tommyrq180 4 months ago

FWIW, the thing that attracted me to bitter first (being an American in London) was the temperature. In the pub, they serve it not warm, not cold, but with a bit of cool, maybe 13-14C (50-55F). The temperature allows all that taste to come through. In America, most beer is served very cold, which mutes any taste. Drinking bitter taught me to drink beer at just below room temperature for maximum enjoyment.

@alistairmilton6007 4 months ago

I an a Scot , now living in Somerset. Never understood the grouping of beers in England, so thank you.
I'm used the term heavy or export, even after 49 yrs in England. Nice to understand the history. Particularly as my dad did his national service in South West England, he used to describe English beer as too flowery.

@michaelleigh8394 4 months ago (edited)

I’m Canadian the first time I had London pride, was on a layover in Heathrow and fell in love. I can occasionally find it at home, but it’s a rare instance. I’ve been tempted to fly to England just to go around and try all the different bitters

@Andy_ATB 4 months ago

I’m sure Tweedy discussed this fairly recently……….Bitter now known as Amber Ale

@steffanjarvis1 3 months ago

00:34 Jesus look at the quality of that.

Im in my 30s now and have seen some of the videos on your channel about cask so when i went out with my mates i tried a traditional cask ale. And oh man the quality i could have sat there all night and drank that stuff. Definetly needs to be recognised and drank by the masses before its to late!

@ianlaker9161 4 months ago

I'm 65 and was raised on this stuff (in a drinking sense). Back in the late 70s to early 80s, if it was cask it was bitter. Other styles tended to be on keg. I homebrew all kinds of styles and love them all but bitter would be my desert island beer. It's so satisfying. I also insist that British pale ale and bitter are two different styles. The former is more hop forward and paler, often just using a base malt. Bitter is ironically generally more balanced and usually has some crystal malt for that toffeeish mouthfeel and copper colour. Great video as always!

@Westy-539 4 months ago

Malty-award winning pub 😉

@maddoglep2127 7 days ago

I grew up near Lewes and learnt to drink on Harvey's bitter. I've lived up north for 50 years and really miss it. Luckily I've been back to Sussex and London many times. I recently found it in The Victoria and Commercial in Leeds but it is very rarely seen oop north, even at CAMRA Festivals. Holt's is my favourite northern bitter.