It’s been a busy summer without much brewing, but I’m hoping to get back to my regularly scheduled beer making this fall.

To start, Adrienne has requested a Best Bitter, after humoring my lineup of sour and saison experiments the last 6 months. No complaints from me though, English Bitter is one of my favorite beer styles.

I brewed a Best Bitter last year that I liked a lot. This time, for some variety, I’m going to brew a batch based on the 2021 NHC winning recipe from the pale British ale category. Compared to my recipe from last year, this will be a bit darker and maltier, a lot hoppier, and should have more body from a much higher mash temperature.

Some beers can transport you to another time and place. English Bitter does that for me. I really came to appreciate the style a few years ago on a trip around England. The trip was a ton of fun, and I got to enjoy a variety of English ales in their traditional cask presentations.

Of the styles I tried, Bitter was my favorite. Like many of the traditional English ales, it is flavorful, low in alcohol, and a refreshing change of pace for a palate that’s suffering a bit of IPA fatigue.

Maybe it’s a sign that I’m getting old, but in the last few years I’ve gained much more appreciation for subtle beer – “beer flavored beer”. Bitter is high in the running to be my overall favorite beer flavored beer