Declining bitter.

[TonyT]

Whilst visiting a variety of different pubs just recently, I’ve noticed that it’s getting increasingly difficult to find a decent bitter, or stout for that matter. It seems to be mainly pale ales, summer ales, light ales and so in. I went into a pub in Bowness last month which sold a fair number of such beers, and when I asked if they had any bitters or stouts I was told “sorry we don’t sell anything heavy” Heavy!! If you’re lucky (did I say lucky) you may find a pint of Doombar but I think that’s a beer that a pub will sell just so that they can claim to sell real ale.

Although it’s not impossible to find a decent bitter it does seem as if it’s going the same way as mild. Any thoughts?

 

[The Baron]

Its the IPA syndrome that has created it, guest ales are becoming just that Ales and very few Bitters everywhere as a rule

 

[obscure]

Sadly I have to agree with you, especially hard to find seems to be ordinary bitter, but even best bitter seems to becoming a bit of a rarity. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy IPA’s NEIPA’s and similar, but a properly handled pint of cask bitter, a pack of Salt and Vinegar Crisps and the newspaper is just a perfect lazy afternoon. I’m not sure if their really is anything that can be done but it seems likely Bitter will go the same way as mild.

 

[MrSmegbrains]

My local was wonderfully reliable for having well kept casks of great local bitters and even the odd mild. I do also like IPAs and hoppy pale ales but for me nowt beats a well balanced pint with a good malty backbone. The landlord has started changing tack to make the pub appeal to the younguns so it’s become a bit of a scene in there, and there’s not so much on cask now. I don’t blame him one bit as it’s clearly much busier with more money crossing the bar now, but I really miss being able to talk nonsense in the nice quiet snug of a Friday evening.

 

[Rodcx500z]

I to agree, all these ambers and pales are basically bitters rebranded to suit the posh gits of this world or the Jonesy's who wouldn't know a decent pint if it bit them on the ar5e

 

[The Baron]

unfortunately pubs are having to follow the money or go to the wall so its the craft beer that drives the money through the till. Its probably better to still have a pub than none at all so needs must in the current climate and let see what happens in years to come maybe a turn around who knows?

 

[Agentgonzo]

I remember when it was pretty hard to get anything but lager in pubs. Camra did a good job getting ales back in pubs. Maybe join your local faction and see what you can do to help diversify from the narrow range of IPAs on offer today to a wider range of beers.

 

[MrRook]

That's why we brew our own.

 

[moto748]

All fair points. I went in a new local bar the other week, wanted a bitter, and had a choice of one. But literally 20+ different US-style IPAs to choose from. But I agree that it's better than no pubs, and we can make our own.

 

[obscure]

That's why we brew our own.

Alas I have yet to manage a Bitter that beats a perfectly conditioned and kept pint of Timothy Taylor Landlord from a pub that knows what they are doing. I have produced some decent bitters but I feel that cask ale gives beer a very distinct taste which is difficult to imitate from a keg or bottle, won’t stop me from trying though.

 

[SMP Brewery]

Even my local brew pub’s bitter states it’s self as a Pale Ale with a crisp hoppy flavour, it’s what people want.

I do hope it doesn’t go the way of mild.

 

[Pennine]

Was it ever common to have more than one bitter option at the pub? I don't seem to remember more than one at any pub I have visited in the last 10 years?

 

[TonyT]

Was it ever common to have more than one bitter option at the pub? I don't seem to remember more than one at any pub I have visited in the last 10 years?

Haha, I guess it’s an age thing. I’m 67 and years ago in many pubs, you’d have at least a bitter, best bitter a mild and if you were lucky an old ale too. Many pubs would have a lager or two for women. And that’s not a sexist thing, back in the day it was predominantly women who drank lager. You’d seldom find a woman drinking ales.

 

[Robin54]

Haha, I guess it’s an age thing. I’m 67 and years ago in many pubs, you’d have at least a bitter, best bitter a mild and if you were lucky an old ale too. Many pubs would have a lager or two for women. And that’s not a sexist thing, back in the day it was predominantly women who drank lager. You’d seldom find a woman drinking ales.

Spot on Tony, though mild was perhaps more of a "northern" thing. My local had some barrels of cider on the counter as well, which had the effect of erasing ones memory.

 

[Rodcx500z]

we had greenhalls bitter, and if kept proper was very good not far behind boddingtons yes i remember boddys in it's prime, lets not forget chesters dark mild the ale i cut my teeth on, i never got into the lager thing, the only lager i really like is peroni doppio malto reserver a cracking pint

 

[foxy]

Alas I have yet to manage a Bitter that beats a perfectly conditioned and kept pint of Timothy Taylor Landlord from a pub that knows what they are doing. I have produced some decent bitters but I feel that cask ale gives beer a very distinct taste which is difficult to imitate from a keg or bottle, won’t stop me from trying though.

Bitter would have to be my favourite drink, I have a beer engine which I don't have the room for anymore but you can get much the same from a bottle conditioned beer. The carbonation has to be spot on, the pour right, and a clean glass. If you are bottling check the temperature of the beer being bottled use the Brewers Friend calculator (it is the same as Lallemand's) try doubling the amount of priming sugar from the amount specified in the calculator for 1.8 volume this will take up the slack of the co2 lost to the movement of the beer to bottling bucket and into the bottles.
I have to travel 98 k to the pub serving the best available bitter near me.
As suggested making your own is more rewarding and don't be afraid to be heavy handed with the hops.

 

[Jim Brewster]

What's a good example of a Bitter?
I enjoyed a Boddingtons can recently but I assume that's not what we're talking about as it doesn't look anything like most Bitters

I see mostly pale ales, quite a lot of golden, the odd amber or ruby. Haven't seen porter or stout on cask too often. My preference is almost always a Pale or Golden ale, but wouldn't mind a Bitter.

 

[Brewshed]

I live near Lewes where Harvey's is brewed and any pub that can will sell Harvey's Best. It is virtually a religion round here. They generally brew old style ales and so when I went into their (busy) brewery tap the other day I had a choice of Best bitter, their IPA (a weak bitter), their premium dry hopped bitter, mild, porter and old ale. I chose the porter which was lovely.

 

[parpot]

I blame Watneys Red Barrel & Boddingtons for the demise!

 

[gazzelle]

I live just round the corner from Robinson's Brewery (used to be the packing centre but i think they switched operations there.) According to Wiki(yeah I know) they still produce