A British friend just returned from visit home to London. He brought me back a couple cans of Caffrey’s, which you can’t get here. Good stuff. The can is clearly marked “beer,” but my friend was referring to it as “bitters.” There are bitters here. Victoria Bitter from Australia can be found fairly easily, and The Londoner brew pub actually brews a tasty bitters here in Bangkok on its premises. But what IS bitters, and what makes it different from beer?
And ale and stout? I know it’s stout if it’s blacker than a witch’s butt at midnight, so that one’s easy.
Bitter is a particular style of beer. According to Jackson:
English term for a well-hopped ale, most often on draught. Although examples vary widely, the name implies a depth of hop bitterness. There is usually some acidity in the finish and colour vanes from bronze to deep copper. Basic bitters usually have an alcohol content of around 3.75-4 percent by volume, “Best” or “Special” bitters come in at 4.4 - 7.5, the odd “Extra Special” at about 5.5.
Just to point out, it’s actually just a “bitter”. In case you ever want to order one in a pub, you’ll be wanting a pint of bitter, not a pint of bitters (well, probably you’ll say “a pint of brand” but you get the idea).
Ah, bitter. Right. I saw some websites calling it “bitters.” So is Caffrey’s a bitter like my friend said, and if so, why doesn’t it say it on the can?
Off the top of my head, John Smith’s. According to Wikipedia it’s the most popular bitter over here, which doesn’t surprise me. I’m afraid I usually have either that or lager, so I can’t remember any other specific brands.
FWIW: Angostura Bitters is the only product that I know of that is referrred to as “Bitters”
This was developed by Dr.Johann Seigert in 1824 and was primarly used a cure for fevers and stomach disorders and the general relief of patients
Dr.Seigert was in Venezuela when he first concocted the product which is now used to flavour enhance meals, mostly Caribbean.
The above from Wiki.
It was thought that a small bottle of Bitters would help to alleviate the nausea felt by overindulging in alcohol and indeed at one time it was sold in public houses in the UK, I have no idea if it worked or not.
So far as the various types of beers are concerned we, in the UK, refer to them as- bitter, mild, lager, stout etc.etc., the word bitters would only be used if you were asking a pub landlord " “What kind of bitters you got mate?”
I have only ever tried the Saranac IPA, it is not as good as the pale ale to me.
Thanks, I think that was one I drank a lot of, when I was in Scotland and the Lake Counties. If so, I remember it fondly. Back then I drank a lot of Molson’s and similar ales and the English Pale Ale was a wonderful change.