Just going to the bar here and ordering a beer can be a challenge. They have lots of terms for things that we just don't use in the USA. It's easy enough to catch on to ordering a pint (even though its not really a pint like we know it -- its 20 imperial ounces or 4 gills or a smidge bigger than a standard American pint!) but you quickly need to figure out why the barman looks at you funny when you order a "beer". Lager or ale or bitter, please!
A brew I've tried at home a couple of times is the "Herefordshire Ale & Pork Co. Hereford Best Bitter". It's actually made by Spinning Dog Brewery right in Hereford. I have tried a few of their offerings and they have all been good. This one was recommended to eat with pork and cracklings, if I recall the back label correctly.
Bitter is a term that has basically replaced 'pale ale' in England. Bitters, or pale ales, are known for their extra hopped flavor which is often described as tasting bitter. Hops, back before refrigeration, were found to have a preserving effect on brew. More hops meant that a brew could make a longer journey on a ship, like to India. In the USA, pale ales are often called out as 'India Pale Ales' or IPA.
I figured "best bitter" meant that this was one of their premium beers -- something they were proud of and that it was bitter. I now know, after a bit of reading, that 'best' in this case indicates that the brew has a bit more alcohol in it -- between 4.2% and 4.7%. The next tier of potency is the 'extra special' bitter, commonly seen in the USA as 'ESB'. You might have noticed that the beer here is typically weaker than what is served in the USA. Pubs often serve weaker variants of the same beers you can get in the grocery.
About the bitter: it was good! Malty, nice amber color. A bit of fruit flavor. Just a small head on it.
Cheers!
Tuesday, October 21
Extra Special Bestest Bitter
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3 comments:
I recently saw a television program that exalted hops as having been linked to increasing female breast size. Apparently hops contain a small amount of estrogen and that repeated prolonged exposure can have measurable results. I have to imagine that repeated prolonged exposure to hop heavy beer could also have measurable increases in less desirable areas in both men and women.
Holy S**T!!! Is this my problem??? The last thing I need is hops!
I didn’t notice that you have any problem, but I think red wine just suits you better anyway.
Personally, I was wondering if hop beer would decrease the required frequency of manscaping. However the benefit of decreased depilation may be offset by advanced “man cans.”
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