Classic English Bitter - A Traditional Session Ale

Classic English Bitter

This traditional English bitter delivers everything you'd expect from a proper pub ale - a rich amber colour, biscuity malt backbone, and that unmistakable earthy English hop character. At around 4% ABV, it's the perfect session beer.

Ingredients

Malt

  • 3.5kg Maris Otter pale malt
  • 300g crystal malt (60L)
  • 150g biscuit malt

Hops

  • 25g East Kent Goldings (60 minutes)
  • 20g Fuggles (15 minutes)
  • 15g East Kent Goldings (flame out)

Yeast

  • 1 packet English ale yeast (such as SafAle S-04)

Other

  • Half a Protofloc tablet or Irish moss (15 minutes)
  • Brewing water treated to suit pale ales

Method

1. Mash

Heat 12 litres of water to 74°C. Add your crushed grains and stir thoroughly to avoid dough balls. Your mash temperature should settle around 66-67°C. Hold for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Sparge

Heat 15 litres of sparge water to 76°C. Drain the mash and rinse the grains slowly to collect approximately 25 litres of wort.

3. Boil

Bring the wort to a rolling boil. Add the first hop addition (25g East Kent Goldings) and boil for 45 minutes. Add Fuggles and Protofloc, then continue boiling for another 15 minutes. At flame out, add the final hop addition and let it steep for 10 minutes.

4. Cool and Ferment

Cool the wort rapidly to 18-20°C using a wort chiller or ice bath. Transfer to a sanitised fermenter, leaving sediment behind. Pitch your yeast and seal with an airlock. Ferment at 18-20°C for 7-10 days until fermentation is complete.

5. Condition

Once final gravity is stable (expect around 1.010-1.012), bottle with priming sugar (approximately 80g for the batch) or transfer to a pressure barrel. Condition for at least 2 weeks before serving.

Specifications

  • Batch size: 20 litres
  • Original gravity: 1.040-1.044
  • Final gravity: 1.010-1.012
  • Expected ABV: 3.9-4.2%
  • Bitterness: 30-35 IBU
  • Colour: Amber

Brewing Tips

Temperature control is key. English ale yeasts produce the best results when fermented at the cooler end of their range. Keep your fermenter in a stable environment around 18°C for a clean fermentation with subtle fruity esters.

Don't rush conditioning. English bitters improve significantly with time. Give your bottles or barrel at least three weeks before cracking one open - the flavours will meld beautifully.

Water chemistry matters. If you're in a soft water area, consider adding a small amount of gypsum to bring out the hop character. Traditional Burton-style water creates that classic bitter snap.

Serving Suggestions

Serve at cellar temperature (10-12°C) in a proper pint glass. This bitter pairs wonderfully with classic British pub fare - think ploughman's lunch, fish and chips, or a hearty shepherd's pie.

Recommended Products

Find everything you need for this recipe at BrewCo:

Happy brewing!

Back to blog