Beer of the Weekend #383: Bitter Brewer
Bright and early tomorrow morning I am heading to Chicago for Iowa’s season opener against Northern Illinois at Soldier Field. I will probably hit the sack early tonight so I am officially sampling the beer of the weekend now. (Not that it will preclude any enjoyment of it later.)
The beer of the weekend is another brew from the great state of Minnesota: Bitter Brewer, brewed by the Surly Brewing Company of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.
Serving type: 16-ounce can. The “CANNED ON” date is “06/14/12.”
Appearance: Poured into a nonick pint glass. The color is golden copper. Two fingers of fairly thick, buttery, eggshell-colored head dissipated slowly to leave a rocky lacing and thick ring around the edge.
Smell: Off the bat it offers a west cost hop character: lots of citrus, which is mostly grapefruit but I got a hint of cara cara orange, too. The citrus does stand out above everything else, but its maltier British roots almost balance it out. Grassy hops, lightly toasted malts, sweet caramel, toffee, and a little honey.
Taste: A nice, citrus hop bitterness kicks the taste buds awake. After that, the citrus blends into a balanced beeriness: tinge of grapefruit and orange (which keep the back of the tongue and cheeks tingling), lightly toasted malts, grassy hops, sweet caramel, and honey.
Drinkability: It is a solid, tasty, and sessionable brew — perfect for the Twin Cities’ future MLS hooligans.
Fun facts about Bitter Brewer:
-Style: BA classifies it as “English Bitter,” but Surly calls it “Not really a British Bitter.”
-Price: $8.49/four-pack at Richfield Municipal Liquors in Richfield, Minnesota.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 4.1 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends tangy cheeses.
-IBU: 37.
-Color: 11 SRM.
-Nerdiness found on the website and can:
-Bitter Brewer is only available between May and August.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
The beer of the weekend is another brew from the great state of Minnesota: Bitter Brewer, brewed by the Surly Brewing Company of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.
Serving type: 16-ounce can. The “CANNED ON” date is “06/14/12.”
Appearance: Poured into a nonick pint glass. The color is golden copper. Two fingers of fairly thick, buttery, eggshell-colored head dissipated slowly to leave a rocky lacing and thick ring around the edge.
Smell: Off the bat it offers a west cost hop character: lots of citrus, which is mostly grapefruit but I got a hint of cara cara orange, too. The citrus does stand out above everything else, but its maltier British roots almost balance it out. Grassy hops, lightly toasted malts, sweet caramel, toffee, and a little honey.
Taste: A nice, citrus hop bitterness kicks the taste buds awake. After that, the citrus blends into a balanced beeriness: tinge of grapefruit and orange (which keep the back of the tongue and cheeks tingling), lightly toasted malts, grassy hops, sweet caramel, and honey.
Drinkability: It is a solid, tasty, and sessionable brew — perfect for the Twin Cities’ future MLS hooligans.
Fun facts about Bitter Brewer:
-Style: BA classifies it as “English Bitter,” but Surly calls it “Not really a British Bitter.”
-Price: $8.49/four-pack at Richfield Municipal Liquors in Richfield, Minnesota.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 4.1 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends tangy cheeses.
-IBU: 37.
-Color: 11 SRM.
-Nerdiness found on the website and can:
First one in, last one out, sweltering in the summer, freezing in the winter. Years of toiling and boiling have turned our brewer Todd into a cynical, surly, bitter brewer...You too can get bitter without all the fuss. Simply crack open a can and fill a glass with our latest - Bitter Brewer. Pale orange in color, this ale gets intense toast and marmalade character from British malt and American hops. Dry-hopping brings the floral citrus aromas. So go ahead, get bitter!
-Bitter Brewer is only available between May and August.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
