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The Bitter End
East End Brewing Company
Beer Geek Stats
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- From:
- East End Brewing Company
- Pennsylvania, United States
- Style:
- American Pale Ale
- ABV:
- 3.8%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.9 | pDev: 6.67%
- Reviews:
- 11
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 22, 2015
- Added:
- Dec 23, 2005
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 2
A "small beer" brewed near year's end from the second runnings of the mash for Gratitude, a bit like a pale ale, but with a bitterness that just keeps on going and going... Since they're ready much sooner, small beers can be an excellent preview of what their bigger siblings will be like. Look for this beer in very limited supply in November and December.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Kolsch:
None found.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by WVbeergeek from West Virginia
4.1/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.1/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Gotta love Scott Smith's creativity and passion for brewing in the Burgh...a one off beer. Let's see the last small beer I remember falling in love with was Black Ocean from you guessed it Tom Baker's Perkuno's Hammer. I don't know who rubbed off on who but these cats have collaborated with beautiful results, and when you make a barleywine turn into the hoppiest session ale ever than your doing something right. It's not an English Bitter, it's just the Bitter End let me explain. Appears with a copper orange semi cloudy body and is topped with a large white head leaving thick chunks of uneven lacing around my pint. Aroma has semi sweet biscuit and very mild caramel malt sweetness...but namingly what stands out is a floral perfumey hop explosion with mild grassiness and citrus peels. Flavor is balls out bitterness lgith biscuit malts and citrus peel grapefruit mostly with raw, raucously extreme hop profile that just coats the palate with bitterness, wow. Definitely bitter to the end and the mouthfeel is lighter bodied with moderate even carbonation levels and textured with a layer of lubicrant in this case hop oils. Drinkability is awesome albeit it will wreck your palate for most other styles of beer, I will definitely have this beer before supplies dry up go and try some great two for one Bitter End deals at Scott's growler hours, drink up.
Feb 13, 2011Reviewed by Stigs from Pennsylvania
3.95/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
3.95/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A - pours with a thin film of loose white and sudsy bubbles, settling to a characteristic cask film and rinf. the beer is very hazy, light copper in color.
S - dominated by light toasty biscuits and grassy hops
T - bitter, not hoppy-type bitter but from sharp toasted malts. crunchy, slightly honeyed biscuits are joined by light yet bright grassy hops with a classic English aftertaste.
M - light bodied but very creamy, cut into nicely by malty bitterness (let's see how many time i can say that in this review). crisp and slightly dry finish.
D - this could go on and on and on. flavorful enough t keep your attention yet extremely light bodied and low ABV. growlers of this are a standard during football season but it was nice to try on cask.
Nov 04, 2010S - dominated by light toasty biscuits and grassy hops
T - bitter, not hoppy-type bitter but from sharp toasted malts. crunchy, slightly honeyed biscuits are joined by light yet bright grassy hops with a classic English aftertaste.
M - light bodied but very creamy, cut into nicely by malty bitterness (let's see how many time i can say that in this review). crisp and slightly dry finish.
D - this could go on and on and on. flavorful enough t keep your attention yet extremely light bodied and low ABV. growlers of this are a standard during football season but it was nice to try on cask.
Reviewed by Deuane from Pennsylvania
3.95/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
3.95/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A-Golden tinted orange-copper with a thin white ring for head that leaves spotty lace.
S-Musty oak and a touch of light spiciness and subtle sweet malt.
T-Sharp, tart, spicy, bitey--really nice for such a low ABV to have all of this going on.
M-Medium-light bodied sharp with surprisingly long lasting bitterness.
D-A most easy to drink and pleasant session beer. Better than a lot of places higher ABV hoppy brews!
Sep 11, 2009S-Musty oak and a touch of light spiciness and subtle sweet malt.
T-Sharp, tart, spicy, bitey--really nice for such a low ABV to have all of this going on.
M-Medium-light bodied sharp with surprisingly long lasting bitterness.
D-A most easy to drink and pleasant session beer. Better than a lot of places higher ABV hoppy brews!
Reviewed by sholland119 from Pennsylvania
3.83/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.83/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Thanks to Deuane for sharing this one.
A-Pours a hazy golden color with a fluffy white head and good lacing.
S-Rather buttery with some light citrus hop notes.
T-On the whole fairly mild with some bitter grapefruit hops in the finish.
M-Light bodied, good carbonation.
D-A pleasant easy drinker. Light and tasty.
HV
Apr 16, 2009A-Pours a hazy golden color with a fluffy white head and good lacing.
S-Rather buttery with some light citrus hop notes.
T-On the whole fairly mild with some bitter grapefruit hops in the finish.
M-Light bodied, good carbonation.
D-A pleasant easy drinker. Light and tasty.
HV
Reviewed by sonicdescent from Pennsylvania
3.91/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.91/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a very light golden color with a really fantastic fluffy head and excellent lacing. Active carbonation.
Smells of fruity and piney hops with a slighty funky background.
Tastes fairly crisp, not as bitter as the name would have you believe. Only hints of the hops from the scent. Very pleasant, easy drinker.
Mouth is thin to medium with high carbonation.
Overall another good beer, a solid session ale from East End. On a side note, this makes them my most reviewed brewery!
Apr 14, 2009Smells of fruity and piney hops with a slighty funky background.
Tastes fairly crisp, not as bitter as the name would have you believe. Only hints of the hops from the scent. Very pleasant, easy drinker.
Mouth is thin to medium with high carbonation.
Overall another good beer, a solid session ale from East End. On a side note, this makes them my most reviewed brewery!
Reviewed by tempest from New York
3.77/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
3.77/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On-tap at Bocktown Beer and Grill.
Interesting, the bartender called this an ESB and I can see that too I guess. It's got a hazy amber appearance and tastes like it's dry-hopped with a UK hop like Fuggles or EKG. It's super grassy but balanced with mellow malt and a citrus note and biscuit and caramel malts. It's different, it's tasty, it's worth a try.
Mar 21, 2008Interesting, the bartender called this an ESB and I can see that too I guess. It's got a hazy amber appearance and tastes like it's dry-hopped with a UK hop like Fuggles or EKG. It's super grassy but balanced with mellow malt and a citrus note and biscuit and caramel malts. It's different, it's tasty, it's worth a try.
Reviewed by letsgopens from Pennsylvania
4.02/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
4.02/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
This APA pours a pretty bronze amber with an average sized off-white to slightly tan head. The foam displays decent retention and some spotty lace. I good looking brew.
Some very pleasing citrus hops accompany a strong malt backbone. Bitter orange peal and some floral, sappy pine. A bright graininess wraps up a well rounded nose.
A great balance of bitter, citrus hops and sweet, slightly fruity malt. Clean, crisp, and very flavorful. Superbly balanced and extremely palatable. A very drinkable rendition of the style.
Crisp and clean with a bright, slightly acidic citrus bite. A moderate and very suitable carbonation level as well. The finish is juicy and bright with a lingering bitterness. Certainly well rounded and an excellent session brew in my opinion.
Mar 12, 2008Some very pleasing citrus hops accompany a strong malt backbone. Bitter orange peal and some floral, sappy pine. A bright graininess wraps up a well rounded nose.
A great balance of bitter, citrus hops and sweet, slightly fruity malt. Clean, crisp, and very flavorful. Superbly balanced and extremely palatable. A very drinkable rendition of the style.
Crisp and clean with a bright, slightly acidic citrus bite. A moderate and very suitable carbonation level as well. The finish is juicy and bright with a lingering bitterness. Certainly well rounded and an excellent session brew in my opinion.
Reviewed by Mattysox from Virginia
3.83/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.83/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had this on cask at the Sharp Edge.
I was very excited to try this since I'm a big fan of English bitters and I've been missing Oliver's ESB at the Wharf Rat in Baltimore since moving to Pittsburgh.
The beer looked great- cloudy orangey-amber color with a fairly thick dollop of smooth head on top. The head dissipated pretty quickly, but left some nice sticky lacing.
On the nose, there's a nice aroma of malts, with a slight caramel note. There's some hop presence, but it smells more like a west-coast US hop aroma than a traditional English hop smell.
Again on the palate, the hops just didn't make this beer taste like an English bitter. The malt character was right on, but the hops were incongruous to the style. After the first couple sips, I got used to it and I did enjoy it on its own merits. I was just a little disappointed that it wasn't exactly what I was expecting. All in all, though, not a bad brew, especially on cask.
Jan 22, 2008I was very excited to try this since I'm a big fan of English bitters and I've been missing Oliver's ESB at the Wharf Rat in Baltimore since moving to Pittsburgh.
The beer looked great- cloudy orangey-amber color with a fairly thick dollop of smooth head on top. The head dissipated pretty quickly, but left some nice sticky lacing.
On the nose, there's a nice aroma of malts, with a slight caramel note. There's some hop presence, but it smells more like a west-coast US hop aroma than a traditional English hop smell.
Again on the palate, the hops just didn't make this beer taste like an English bitter. The malt character was right on, but the hops were incongruous to the style. After the first couple sips, I got used to it and I did enjoy it on its own merits. I was just a little disappointed that it wasn't exactly what I was expecting. All in all, though, not a bad brew, especially on cask.
Reviewed by orangemoustache from Illinois
3.78/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.78/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured out cloudy orange with lots and lots of thick fluffy foam that hung strong,(I actually poured this one a little faster than i should have so I had to taste it a little early) lots of lacing too!This one smelled very citrusy,the taste was not what i excpected, but was as advertised,I thought it would be more hoppy like an ipa but,I was pleasently tricked, the bitterness was unique enough that i enjoyed this one alot,it also had kind of an earthy dryness to it,lots of carbonation but it went well with the bitterness,I could definently enjoy this one again.
Nov 30, 2007
The Bitter End from East End Brewing Company
Beer rating:
87 out of
100 with
22 ratings
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