Hedgerow Bitter
Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project

Hedgerow BitterHedgerow Bitter
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From:
Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
ABV:
5.4%
Score:
84
Avg:
3.74 | pDev: 13.9%
Reviews:
111
Ratings:
161
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 20, 2015
Added:
Sep 01, 2010
Wants:
  18
Gots:
  11
“Hops are bitter weeds of spite, That blunt the sugars, try to bite…”

We wanted a beer that was dry and bitter, and that’s what we got. 5.4% abv with all UK grown hedgerow variety hops: Pioneer, Boadicea and Sovereign. No American hops are used in the making of this beer.

You know what? If you think you like hoppy beers, this might surprise you. It’s a different kind of bitterness to US hops. These hops are leafy weeds, very bitter and less aromatic. The overall impression left is a slightly-roasty, special bitter with an aggressive and quite “wild” bitterness with a substantial dryness that lends to its drinkability. A pint glass beer, good for dry throats after long days of work.

58 IBU
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Ratings by BeerAdvocate:
Photo of BeerAdvocate
Reviewed by BeerAdvocate from Finland

4.5/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #47 (Dec 2010):

Hopped with UK-grown hedgerow variety hops: Pioneer, First Gold and Sovereign. Somewhat hazy, dirty peach with a healthy foam head and subsequent lacing. Nose is very clean, with subtle earth and greens. The taste is bone dry and complexly bitter. Puckering citrus, green, sharp grass, aspirin, spicy, prickly, green apple skins, bark and pith. It's like thousands of dwarf hop varieties are jovially stabbing at our palates with their astringent alpha acid daggers. Any malt character has taken a backseat. No, has been gagged, duck-taped and thrown into the trunk; you think you can hear muffled noises, but did you really? Finishes dry and bitter, too. A beer that proves extremes need not rely on ABV.
Mar 04, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.91 by hozersr from Pennsylvania

Oct 20, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by trxxpaxxs from New York

Sep 02, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by zestar from California

Aug 22, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by GRG1313 from California

Jul 23, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by yourefragile from District of Columbia

Sep 17, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by Kelp from New Hampshire

Apr 29, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by drewone from California

Apr 29, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by hopandbarley28 from Pennsylvania

Jan 25, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by ferrettman687 from Massachusetts

Nov 25, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by anewlanguage from Massachusetts

Oct 13, 2012
Photo of AgentMunky
Reviewed by AgentMunky from New York

3.58/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Poured from a 22 ounce bottle into a brandy snifter. Bottled July 2011, so I'm rather late to the game on this one...

A: Almost two fingers of fluffy white head. The beer is honey-clear. Clinging lace.

S: Hugely malty-sweet, with a touch of port (sticky, purple grapes). Some bitterness straddling the fence between hoppy and metallic.

T: It's...good. Tastes like an English bitter. Malty backbone, some earthy English hops, and a lingering, bitter endtaste. I never knew until now (reading the BA description) that EPAs were characterized by hard water, but that fits with the metallic nature of some beers (like this one). A bit of sweet fig in the maintaste. Not bad.

M: Meh. A carbonated session ale that reminds me too much of mediocre British ales.

O: Style points, but not really my thing. Won't have again. Pretty Things is still an excellent brewery in my mind.
Sep 16, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by WillieThreebiers from Connecticut

Aug 18, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by trevorpost from Pennsylvania

Aug 07, 2012
Photo of RblWthACoz
Reviewed by RblWthACoz from Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Eh. I think this one is too earthy bitter with a tangy thing going on. Unusual muddled hop spices with a lot of malts on there. This is just meerely "okay'. I mean, sure, it works. But there is nothing to it that's blowing me away or impressing me.
Jul 30, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by Stockfan42 from Massachusetts

Jun 12, 2012
Photo of sinstaineddemon
Reviewed by sinstaineddemon from Connecticut

3.27/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A - this pale ale pours a dark tan or light brown, the pour wells up a half finger of pure white head kept aloft by plenty of carbonation

S - a crisp aroma that hearkens to tea or tea solids, this sits above a rather decent hop/malt profile

T - malts up front, then the bitter hops kick in big time, musty tea like bitterness adds to the hops, but no typical citine/pine/floral hop profile, almost a medicinal aspirin like bitter

M&D - a strange bitterness, a complex flavor that wasnt perfectly blended.
Jun 01, 2012
Photo of ngeunit1
Reviewed by ngeunit1 from Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A - Pours a cloudy golden-orange color with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down fairly slowly leaving behind some thick lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of sweet bready and caramel malts, some apricot and grapefruit hops, and a hint of pine hop.

T - Starts off with a mix of sweet caramel and brady malts with some fruity esters and a bit of tropical fruit hops. Through the middle, a touch of bitterness comes through alongside some pine hop flavor with a bit more fruity English yeast esters. The finish is a mix of sweet malts, fruity esters, and a bit of bitterness.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a sweet and estery finish.

D - Very drinkable. Really nicely balanced English Pale Ale. Good mix of hops, malt, and yeast character.
May 30, 2012
Photo of plaid75
Reviewed by plaid75 from New York

4.35/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured a light copper hue with a one finger foamy white head. There was good retention and lacing.

The smell featured waves of herbal and grassy hops, apricot-like esters and a grainy doughiness.

The taste consisted of full on herbal hops with a taste of metal and a lingering ester. The malt was grainy and crisp.

The mouthfeel was crisp with a lingering bitterness and vigorous carbonation.

Overall a very quaffable hop forward refresher.
May 23, 2012
 
Rated: 4.25 by mendvicdog from Maryland

May 19, 2012
Hedgerow Bitter from Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 161 ratings