-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
XXXX Bitter
Castlemaine Perkins
- From:
- Castlemaine Perkins
- Australia
- Style:
- American Adjunct Lager
Ranked #234 - ABV:
- 4.4%
- Score:
- 64
Ranked #28,390 - Avg:
- 2.56 | pDev: 30.86%
- Reviews:
- 30
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 31, 2023
- Added:
- Apr 08, 2002
- Wants:
- 4
- Gots:
- 6
XXXX BITTER is a big-hearted lager which is full of pride. That pride runs deep in the ingredients; pure local water, Australian malted barley, Queensland cane sugar, unique Golden Cluster hops and yeast grown at the XXXX Brewery combine for a beer with a signature clean, crisp taste and satisfying after-bitterness.
Alcohol by Volume: 4.4% ABV
Colour: 9.5EBC
Bitterness: 18 IBU
Alcohol by Volume: 4.4% ABV
Colour: 9.5EBC
Bitterness: 18 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by mulder1010:
Reviewed by mulder1010 from Australia
2.04/5 rDev -20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2
2.04/5 rDev -20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2
750 ML poured into a SA perfect pint (YIKES)
A-- Poured a clear straw (yellow gold) color. One finger bright white head and lots of little bubbles on the side of the glass. Looks way carbonated. Head retention is good and leaves some lacing on the glass.
S-- Sweet/sour smelling but lacking any real distinguishing flavor. Not very impressive at all.
T-- Not a whole heck of a lot in the taste area. Watery with a bit more hop flavor to give it the bite. Has a little sweet malt taste to it as well.
M-- Very carbonated and unimpressive. The bitter taste gets a bit bigger as you drink on but it is a small bite and has a bit of a metallic taste to it. Hop taste is faint and quick disappearing. Watery is the only real thing I can say about this. Very bloated feeling in the end and that is not a good thing in drinking beer.
D-- When it is cold it is maybe passable. Australian lagers once warm are crap. Even cold Australian lagers are crap but on a hot day they do pass for mineral water or something to quench a thirst first. The question is sessionable?? NO. Left me with a bloated feeling and a stomach ache. Too much sugar and carbonation. Looked good to start but fell very flat very quick. Have tried Tooheys New, VB and XXXX and would suggest not to try any of them if you come over as a tourist and look for the craft beers that brewers that are putting an effort into their work and it does show.
Jan 24, 2010A-- Poured a clear straw (yellow gold) color. One finger bright white head and lots of little bubbles on the side of the glass. Looks way carbonated. Head retention is good and leaves some lacing on the glass.
S-- Sweet/sour smelling but lacking any real distinguishing flavor. Not very impressive at all.
T-- Not a whole heck of a lot in the taste area. Watery with a bit more hop flavor to give it the bite. Has a little sweet malt taste to it as well.
M-- Very carbonated and unimpressive. The bitter taste gets a bit bigger as you drink on but it is a small bite and has a bit of a metallic taste to it. Hop taste is faint and quick disappearing. Watery is the only real thing I can say about this. Very bloated feeling in the end and that is not a good thing in drinking beer.
D-- When it is cold it is maybe passable. Australian lagers once warm are crap. Even cold Australian lagers are crap but on a hot day they do pass for mineral water or something to quench a thirst first. The question is sessionable?? NO. Left me with a bloated feeling and a stomach ache. Too much sugar and carbonation. Looked good to start but fell very flat very quick. Have tried Tooheys New, VB and XXXX and would suggest not to try any of them if you come over as a tourist and look for the craft beers that brewers that are putting an effort into their work and it does show.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado
2.05/5 rDev -19.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.25
2.05/5 rDev -19.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.25
750ml brown glass bottle with pull-tab can from Bottle Mart, Port Douglas, Australia.
Cheap malt is the main flavour here, 6-row pale malt would be my guess. Sort of generic with vague caramel/malted milk ball notes and little else. Rather underwhelming...notches below Carlton Mid and similar competitors in terms of the Australian market.
Low D / NOT RECOMMENDED
Dec 24, 2022Cheap malt is the main flavour here, 6-row pale malt would be my guess. Sort of generic with vague caramel/malted milk ball notes and little else. Rather underwhelming...notches below Carlton Mid and similar competitors in terms of the Australian market.
Low D / NOT RECOMMENDED
Reviewed by RichardLeahy from Australia
2.99/5 rDev +16.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
2.99/5 rDev +16.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
A solid macro lager. L. Light gold with frothy, white head that fades quickly to lacing. Not much retention. S. Slight grain, but not much. T. Similar, light grain with a dry finish, a touch of astringency from the high carbonation. Can have a metallic tang, so I have always avoided drinking from cans. F. Light, a touch fizzy and the carbonation can have an astringent effect. O. I grew up on this stuff, it so dominated the Queensland beer market in the 1970s and 80s. So I have a soft spot for this beer and served cold it is an acceptable thirst quencher in the Queensland heat.
Dec 04, 2018Rated by joharitaylor79 from Australia
1.09/5 rDev -57.4%
look: 2 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.25 | overall: 1
1.09/5 rDev -57.4%
look: 2 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.25 | overall: 1
Horrible, horrible beer - skip and go to XXXX Gold or their Summer Bright Lager if you must drink XXXX.
Dec 16, 2017Reviewed by make-beer-not-war from Texas
5/5 rDev +95.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +95.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
The epitome of brewing. This fine Qld lager is the best to come out of Australia. Fond memories of the grain and hop scents rolling through the grassy hills of Milton and Auchenflower. I'm salivating while I reminisce.
Oct 08, 2016Rated by Seattle_Suds from Washington
2.77/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
2.77/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
This beer is light and clean and OK for the type.
Apr 01, 2015Reviewed by JackieKu from Taiwan
1.5/5 rDev -41.4%
1.5/5 rDev -41.4%
I supposed the Bitter means English pale ale but it is not. We have this kind of adjuncts everywhere, and this one isn't any better than others nor cheaper.
Nov 10, 2014
XXXX Bitter from Castlemaine Perkins
Beer rating:
64 out of
100 with
75 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!