Best Bitter Special (Dry Hopped)
Granite Brewery & Restaurant

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From:
Granite Brewery & Restaurant
 
Ontario, Canada
Style:
English Bitter
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.97 | pDev: 7.3%
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
18
Status:
Active
Rated:
Apr 03, 2017
Added:
Aug 07, 2003
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  0
Or simply “Dry Hopped” to our regulars, this is our Best Bitter, well hopped with wonderful results. A classic cask ale.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by allergictomacros:
Photo of allergictomacros
Reviewed by allergictomacros from Canada (ON)

4.14/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
A - Pours a clear copper with a small soap sudsy head.

S - Nose is fruity and yeasty with some apple and spice notes.

T - Some nuttiness and an earthy, yeasty twang are most notable. Hops are lemony and mild.

M - Dryish, smooth and mildy carbonated with a very soft body.

D - Drinkability is excellent, but for my money I think this brew is a little too clean.
Jan 15, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.29 by eberesford from Canada (ON)

Apr 03, 2017
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

3.18/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
On cask tap at The Henry House in Halifax. Unfiltered with 4.5% ABV

Clear copper body with a bubbly tan head.
Looks like their regular bitter but the head is a bit better and the copper colored body is slightly darker.

Smooth thin body with light carbonation.

Mild bitterness. Lingering, moderately hoppy aftertaste. Some bready malts in the background.

Surprisingly weak aroma given the flavor.
Jun 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3.98 by Coronaeus from Canada (ON)

Apr 21, 2016
 
Rated: 3.93 by heerboth from Pennsylvania

Apr 03, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by GoHabsGo from Canada (ON)

Mar 30, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by peensteen from Canada (ON)

Feb 10, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by DaPan from Canada (ON)

Feb 13, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by FirstBrewsoon from Ohio

Jan 15, 2012
Photo of kwjd
Reviewed by kwjd from Canada (ON)

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
Had this on cask at Granite Brewery in Toronto. Pours a slightly hazy orange colour with soapy white head. Nice enough head retention with some small hints of lacing. Smells of floral hops with hints of pine and grapefruit. Mouthfeel is a tad watery, carbonation was lacking a bit for a cask ale. Still a very tasty beer.
Feb 14, 2011
Photo of liamt07
Reviewed by liamt07 from Canada (ON)

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
On cask at the brewpub, pint glass.

Pours a golden, light amber with a soapy white head. Mainly citrus and pine in the nose, light bread here too. Hops are present but not overpowering. Very 'fresh.' Taste follows, not overly hopped or bitter; dry hopping is evident here. Lighter pine and citrus still stand. Mild toffee malt follows. Mouthfeel is smooth and lasting, Creamy feel. Severely drinkable.
Dec 09, 2010
Photo of biboergosum
Reviewed by biboergosum from Canada (AB)

3.68/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This beer appears a clear dark ruddy amber colour, with a few fingers of soapy white head, which leaves very little lace as it disappears. It smells lightly of grapefruit citrus, and white cereal grain. The taste is mild sweet caramel malt, and some piney, earthy hops. The carbonation is quite low, the body smooth and kind of thin, and it finishes a bit off-dry, some sweet white grain and aforementioned hop essence lingering.

I like the addition of Cascade hops to spruce up a mild bitter. It works.
Aug 21, 2009
Photo of bobsy
Reviewed by bobsy from Canada (ON)

4.31/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
This is a lovely looking beer, and the Granite cannot be faulted for freshness and vitality of appearance in their brews. It arrives at the table a rich copper with a rocky white head that had decent retention and left some great concentric rings of lace. Lifting it to the nose brings back memories of the many bitters I've drank in the UK, because all the base components are there - a strong biscuit base and fresh, leafy hops. The only difference is that the dry-hopping takes this to the next level, and imbues the aroma with a sweet splash of grapefruit.

The flavour exhibits perfect balance, with strong notes of pine and grapefruit providing a refreshing, but not overpowering, bitterness. The cask conditioning emphasises the biscuit malt base and brings it into equilibrium with the hopping. A slight breadiness and earthiness lingers in the finish. The mouthfeel also owes a lot to the cask, because it certainly feels fuller and creamier than this beer would be if it was on tap.

This beer is certainly helped by the fact that its only dispensed cask-conditioned, as this really helps to punch up its flavour, bulk up the mouthfeel, and let it ride with the big boys. Definitely an under-appreciated local gem and an ode to the great work of Ron Keefe.
Mar 07, 2008
Photo of BrewSomerville
Reviewed by BrewSomerville from Canada (ON)

3.82/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I had a half pint of this after I tried the regular bitter, and I prefered this one to the other.

Aroma: Citrus, lots of tangerine, bready, nuttty, caramel, some pine.

Looks: Copper/brown colour. Small white head. Average retention. Good lace.

Mouthfeel: Lightly done and fine carbonation. Very nice.

Overall, This was not quite as true to the style as the regular bitter, but I thought that this Beer was better done than the other. It has a very pleasant aroma/flavour and mouthfeel.
Jul 22, 2007
Photo of Derek
Reviewed by Derek from Canada (BC)

4.2/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
A: Looks the same as their usual (copper-caramel, off-white head), though it leaves more lacing.

S: A little more citrus-hop aroma than their standard bitter.

T: A little more hop flavour than the usual bitter.

M: Lightly carbonated & creamy.

D: Very good, but I actually prefered their usual bitter (less hop-forward, better balance).
Jan 28, 2007
Photo of Mandrake
Reviewed by Mandrake from Canada (NS)

4.2/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Pours out of the tap creamy and smooth, and as it's set down in front of me the thick, frothy head is still settling out of the slightly cloudy deep reddish-copper body. Smell is nicely hopped, but with a complex maltiness that has lots of breadiness, butter, and a touch of fruit as well. Taste is textbook bitter, with a full and rounded malt base, very similar in character to the smell, and noticable but not overpowering hops providing a bite in the finish, which is given a lovely dryness from the dry-hopping. Mouthfeel is thick, full, and oh-so-creamy, and drinkability is great. A great session beer for a night at the pub, and great with food too.
Jul 18, 2006
Photo of CAMRAhardliner
Reviewed by CAMRAhardliner from Canada (ON)

4.29/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This fine cask ale is one of my favorites Ontario beers. I also had it a lot at the Halifax Granite when I lived over there.

It pours a pretty clear amber with a dismal head and no lace at all (I remember there being lots of lace before). The aroma is of lean bready malt, some buttery diacytel and leafy English hops. The taste is that of a very traditional English Bitter. A clean bitterness mixes with malt, caramel apples and earth. Then the herbal hops hit, and a healthy dose of diacytel. The finish is of fresh grassy hops and residual English yeast (it reminds me of Ringwood Bitter). The finish is very smooth and surprisingly low in carbonation. This is lightly carbonated even for a cask, but its still very tastey.

I highly recommend this Tradition English Bitter. The best Granite brew by far, followed by the Stout and regular bitter (which isnt cask conditioned like this one is).
Sep 06, 2005
Photo of Sammy
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.53/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I think the pub's best brew. A balanced beer with some malty sweetness noticeable through abundant and remaining foam from a thoughtful carbonation. Orange yellow color. Would be above average brew to accompany a meal, but reasonable to sip. Floral aroma. Nice first beer in a session.
Dec 23, 2003
Best Bitter Special (Dry Hopped) from Granite Brewery & Restaurant
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 18 ratings