Bittings Best Bitter
Woodbridge Brewing Company

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From:
Woodbridge Brewing Company
 
New Jersey, United States
Style:
English Bitter
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
85
Avg:
3.7 | pDev: 13.78%
Reviews:
8
Ratings:
10
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 10, 2017
Added:
Sep 19, 2002
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jwc215:
Photo of jwc215
Reviewed by jwc215 from Arizona

3.98/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Amber with a slightly off-white head. Left some rings of lacing.
The smell was very faint. Some floral notes were present. Clean, but thin.
The taste was mellow and fairly mild. Well-balanced between barley malt and mildly assertive woody, slightly lemony hops. Overall, it was smooth with a mild bitter bite.
The good balance and overall mildness makes it a pretty good choice to accompany a meal. Very sessionable.
Aug 14, 2006
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.98 by AmitC from New York

Apr 10, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by ArtZan from New Jersey

Mar 12, 2014
Photo of yelterdow
Reviewed by yelterdow from New Jersey

2.65/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
On tap at the brewpub this evening. Growler fill sampled the night of purchase, served between fridge and cellar temperature in an English pint glass.

Appearance- Pours a luminescent light reddish caramel, supporting an authentic soapy, pitted three finger head. A hint of red finds its way into the foam, tinting it nicely. There's some decent sporadic lacing down the glass... almost looks like a good cask bitter.

Smell- Sweet, bready notes and a touch of malt gracefully enter the nose. I'm almost getting the most subtle suggestion of toffee and molasses, which return the kick back to the initial soft aromas. Delightfully English.

Taste- Bread and lightly toasted malts are showcased initially, then the middle becomes hoppier with a firm, gripping bitterness. The swallow exhibits the last of the doughy character and goes full on into an overly bitter, lashing hop attack that finds no balance at all.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability- Entering the mouth, this is thin and watery, barely offering any texture other than a slight prickle on the tongue. When swished, the same perceived bubbles dance and slowly diminish... never creating a fully enjoyable presentation even for the style. This is a session style beer, but I'm through with it after one glass.
Jun 30, 2008
Photo of AltBock
Reviewed by AltBock from Ohio

3.28/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
I was able to try this Bitter on cask at J.J. Bitting on 6/28/2008. They served it to me in a standard pint glass.

This Best Bitter poured a lightly hazy copper/amber color that had a small tint of sunshine yellow along the sides. The head of foam was about an inch in height and white in color. I thought this head of foam had good retention that left behind a small white film, 2 streaks of lace, and a small amount of white spots of lace.

The aroma was slightly sour, but not a bad intentionally sour aroma. I chalked the sourness up to the cask. Anyway, it was slightly sour with faint juicy fruits, yeast, a subtle splash of lemon zest, and bitter herbal hops.

The taste was light and slightly dry with juicy fruits, yeast, a touch of toasted malts, and dried floral hops. Not many flavors in here, but it was still a nice dry bitter taste.

The mouthfeel was of course light, but this Bitter had a dry aftertaste of yeast, toasted malts, and a hint of juicy fruits.

This Bitter was was more dry than bitter, but it wasn't all that bad. It was a session cask ale all the way. That what it was going for and that's what it achieved. Like all brewpub cask ales, it's worth a shot.
Jun 29, 2008
Photo of plaid75
Reviewed by plaid75 from New York

3.56/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured a deep copper hazy hue with a one and a half finger creamy merangue white head. There was very good retention and lacing.

The smell featured a moderate diacytl with a smattering of grassy hop.

The taste consisted of an earthy hop and a light biscuity malt and some butterscotch.

The mouthfeel was average for the style and very smooth.

Overall a good example of the style. Nothing too exciting.
Apr 19, 2008
Photo of JMH_
Reviewed by JMH_ from New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a nice looking orange/light amber colour with a decent sized, semi-creamy, semi-sticky off-white head that dissolves to a mid-range lace fairly quickly.

There's a nice caramel sweetness to the aroma that leads into a bit of an earthiness. Some floral hops are detected here and there as well. Simple but decent.

The flavour picks up where the aroma leaves off but beefs things up a bit: Caramel notes go by the wayside a bit for a more rugged flavour that brings our the earth notes a bit more and accentuates more of a hop flavour, especially toward the finish of each sip. There's definitely a burnt/toasted grain thing going on here as well, and it is especially noted on the palate in between sips. Mouthfeel is fairly light bodied...perhaps too much so. A bit too watery at times for my liking but nothing offensive.

This one is pretty good overall. Some nice flavour and good balance. My only issue was the mouthfeel, which was just too thin. Fix that and it'll enhance this one a ton. Still worth a try regardless.
Dec 13, 2007
Photo of stirgy
Reviewed by stirgy from Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Served as part of a sampler tray at their restaurant. Poured a deep and golden color with a rich cream like head. Sweet grains and lemon peel in the aroma. The flavor has a smokiness, almost burnt quality about it. There’s also some grapefruit notes, that leaves a nice sting on the tongue. The body has a nice texture and the beer is well balanced. Somewhat bitter in the finish. An enjoyable and pleasantly tasty English style bitter.
Mar 02, 2004
Photo of Lupe
Reviewed by Lupe from New York

3.46/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Amber in color with an off-white head and some lace. Fairly subdued, slightly sweet, malty aroma with some floral hops. Medium bodied with a silky mouthfeel. Flavor is of sweet malt with hints of earthy hops. Bitterness is low and keeps the brew in balance. Thirst quenching and easy to drink, but something seems to be missing from this beer. Not bad, but nothing to go nuts about.
Dec 27, 2002
Photo of Mick
Reviewed by Mick from New Jersey

4.7/5  rDev +27%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Darker than a lot of other Bitters that I've tried. But, I have a penchant for darker colored beers so it only attracts me more. Nice texture, it rolls gently in the glass, very silky. A very quenching brew. Not too hoppy, a delicate refreshing aroma. Washes in the mouth excellently. The final taste on the back of the tongue is reminiscent of green apples. Leaves you salivating
Sep 19, 2002
Bittings Best Bitter from Woodbridge Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 10 ratings