Your First English Bitter

Barnsley Bitter in the Wing Tavern in Newark. I've had few better Bitters since.

Though for me the real rite of pasage was cask Mild. Home Ales, in case you're wondering.

 

If I understand you right the only Fuller's bitter I've ever seen in cans is London Pride.

 

Anyway to answer the question: First bitter was Fuller's London Pride here in the States. I really liked it, but it is so inconsistent here for obvious reasons. When I finally traveled to the UK, had in on cask at just about every pub I went into. Loved it, and probably one of my favorites.

 

Fuller's ESB, And...it was a revelation! I still love it to this day.

 

First one that comes to mind was a pint of Blue Bell Bitter at Magnolia in SF last year, sitting in the sun with a good book and good food. It was a great moment indeed, and one that helped cement my beer obsession.

 

Sometimes had Home Mild , nice enough but Shippo's was a thing of rare beauty. Thankfully an ex-Shippo's brewer set up his own micro (Belvoir Brewery) and among a wide range is the old Shippo's Bitter (Star) and Mild (Dark Horse) - so close to the original that it's uncanny.

 

Not my first but it was the most impressive and delicious:



Late 70s in California, $22 for the 3.86L mini keg.

 

Magnolia makes some great bitters. Might have to stop by today after my visit to the zoo.

 

There was no Shippo's in Newark, unfortunately. Once I made it to Nottingham, I realised what I'd been missing.

 

Here in Edmonton, Alberta, we get London Pride, London Porter & ESB in cans as well as in bottle, Vintage Ale & 1845 in bottles and the IPA has just arrived in bottles, too. I've also seen the Organic Honey Dew at times, but not often. Kegs of ESB, London Pride, London Porter & Bengal Lancer are also available in Alberta,. I guess Brianhophead doesn't get out much if he doesn't know what Fuller's products are available here!!!


But for me my first English bitter I remember drinking was Stone's Best before progressing to Theakston's & Flower's. A long time ago!!!!

 

My first bitter was Double Diamond - oh, the shame - at the Ind Coope brewery tap (White Hart) in Romford High Street, early 70s, but (and maybe either Jess K or Ron P can confirm this), I don't think DD was brewed there at the time. My first pint of decent bitter was cask Boddingtons in Manchester a few years later, but I'd consumed far too many pints of DD and Watney's Red barrel before I found the good stuff. I know better now.

 

My first English Bitters (as classified here on BA) was Anchor Small Beer followed by Newcastle Summer Ale. I was not impressed with either.

 

DBA

 

Superb pic. Looks like a can of paint.

 

It was much more believable as a Bitter than a Burton Ale.

 

First proper pint of bitter was a Fuller's ESB at the Flask pub in Highgate in 1994. Had just completed my first study-abroad year in Germany, where I had had the privilege of drinking the world's best smoked beers and unfiltered lagers. My roommate and I had made our way to England via Belgium, where we'd indulged in more than our fair share of Lambics and Trappists. I managed to make it to a number of more "authentic" pubs since then, but still, that first pint on cask was a revelation, and while I was drinking it there was nowhere else I wanted to be than there out front of The Flask on a warm summer night.

 

Problem is that's far enough back in time I won't be able to tell you if you guessed correctly or not. On double check of my calendar/diary I find that it was not my first trip but a slightly later one. (After 25 or 30 visits to the UK some things get "munged" together .) The town was Loughborough, the lodgings were in the Forest Rise on Forest Rd., and it was the early 90s, but I have no way to recapture any memory of the name of the beer or the pub.

 

The Black Sheep range are far and away my favorite...the (bottled) Special Ale (special bitter/pale ale) and their Riggwelter (strong ale) turned me on to what REAL beer (i.e. above Newcastle, Bass, Heinieken, etc) could really be...I've never looked back. Been to the brewery twice, and would love go go again!