Strong Bitter
Description
An average-strength to moderately strong British bitter ale. The balance may be fairly even between malt and hops to somewhat bitter.
Aroma
Moderate to moderately strong floral, earthy, herbal English hop aroma. Moderate to moderately strong bready or caramel malt aroma. Low to moderate fruity esters. Complex and hop-forward for the style.
Appearance
Gold to copper, 8-18 SRM. Clear. White to off-white head with moderate to good retention.
Flavor
Moderate to moderately high hop bitterness with earthy, herbal, floral English hop flavor. Moderate to moderately strong biscuity or caramel malt. Dry, bitter finish. Assertive and complex.
Mouthfeel
Medium body with moderate carbonation. Smooth and round. Slight alcohol warmth. Dry finish without harshness.
History
The strongest tier of traditional English bitter, often called Extra Special Bitter (ESB). Fuller's ESB defined the style internationally. Developed in English breweries as a premium version of their best bitter, with more malt and hop complexity. Widely imitated in American craft brewing.
Commercial Examples
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Strong Bitter beer?
- Strong Bitter / Extra Special Bitter (BJCP 11C) — a moderately strong British bitter ale. Style guide.
- What is the ABV of Strong Bitter?
- Strong Bitter has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 4.6-6.2%.
- How bitter is Strong Bitter beer?
- Strong Bitter measures 30-50 IBU (International Bitterness Units).
- What are some examples of Strong Bitter beers?
- Fuller's ESB, Bass Ale, Shepherd Neame Bishop's Finger, Coniston Bluebird
Embed on your site — BeerFYI
Add the widget to any webpage using a script tag.
<div data-beerfyi="style" data-slug="strong-bitter"></div>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/beerfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>Embed using a standard iframe — works in any CMS.
<iframe src="https://beerfyi.com/iframe/style/strong-bitter/" width="100%" height="480" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" title="BeerFYI style widget"></iframe>Paste the URL into WordPress, Medium, or any oEmbed-aware editor.
https://beerfyi.com/styles/strong-bitter/Add a badge linking back to BeerFYI.
<a href="https://beerfyi.com/styles/strong-bitter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
<img src="https://beerfyi.com/badge/site.svg" alt="BeerFYI" height="20">
</a>
Use the BeerFYI WordPress plugin shortcode.
[drinkfyi-style site="beerfyi" slug="strong-bitter"]Use as a native HTML custom element in modern browsers.
<beerfyi-style slug="strong-bitter" theme="light"></beerfyi-style>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/beerfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>