Roger Protz gets to the bottom of extra special bitter, or ESB for short.
One beer can define a style. In the mid-19th century, a golden lager beer from Pilsen not only revolutionised brewing on a world scale but gave its name to a style: pilsner or pils for short. In Britain, a strong ale called Extra Special Bitter, brewed by Fuller’s in west London, spawned a style wit...
By Roger Protz
from Issue 16 published on 25/01/2008
1.ARKELL’S KINGSDOWN ALE (5.2% Arkell’s, founded in 1843, is a sturdy independent, family-owned brewery in Swindon whose success in the 19th century was fuelled by the town becoming an important hub of the new railway system. Brewing takes place in traditional wood-jacketed mash tuns, coppers and op...
By Roger Protz
from Issue 16 published on 25/01/2008
In the latest of our series on beer styles, Roger Protz turns his attention to best bitter.
It is a common mistake to think that ‘best bitter’ is just bitter with hair on its chest. While it is true that some versions of ‘best’ are stronger versions of their weaker brethren, many brewers take the opportunity, when fashioning a higher gravity beer, to blend different varieties of malt and h...
By Roger Protz
from Issue 15 published on 01/12/2007
Six of the best
1. ADNAMS BROADSIDE SOUTHWOLD, SUFFOLK, 4.7%
This Suffolk best bitter commemorates the Battle of Sole Bay off Southwold in 1672 when the unlikely combination of the English and French fleets defeated the Dutch. Men o’ War fighting ships in those days placed all their guns along one deck and fired t...
By Roger Protz
from Issue 15 published on 01/12/2007
In the latest of our series on beer styles, Roger Protz takles the ubiquitous pint of bitter
Ask anyone from abroad with a passing interest in beer to name England’s most famous style and the answer is likely to be “bitter.” While British connoisseurs revel in such famous styles as India pale ale, porter and stout, there’s no doubt it is bitter that most clearly defines our beer culture.
W...
By Roger Protz
from Issue 14 published on 04/10/2007
In the latest of our series on beer styles, Roger Protz discovers the origins of pale ale
It’s called pale ale but it’s not a pallid beer. Brewed properly, with careful attention to style, it should be a robust beer, with a powerful punch of hop bitterness balancing juicy malt and the tart and tangy fruit flavours associated with Britain’s warmfermented ales.
Let us begin by stating wha...
By Roger Protz
from Issue 13 published on 03/08/2007
In the latest of our series on beer styles, Roger Protz looks at the history of brown and mild
When I first started drinking in London pubs some 40 years ago I would call for “a pint of brown and mild.” Why?
For the simple reason that my father and people of his age group all drank the same tipple and in those days we followed in the wise footsteps of our elders and betters.
But with the be...
By Roger Protz
from Issue 12 published on 25/05/2007
In the latest of our series on beer styles, Roger Protz gets to grips with pilsner
When the disgruntled drinkers of Pilsen in Bohemia dumped a batch of sour beer down the city’s drains in 1840 they set in motion events that were to transform brewing even more resolutely than the brewers of Burton upon Trent had done some years earlier with India pale ale.
The local Pilsen brewery...
By Roger Protz
from Issue 11 published on 23/03/2007
In the first of a new series, Roger Protz looks at the history of India Pale Ale
Is it fanciful to describe a beer style as “revolutionary”?
In the case of India Pale Ale, which transformed brewing on a world scale and paved the way for golden pilsners, the answer must be an emphatic yes.
Until the advent of IPA, all beers, even the first lager beers, were dark brown in colour...
By Roger Protz
from Issue 10 published on 26/01/2007
Once upon a time these heavier style American beers were only produced seasonally – now some are available all year round. David Gilbert reports
It is easy to forget that there was a time not long ago when we looked forward to the winter months for the heavyweight styles of the beer world to arrive.
The founding fathers of the craft brew movement in the United States were responsible for providing these seasonal offerings. Their vision and ...
By David Gilbert
from Issue 8 published on 27/09/2006
