Best Bitter

Historical Development

If you've read any of our posts on American styles, you already know that the craft beer revolution in this country began in earnest in the 1970s and 1980s, largely through the efforts of California-based breweries Anchor and Sierra Nevada. Fed up with the bland, vapid, and altogether lifeless macro lager of the day, these brewers inspired drinkers' passion for their beer by exploring new styles steeped in older traditions, then pushing the boundaries on those styles in exciting ways. During that nascent period for American Craft Beer, a movement took shape in the UK that had a similar aim, but a much different approach to achieve it.

The Campaign for Real Ale, or CAMRA, was founded in an Irish pub in March of 1971 by a group of four beer-lovers concerned with the stranglehold that macro beer had in the UK. The worst consequence of this, much like the American landscape, was a dangerous consolidation in the styles of beer offered to consumers. Instead of moving toward new styles and experimentation, however, the group–which was originally called the Campaign for the Revitalisation of Ale–looked to their storied history for inspiration toward better-tasting beer.

Among CAMRA's stated missions, the most beer-centric aim is "to promote and advocate the production, availability, and consumption of quality real ale, cider, and perry." According to CAMRA, "Real ale is a 'living' product, which is typically produced and stored in a cask container. In comparison to other types of beer that kill off the yeast and artificially inject the beer with CO2 prior to serving, real ale contains live yeast which continues to condition and ferment the beer until it is served." Originally those casks would have been the wooden barrels delivered to pubs by porters, but today a stainless steel cask has largely taken its place.

Their campaign has had a lot of success in reviving and promoting traditional English Ale styles, including Best Bitter. When you order one of these from a Real Ale pub–where they might also call it a Special Bitter or Amber Ale–you'll watch them pour it from a hand-pulled pump, which is necessary because the beer isn't pushed to the tap by carbon dioxide.

In looking to the past, the founders of CAMRA brought a bit of life back into the British beer scene. When you step into a London pub today, you'll find cask ale alongside the drafts we're accustomed to more often than not. Casks are making their way into American breweries as well, where they're often a one-off variation on one of the brewery's regular offerings (you might see these labeled as a "firkin" some places).

We've all had beers we remember drinking because they're unique or especially flavorful. Maybe it was the first time you had an IPA after drinking the cheap swill you had in college. Maybe, like me, it was the first time you tasted a massive stout aged in a bourbon barrel. The Best Bitter isn't a beer that you'll remember forever because of flavor. But if you have one poured for you from a hand pump in a dark British pub, it's an experience you'll never forget. It could just be the booze talking, but as you drink your way through that first, second, and likely third pint (it is a session beer after all), you begin to realize that there's history right there in your glass.

We geek out on this kind of experience here at Black Flannel, and we'll be offering some cask ales starting a few months after we open. If you're interested in trying a great version of this style, though, stop by our friends at Simple Roots in Burlington, where they brew a great Best Bitter called Leaf Peeper.

Modern Evolution