Granite Brewery Best Bitter Special

Brewed by Granite Brewery (Toronto)
Style: Bitter
Toronto, Canada

Serve in English pint

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Cask sample at the Victory - poured a murky but bright plum colour with a small off-white head. Really nice looker. Aromas of citrusy hops and dark fruits, but nothing overpowering - incredibly well-balanced and enticing on the nose. Flavour is wonderfully refreshing, with fruit black tea, and definitely moreish. Good bitter punch in the finish, and the dry-hopping is a step up from their regular (still very good) bitter. A wonderful beer - one I would get regularly if more widely available.

From growler into pint glass. Pours a lovely coppery colour with light pillowy head that dissipates fairly quickly, and light to medium carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel with a light malty flavour with a hint of hoppiness, and medium bitter aftertaste. A solid British-style bitter,

Glass poured off a growler. Aroma was a good balance between light hops and caramel malt. Looks good with a nice copper/amber colour and some decent off-white head even though it was poured off a previously opened growler. Taste was very balanced between bitter hops and caramel malts. Solid body. Overall, a very good East Coast bitter.

Great carbonation, in keeping with an English bitter. Nice leave of hops - dry bitter leave is excellent. A great craft beer. On tap at Granite

From Henry House in Halifax. What a beautiful, easy to enjoy bitter. Creamy in the mouth, bitter end with some very light hop pronouncement as well.

On tap @ The Henry House in Halifax, enjoyed as part of a tasting tray. Slightly darker than the Best Bitter, owing to the hop oils I’m guessing. I find there is more chocolate in here, both in the aroma and palate, along with a more pronounced bitterness and pithy dryness. Smooth, creamy mouthfeel.

On tap at the Toronto location, served in an English pint. Pours hazy amber with a frothy, off-white head. The head remains through to the end and leaves a moderate amount of lace. On the nose, there are big notes of citrus and pale malts, along with floral notes and a hint of honey. The flavour is crisp up front, balanced between moderate sweet malts and floral, citrusy hops. On the palate, it is light-medium in body with a smooth, watery texture and soft carbonation. Overall, this is a decent, refreshing citrusy bitter in the English style. A pleasing session ale. 2011-03-17

Copper colour with a pale creamy head. Delicious texture. Smooth balance of malt and hops. More grain and less bitterness than expected, but it’s a well articulated flavour. Very good beer.

On cask at the Toronto location, clear amber color, with a white head, nice floral hop citrusy nose with some leafy, grassy notes, with some light toasted, caramel malt, nutty accents, and subtle toffeeness in the aroma follows through on a medium-bodied palate with a fruity flowery hop citrus, grapefruit character with some leafy, piney upfront notes, with some light caramel, toasty undertone flavours, leading towards a herbal hop, leafy, dry bitterness finish.

Verre, 3 onces, en fût, bue à la brasserie, savourée le 16 septembre 2009; oeil : cuivrée avec une teinte orange, claire, pas d’effervescence, minuscule anneau de mousse beige, pas de dentelle; nez : malt, orange, léger houblon, pamplemousse; bouche : malt, orange, léger houblon, pamplemousse, finale légèrement houblonnée avec légère présence de caramel, peu carbonatée, corps moyen, très légère astringence, très légèrement amère, légèrement granuleuse, un peu mince; en résumé : ordinaire

Tap at Toronto location. Pours a slightly darker color than the orginal, with a thin foamy head. Aroma is a bit more earhty and tea like with the hops and a bit more toasty caramel as well. Flavor is more malts, crystal, deep toast and some honey with a earthy and floral hop character- a bit more body but not as easy drinking as the best bitter. I liked the BB a little better, but this is a nice ESB overall.