March FABTS Meeting

The March FABTS meeting will be on March 8th at 1:30PM at Bangkok Boulevard. The style for March is BJCP category English Pale Ale. Specifically, sub-categories 8A (Standard / Ordinary Bitter), 8B (Special / Best / Premium Bitter), and 8C (Extra Special / Strong Bitter). Below are the Overall Impressions and Commercial Examples from the BJCP style guide. I will update the FABTS beers when I hear what people are brining. As always, any style of homebrew is welcome and appreciated.


8. ENGLISH PALE ALE

8A. Standard/Ordinary Bitter
Overall Impression: Low gravity, low alcohol levels and low carbonation make this an easy-drinking beer. Some examples can be more malt balanced, but this should not override the overall bitter impression. Drinkability is a critical component of the style; emphasis is still on the bittering hop addition as opposed to the aggressive middle and late hopping seen in American ales.
Commercial Examples: Fuller's Chiswick Bitter, Adnams Bitter, Young's Bitter, Greene King IPA, Oakham Jeffrey Hudson Bitter (JHB), Brains Bitter, Tetley’s Original Bitter, Brakspear Bitter, Boddington's Pub Draught

FABTS Beers:
2 15oz Tetleys Bitter (widget in can) (Kevin B.)


8B. Special/Best/Premium Bitter
Overall Impression: A flavorful, yet refreshing, session beer. Some examples can be more malt balanced, but this should not override the overall bitter impression. Drinkability is a critical component of the style; emphasis is still on the bittering hop addition as opposed to the aggressive middle and late hopping seen in American ales.
Commercial Examples: Fuller's London Pride, Coniston Bluebird Bitter, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Adnams SSB, Young’s Special, Shepherd Neame Masterbrew Bitter, Greene King Ruddles County Bitter, RCH Pitchfork Rebellious Bitter, Brains SA, Black Sheep Best Bitter, Goose Island Honkers Ale, Rogue Younger’s Special Bitter

FABTS Beers:
2 15oz Ruddles County (Kevin B.)
1x 12oz Fuller's London Pride (Rob A.)
1x 19oz Bluebird Bitter (Kybecca)


8C. Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale)
Overall Impression: An average-strength to moderately-strong English ale. The balance may be fairly even between malt and hops to somewhat bitter. Drinkability is a critical component of the style; emphasis is still on the bittering hop addition as opposed to the aggressive middle and late hopping seen in American ales. A rather broad style that allows for considerable interpretation by the brewer.
Commercial Examples: Fullers ESB, Adnams Broadside, Shepherd Neame Bishop's Finger, Young’s Ram Rod, Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery Pale Ale, Bass Ale, Whitbread Pale Ale, Shepherd Neame Spitfire, Marston’s Pedigree, Black Sheep Ale, Vintage Henley, Mordue Workie Ticket, Morland Old Speckled Hen, Greene King Abbot Ale, Bateman's XXXB, Gale’s Hordean Special Bitter (HSB), Ushers 1824 Particular Ale, Hopback Summer Lightning, Great Lakes Moondog Ale, Shipyard Old Thumper, Alaskan ESB, Geary’s Pale Ale, Cooperstown Old Slugger, Anderson Valley Boont ESB, Avery 14’er ESB, Redhook ESB

FABTS Beers:
2 15oz Old Speckled Hen (widget in can) (Kevin B.)
1x 12oz Old Speckled Hen (bottle) (Rob A.)
2X Welsh ESB 16oz (Lyle B.)
2X Fullers ESB 16oz (Lyle B.)
2X Bass 12oz (Lyle B.)
2X Sierra Nevada ESB 12oz (Lyle B.)
2X Whitbread 12oz (Lyle B.)
2X Fullers 1845 16oz (Lyle B.)
2x 15oz Greene King Abbot Ale (widget in can) (Rob A. and Scott F.)
1x 15oz Black Sheep Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale (Rob A.)
2x 12oz Lakefront (from Milwaukee) ESB (Scott F.)

2x 12oz Coopers Pale Ale (Kybecca)

1x 15oz Greene King Olde Suffolk English Ale (Old Ale) (Rob A.)
Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale (Joe G.)
Redhook Copper Hook and/or ESB (Joe G.)