British Bitter - Ordinary Bitter - Beer Recipes | Brewer's Friend
Brew your best beer EVER. Start your Free Trial of Brewer's Friend today! Sign Up ×

British Bitter - Ordinary Bitter


Low gravity, low alcohol levels, and low carbonation make this an easy-drinking session beer. The malt profile can vary in flavor and intensity, but should never override the overall bitter impression. Drinkability is a critical component of the style

Flavor Profile: Medium to moderately high bitterness. Moderately low to moderately high fruity esters. Moderate to low hop flavor, typically with an earthy, resiny, fruity, and/or floral character. Low to medium maltiness with a dry finish. The malt profile is typically

Ingredients: Pale ale, amber, and/or crystal malts. May use a touch of dark malt for color adjustment. May use sugar adjuncts, corn, or wheat. English finishing hops are most traditional, but any hops are fair game; if American hops are used, a light touch is required

BJCP Style Guide

Top 10 Ordinary Bitter Recipes

Title Size ABV IBU OG FG Color Method Views
John Smith
5.5 gal 3.21% 35.81 1.034 1.010
Partial Mash 6363
Black Sheep Ale clone
23 L 3.93% 26.25 1.039 1.010
All Grain 4553
Bitter
5.5 gal 3.76% 28.8 1.038 1.010
BIAB 3970
UK Ordinary Bitter
20 L 3.64% 29.34 1.037 1.010
All Grain 3120
House Beer
1 gal 4.47% 16.72 1.046 1.012
All Grain 2905
Manchester Bitter
20 L 4.03% 14.74 1.040 1.009
All Grain 2881
Roger's
23 L 3.94% 20.87 1.039 1.008
BIAB 2865
Luddite Ales 2017
500 L 3.77% 35.59 1.037 1.008
All Grain 2810
banks's mild
19 L 3.44% 33.05 1.035 1.009
All Grain 2773
FUGGLES ALE
21 L 4.19% 24.76 1.042 1.010
All Grain 2329

Newest Ordinary Bitter Recipes

Title Size ABV IBU OG FG Color Method Views
Batch 3 Allgrain
15 L 4.18% 17.71 1.042 1.011
All Grain 15
SB wild mild
10 gal 3.65601% 0 1.040 1.012
All Grain 26
Zayd's English bitter 3 gal
3 gal 3.69% 24.78 1.040 1.012
All Grain 40
EPA epa 3p444
60 L 5.65% 11.23 1.054 1.011
All Grain 45
Golden Castle
30 L 3.35% 33.2 1.032 1.006
All Grain 40
E.B
40 L 3.69% 18.36 1.040 1.011
All Grain 26
Ordinary Bitter for Low ABV Comp
12 L 3.21% 28.07 1.039 1.014
BIAB 28
Boys Back in Town Brew 1
30 L 4.27% 24.82 1.040 1.008
All Grain 36
wet hop bitter home brew
24 L 3.11% 53.41 1.039 1.016
BIAB 28
Awesome Recipe
24 L 3.64% 0 1.037 1.009
All Grain 30

Fermentables Used In Ordinary Bitter Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Country Category Type Color PPG Avg. Usage Usage Range
United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale 604 United Kingdom Grain base malt 3.75°L
38 82% 5% - 100%
Caramel / Crystal 60L 94 Grain crystal malt 60°L
34 7% 0% - 20%
United Kingdom - Golden Promise 85 United Kingdom Grain base malt 3°L
37 75% 4% - 100%
United Kingdom - Crystal 60L 80 United Kingdom Grain crystal malt 60°L
34 8% 2% - 36%
US - Pale 2-Row 78 US Grain base malt 1.8°L
37 73% 9% - 100%
American - Caramel / Crystal 120L 77 American Grain crystal malt 120°L
33 6% 2% - 18%
Crisp Malting - Finest Maris Otter 70 GB Grain base malt 2.4°L
36.8 75% 6% - 100%
American - Caramel / Crystal 40L 68 American Grain crystal malt 40°L
34 7% 2% - 29%
United Kingdom - Chocolate 66 United Kingdom Grain roasted malt 425°L
34 2% 0% - 22%
Torrified Wheat 59 Adjunct raw 2°L
36 7% 1% - 19%

Hops Used In Ordinary Bitter Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Average AA Avg. Usage Usage Range
East Kent Goldings 564 5 34% 3% - 100%
Fuggles 375 4.5 34% 3% - 100%
Challenger 172 8.5 34% 1% - 100%
Target 77 11.5 33% 4% - 100%
Styrian Goldings 75 5.5 31% 11% - 100%
Northern Brewer 74 7.8 36% 8% - 100%
Magnum 73 15 28% 2% - 100%
Cascade 68 7 30% 4% - 100%
Goldings 67 4.5 35% 1% - 100%
Kent Goldings 60 5 36% 11% - 100%

Steeping Grains Used In Ordinary Bitter Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Country Category Type Color PPG Avg. Usage Usage Range
American - Caramel / Crystal 40L 8 American Grain crystal malt 40°L
34 69% 33% - 100%
Caramel / Crystal 60L 8 Grain crystal malt 60°L
34 67% 29% - 100%
American - Caramel / Crystal 120L 6 American Grain crystal malt 120°L
33 51% 14% - 68%
American - Carapils (Dextrine Malt) 5 American Grain crystal malt 1.8°L
33 44% 17% - 62%
United Kingdom - Chocolate 5 United Kingdom Grain roasted malt 425°L
34 34% 6% - 100%
American - Victory 5 American Grain roasted malt 28°L
34 29% 13% - 47%
United Kingdom - Cara Malt 4 United Kingdom Grain crystal malt 17.5°L
35 100% 100% - 100%
Belgian - Biscuit 3 Belgian Grain roasted malt 23°L
35 46% 40% - 50%
Simpsons - Crystal Medium 3 United Kingdom Grain crystal malt 65.0147°L
33 51% 31% - 88%
United Kingdom - Crystal 50L 3 United Kingdom Grain crystal malt 50°L
34 92% 75% - 100%

Yeasts Used In Ordinary Bitter Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Laboratory Type Alcohol Tolerance Flocculation Attenuation Min. Temp Max. Temp
Fermentis - Safale - English Ale Yeast S-04 308 Fermentis / Safale Ale .0975 High 75% 54°F 77°F
Danstar - Nottingham Ale Yeast 74 Danstar Ale Med-High High 77% 57°F 70°F
White Labs - English Ale Yeast WLP002 67 White Labs Ale Medium Very High 66.5% 65°F 68°F
Fermentis - Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05 66 Fermentis / Safale Ales Low Medium 81% 54°F 77°F
Wyeast - London ESB Ale 1968 63 Wyeast Ale 0.1 Very High 69% 64°F 72°F
Wyeast - West Yorkshire 1469 51 Wyeast Ale 0.09 High 69% 64°F 72°F
Wyeast - London Ale III 1318 39 Wyeast Ale 0.1 High 73% 64°F 74°F
Lallemand - LALBREW® NOTTINGHAM HIGH PERFORMANCE ALE YEAST 34 Lallemand Ales Medium High 80% 50°F 72°F
Imperial Yeast - A09 Pub 31 Imperial Yeast Ale Very High 69% 64°F 70°F
Lallemand - LALBREW® LONDON ENGLISH-STYLE ALE YEAST 26 Lallemand British Ales High Low 65% 65°F 72°F

Other Ingredients Used In Ordinary Bitter Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Type Use Avg. Usage Usage Range
Gypsum 227 Water Agt Mash 28% 0% - 100%
Calcium Chloride (dihydrate) 109 Water Agt Mash 18% 0% - 100%
Epsom Salt 102 Water Agt Mash 11% 0% - 100%
Whirlfloc 101 Water Agt Mash 68% 0% - 100%
Irish Moss 76 Fining Mash 64% 0% - 100%
Lactic acid 74 Water Agt Mash 67% 0% - 100%
Calcium Chloride (anhydrous) 50 Water Agt Mash 19% 0% - 100%
Baking Soda 37 Water Agt Mash 12% 0% - 44%
Yeast Nutrient 26 Other Boil 22% 0% - 80%
Phosphoric acid 26 Water Agt Sparge 52% 1% - 100%

Photos