Bitter
Meaning: A type of British ale; a traditional cask-conditioned beer.
Bitter is the quintessential British pub beer—a cask-conditioned ale with a hoppy, slightly bitter taste. Unlike lagers, bitters are served at cellar temperature (not ice cold) and have lower carbonation. Ordering 'a pint of bitter' marks you as a traditionalist. Varieties range from 'ordinary bitter' to 'best bitter' to 'extra special bitter' (ESB).
Examples
- Pint of bitter, please. 请来一品脱bitterUna pinta de bitter, por favorビターを1パイントお願い비터 한 파인트 주세요
- I'll stick to bitter—can't stand lager. 我还是喝bitter吧——受不了拉格Me quedo con la bitter, no soporto la lagerビターにするよ——ラガーは無理비터로 할게——라거는 못 마셔
- They've got a lovely guest bitter on tap. 他们有一款很好的客座bitter在生啤Tienen una bitter invitada estupenda de grifo素敵なゲストビターが樽生であるよ맛있는 게스트 비터가 생맥으로 있어
Pronunciation
/ˈbɪtə/
Usage Guide
Context: pub, beer, traditional
Tone: traditional, casual
✓ Do Say
- Pint of bitter一品脱bitteruna pinta de bitterビターを1パイント매서운 추위야
- Best bitterbest bitterbest bitterベスト・ビター매섭게 추워
- What bitters have you got?你们有什么bitter?¿qué bitters tenéis?どんなビターがありますか?밖이 매서워
✗ Don't Say
- Expecting it ice cold like lager—served at cellar temperature别指望像拉格一样冰镇——是在酒窖温度下供应的No esperar que esté helada como la lager: se sirve a temperatura de bodegaラガーのようにキンキンに冷えていると思わないこと——セラー温度で提供される가벼운 추위에는 사용하지 말 것—bitter는 진짜 매서운 추위를 뜻함
Common Mistakes
- Not actually bitter-tasting to most palates—just more hoppy than mild
- Different from American 'bitter' which may refer to IPAs
Origin & History
The name 'bitter' emerged in the 19th century to distinguish hoppy pale ales from sweeter mild ales. The term stuck even as the beers evolved. Bitter became the default British pub drink until lager overtook it in the 1980s. Traditional bitter is now seen as a heritage product.
Etymology: From the bitter taste of hops in the ale
First recorded: 19th century
Cultural Context
Era: 19th century onwards
Generation: All ages, associated with older drinkers
Social background: Working class origins, now universal
Pop culture: CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale)
Regional notes: Traditional British pub drink, less common in other countries.
Variations
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