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1882 Bitter

Brains Brewery
United Kingdom·Ordinary Bitter
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A rich amber bitter with a subtle flavour of fine pale malt and a light, sweetish bitterness. Goldings and Fuggles hops from the Welsh Marches shape the aroma. The name points to 1882, the year Samuel Arthur Brain brewed his first pint in Cardiff. It is poured on cask and keg and also comes in can. The cask version runs at 3.4 % ABV.

ABV
3.4%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Herbal, floral bitterness
SRM
amber12
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
noble hopmaltyfloral
noble hop
malty
floral
caramel
Aroma
The nose opens with bright, herbal Edelpilz character from Goldings and Fuggles hops—earthy, floral, and distinctly noble in character.
not found:hoppy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for 1882 Bitter

◎ Appearance

A clear amber pour with a bright, warm copper hue that catches the light with gentle luminosity. The head forms quickly and maintains a fine, creamy collar with good lacing that clings to the glass. Carbonation is moderate and persistent, delivering a soft visual effervescence throughout.

copper amberclearcreamy headpersistent lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with bright, herbal Edelpilz character from Goldings and Fuggles hops—earthy, floral, and distinctly noble in character. Beneath sits a foundation of fine pale Malz, offering gentle biscuit and honey sweetness with a whisper of caramel depth. The overall impression is balanced and aromatic without aggressive spicing.

noble hopsfloral, herbalpale malthoney, biscuit

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and vollmundig, with a malty sweetness that provides immediate substance and warmth. The mid-palate unfolds with layered biscuit and caramel notes, underpinned by a clean, restrained bitterness from the Marches hops that never overwhelms. The finish is dry yet rounded, with the bitterness resolving into a soft, lingering earthiness.

smooth-drinkingmalty sweetnessrestrained bitternesscaramel, biscuit

◑ Finish

The finish dries gradually, with a light, clean aftertaste that echoes the beer's noble hop character and subtle caramel warmth. The bitterness fades to a whisper, leaving the palate refreshed and ready for another sip.

dry finishcleanlingering hop earthiness
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
79
Appearance
80
Finish
75
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with 1882 Bitter

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About Ordinary Bitter

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Ordinary Bitter?

Ordinary Bitter is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Ordinary Bitter

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same noble-hop, malty, rich character as 1882 Bitter will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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