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Marmalade Cat

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Copper-coloured with a full malt body, Marmalade Cat carries orange through both aroma and taste and ends in a markedly bitter, bitter-orange finish. Maris Otter and Dark Munich malts meet Goldings and Progress hops. One of the brewery's original recipes, it has been brewed for some 20 years, and at 5.5% it is the strongest of the core range.

ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
amber12
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
orangemaltycitrusy
orange
malty
citrusy
hoppy
dark fruit
caramel
Aroma
The nose leads with candied orange notes, supported by a warm, biscuity maltiness from the Maris Otter base.
not found:juicy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Marmalade Cat

◎ Appearance

A bright copper hue dominates the glass, revealing good clarity and a well-defined head that clings to the sides with moderate persistence. The carbonation is steady and moderate, typical of a traditional British bitter with natural conditioning character.

copper-colouredclearmoderate head retentionsteady carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with candied orange notes, supported by a warm, biscuity maltiness from the Maris Otter base. Goldings and Progress hops contribute a subtle herbal and spicy undertone, grounding the citrus without dominating it.

orange peelbiscuity maltherbal spicerestrained hop character

◐ Taste

Entry is full-bodied and malty, with the orange character evident on the mid-palate alongside toffee and light caramel notes from the Dark Munich malt. The finish pivots sharply to a pronounced bitter-orange bite that lingers dryly on the palate, defining the beer's closing statement.

full malt bodytoffee sweetnessbitter orangedry finish

◑ Finish

The aftertaste is dominated by a firm, lingering bitterness with a persistent orange-peel dryness. This assertive finale holds the palate for several minutes, characteristic of its 28 IBU formulation and hop selection.

lingering bitternessorange-peel drynessextended aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
79
Appearance
77
Finish
78
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 Marmalade Cat

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About Strong Bitter

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Strong Bitter?

Strong 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 Strong Bitter

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same orange, bitter, full-bodied character as Marmalade Cat will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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