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Bitter & Twisted

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Bitter & Twisted is a golden ale brewed with lager malt, wheat malt, crystal malt and pinhead oats and hopped with Perle, Challenger, Hersbrucker, Celeia and Bobek. The crystal malt adds a light caramel sweetness, the oats give body. The aroma is fruity and floral; on the palate a zesty lemon character sits on soft malt, and the finish is long, dry and bitter with a tingling citrus note. It is the brewery's best-known ale and one of its two permanent cask beers.

ABV
3.8%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
PaceSession

AWARDS

Supreme Champion · 2003
Champion Beer of Britain
World's Best Ale · 2007
World Beer Awards
★Supreme Champion — Champion Beer of Britain
★World's Best Ale — World Beer Awards
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
citrusyfruityfloral
citrusy
fruity
floral
caramel
malty
clean
Aroma
The nose opens with delicate fruity and floral notes from the noble hop blend, with Hersbrucker and Celeia contributing bright citrus florality.
also:hoppy
not found:juicy,roasted,sour,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Bitter & Twisted

◎ Appearance

Bright golden hue with excellent clarity, held in a pale straw tone against the light. A persistent white head forms with good retention and fine, even lacing that clings to the glass. The carbonation is lively and well-integrated, creating a refined bead throughout the pour.

bright goldenclearpersistent white head

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with delicate fruity and floral notes from the noble hop blend, with Hersbrucker and Celeia contributing bright citrus florality. Beneath lies a soft maltiness from the wheat and crystal components, suggesting light caramel sweetness without heaviness. The oat contribution adds a subtle cereal roundness that complements the hop profile.

fruityfloralbright citrussoft malt

◐ Taste

The palate entry is clean and zesty, with a pronounced lemon character that sits atop a bed of soft, biscuity malt. The oats provide gentle body and a silky texture, while the crystal malt delivers a restrained caramel sweetness that balances the emerging hop bitterness. Mid-palate remains refreshing and composed, never cloying.

zesty lemonsoft maltgentle bodyrestrained sweetness

◑ Finish

The finish is notably long and dry, with a tingling citrus bite that persists cleanly on the palate. The lingering bitterness from the five-hop blend resolves to a pleasant, peppery dryness without astringency.

long finishdrycitrus bite
80
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
81
Appearance
83
Finish
78
Serve at 7–10°C

Serve at 7–10°C. Light and refreshing — serve cold to keep the delicate hop and malt balance intact.

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 Bitter & Twisted

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About Golden Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Golden Ale?

Golden Ale 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 Golden Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same citrusy, bitter, dry character as Bitter & Twisted will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →