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Tetley's Original Bitter

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Tetley's Original Bitter is an amber ale of 3.6 %. Sweet toffee-apple flavours are set against distinctly dry, bitter ones, and the beer ends on a lingering dry finish. The brand goes back to Joshua Tetley, who founded his brewery in the north of England in 1822.

ABV
3.6%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Malt-forward 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
caramelfruitymalty
caramel
fruity
malty
Aroma
The nose leads with soft toffee and orchard fruit notes, particularly green apple and ripe apple skin.
not found:hoppy,roasted,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Tetley's Original Bitter

◎ Appearance

Tetley's Original Bitter presents a clear, warm amber hue with good translucency. The head forms steadily and clings to the glass with fine, persistent lacing. Carbonation is moderate and even, typical of a well-conditioned cask ale.

warm amberclearfine lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with soft toffee and orchard fruit notes, particularly green apple and ripe apple skin. Gentle Malz character provides a toasted grain foundation without dominating. Low but distinct Edelhopfen spice rounds out the bouquet with restrained herbal and earthy undertones.

toffee, orchard fruittoasted grainherbal spice

◐ Taste

Entry presents a balanced interplay of sweet toffee-apple and crisp dry bitterness. Mid-palate reveals biscuit and light caramel from the Malz, which sits comfortably against a steady but not aggressive hop bitterness. The body is medium and satisfying without heaviness.

toffee-appledry hop bitebiscuit Malz

◑ Finish

The finish extends with a pronounced dry character, as the initial sweetness recedes and hop bitterness lingers pleasantly on the palate. Aftertaste remains clean and slightly astringent, inviting the next sip.

drylingering bitterness
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
78
Appearance
80
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 Tetley's Original 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 dry, bitter, sweet character as Tetley's Original Bitter will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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