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Old Wavertonian

Spitting Feathers Brewery
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🌍 United Kingdom · English Bitter · One of 17 English Bitters in hopIQ

The founding beer — "Beer of the Festival at CAMRA Northwich Beer Festival 2005, the very first beer festival we were entered into." Named after the historic Wavertonian — the pub-going tradition of Chester's old town. Gluten-free and vegan. The beer that started everything.

ABV
4.4%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
golden8
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Each axis lands close to the centre in a considered, even reading.

A profile in balance where the form comes from all sides, every layer speaks in turn.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another English Bitter.
Hop character
hoppy
Malt character
malty
bready
caramel
toasty
Fermentation & yeast
clean
Compare with another beer →

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Old Wavertonian

Appearance

Old Wavertonian presents a pale golden hue with excellent clarity and a fine, persistent head that leaves delicate lacing around the glass. The carbonation is moderate and well-integrated, creating a clean, inviting visual presence that speaks to careful conditioning and bright water chemistry.

pale goldenclearpersistent head lacing

Aroma

The nose opens with warm, inviting Malz character — bready and slightly toasted notes dominate, complemented by restrained noble hop herbal undertones. A whisper of caramel sweetness rounds out the bouquet, creating an approachable and balanced aromatic profile that welcomes rather than challenges.

bready Malznoble hop herbslight caramel

Taste

Entry is smooth and lightly malty with pronounced bread-crust flavors and a gentle toasted backbone. The mid-palate develops a clean, moderate bitterness from Edelhopfen that sits in balance with the Malz sweetness, finishing crisp and refreshing without any harsh edges or cloying residue.

malty bread-crustmoderate bitternessclean finish

Finish

The finish is dry and refreshing, with lingering bitterness that fades to a pleasant, slightly toasted aftertaste. This is a beer designed for another sip rather than contemplation.

dryrefreshing fade
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
79
Appearance
80
Finish
77
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Old Wavertonian

Serve at 7–10°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 7–10°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

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

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Old Wavertonian

About English Bitter

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a English Bitter?

English 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 English Bitter

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same malty, hoppy, bready character as Old Wavertonian will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other English Bitters in hopIQ