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Butty Bach

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Malty, fruity and rich on the nose, sweet and smooth on the palate, in a burnished gold pint. Maris Otter and Crystal malts meet Fuggles, Goldings and Bramling Cross hops. The name means 'little friend'; it began as a one-off for a beer festival in 1998 and became a firm favourite. Silver for Cask British Best Bitter at the 2025 Midlands & West Indie Beer Awards.

ABV
4.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
amber12
PaceA Few

AWARDS

Bronze · 2020
SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Wales & West)
Premium Bitters (4.5 to 6.4%)
Silver · 2025
SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Midlands & West)
Cask British Best Bitter (4.5 to 6.4%)
★Bronze — SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Wales & West) (Premium Bitters (4.5 to 6.4%))
★Silver — SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Midlands & West) (Cask British Best Bitter (4.5 to 6.4%))
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
maltyfruitycaramel
malty
fruity
caramel
Aroma
The nose is generous with malty sweetness, displaying prominent notes from Maris Otter and Crystal malts that provide depth and slight caramel undertones.
not found:hoppy,roasted,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Butty Bach

◎ Appearance

Butty Bach presents a burnished gold hue with excellent clarity and a stable, creamy head that clings to the glass with fine lacing. The carbonation is moderate and well-integrated, supporting a refined visual presentation typical of a cask-conditioned British Best Bitter.

burnished goldclearpersistent headfine lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose is generous with malty sweetness, displaying prominent notes from Maris Otter and Crystal malts that provide depth and slight caramel undertones. Noble hops—Fuggles, Goldings, and Bramling Cross—add restrained floral and herbal complexity without dominating, creating a balanced, inviting bouquet characteristic of the style.

malty sweetnesscaramel notesnoble hop floralsherbal undertones

◐ Taste

The palate opens with a smooth, sweet entry driven by rich malts and gentle caramel notes. The mid-palate remains full-bodied and fruity, with Bramling Cross adding subtle berry-like character, while the hop bitterness (28 IBU) arrives late and measured, never aggressive, allowing the malt profile to remain the primary focus throughout.

smooth entrymalty sweetnesssubtle fruitinessrestrained bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and lingering, with a pleasant dry edge that emerges after the initial sweetness fades. Caramel and light hop notes persist gently, leaving a satisfying, well-balanced aftertaste.

clean dry finishlingeringbalanced aftertaste
84
hopIQ score
Aroma
86
Taste
85
Appearance
82
Finish
80
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 Butty Bach

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About Best Bitter

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Best Bitter?

Best 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 Best Bitter

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

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