Barley Johns Little Barley Bitter

Brewed by Barley Johns Brew Pub
Style: Bitter
New Brighton, Minnesota USA

I am somewhere between amazed and deeply offended that this beer is rated so low. If I need example #1 of how big beers seem to automatically get rated higher than smaller beers, I’m going to compare Barley Johns’ Dark Knight to the blissfully lovely Little Barley Bitter. Golden yellow, head quite creamy. Great malts in nose, great little whiffs of caramel, lightly bready and biscuity, quite nice. Flavor is just grand, starts fruity with a kiss of apple and bits of lemon and citrus, then some light caramel sweetness before finishing with an amazing biscuity and toasty chunk of malts. Rich and creamy. Yeah, yeah, it’s not an imperial stout or a bourbon-aged something or the other, but this is simply a stunning beer. I’m going to drink a lot of it.

A fantastic beer. Crisp but firm malts with just enough hops to carry things through. The aroma is light caramel and toated malt. An excellent palate, light but satisfying in ever way. It is too bad there are not more beers like this in the US.

Pours a clear copper color, with a good two inches of light tan head. Moderate lacing. Mild malty aroma. I taste a subtle yet complex malt structure. Caramel, toasted grain, and mild honey. The hops are is a lightly spicy, lightly citrus, and very pleasantly bitter. Some more spice and grain in the finish. Light bodied, smooth, and so drinkable. Very thirst-quenching.

This is a nicely balanced English-style bitter, with just enough hops to keep you happy without overpowering you. Highly recommended.

Tap @ the brewpub. Comes to the table with a clear dark golden color. The clarity allows one to see the carbonation bubbles just flying through the beer. On top of that is a thick, glorious, foamy, non-fading head. It looks pillow-y and as you drink the beer it leaves a sticky lacing on the side of the glass. Really the head makes this look amazing. The beer is brightly hopped, not sure how to describe it, not American but strong. The aroma also has a light malt creaminess to it. Taste is similarly a hopped up flavor and it is all easy drinking, just quaff it down like nothing. Should really be a Pale Ale and not a Bitter.

Amber colored pour. Very true to style as an english bitter beer. Easy drinking. A good session beer at only 3.5% ABV. Would have scored higher but I had trouble getting a good aroma out of this one.

Color is opaque deep yellow with an orangy hue, small white head with lots of stringy lace. Smell is a solid dried hop sense with a hint of pine, very malty sweet and crisp. Taste has a mellow light caramel malt start but soon jumps in with mild dried hops thats quickly over and the finish has a nice woody, earthy drying that lingers shortly with a hint of nuts. Light to medium bodied in feel. Its bit lack luster and plain but goes down easy enough and has a few good aspects going for it.

Sweet, floral hop aroma. Very nice. Avg. sized off-white frothy white head that is lasting. Amber body. Good visible carbonation and excellent lace. Flavor is a little thin and unbalanced. All hop, very little malt or sweetness. Nice finish and reasonably enjoyable for hopheads.