Highland Black Mountain Bitter

Brewed by Highland Brewing Company
Style: English Pale Ale
Asheville, North Carolina USA

I don’t rate much, actually, this is my first rating in 3+ years. I wanted to stick up for this beer. I have been very critical of the Highland seasonals. I’ve disliked them all up to this point and went into this beer assuming I would dislike it. First off, its an English bitter not APA as currently listed. This is without a doubt the best American brewed bottled bitter I’ve had. It probably helps that is very fresh. The big bitter EKG finish is beautiful. You will often get fresh English Pales at brewpubs in the States that end up with a ‘tea like’ beer or watery C-hopped thing. This is a very well brewed bitter. I would love to see more season bitters and milds. I don’t know the ABV but I would guess its close to 4% and it’s the perfect beer for what it is, a fresh English style session beer. I’ve been very down on Highland and this beer brought back the faith. Viva American brewed small beers.

Bottled. I loved the finish, and just how light this beer felt going down. Very refreshing, and the aroma made me think of tea, for some reason. I loved it.

Faint hop aroma mixed with a bit of malt. Flavor is yeasty up front with a complex bitter finish. Sure it’s not a tour-de-force in flavor, but bitter’s aren’t supposed to be.

Taste 2/9 Bottle. Looks: Clear golden body with a thin top. Aroma: Mild yeast must and a mild sweetness from the malt. Taste: Nice pepper spice and must. A little hint of lemon. A nice mild/english ale. Session worthy.

On tap Brick Store Pub. Pours deep gold - almost orange - with white head that laces the glass. The aroma is grassy hoppy with a light malt sweetness. The aroma is slightly earthy, but the hops smell more like European hops (German or Czech) than like British hops as description suggests. Flavor is pleasant and hoppy and a little bit (unexpectedly) delicate - like a hoppy American wheat, but without the wheat. There is a light malt sweetness with a touch of fresh, yeasty bread. The finish is spicy dry and pleasantly bready. The mouthfeel is crisp and spritzy with a medium body. Overall, a decent session beer better suited for warmer months.

Mildly could orange, decent off-white head. Citrusy, peppery aroma Flavor is surprisingly bitter at first, some bready, biscuity malts in the background. The bitterness is surprisingly harsh and rough, in a good way. Nicely unrefined and a pretty good session ale.

Bottle courtesy of durhambeer. Pours gold with a thin white head. Smells of earth, toasted malt, mild citrus. Tastes of citrus and spicy with an earthy finish. Easy drinking and enjoyable.

On tap at the brewery on tour. Getting some pollen like and grass like aromas. More American hops than I was expecting. I hear bitter and immediately think English style and English beer but maybe I’m crazy. Don’t get me wrong I like the American hop profile much more than my English brothers over there so that makes this a much more enjoyable experience for me. That experience is dampened a bit with the toasted corn flavor I am detecting in the background. It comes back around again though on the finish with a grassy hop flavor.