Ordinary Bitter

An ordinary bitter pours pale amber to light copper, clear, often with little head and gentle fizz. It tastes of bready, biscuity malt, sometimes a touch of toffee, with fruity esters and an earthy, floral hop, and the balance leans bitter into a dry finish. At 3.2–3.8% it is a session beer, made for drinking more than one.

Where it comes from

It is the weakest member of the British bitter family; drinkers simply ask for a bitter, and brewers say ordinary bitter to tell it from the stronger ones. The BJCP’s examples come from the regional brewers: Greene King IPA, which despite the name is an ordinary bitter, Brains Bitter in Cardiff, Bateman’s XB and Brakspear’s Gravity.

Brewers use pale ale, amber or crystal malt, sometimes sugar, maize or wheat, English finishing hops and a characterful British yeast.

How to serve it

Pour it at 10–13 °C into a nonic pint. It goes with roast chicken or fish and chips, firm English cheeses or oatmeal raisin cookies.

Next to its neighbours

It is the lighter version of the best bitter and the strong bitter. Versions brewed with pale malt alone have become golden ales.

Ordinary Bitter in numbers

Classic examples

Greene King, Brains, Batemans, Brakspear, Fuller's

Original gravity

1.030–1.039

Final gravity

1.007–1.011

Called in the pub

bitter

Food

Roast chicken or fish and chips; firm English cheeses; oatmeal raisin cookies

Classic examples

Greene King IPA; Brains Bitter; Bateman's XB; Brakspear Gravity; Fuller's Chiswick Bitter; Tetley's Original Bitter

BJCP style

11A Ordinary Bitter

Sources

Checked October 30, 2026.

1. 11A. Ordinary Bitter, 2021 Beer Style Guidelines — Beer Judge Certification Program
2. English-Style Bitter — CraftBeer.com, Brewers Association