Beyond the Pale Brewing Company Breaking Bitter

Breaking Bitter

 

Beyond the Pale Brewing Company in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦

  Bitter - ESB / Strong Bitter Regular
Score
6.18
ABV: 5.3% IBU: - Ticks: 9
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3.8
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 16

A deep mahogany body with a thin but well laced white head. The nose has roasted malt with some fruit and a touch of pepper. Lots of engaging taste in this ESB. Caramel, roasted malt, hazelnuts with some dark fruit and grain. Doesn’t fall into the ESB sweetness trap. A good solid body with medium carbonation.

Tried on 23 Sep 2025 at 20:05


6.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Clear copper pour, small white head. Sweet caramel malts, and toasty nuts. Very light hopping, notes of hay, and dried grass. Finish is nutty, slightly roasty, and slight grassy hops. Not getting many esb flavours, but just your typical brown ale.

Tried on 28 Feb 2025 at 06:06


5
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5

On tap at Beyond the Pale, pours a clear pale golden blonde with a small white head. Aroma is off-putting, with unfermented wort, bready malt and gentle English bittering hops. Flavour isn't a whole lot better, with bready malt and subdued bitterness. Lacking depth and that unfermented wort character is detracting. Not too good.

Tried from Draft on 15 Aug 2021 at 19:11


6.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 5.5

Présence de houblons terreux en olfactif, accompagnés de caramel aux accents de cassonade et aux tons subtils de petits fruits. Le nez s’affaisse rapidement. Ambrée, cuivrée, à la mousse d’épaisseur moyenne qui se maintient assez bien. En bouche, c’est l’omniprésence des houblons terreux qui donnent une âpreté continue. On y dénote bien un léger caramel et de subtiles notes de biscuit au thé; mais la majorité des notes gustatives sont de terre, de branches mortes, d’écorce de grain et de noix rancies. Complexité remarquable de houblons aux accents désagréables. Que dire de cette bière. Un exemple exagéré du style. Il y manque les subtilités des fruits et du caramel pour contrebalancer l’âpreté dominante.

Tried on 03 Nov 2015 at 16:08


6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6

Growler: Poured a clear chestnut color ale with a medium size foamy head. Aroma of dry caramel malt is tad too dry for my own taste. Taste is a mix of dry caramel malt with light hoppy notes with again a dry finish. Light grainy notes are also noticeable. Not sure it is a bitter per style guideline and not sure I totally enjoy this enough to order again.

Tried from Growler on 13 Mar 2015 at 14:58


7.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5

On tap at the Ottawa Beerfest. 1 ticket for 4 oz. A clear honey amber that has a thin beige head with a woodsy oaky nose. Medium bodied, fairly smooth with a round carbonation. The taste is malty, chewy light grains, mildly bitter and a bit fruity. A satisfying English bitter.

Tried from Draft on 18 Aug 2014 at 08:27


6.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6.5

Thanks to my friend Andre for this one, from the brewery. Pours a cloudy deep amber colour with a warm cap, decent retention and some lacing. Fruity malt nose with soft raisins and oranges. Medium-light wet mouthfeel. Watery malts with the hops saving things with nice bitterness over the light fruits. Not like an English bitter, but session-like with the hops creating an American bitter style.

Tried from Can on 16 Mar 2014 at 20:14


6.6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Nice for style. Malty with a touch of peppary citrus. Pours orange with good lacing, a little head. Finishes with light sourness and bitterness. Average carbonation. Tap at Black Tomato.

Tried from Draft on 30 Dec 2013 at 16:17


6.2
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

A hazed dark amber ale with a thick collapsing mocha head. In aroma, sweet caramel malt with light fruity notes, and faint British hops. In mouth, a nice fruity caramel malt with light grassy notes, and British hops, a bit light but nice. Small growler from brewery.

Tried from Growler on 30 Sep 2013 at 16:35