"A Pint of Bitter Please"

Recently, one of our customers asked the question "Why is a 'Bitter' called a 'Bitter'?" This is a question that many ask.

A Bitter is classed in the same style of beer as a Pale Ale. In England, in the early 1800's, dark, heavy, stouts, were the prominent beers, although lighter, Pale Ales were becoming more and more popular. English breweries were producing "Pale Ales', although the same style of beer on tap, served in the local Pubs, was most often termed a 'Bitter'.

Ordering a Pale Ale in the Pub would simply mean ordering a 'Pint of Bitter', which would differentiate from a less hopped, milder, although darker Porter.

There are many styles of a Bitter, originating from various regions within the north and south of England. Our special Kettle-brewed beer for the month of March is the Best Bitter, which is regarded as the step up from traditional Bitter, with more body, more malt and a little more Hop bitterness.

March 2010 CellarCraft Limited Release

• Tempranillo Garnacha & Carinena - $189.00
  TRIO TINTO (with crushed grape pack)
  These three native Spanish red wine grapes are usually deemed to be the mainstay of quality wines in most of Spain. This Limited Release offering is made up of 50%Tempranillo (Spain & California), 27%Garnacha Spain), and 23%Carinena (Carignan from California). Tempranillo is most associated with wines of Rioja. Tempranillo should bring in ruby red colour, with aromas and flavors of berries, plum, tobacco, vanilla, leather, and herb. Garnacha characteristics are generally spicy, berry-flavored, and soft on the palate, with a relatively high alcohol. Carignan is often used as a blending grape and has been known to bring a softer wine with rustic fruit and perfume when blended with Grenache (Garnacha). Nevertheless, it is common that at least two or all three varieties are blended together to achieve the most profound and complex wines that each region can exhibit. This blend is fermented on virgin crushed grapes from Spain (Tempranillo, Garnacha or a blend of the two - to be determined by our panel's selection from prototypes still in progress).
  
  Two-stage oak treatment is expected to be chosen - French during fermentation, Hungarian cubes post fermentation.

March 2010 Cru Select Restricted Quantities

• Portugal Trio Do Vinho Tinto (with crushed grape skins) - $176.00
  This dark red wine is an intensely flavourful blend of Aragones (Tempranillo), Cabernet Sauvignon, and Trincadeira. The bouquet is rich with red berries, anise and black pepper. The palate is well balanced with many layers of complexity. Initially there is fruitiness, followed by notes of mushroom and earth. Rich tannins from the American Heavy Toast Oak spiral and Cabernet-Merlot GenuWine Winery Dried Grape Skins help give this wine a long finish. Oak 4 / Body 5 / Sweetness 0.