It wasn't until Crafty was sat in a room of home brewers (in Boronia of all places) studying to become a beer judge that the significance of his birthplace in the world of beer became apparent. There's a term in brewing ' 'Burtonisationâ? ' which denotes the addition of salts to your water to try and recreate the water natural to Burton-on-Trent, the birthplace of the classic English Pale Ale (and Crafty). As such, this is Red Duck's version of the beers from that area. Being a strident traditionalist, the brewer has gone for a beer true to the style's early 18th Century origins with far lower hopping than found in the India Pale Ales (IPAs) that were to follow. As such, the 'Bitterâ? of the title is something of a misnomer for those raised on highly hopped beers with big, bitter finishes. Instead, this is a cloudy, unfiltered copper coloured beer with a nutty, fruity nose (with a hint of alcohol) and a creamy mouthfeel displaying soft malt characteristics.
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