1st beer - pretty good!

My 1st beer was a British Bitter kit from Northern Brewer. OG 1.035, FG's around 1.006. Only specialty grain was 1/2 pound of Simpsons Caramalt, otherwise it was just DME and LME. Kent Goldings for bittering/aroma; wyeast 1098 pitched right from the pack. Transferred to a secondary after 12 days, then bottled two weeks after that. It's been in the bottle three weeks today.

The whole time I was tasting the various hydro samples, they were all thin, watery, and bland. I made up my mind to never brew anything under 40 again.

Finally threw one in the fridge and cracked it open. It's pretty darn good! Not thin or watery at all. I'm also very impressed by how clear it is, it's squeaky clean. I used irish moss, and did a full volume boil. Best part of this beer is the cost to brew - about $20.

Hopefully the three other batches in the basement will turn out just as good!

That's awesome! Congratulations on a good beer! There's a lot to be said for full-volume extract brewing. I've been doing all-grain brews for the last 5 or 6 batches, but I still haven't quite gotten anything as good as the old full-boil extract brews I've done.

That's great news, and I've been thinking of doing a Bitter for my next batch. I think you've sold me on the idea.

This got me thinking of how I've never tried a bitter or a British bitter. Any good brand brews to recommend?

There are very few Ordinary Bitters available in the US. I've only seen one, Ruddles Pub Draught. You are more likely to find an ESB, which has a higher ABV and more bittering. The few American Bitters I've tried, the breweries used too many flavor/aroma hops, so the beers were slightly darker Pale Ales, not Bitters.

You might find one at a cask-conditioned beer fest.

Goose Island Honker's Ale is probably the closest I've came. It's definitely not an Ordinary Bitter, but I don't think it gets quite into the ESB category, probably a Special.

if i remember, it was a bit more carbonated than I think is "to style", but it's a good beer. Haven't had it in awhile....

I've been trying to find Young's around here, but I'm failing....

Rogue has a really good beer, Brutal Bitter. But whatever they think, it's definitely not to style. Much closer to a pale ale, or maybe even an IPA.

Other than that, I don't see very many. I'd be surprised if Samuel Smith didn't have one though.

There's always Fuller's ESB, or try Belhaven Scottish Ale. Both seem in the same category for flavor of malt and balance (to the malty side).