Coniston Bluebird Bitter XB

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Anyone who has spent any time at all talking beer with me knows that I love English Bitters. They will likely also have heard me hold forth on the virtues of Coniston Bluebird Bitter, my desert island beer. Bluebird Bitter is a subtly complex masterpiece, in which the individual flavors stand out as distinct while working together to form a near perfect whole. It is a beautiful blend of bitter, floral hops, caramel and biscuit malt, and orange marmalade fermentation character. Okay, perhaps I am being hyperbolic, but suffice it to say it is a damn good beer.

The good brewers at Coniston make another version of this great beer called Bluebird Bitter XB. For this beer they add an extra dose of American Mt Hood aroma hops to the brew. An American grown version of the classic German Hallertau hop, Mt Hood has a distinctly herbal quality with overtones of citrus. I picked up a bottle of this the other day and given my strong feelings for the original, I couldn’t wait to try it. Here’s my notes:

Coniston Bluebird Bitter XBBluebird Bitter XB
Coniston Brewing Company, Coniston, England
Style: English Best Bitter with American Aroma Hops
Serving Style: 16 oz. Bottle

Aroma: Light caramel and biscuit malt with very subtle herbal and tangerine hop character.

Appearance: Deep orange and crystal clear. Low white head that dissipated quickly.

Flavor: Begins with a sharp, crisp, bitter bite that just begins fading into toffee-like malt when a second wave of hops rolls in. This time it has a distinctly herbal quality with tangerine overtones. These blend well with the orange marmalade fermentation character. All the flavors are so wonderfully distinct and yet all work together. Rolls on to a dry finish with some lingering citrus notes.

Mouthfeel: Light body. Crisp. Carbonation is medium and beer gets better as it degasses a bit.

Overall Impression: Take Coniston Bluebird and add an extra layer of hops. The result lies somewhere between an English and an American pale ale. The citrus/herbal quality of the American Mt Hood hops blends well with the orange hints from the yeast. The extra flavor and aroma hops do tend to cover up the delicious malt profile of the original a bit too much for my taste. It’s an interesting twist, reminiscent of Surly Brewing’s Bitter Brewer. It’s tasty, but I’ll stick with the original.