English Pale Ale & Bitter Extract Beer Recipe Kits

English Pale Ales and Bitters are the pub classics that built beer culture as we know it. These brews are all about balance, featuring toasty malt, gentle hops, and a finish that invites another pint or three. From low-alcohol Ordinary Bitters to full-flavored ESBs, our extract beer recipe kits bring the sessionable charm of the British pint right to your homebrew kettle. Tastes best when enjoyed with friends, pub food, and mild British sarcasm.

Our English Pale Ale & Bitter extract beer kits are a great fit for beginner and intermediate brewers using just about any home brew kit. If you need gear, check out our beer-making equipment kits — they pair perfectly with all recipes we sell. Every beer recipe kit we offer is hand made fresh to your order, one at a time, and comes complete with everything you need to brew a great-tasting beer at home.

English Pale Ale & Bitter Extract Beer Recipe Kit FAQ

What is an English Pale Ale?

English Pale Ale is a traditional style of beer known for its balanced malt and hop profile, moderate strength, and drinkability. It's less hop-forward than its American pale ale cousin and typically features earthy, floral hop character with a toasty or biscuit-like malt backbone.

What is a Bitter?

"Bitter" is the English term for a series of pale ales served in pubs, often from casks. Despite the name, bitters are not especially bitter by modern standards. Bitters are balanced, sessionable, and designed for easy drinking. The term just helped distinguish them from milds and darker beers in the past.

Are Bitters actually bitter?

Not compared to IPAs. English Bitters usually have a firm but restrained bitterness, with hop flavor that’s earthy or floral rather than citrusy or piney. The bitterness balances the malt rather than overpowering it.

What are the different types of Bitters?

There are three main types of English Bitters:

Ordinary Bitter: Low in alcohol (around 3.5% ABV), light-bodied, and very sessionable.
Best Bitter: More malt depth and slightly stronger, around 4–4.5% ABV.
Extra Special Bitter (ESB): The strongest and richest of the bunch, typically 5%–6% ABV, with more malt and hop flavor.

What’s a good Best Bitter for beginners?

Best Bitters are a great place to start. They’re flavorful, forgiving, and fun to brew. You'll get a taste of English tradition without needing complex ingredients or advanced techniques.

Looking to brew your first Best Bitter? Try our Yorkshire Squares Best Bitter Ale Extract Beer Recipe Kit. It’s smooth, balanced, and delivers classic pub flavor right from your homebrew setup.

Can I use different yeast in English beers?

Experimentation is half the fun! Yeast plays a major role in the flavor and feel of English ales. Choosing the right strain will bring out those subtle fruity esters and authentic cask-like smoothness.

Pro Tip: Looking for proper British yeast character? Mangrove Jack’s M15 Empire Ale Yeast delivers the fruity esters and dignified dryness of a well-mannered monocle. It’s so authentic, you may feel the sudden urge to build a shrubbery.

What food pairs well with English Bitters?

Think pub food — bangers and mash, meat pies, sharp cheddar, or roast chicken. Or skip the food and pair it with a comfy chair and some good conversation. Failing that, a dead parrot and a shrubbery should do nicely. It's a social beer, not an argument clinic.