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Xtra Special Bitter ESB
Xtra Special Bitter ESB
Xtra Special Bitter ESB
Xtra Special Bitter ESB
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Xtra Special Bitter ESB

Xtra Special Bitter ESB

5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
11 Reviews

SKU: 26285

$33.87
$33.87 $39.85

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Xtra Special Bitter is a classic pub-style ale with a smooth balance of malt richness and hop bitterness. It’s flavorful without being heavy, bitter without being harsh, and easy enough to enjoy year-round.

  • Balanced malt character from Crystal 40, Vienna, and a touch of Chocolate Malt
  • Traditional English-style hop bite from Goldings hops
  • Smooth, pub-style finish from Nottingham yeast
  • Great all-year drinker with enough character for any occasion

A proper all-occasion ale with just enough depth, balance, and personality to feel, well… xtra special.

Your Brew Breakdown

Everything you need to craft your perfect brew

STORY

Xtra Special Bitter is a smooth, balanced ESB-style ale with just the right mix of malt character and hop bitterness. Built with specialty grains, Smooth DME, Booster, Goldings hops, and Nottingham yeast, this recipe brings classic pub-style flavor to your homebrew lineup.

PROFILE

Expect a deep amber pour with toasty malt depth, light caramel notes, earthy-floral hop character, and a firm but approachable bitter finish. It is flavorful without being heavy, making it an easy all-season beer for fans of classic English-style ales.

WHAT YOU GET

  • 1 Can Classic American Light Brewing Extract (HME)
  • 1 Packet Smooth DME
  • 1 Packet Booster
  • 1 Packet Chocolate Malt
  • 1 Packet Crystal 40
  • 1 Packet Vienna Malt
  • 2 Packets Goldings Hops
  • 3 Muslin Hop Sacks
  • 1 Packet Nottingham Yeast
  • 1 Packet No-Rinse Cleanser

FOR FANS OF

Fuller's ESB

English bitters

Balanced malt-forward ales

Classic pub-style beers

BREW SPECS

Style: Regional
Flavor: Balanced, malty, and lightly bitter
Original Gravity: 1.053
Final Gravity: 1.011
ABV: 5.53%
SRM (Color): 16
IBU (Bitterness): 40
Batch Size: 8 liters / about 2 gallons

BREW TIME

Ready to enjoy in about 4–5 weeks:
Fermentation: 2 weeks
Carbonation: 2 weeks
Additional conditioning can help the malt and hop bitterness smooth out even more.:

WHY THIS RECIPE

This recipe is a great choice when you want a beer with real malt character and a classic bitter finish without going too heavy. Goldings hops bring traditional English-style hop flavor, while the specialty grains give the beer color, body, and a smooth pub-ale feel.:

Homebrewing Made Easy

Great Beer in 4 Simple Steps

MIX

MIX

Add water and ingredients — that’s it

BREW

BREW

Let your beer ferment and develop flavor

BOTTLE

BOTTLE

Transfer to bottles and seal in carbonation

ENJOY

ENJOY

Chill, pour, and enjoy your beer

Step-by-step brewing guide

How to Brew Xtra Special Bitter ESB

DETAILED

Brew Day Guide

We’ll guide you every step of the way — no experience needed.

Jump to Instructions
5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
Based on 11 reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 11 Total 4 star reviews: 0 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0
100%would recommend this product
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11 reviews
  • A
    Anonymous
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    2 years ago
    Love this brew

    This brew has the right balance of malt and hops and is so good I am making another batch.

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  • A
    Anonymous
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    5 years ago
    Best beer I've made

    This a GREAT beer ! One of the best I've done using the Mr Beer recipes. Very good head retention the taste up front just a bit on the hoppy side in a nice smooth mouth feel.then on the back side you get the malty taste of the chocolate malt. I will be doing this again very soon !!!

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  • A
    Anonymous
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    1 year ago
    Mr Beer is helping me grow as a home brewer.

    This recipe kit was my first real introduction to a partial mash beer. I recently bottled it and can't wait to try it. Great ingredients and great instructions. ...and yesterday I did my first all grain brew day using the biab system so we'll demonstrated on your site. I will do more all grain brewing but I'm sticking with the Mr Beer fermenter as I love the 2 gallon batch size.

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  • A
    Anonymous
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    3 years ago
    A little more complicated than a normal recipe

    Doesn't taste exactly like fuller's but pretty good

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  • A
    Anonymous
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    4 years ago
    Probably my best beer yet!

    What a great beer! Lightly bready on the nose but very balanced on the palate. I primed with half the sugar (as I do most of the time) and let the bottles sit for 6 weeks. Perfect! Slight chocolate and dare I say walnut notes. Finishes slightly sweet with zero aftertaste or off-notes. Believe the reviews!

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