Comparison
Australian sparkling ale vs Ordinary bitter
What is the difference between Australian sparkling ale and Ordinary bitter?
The short answer
The main difference is carbonation: Australian sparkling ale has far more of it than Ordinary bitter. Ordinary bitter also leads on caramel & toffee, sweetness and floral.
Generated from the two style records. No editor has written this comparison up, so it carries no verdict beyond what the data supports.
Where they overlap
They share comparable bitterness, body, hop aroma, the same style family — the boundary between them is narrower than the comparison suggests.
Side by side
| Australian sparkling ale | Ordinary bitter | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Pale ale | Pale ale |
| Fermentation | Top-fermented (ale) | Top-fermented (ale) |
| Origin | Australia | United Kingdom |
| Category status — One of these is a more settled category than the other, which is worth knowing before treating the comparison as exact. | Regional | Established |
| Strength | 4.5–6% ABV | 3.2–3.8% ABV |
| Bitterness (IBU) — IBU measures iso-alpha acids in the lab. It does not track perceived bitterness, which residual sweetness, body and roast all alter — compare the sensory rows below for how each actually tastes. | 20–35 IBU | 25–35 IBU |
| Colour | Gold — 4–7 SRM, 8–14 EBC | Gold to deep copper — 8–14 SRM, 16–28 EBC |
| Original gravity | 1.038–1.050 | 1.030–1.039 |
| Final gravity | 1.004–1.006 | 1.007–1.011 |
| Serving temperature | 6–9°C | 11–13°C |
| Carbonation | 2.8–3.4 vol CO₂ | 0.8–1 vol CO₂ |
| Glassware | Nonic pint | Nonic pint, Dimpled mug |
| Clarity | variable | clear |
How they taste different
| Character | Australian sparkling ale | Ordinary bitter |
|---|---|---|
| Carbonation | High–Very high | Trace |
| Caramel & toffee | Not characteristic | Low |
| Sweetness | Trace | Low |
| Floral | Not characteristic | Low |
| Dryness | High | Moderate |
| Yeast fruitiness (esters) | Moderate | Low |
| Nutty | Not characteristic | Trace–Low |
| Bread & biscuit | Low | Moderate |
Which should you choose?
- You want more carbonation → Australian sparkling ale
- You want more caramel & toffee → Ordinary bitter
Derived from where the two actually differ. Neither is better — this is a question of which difference you want.