At Bitter, we want you to join us on a journey to a time when Vancouver had a bustling beer culture. Before Prohibition shut down the taps, the local breweries were countless. Delicious ales, lagers and bitters poured free. A golden era in history, before the rise of the beer monopoly, when brewers made the beer they wanted to make, not the beer they had to make.
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We are located at 16 W Hastings Street near the corner of Hastings and Carrall in Gastown.
If you're not familiar with Gastown (or if you're a visitor to Vancouver), you can get directions to our location from Google Maps.
We pay respect to our drink of choice by offering you eight rotating taps coming to us from the best BC craft brewers, with occasional imported offerings. Our selection is balanced with a large collection of bottled options from all over the world.
Pair your favourite beer with one of our takes on quintessential bar fare. From scotch eggs to pretzels to nibble on or sausage and house sauerkraut for a full meal, we've got that grumble in your brew filled belly covered.
Food Menu
Snack, Nibble & Share
HANDMADE PRETZEL FROM OUR BAKERY (V)
Served with a honey mustard and dijon mustard. $3.50
SALOON NUTS (V)
Sugar & spice almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts & cashews. $4.50
PORK SCRATCHINGS
Ours are dusted in salt, pepper, citrus & chili. $4
HOUSE SMOKED MACKEREL
Pickled radish, celery, tarragon aioli. $6
SLI-DOGS
Two mini hot dogs: ‘Polish’ dog (saurkraut, dijon) ‘American’ dog (french’s and ketchup). $8
PORK & BEANS
Pork & Beans Paprika smoked pork loin, white bean, vegetable and parsley stew. $16
BITTER TASTING PLATE
Bitter’s version of what made ‘Salt’ famous
Smoked Mackeral w/ Pickled Radish
Dubliner Cheddar w/ Mostarda
Farmer Sausage w/ Piccalilli Relish $15
BITTER PLOUGHMAN'S
Cotechino, farmers sausage, pickled egg, SOLEfood salad, dubliner, cambozola, yorkshire pudding, condiments. $20
CHEESE & CHIVE YORKIE(V)
Cheese baked into yorkshire pudding. $3.50
SOLE FOOD RADISHES (V)
SOLEfood local radishes. Served with salt and butter. $4
CELERY ROOT SALAD (V)
Fresh celery root, fennel, and watercress tossed with toasted almonds in an apple cider Vinaigrette. $8.50
MIXED GREENS SALAD (V)
‘SOLEfood’ greens, pickled ‘Rabbit River Farm’ egg,tomato, radish, french vinaigrette. $8
FRIED GREEN ONION POLENTA (VEGAN)
Fried green onion polenta with white bean and garlic puree. Topped with zucchini salad. $12
Rabbit River Farm Eggs
Cage Free & Organic
PICKLED EGG
Finished with chives & paprika. $1.20 EA
DEVILED EGG
Finished with chives & paprika. $1.20 EA
SCOTCH EGG
Hard boiled egg, wrapped in sausage,
wrapped in breadcrumb. $4.25 EA
Sausages
Handmade by Master Butcher Drews Driessen
FARMER SAUSAGE
Mildy smoked pork sauasge. Notes of white pepper and coriander. $16
DEBRECINER
Served in batches of five. Smoked & mildly spiced with smoked paprika. Served w/ sauerkraut, mustard ragout & pickled vegetables. $15
KREINER
Served in batches of five. Studded with emmental cheese and flavoured with Italian porcini mushrooms. Served w/ sauerkraut, mustard ragout & pickled vegetables. $16
Beer Menu
Draught
This short, sharp line up covers many of the beer styles. Offering eight rotating taps featuring great BC craft brewers, with occasional imported offerings. We have positioned the kegs, beer lines and regulators so that you can see how it all works. Short lines, proper glassware and correct temperature mean the best possible beer, every time.
FARMHAND
$5.5 gl | $16 Growler - SAISON
16oz Driftwood Brewery - Victoria, BC
BACK HAND OF GOD
$5.5 gl - STOUT
16oz Crannog Ales - Sorrento, BC
Devil's Dream
$5.5 gl | $16 Growler - IPA
16oz Hoyne Brewing - Victoria, BC
Chuckanut Pilsner
$7 gl | $21 Growler - PILSNER
16oz Chuckanut Brewing - Bellingham, WA
STUMPY (Bitter Exclusive)
$5.5 gl - COFFEE PORTER
16oz R & B Brewing Company - Vancouver, BC
North Shore Black IPA
$6 gl | $18 Growler - BLACK IPA
16oz Bridge Brewing - North Vancouver, BC
MEGADESTROYER
$6 gl - IMPERIAL STOUT
12oz Howe Sound Brewing - Squamish, BC
BLOOD ALLEY BITTER
$5.5 gl | $16 Growler - BITTER
16oz Russell Brewing - Surrey, BC
Bottled Beers
Having scoured the province for interesting, unique and favourite beers we set out to create a list for beer lovers and beer newcomers. Be it small format or large, Belgian or North American, IPA or Weissbier, the focus has always remained the same: Showcase the beer making regions of the world, with a nod to both traditional and unique styles.
To see our entire, comprehensive list of bottled beers from all over the world, download a pdf of our menu.
The Growler
The term likely dates back to the late 19th century when fresh beer was carried from the local pub to one's home by means of a small galvanized pail. Often the inside of the pail would be coated with lard to decrease foam and allow for slightly more beer to be in the pail. It is claimed the sound that the CO2 made when it escaped from the lid as the beer sloshed around sounded like a growl.
- Wikipedia
Flights
Not sure which beer to choose? Let us do the work for you. Every week at Bitter we will offer a selection of flights, ranging from a focus on style, country, season or any other other interesting pairing we can think of to enjoy and discover. Never had a Stout before? Wondering what all the fuss with Belgium is? Here's your chance to find out.
Gallery
Sean Heather’s new Bitter Tasting Room pays homage to craft beer with eight rotating taps and beer flights that encourage tastings. It also features a rather humble bar snack: hard-boiled eggs. The cage-free, organic eggs are prepared three ways: devilled, pickled, and as Scotch eggs. While you may be familiar with the first, the pickled eggs are delightfully mild—think of them as tarragon-infused and they sound more appetizing. Wrapped in housemade garlic sausage, rolled in bread crumbs, and deep-fried, the Scotch version are the size of dinosaur eggs and about as hearty. Give ’em a try.
- Carolyn Ali (Straight.com)
Heather Hospitality Group
Open 5pm to midnight, Tuesday to Saturday.
Booking for a larger party?
Contact Us
Bitter Tasting Room
16 w Hastings, Gastown
Vancouver, BC, Canada
V6B 1G6
(604)558-4658
Email:
- © 2011 Heather Hospitality Group. All rights reserved.
- Site design by Mighty Sparrow Design
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