What is the difference between Pale Ale and Bitter

[Gromit]

Timothy Taylor's 'Landlord' is commonly mistaken for a Bitter when in fact it is a Pale Ale. I assume the brewing process is slightly different, but can anyone enlighten me further.

[JamesEverton]

Have a look at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_%28beer%29

This suggests that 'bitter' and 'pale ale' are synonymous. Also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ale

[Gromit]

Thanks James

[Buenchico]

I can't quite go along with the idea that 'bitter' and 'pale ale' are synonymous.

I'm happy to accept that all 'pale ales' are 'bitters'. (Greene King's advertising, for example often refers to its IPA, or Indian Pale Ale, as bitter). The converse, however, can't be true because there are some great 'dark bitters' which obviously aren't pale ales.

So, as I see it, 'pale ales' form a 'subset' of bitters. What differentiates one bitter from another (irrespective of whether one, or both, of them are light ales) usually has little to do with the brewing process (which is fairly standard for most beers). The most important factor is usually the varieties of hops used in the different beers (with the quantity of malt and the hardness of the water supply also affecting the end product).

Chris