I find myself particularly fond of summer lightning by hopback brewery and hobgoblin by wychwood brewery personally.
All Hail The Ale.
- Thread starter Blunderboy
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It's got to be Chimay Brun though... not that 'orrible Blond rubbish!Private Custard said:
When I ordered them the first time in Bruges I ordered the Brun and he ordered the Blond. I then HAD to quote In Bruges with 'One gay beer for my gay friend, one normal beer for me because I am normal.'
Theakston's Old Peculiar is the bomb but I was also very fond of Burton's Bitter for many years until it started tasting of rotton bannanas. I think they got taken over by a larger organisation. Probably Electronic Arts.
Do you mean Balvenie? If so, I heartily agree. Also: this thread is now about whisky. [sub][sub]No it isn't.[/sub][/sub]SpunkeyMonkey said:
Must get into the ales, but I don't go to pubs very often and when I do it's mostly crap trendy city-centre places when I'm being dragged out or duty-bound by colleagues. Need to find a way to rectify this.
I'm a sucker for the smokey Islays, so in no particular order: Bruichladdich, Laphroaig, Bunnahabhain, Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila and Lagavulin. Bunnahabhain is a truly glorious drink - rich but not too overpowering as something like Laphroaig can be.SpunkeyMonkey said:
Outside of Islay I also enjoy Highland Park, Edradour (my local distillery from when I was growing up - still the smallest in Scotland I think) and Tallisker - but there's so many and I've enjoyed pretty much everything that's passed my lips.
I'd have expected to see you shot down for this comment before now, so I'm surprised. I do like a Newkie Brown myself and I'm treating it as a bridge in my realisation that I should try and would probably enjoy proper proper ale. (Edit: see below, as predicted)shootthebandit said:
Negative. It's horrible Tyne water.shootthebandit said:
As for the OP - If you're looking for British then Timothy Taylor has quite a nice range, The Landlord is my staple beverage at my local.
I've spent my life disparaging American beers, however several years ago I came into contact with the Sierra Nevada range, and they do some rather nice Pales - The Torpedo is hoppy goodness in a glass.
Mostly though, an Ale isn't just about how it's brewed, the pub has to know how to handle it - Abbots is quite nice, but anyone who's ever had it from a Weatherspoons knows that the half-trained half-stoned 18 year old unshaved monkeys they employ know nothing about actually running a pub.
I would know, because when I was a half-stoned 18 year old unshaved monkey I worked in a proper pub, my mate worked in a spoons, and they never got taught anything about cellarsmanship (like the fact that cellarsmanship is a word... I just googled it to check).
Well these are some bloody fantastic responses.
As I say I'm a complete novice but I did enjoy Doom Bar. So anything similar is good, though I am eager to try them all.
As I say I'm a complete novice but I did enjoy Doom Bar. So anything similar is good, though I am eager to try them all.
Given the vast differences between the ales I'll not even attempt to give you specific beers, OP, but there are some cracking breweries that will have something you'll like in their ranges. A good shout here are the Wychwood breweries. Based in Henly (last time I checked) they're a cracking brewhouse that chuck out lots of hits and very few misses (the most famous beers are Hobgoblin and Scarecrow). For northern breweries you should give Tyrell breweries a try, located actually just a few miles from where I am now in the Lake District (Old Faithful is their most well known beer).
Or you could just dive straight into homebrewing ale. The starting kits you can buy at healthstores will set you back around £50, but from then on in ingredients will only cost £15 per 5 gallon batch (working out at 35p a pint!) with each batch taking roughly one month start to finish.
Or you could just dive straight into homebrewing ale. The starting kits you can buy at healthstores will set you back around £50, but from then on in ingredients will only cost £15 per 5 gallon batch (working out at 35p a pint!) with each batch taking roughly one month start to finish.
well the last time i had real ale was on a booze trail, from like Liverpool to Wigan stopping at every station to go to the local pub, now i couldn't tell you what i drunk, largely due to the vast quantity that I ended up drinking which must mean it was half-way decent at least. i do remember one called Witchfinder Porter, but thats only because it was early on in the trip haha
but to this day the best thing i have ever drunk is still bathtub vodka i made with a friend whilst at uni, it was damn fine.
also i feel the op could have daystared up the thread a bit, you know, big stereotypical picture and phrases. i mean the title was a good start but needed work haha.
but to this day the best thing i have ever drunk is still bathtub vodka i made with a friend whilst at uni, it was damn fine.
also i feel the op could have daystared up the thread a bit, you know, big stereotypical picture and phrases. i mean the title was a good start but needed work haha.
WELCOME ENLIGHTENED ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Blunderboy said:
Well I've recently converted from Lager to 'proper' beer, and I was looking for some recommendations.
I've tried 'Doom Bar' and it was tasty.
I don't care if it makes me an old man (I've already got a flat cap so sod it).
EDIT - Just to clarify, I'm British so local ales would be better.
Also, general booze discussion.
You've finally broken the shackles of that modern over-carbonated BS (Beer) and stepped into the world of versatile alcoholic beverages your ancestors used to chug down. I'll spare you the history lesson.
Try "Victory" .. "The dark lord" .. "Hobgoblin" ... also don't know if you're into Bitters? but if you are then give "Ghost ship" a chance.
Welcome to the real world of "beer" my friend (**Spoiler** Although i like it ... i'm a little more partial to my sweet mistress Mary
)
That new ale from Iron Maiden is said to be bloody awesome.
It's called The Trooper, haven't tried it myself since i live in the Netherlands, but you are British. You got NO excuses.
It's called The Trooper, haven't tried it myself since i live in the Netherlands, but you are British. You got NO excuses.
Exmoor Beast [http://www.exmoorales.co.uk/ea_beast.html] is my ale of choice.
It's a nice strong ale which quite a complexity of flavours and is equally delicious served at room temperature or chilled, although those two different ways of serving it almost make it like two different drinks and suit different occasions.
I'm not sure how easy it is to find outside Devon and Somerset (I get mine from a Tesco in Devon), as I've never seen it in supermarkets where I live in Lancashire, but if you do get the chance to buy a bottle or two, you should defiantly try this exquisite drink.
It's a nice strong ale which quite a complexity of flavours and is equally delicious served at room temperature or chilled, although those two different ways of serving it almost make it like two different drinks and suit different occasions.
I'm not sure how easy it is to find outside Devon and Somerset (I get mine from a Tesco in Devon), as I've never seen it in supermarkets where I live in Lancashire, but if you do get the chance to buy a bottle or two, you should defiantly try this exquisite drink.
Recently discovered the deliciousness that is the Moosehead. That is now my beer of choice although I won't say no to a Kokanee.