Beer

[43021HST]

Simple thread this, what's your favourite Hop, Yeast and Barley based beverage?

It was Wetherspoons that introduced me to good beer. I could no longer drink gassy mass market lager.

The best beer I've tasted is a brewery that's local to me, Tongham Brewerys Goldstar or TEA (Traditional English Ale). Forbury Lion is also worth a mention, although I've only been able to find it in a Wetherspoons once.

Another favourite is Shipyard, or any craft IPAs.

Although mainstream beer of choice providing there's nothing else on tap is, John Smiths, Amstel or if there's absolutely nothing, (becuase I'm in one of those pubs with an England flag in the Window and a Sky Sports banner out the front): Kronenbourg

 

[SS4]

Free beer is my favourite kind

If I was buying it tends to be whichever lager is on sale. Recently I've had lidl's Excelsior lager which is pretty good. I'm not an ale man so this trend has got really annoying

 

[AlterEgo]

Guinness if you’re counting stout.

 

[Domh245]

I usually just drink whatever own brand small bottles of lager I've got (usually either Tesco Biere d'or, or the Lidl equivalent) - but I do enjoy a nice IPA/Gold/Amber ale if I'm out drinking more socially.

 

[43021HST]

I usually just drink whatever own brand small bottles of lager I've got (usually either Tesco Biere d'or, or the Lidl equivalent)

I have always wondered who buys those.

 

[Bromley boy]

Wetherspoons have certainly expanded their range of late.

For me, IPAs are the way forward.

As a highlight, "The Kernel", (from The Kernel brewery) cor blimey, if you've sampled it you'll know it!. Great hoppy taste, but ridiculously strong at 7%+. I like artisan brews and we are relatively spoilt for choice these days in south east London - Meantime, Brewdog, Camden Town. All of which have decent IPAs.

A good mainstream one from M&S is Sierra Nevada Torpedo - ridiculously strong again at 7% or so- but excellent. Regular Sierra Nevada is less strong but still very hoppy (I may even be supping it right now).

 

[Harbornite]

Probably Hobgoblin, the first alcoholic drink that I ever got into.

 

[satisnek]

Everards Tiger. Having said that, it does seem to have lost the 'biscuity' flavour it used to have.

Otherwise, you can't beat Bass, once widely available but now seems to be very localised (Burton upon Trent).

 

[GusB]

I don't get to drink real beer much these days, but "Ossian" from the Inveralmond Brewery is one of my favourites.
http://www.inveralmond-brewery.co.uk/our-beers

The Cairngorm Brewery do a few decent ones as well, although I seem to be having some trouble accessing their website.

Everards Tiger. Having said that, it does seem to have lost the 'biscuity' flavour it used to have.

Otherwise, you can't beat Bass, once widely available but now seems to be very localised (Burton upon Trent).

Bass used to be a particular favourite of mine, but I haven't seen it around for years. My local had it for a while, alongside Caley IPA and one other whose name I cannot recall. A change of ownership later, along with the lack of knowledge about how to look after proper beer, and I soon started drinking the standard pint of lager; one pint of vinegar was more than enough.

 

[TheAlbanach_]

Fruit flavoured Belgian beer. Was in a bar in Brugge that had a massive choice. Didn't get any brands but the peach flavour was the best. Bar was called t' Poatersgat, very cool bar too!

 

[Tracked]

Ooh, any list I do is probably going to be fairly heavy on the stouts and porters, particularly ones with interesting flavours;

Saltaire Brewery - Hazelnut Coffee Porter, Triple Chocoholic (a stout)
Doncaster Brewery - AD71 Pumpkin Porter, Town Fields (a Belgian-style beer), Stirling Single (Coffee Porter)
Ashover - Liquorice (another stout ... )
Titanic - Plum Porter
Tiny Rebel - Stay Puft (Marshmellow Porter)
a load of Belgian stuff; Kwak, La Corne, Westmalle, Chimay, etc ...

 

[bearhugger]

Hobgoblin for me. Oddly it is 5.4% in the bottles you buy from the supermarket and 4.6% on draught at the pub.

 

[Puffing Devil]

Draft real ale: Timothy Taylor's Landlord

Brewdog Punk IPA or Elvis Juice in bottles, though many hoppy, American style IPAs hit the mark.

Special mention for Titanic Plum Porter.

In my youth I was more than partial to Wm. Younger's No 3 - now sadly extinct.

 

[EssexGonzo]

Beavertown and Brewdog both have some good beers in their ranges. And I last week had a bottle of Guiness Porter bought from Sainsburys. Very nice and smooth.

 

[nlogax]

Wheat beers and sour beers. Something like an Ilkley Siberia Rhubarb Saison. Any beer that vaguely tastes of mashed-up Haribo is good with me, though admittedly it's an acquired taste.

 

[johntea]

For lager fans, try this

Champigneulles Continental Lager

4 330ml cans in Asda for £2.57, beats pretty much every other big brand lager!

 

[fowler9]

Zywiec, Hopus or Titanic Plum Porter depending on the mood. Also pretty much anything they sell and brew in Hell Hunt in Tallinn as it is my favourite pub in the world.

 

[PeterC]

Favourite - Harvey's mild

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I used to be a lager-hater, but after my trip to Czechia I've found a love for a good-quality Pilsner. Some of the Polish ones are particularly nice, especially the Honey Perla.

 

[fowler9]

I used to be a lager-hater, but after my trip to Czechia I've found a love for a good-quality Pilsner. Some of the Polish ones are particularly nice, especially the Honey Perla.

There is a big difference between Fosters, Carling, Carlsberg etc down the local here and a pint of Tyskie in Poland.

 

[DarloRich]

Deep breath. Deep breath. They don't know beer. They are southern. deep breath. Deep, cleansing breath. Go to the happy place................. NO! I cant do it. ARGH! ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

I like proper, northern, men's ale. Brown, strong, manly. Little finger firmly clamped to the side of the glass, Not fizzy, served with a proper head. Sensible. Pragmatic. Solid. Loyal. Puts hairs on your chest and gives you a deep manly voice and a firm handshake.

We were actually talking about this the other day noting how beer styles have changed to become a lot more light coloured, citrus tasting and seemingly designed to appeal to the lager boys. There isnt much proper, old school ale about. It is all terribly bland and it all seems very fizzy. There has been a resurgence of mild, stout and porter which is good but the old fashioned northern session ale seems to have gone for a burton.

BTW - I am being slightly factitious. Beer is a very personal thing and tastes and styles are different across regions One thing is constant though. Southern beer is always rubbish

BTW 2 - Brewdog. No. That is all.

 

[185143]

Kronenbourg, John Smiths, Stella or Budweiser for me.

Of course-if someone else is paying then the dearest drink!

 

[fowler9]

Kronenbourg, John Smiths, Stella or Budweiser for me.

Of course-if someone else is paying then the dearest drink!

Budweiser is actually Donald Trump's wee.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Rochefort 10, Belgian Trappist ale, 11.2%

 

[61653 HTAFC]

There is a big difference between Fosters, Carling, Carlsberg etc down the local here and a pint of Tyskie in Poland.

True:- for me lager is a drink for at home, bottled or canned ales just aren't the same as draught. One thing that annoys me about the current trends with real ales is the dominance of IPAs. I don't mind them but it's frustrating to go in a pub with 7 or 8 different ales on but they're all IPA so where's the choice?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Budweiser is actually Donald Trump's wee.

American Bud is, I agree. Real, Czech Budweiser on the other hand is not bad.

Postscript to avoid a triple-post: the fact that nobody has thought to commercially import a German Altbier (dark ale whose best comparison in the UK is Newky Brown, but that comparison doesn't really do it justice) is disappointing. Come on, British wholesalers: you're missing a trick!

 

[185143]

Budweiser is actually Donald Trump's wee.

Wondered how long it'd take someone to make a comment like that.

 

[DarloRich]

Kronenbourg, John Smiths, Stella or Budweiser for me.

Of course-if someone else is paying then the dearest drink!

there are much nicer drinks out there. Those are cooking lagers and a milky cream flow bitter.

Proper John Smiths ( like proper Tetley) was a good pint. Sadly all gone and replaced by creamflow rubbish. Even Magnet on an electric is better than creamflow.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Southern beer is always rubbish

You keep saying that, so I'll keep pointing out Fuller's ESB means you're wrong

I was drinking Bud's 0% alcohol beer last night. Don't ask why, but it was really rather nice. I'm as shocked as you are.

For my cooking lager I drink the Aldi little bottles. Cheap and hits the spot. I've mostly been working my way through the beer brewed by the students at Newcastle University- StuBrew- that I got as a leaving present a while back. It's good stuff.

Out, it's the ale. And I agree, the hoppy floral IPAs really are not my thing at all. Give me a Workie Ticket.

 

[DarloRich]

You keep saying that, so I'll keep pointing out Fuller's ESB means you're wrong

i just don't like Fullers.

I was drinking Bud's 0% alcohol beer last night. Don't ask why, but it was really rather nice. I'm as shocked as you are.

For my cooking lager I drink the Aldi little bottles. Cheap and hits the spot. I've mostly been working my way through the beer brewed by the students at Newcastle University- StuBrew- that I got as a leaving present a while back. It's good stuff.

The Becks one is strangly chemically. I had a nice one in an Indian when i was driving - A kingfisher?

Out, it's the ale. And I agree, the hoppy floral IPAs really are not my thing at all. Give me a Workie Ticket.

WINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! close thread.