Beer thread

[Billyfish]

Just supped a decent Kentish Ale from Sainsbo's, a left-over from New Year.Shepherd Neame the brewer - so probably the same brew as Spitfire (also 4.5% in the bottle.) Always a popular choice - though occasional sulfery nose I recall.
The stronger Bishop's Finger good too, though not for quaffing.

Bishops Finger is probably the best stuff they do on tap. Whilstable Organic Ale you'll find mostly in bottles, that really does stand out, the rest is much of a muchness and their blydi pubs never ever have guest ales. Some smashing little breweries in Kent; Hopdaemon, Gads, Rother Valley to name but 3.

[switchskier]

Nice to go back to an old favourite from time to time. Enjoyed a few Fullers London Pride a while back and had a couple of Marston Pedigrees the other week that went down very well.

Harviestouns Bitter & Twisted is a current fave.

Bitter and Twisted is a great beer though current favourites are a Red Kite Ale from the Black Isle Brewery and the Meantime Yakima Red.

[Parsifal]

I recently returned from a visit to Europe and made a point of visiting Helston in Cornwall to sample once again the delights of Spingo bitter at the Blue Anchor. Their Christmas ale really is the festive season in a glass. Expensive but well worth it.

I was delirious in the Yorkshire Dales and elsewhere but the best session I had was at the Poet's Corner in Derbyshire. What. A. Pub.

[Galfon]

Poet's Corner in Derbyshire. What. A. Pub.

As good as any if you can get off the beaten track-beautiful part of the country. (peak practice land).
Grabbed a half of their own stuff on a drive through a few years back, could have stayed for a few days to get through the full range.
( draught ciders too ).

[Peat]

Currently staying in the US with my missus, who's manager of a craft beer shop, so this thread is kind of describing my life right now, just in America...

Prefer America's efforts as they're sweeter and I'm a wuss like that, but pleased to announce one of the best beers I've had since getting here was Sam Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout. We also had a Cassis lambic that was wonderful.

Speaking of Belgian beers, if anyone finds themselves in Brussels with a few spare hours, the Cantillon brewery near the train station is well worth a visit and lots of empty space in the bag.

[Galfon]

The growth of microbreweries and small/medium independant trad..ale breweries in US had been phenomenal - and the range and quality of products impressive.
Not sure the term 'Craft' has any special meaning in UK personally..other than making proper beer a bit more trendy.
..Good to see a good old Yorkshire Stout hits the mark amongst all the competition !

[Peat]

Size of the brewery making it innit. But no, not really. I mean, when Guinness are setting up their own private craft bar... yeah. Although apparently there's some really good stuff there.

Also, on reflection, the best beer I've had this year was the Brewdogs Black Eyed King Imp. Which is hideously expensive but hideously good. And hideously strong too.

[Galfon]

Size of the brewery making it innit. .

Partly - greater emphasis on flavour & quality too.
Also the recent microbreweries have adopted this tag- (brewpubs and microbreweries have been going for decades.)The good news is there's more breweries now in UK than anytime since WW2 ..conversely the total amount produced is the lowest ! Also good for the punter is the number of pubs now selling cask beers.
Don't know why but the Huddersfield area is particularly thriving.Hand Drawn Monkey does interesting stuff and has a great wee shop too.

[Donny osmond]

I have of late been very impressed (through the medium of drinking lots) with the Cairngorm Brewery, Wildcat in particular, just the right hoppysweet combination for me. Discovered it whilst walking in Cairngorms around Braemar but was delighted to find that it is sold in branches of Dobbies Garden Centres.

Do they make Corncrake ale as well? My personal fave

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[Donny osmond]

I have of late been very impressed (through the medium of drinking lots) with the Cairngorm Brewery, Wildcat in particular, just the right hoppysweet combination for me. Discovered it whilst walking in Cairngorms around Braemar but was delighted to find that it is sold in branches of Dobbies Garden Centres.

Do they make Corncrake ale as well? My personal fave

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To answer my own question, no they don't. Corncrake is made by the Orkney brewing co and is a lovely drop. The Cairngorm Brewery stuff is good too tho.

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[Billyfish]

I have of late been very impressed (through the medium of drinking lots) with the Cairngorm Brewery, Wildcat in particular, just the right hoppysweet combination for me. Discovered it whilst walking in Cairngorms around Braemar but was delighted to find that it is sold in branches of Dobbies Garden Centres.

Do they make Corncrake ale as well? My personal fave

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To answer my own question, no they don't. Corncrake is made by the Orkney brewing co and is a lovely drop. The Cairngorm Brewery stuff is good too tho.

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Aye, they do Dark Island too, an excellent dark.

[Billyfish]

I have of late been very impressed (through the medium of drinking lots) with the Cairngorm Brewery, Wildcat in particular, just the right hoppysweet combination for me. Discovered it whilst walking in Cairngorms around Braemar but was delighted to find that it is sold in branches of Dobbies Garden Centres.

Do they make Corncrake ale as well? My personal fave

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To answer my own question, no they don't. Corncrake is made by the Orkney brewing co and is a lovely drop. The Cairngorm Brewery stuff is good too tho.

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Aye, they do Dark Island too, an excellent dark.

Haven't tried corncrake but will, Dobbies sells Orkney Brewery stuff too if I remember right.

[Peat]

Size of the brewery making it innit. .

Partly - greater emphasis on flavour & quality too.
Also the recent microbreweries have adopted this tag- (brewpubs and microbreweries have been going for decades.)The good news is there's more breweries now in UK than anytime since WW2 ..conversely the total amount produced is the lowest ! Also good for the punter is the number of pubs now selling cask beers.
Don't know why but the Huddersfield area is particularly thriving.Hand Drawn Monkey does interesting stuff and has a great wee shop too.

You'd want to be fucking mullered if you lived in Huddersfield too.

[Billyfish]

Size of the brewery making it innit. .

Partly - greater emphasis on flavour & quality too.
Also the recent microbreweries have adopted this tag- (brewpubs and microbreweries have been going for decades.)The good news is there's more breweries now in UK than anytime since WW2 ..conversely the total amount produced is the lowest ! Also good for the punter is the number of pubs now selling cask beers.
Don't know why but the Huddersfield area is particularly thriving.Hand Drawn Monkey does interesting stuff and has a great wee shop too.

Great times to live in. Similar is happening with cheese, it now seems possible to nip over into the next county and be confronted with a beer and a cheese that you have never seen before.

[Galfon]

beer & cheese..back to the future!

[Galfon]

Nice feeling of 'Doom' watching the matches yesterday. under £2 a time from the supermarket.

[Flanking_Now_Hooks]

Sank a hatful of Fullers Bengal Lancer in an unremarkable London pub en route back from Twickenham on Saturday; 'though not possessed of many distinguishing features the pub was a warmly welcome change from the baltic conditions inside the stadium, and the beer an inestimable improvement from £5 Guinness served in a plastic cup...

[Billyfish]

Currently staying in the US with my missus, who's manager of a craft beer shop, so this thread is kind of describing my life right now, just in America...

Prefer America's efforts as they're sweeter and I'm a wuss like that, but pleased to announce one of the best beers I've had since getting here was Sam Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout. We also had a Cassis lambic that was wonderful.

Speaking of Belgian beers, if anyone finds themselves in Brussels with a few spare hours, the Cantillon brewery near the train station is well worth a visit and lots of empty space in the bag.

Don't normally rate Sam Smiths, but they do own some nice pubs and are hard to avoid in some areas. The Chocolate Stout is very good, might be the best thing they do imho. Their cider is decent too, better than most of their beers I think. Try Youngs Chocolate Stout though if that be your bag.

[Peat]

Don't normally rate Sam Smiths, but they do own some nice pubs and are hard to avoid in some areas. The Chocolate Stout is very good, might be the best thing they do imho. Their cider is decent too, better than most of their beers I think. Try Youngs Chocolate Stout though if that be your bag.

I am a big fan of Youngs' Chocolate Stout as well (and yes, I basically rush straight to the chocolate stouts). I'd very rarely had Sam Smiths before actually, might have a look at their cider, because normally I prefer cider to beer.

Unless the beer is a chocolate stout.

[fivepointer]

Timothy Taylor's Boltmaker. Really very, very nice.

[Flanking_Now_Hooks]

CAMRA AGM on in Liverpool this weekend, there were some spectacular examples of ageing male oddity on display in the city centre last night; personal favourite was a chap wearing a green fedora, resting his 'ticking off' sheet on his beer gut while discussing antique bus timetables with his mate...

[Parsifal]

Timothy Taylor's Boltmaker. Really very, very nice.

I have long been a huge fan of Timothy Taylor's Landlord but have never tried the Boltmaker. Is it a relatively new addition to the range?

[UKHamlet]

Harvey's Best Sussex Bitter.



Loves it, I do.

[Banquo]

In that-there-London there is a chain of bars called The Craft Beer Company. Well worth a visit if you are interested in varieties of beer and cider.

There are a host of breweries in "Beermondsey" (see what they did there) such as Kernel and Partizan. Railway arches across south London seem to be breeding small breweries as Brixton Brewery which are producing high quality ales.

Had a few from Kernal, lovely stuff.

They serve them in Hawksmoor steak restaurants, which is fantastic. Do visit the brewery of a saturday if you can. it's mayhem.

Do you like the Hawksmoor chain? I went to the one in Seven Dials- Covent Garden and thought it was an odd mixture of pretension and very average over-priced food and service. Perhaps it was just a bad night.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Had a few from Kernal, lovely stuff.

They serve them in Hawksmoor steak restaurants, which is fantastic. Do visit the brewery of a saturday if you can. it's mayhem.

Do you like the Hawksmoor chain? I went to the one in Seven Dials- Covent Garden and thought it was an odd mixture of pretension and very average over-priced food and service. Perhaps it was just a bad night.

Hawksmoor is usually reliably very good. I've never heard an average word said about it. I'm a big fan both of the food and the service.