[Archived] Real Ale

[Glenn]

So, encouraged by the discussion on Thwaites new "95" available at the Fanzone, I thought I'd see how many fellow real ale drinkers we've got.

A few years ago I found myself drifting away from fizzy, chemically lager and onto real ales and I've never looked back. I'm now a signed up CAMRA member (it's not all beards and sandals) a, I go to the amazing PBF every year and track what I like here.

So, any other real ale fans? What do YOU drink?

[Gav]

I thought the "95" ale yesterday was poor, not much to it at all.

Favourite ale currently 'Glen Top' from the Rossendale brewery, served in the Royal at Tockholes. Also love Timothy Taylor landlords, and for something a bit stronger, Jaipur, very strong but very nice.

[philipl]

Yes definitely.

I love Thwaites Mild served from the pump.

Amongst the bitters, Timothy Taylor's Landlord, Adnams, and Hawkshead stand out.

[Gav]

Yes definitely.

I love Thwaites Mild served from the pump.

Amongst the bitters, Timothy Taylor's Landlord, Adnams, and Hawkshead stand out.

Oh yes Hawkshead also philipl, and Bluebird from the coniston brewery.

[Al]

I'm a great fan of real ale Glenn. Found a good one last week at Whalley Golf Club. It's called Flat Cap and was brewed in a micro brewery in Bury. I can't drink as much as I used to do these days but I do enjoy a couple of pints of good stuff. Let me know if there are other good places around for real ale. One I like is the Walton Arms but it is basically a restaurant and Baxenden Con. Club serve up an excellent pint of Thwaites Cask.

EDIT

I used to enjoy Theakston's Old Peculier and Ruddles County but I can't find anywhere were they have them on draught any more and it's not the same out of a bottle.

Anybody any ideas?

[PAFELL]

I changed (converted) to REAL ALE about 6 weeks go. Basicaly because I got bored drinking Carling. I had to go to Bournemouth to see somebody. I was taken to a pub there with a reputation for good real ale. GOAT & TRICYCLE - www.goatandtricycle.co.uk/ . On the bar there was a line of about 10 pumps. So agreed to give it ago. We each had a pint of them all - each good, each tasted different. No hangover the following day. a terrific day.

since then I haven't look back.

I also am a member of CAMRA - still using my 50p off a pint vouchers for witherspoons. It has become a hobby in some ways. In the past 6 weeks I have had 28 different real ales.

In Hastings there is a pub called FIRST IN LAST OUT or FILO for short, www.thefilo.co.uk/ that brews its old ale. Again had a terrific day.

It is amazing the amount of different real ales on the market. there are some I would call gimmick beers, such as BANANA BREAD BEER, Though strangely tastes ok.

I wasn't that keen on thwaites - though I found the FINE RAIN ok (Golden cup had it in)

I am fortunate that I know one or two bar owners, who since my converting to real ale. Go to various places to try different ales for their own pubs. Recently I have gone with them (rude not to do so) or they bring a bottle back for me.

[thenodrog]

Yes definitely.

I love Thwaites Mild served from the pump.

You'll drown before that has any effect!

[Doug]

In my humble opinion, I find Thwaites portfolio of beers to be extrememly good. The spectrum of styles and flavours offer something for all real beer fans. And, with the creation of their very own micro brewery 'Crafty Dan' producing some excellent beers such as 'Triple C', I feel they will go from strength to strength during these very challenging times in this industry.

[Glenn]

I thought the "95" ale yesterday was poor, not much to it at all.

Favourite ale currently 'Glen Top' from the Rossendale brewery, served in the Royal at Tockholes. Also love Timothy Taylor landlords, and for something a bit stronger, Jaipur, very strong but very nice.

I find Jaipur is massively over rated, but it always sells well where I drink, so what to I know.

I'm currently rather a fan of Red Williows Wreckless and some of the Faithless I've tried XIII and XIV I think.

The single nicest thing I've had in years (although it's hard to get in the UK) is Guiness Special Export ... which tastes nothing like Guiness.

BTW If you're ever in Leeds, I can heartily recommend Mr Foleys(pub) and Beer Ritz (off licence), both have awesome staff who will happily make suggestions based on what you like.

[thenodrog]

I'm a great fan of real ale Glenn. Found a good one last week at Whalley Golf Club. It's called Flat Cap and was brewed in a micro brewery in Bury. I can't drink as much as I used to do these days but I do enjoy a couple of pints of good stuff. Let me know if there are other good places around for real ale. One I like is the Walton Arms but it is basically a restaurant and Baxenden Con. Club serve up an excellent pint of Thwaites Cask.

EDIT

I used to enjoy Theakston's Old Peculier and Ruddles County but I can't find anywhere were they have them on draught any more and it's not the same out of a bottle.

Anybody any ideas?

Ruddles bitter (not sure if it's County) can be found in the Railway at Pleasington. Personally I think it's bloody awful.

I can't really claim to be a fan of real ale since next doors whippet ate all my ferrets and pigeons but I do think Thwaites have done a couple of gud uns. Don't know if it's still available on draft but I found Double Century excellent (but maybe a bit strong for many) whilst Wainwrights is excellent too. I do think the pub landlord has a big hand in keeping ale and there are too many about who don't appear to have the knack, or maybe the inclination? Other notable bitter in the past which I have imbibed is what must be the best session ale ever, the excellent Bellhaven Best.

btw am I the only one to find it funny how so many real ale types tend to profess intense dislike for Wainwrights? Inverted beer snobbery I put it down to. Not only that but all the same blokes who wax lyrical about various foaming pints of sour brown liquid at every opportunity and who frequently scoff at me for my liking of various continental 'amber nectars' don't appear to have any objections whatsoever to lager as served in various overseas all inclusive holiday venues around the continent.

[thenodrog]

I changed (converted) to REAL ALE about 6 weeks go. Basicaly because I got bored drinking Carling. I had to go to Bournemouth to see somebody. I was taken to a pub there with a reputation for good real ale. GOAT & TRYCLCLE. On the bar there was a line of about 10 pumps. So agreed to give it ago. We each had a pint of them all - each good, each tasted different. No hangover the following day. a terrific day.

since then I haven't look back.

My inbuilt defence mechanism kicks in whenever I see more than 2 cask pumps in a pub. Cask is best consumed fast and any pub having a lot of alternatives needs one hell of a clientele to keep em moving. I once went in a gastro pub in Hampshire owned by that bumptious French chef from Leeds and it had a massive line of real ale pumps. Why is that? (The Dressers Arms is a bit similar too) Surely there only needs to be a couple of really top beers on offer? It persuaded me to stick to the amber nectar followed by a glass or two of some white wine or other with my food that night.

[PAFELL]

My inbuilt defence mechanism kicks in whenever I see more than 2 cask pumps in a pub. Cask is best consumed fast and any pub having a lot of alternatives needs one hell of a clientele to keep em moving. I once went in a gastro pub in Hampshire owned by that bumptious French chef from Leeds and it had a massive line of real ale pumps. Why is that? (The Dressers Arms is a bit similar too) Surely there only needs to be a couple of really top beers on offer? It persuaded me to stick to the amber nectar followed by a glass or two of some white whine or other with my food that night.

This pub is often full, even on a week night. It also does food. It is also one the brewery advertise / pushes its beers.

[Ozz]

The Navigation used to do superb Thwaites smooth. Not having been for a year, it may not now . As bitters go, Smooth when kept well is excellent. Too many pubs don't do it justice though.

[Mike Graham]

The Navigation used to do superb Thwaites smooth. Not having been for a year, it may not now . As bitters go, Smooth when kept well is excellent. Too many pubs don't do it justice though.

Thwaites Smooth is fizzy ######.

Prefer Thwaites Original or Best Mild (Nutty Black), also a big fan of 3 Bees and Moorhouses dingle ales.

[Doug]

The Navigation used to do superb Thwaites smooth. Not having been for a year, it may not now . As bitters go, Smooth when kept well is excellent. Too many pubs don't do it justice though.

Thwaites smooth is keg beer, not cask. It is in the same ilk as John Smiths, Worthingtons cream flow, Boddies etc.

Real beer is cask conditioned, hand pulled pints and relies upon a decent landlord/cellarman to do it justice in the glass.

[Ozz]

I think meant original ! ?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Lager lout here, can't drink ale anymore. I had an hiatus hernia a while back and bitter is just to bitter for me these days.

[ABBEY]

Snap ... The dark ales play havoc with gout. Stella these days.

[MarkBRFC]

Love thwaites original, wainwrights too. Most pubs around me tend to be marstons pubs and i tend to enjoy that too.

[OhmiBRFC]

I like drinking real ales and alway veer to casks when in a pub that serves real ale. Tried the pint yesterday and wasn't a fan.

My wife bought me the equipment to brew my own but I've not had time to have a real go. Made some wine which turned out okay though. Can't wait to make some ale though.

[PAFELL]

Thwaites smooth is keg beer, not cask. It is in the same ilk as John Smiths, Worthingtons cream flow, Boddies etc.

Real beer is cask conditioned, hand pulled pints and relies upon a decent landlord/cellarman to do it justice in the glass.

Yeah. This poster knows beer. REAL BEER, REAL ALE.

Lager lout here, can't drink ale anymore. I had an hiatus hernia a while back and bitter is just to bitter for me these days.

I find that strange as I also have a hiatus hernia and gout. Yet I find real ale better for both. It maybe food you eat that causes the problems. Though.not ALL ALES will be agreeable. A good landlord will give you a decent taster if you ask.

[Doug]

Snap ... The dark ales play havoc with gout. Stella these days.

Strange, as they are almost identical ingredients. Do the blond bitters (eg Wainwrights cause the same symptoms?)

Yeah. This poster knows beer. REAL BEER, REAL ALE.

I find that strange as I also have a hiatus hernia and gout. Yet I find real ale better for both. It maybe food you eat that causes the problems. Though.not ALL ALES will be agreeable. A good landlord will give you a decent taster if you ask.

I believe that is the term CAMRA are trying to introduce to take away the stigma attached to Real ale as they think it old fashioned.

[Brfcrule1]

Glenn I prefer lager I quite like the 2 Indian lagers on the market Cobra & Kingfisher. Does anyone know where they have these beers on tap in England. I like these beers so much I would have been very proud if one of these were our shirt sponsor. How these clowns from Pune missed that opportunity I will never know. The kingfisher has a particularly nice taste.

[PAFELL]

Strange, as they are almost identical ingredients. Do the blond bitters (eg Wainwrights cause the same symptoms?)

I believe that is the term CAMRA are trying to introduce to take away the stigma attached to Real ale as they think it old fashioned.

Not sure of that to be honest. REAL ALE or REAL BEER. Same to me. I do not know what stigma is attached to Real ALE.

Various myths are spread. I think it goes through you faster. Often stronger, especially bottled beer. Yet cheaper, various tastes.

[Doug]

Not sure of that to be honest. REAL ALE or REAL BEER. Same to me. I do not know what stigma is attached to Real ALE.

Various myths are spread. I think it goes through you faster. Often stronger, especially bottled beer. Yet cheaper, various tastes.

The stigma is Real Ale is still associated in younger drinkers as the bearded, pipe smoking drinkers drink. The industry is trying to appeal to younger age group, the traditional lager drinker, 20 - 30 age group.

The gout thing is weird, could it be a wheat or yeast issue?