[Archived] Real Ale

[T J Hooker]

the "its a bit studenty" comment wasn't meant as in its a bad thing, it was more of a warning for folks that prefer older crowds(personally id prefer to be in a bar full of 19-35ish year olds than a place full of tired stiffs)

yea the coctails there are really good as well, both quality and price wise and one of the main reasons the place is very popular, the 'Sailor Jerry Mojito' being my go to drink off their menu, their burgers are very good also.

the musics pretty good also, i've never seen any trouble in there, its in the centre of the oxford rd area right next to the train station if your just in the area for the evening.

[ABBEY]

So we can now add ageism to your victims .

So anyone over 35 is a "stiff" . You are actually strange.

[T J Hooker]

"Victims" hahaha ffs.

If you class yourself as normal than im delighted to be "strange"

By my own standards though im only a year off becoming one of those tired old stiffs(ive already got the stiff and tired parts down to a T)

Edit! Stuffmee! Just realised its not even a year, only 2 months off

[thenodrog]

the "its a bit studenty" comment wasn't meant as in its a bad thing, it was more of a warning for folks that prefer older crowds(personally id prefer to be in a bar full of 19-35ish year olds than a place full of tired stiffs)

yea the coctails there are really good as well, both quality and price wise and one of the main reasons the place is very popular, the 'Sailor Jerry Mojito' being my go to drink off their menu, their burgers are very good also.

the musics pretty good also, i've never seen any trouble in there, its in the centre of the oxford rd area right next to the train station if your just in the area for the evening.

If Blackburn is a marker it'll be closed down by 2020.

[PAFELL]

Happened to be in Grants Bar, Manchester Road, Accrington on Sunday. Fantastic choice of beers all brewed right in front of you and ciders. Had a few pints of my fave, Dirty Blond, what a good drink. This really is a gem of a pub, decent crowd too.

Good pub and good beer. There beers are selling up and down the country.. Had 3 firkins of Dirty Blond in my place of work this year. First to sell out on our April beer festival.

I am lucky to have a very good cellar, which is below sea level. So beer is always in very good condition.

[MCMC1875]

Continental, Preston advertising their 15th fest 1-4 Oct and charging for enrty for the first time, £5 Fri/Sat. I'll be giving it a miss.

[Glenn]

Biddy, at the top of this thread you were asking about the appeal of Camra. for me it's simple math.

Every year I go to this http://www.peterborough-camra.org.uk/index.php?module=pbfbeer&func=main

The savings per person if you're a Camra member (assuming you're only doing the evenings)

Tue - £1

Wed - £2

Thur - £3

Fri - £3

Say - £3

So for two of us, that's £24. Go for the direct debit option to get 15 months for the price of 12 and cover 2 Peterborough beer festivals and that £48 discount for a £29 fee and you get £20 worth of Wetherspoons vouchers thrown in too!

... without the PBF, I would see no benefit from my membership at all. I don't think I've read one of their newsletters. I like to drink ale, I'm not so bothered about reading about it!

[PAFELL]

Biddy, at the top of this thread you were asking about the appeal of Camra. for me it's simple math.

Every year I go to this http://www.peterborough-camra.org.uk/index.php?module=pbfbeer&func=main

The savings per person if you're a Camra member (assuming you're only doing the evenings)

Tue - £1

Wed - £2

Thur - £3

Fri - £3

Say - £3

So for two of us, that's £24. Go for the direct debit option to get 15 months for the price of 12 and cover 2 Peterborough beer festivals and that £48 discount for a £29 fee and you get £20 worth of Wetherspoons vouchers thrown in too!

... without the PBF, I would see no benefit from my membership at all. I don't think I've read one of their newsletters. I like to drink ale, I'm not so bothered about reading about it!

That is one beer festival I have yet to get to. never seem to be able to get the time off for that one.

Went to the GBBF three times this year - one being the trade day ( I get free tickets as being in the trade). Though not the best festival, still enjoyable. Nearer home also for me.

Spent the trade day with one or two brewers / distributors - Wednesday, drank only American beers - as looking to get these into my place of work - already got Belgian beers.

Thursday searched out some interesting beers from various breweries. As I spend well over £500 a week of other peoples money on casks of beer - nice to get to taste some first.

Camra's campaigns are worth supporting.

I attend South East Sussex camra meetings if I am not working. Brewery tours, bus to the pub events (pub crawl) Meet up have a good beer and laugh.

My place of work has just won 3 camra awards South East Camra CLUB of the year, Sussex Club of the year and the Regional Club of the year.

For a business having links with camra has been advantageos with regards to beer sales etc. Especially being in the Good Beer Guide.

Camra not perfect - had one or two issues with them.

Folk who like Wetherspoons - being a camra member gets you £20 of tokens every year - which gives you 50p off a pint.

Biddy, at the top of this thread you were asking about the appeal of Camra. for me it's simple math.

Every year I go to this http://www.peterborough-camra.org.uk/index.php?module=pbfbeer&func=main

The savings per person if you're a Camra member (assuming you're only doing the evenings)

Tue - £1

Wed - £2

Thur - £3

Fri - £3

Say - £3

So for two of us, that's £24. Go for the direct debit option to get 15 months for the price of 12 and cover 2 Peterborough beer festivals and that £48 discount for a £29 fee and you get £20 worth of Wetherspoons vouchers thrown in too!

... without the PBF, I would see no benefit from my membership at all. I don't think I've read one of their newsletters. I like to drink ale, I'm not so bothered about reading about it!

Really good beer list. Thornbidge, Elland, etc etc.

Dark star I do weekly business with. Burning sky was set up by one of the original Dark Star brewers, Mark Tranter.

Hoping to go next year.

[PAFELL]

Continental, Preston advertising their 15th fest 1-4 Oct and charging for enrty for the first time, £5 Fri/Sat. I'll be giving it a miss.

When do Clithero do their festival. Heard that is fairly Ok.

Been to the Swan with two necks a few times, when I am able to get north.

[Al]

Never been to a beer festival so I would like to know. Is the ale all hand pumped or is some of it just gravity poured straight from the barrel. Ale must be pumped to be drinkable.

[PAFELL]

Never been to a beer festival so I would like to know. Is the ale all hand pumped or is some of it just gravity poured straight from the barrel. Ale must be pumped to be drinkable.

I presume because you like a head on the beer.

I know a few brewers who detest handpumps. They want their beers to taste as it was when they went into the cask.

In a pub or club you will often find both.

Using my own place as an example. I have 4 pumps on the main bar where over a weekends beer festival will get changed at least 3 times each pump. where downstairs - I would have about 16 to 20 beers straight from the cask. These latter ones all have cooling jackets on and the room itself is kept cool.

I sold out 26 casks in 2.5 days in April, which was only intended to be a small festival - got another festival in September.

Hope that helps.

Do you drink Bottled beers

[MCMC1875]

When do Clithero do their festival. Heard that is fairly Ok.

Been to the Swan with two necks a few times, when I am able to get north.

Was held on 14, 15, 16 May:

Clitheroe beer festival. Friday good day for this, too busy on Saturday.

[Al]

I presume because you like a head on the beer.

I know a few brewers who detest handpumps. They want their beers to taste as it was when they went into the cask.

In a pub or club you will often find both.

Using my own place as an example. I have 4 pumps on the main bar where over a weekends beer festival will get changed at least 3 times each pump. where downstairs - I would have about 16 to 20 beers straight from the cask. These latter ones all have cooling jackets on and the room itself is kept cool.

I sold out 26 casks in 2.5 days in April, which was only intended to be a small festival - got another festival in September.

Hope that helps.

Do you drink Bottled beers

Beer must have a head for me or it goes down the sink. I understand that in the South beer is often served flat. That's not for me. I drink canned beer at home but never without a widget and very occasionally bottled beer like Hobgoblin or Imported Nigerian Guinness but it has to be poured very carefully. Never, ever, flat beer from the barrel.

[Mike E]

Beer must have a head for me or it goes down the sink. I understand that in the South beer is often served flat. That's not for me. I drink canned beer at home but never without a widget and very occasionally bottled beer like Hobgoblin or Imported Nigerian Guinness but it has to be poured very carefully. Never, ever, flat beer from the barrel.

I'd love to know why ales aren't sold with widgets in cans. Would make them taste much more like they do from the pump.

[PAFELL]

Beer must have a head for me or it goes down the sink. I understand that in the South beer is often served flat. That's not for me. I drink canned beer at home but never without a widget and very occasionally bottled beer like Hobgoblin or Imported Nigerian Guinness but it has to be poured very carefully. Never, ever, flat beer from the barrel.

That is not correct about flat beer. The only difference is we don't use the sparkler / sprinkler, whatever name you want to call it. This gives it a head as well as making the beer smooth. I like a smooth beer if it was made to be a smooth beer by the brewer. Yet you can still get a very decent head without. The difference is how it is poured.

Simple way of describing the difference is, the south pours the beer in the glass from the top, by tilting the glass. Whereas the north puts the neck into the glass, sprinkler on, with the glass upright. (Not easy putting into written word things you do everyday). Though every bar staff have there own way of doing it.

I'd love to know why ales aren't sold with widgets in cans. Would make them taste much more like they do from the pump.

beer in tins, not for me. Bottles fine.

Read somewhere on here awhile ago about a beer called jaipour from Thornbridge brewery. A very good beer.

I bought some bottles from them recently of that beer. Fast service. I bought online 24 bottles on Friday afternoon and it was delivered tues lunchtime.

[Mike E]

That is not correct about flat beer. The only difference is we don't use the sparkler / sprinkler, whatever name you want to call it. This gives it a head as well as making the beer smooth. I like a smooth beer if it was made to be a smooth beer by the brewer. Yet you can still get a very decent head without. The difference is how it is poured.

Simple way of describing the difference is, the south pours the beer in the glass from the top, by tilting the glass. Whereas the north puts the neck into the glass, sprinkler on, with the glass upright. (Not easy putting into written word things you do everyday). Though every bar staff have there own way of doing it.

beer in tins, not for me. Bottles fine.

Read somewhere on here awhile ago about a beer called jaipour from Thornbridge brewery. A very good beer.

I bought some bottles from them recently of that beer. Fast service. I bought online 24 bottles on Friday afternoon and it was delivered tues lunchtime.

But bottles make ale very slightly fizzy when they should be smooth! Am I pouring wrong?

[ABBEY]

Your always pouring wrong

[MCMC1875]

That is not correct about flat beer. The only difference is we don't use the sparkler / sprinkler, whatever name you want to call it. This gives it a head as well as making the beer smooth. I like a smooth beer if it was made to be a smooth beer by the brewer. Yet you can still get a very decent head without. The difference is how it is poured.

Simple way of describing the difference is, the south pours the beer in the glass from the top, by tilting the glass. Whereas the north puts the neck into the glass, sprinkler on, with the glass upright. (Not easy putting into written word things you do everyday). Though every bar staff have there own way of doing it.

The art of pouring a pint is very much unappreciated. I went to the Forts Arms, Clayton beer festival a couple of years ago where they had Hopstar's Smokey Joe black beer on a pump. The staff were serving it flat as a mill pond. Barry Tyson, owner of the Hopstar Brewery happened to be there drinking and he said "Let me show you how to pour that. You pour the head in the bottom of the glass, then fill the glass slowly and the head rises to the top." The finished pint looked like a pint of Guinness and as it was drunk, the head went all the way down the glass leaving rings all the way down. After this, it started selling like hot cakes and even the Guinness drinkers switched to it.

[Doug]

But bottles make ale very slightly fizzy when they should be smooth! Am I pouring wrong?

No you aren't.

Bottled ale has had the yeast completely removed and therefore it will not be able to produce the gasses to produce a head.

The breweries add some polysomethings after the 'yeast removal' process to enable a 'Fizz'.

Bottled beer is a very poor relation to its far superior, distant relative, cask ale (IMO).

[Mike E]

No you aren't.

Bottled ale has had the yeast completely removed and therefore it will not be able to produce the gasses to produce a head.

The breweries add some polysomethings after the 'yeast removal' process to enable a 'Fizz'.

Bottled beer is a very poor relation to its far superior, distant relative, cask ale (IMO).

Fully agreed. When I've the money I'll be buying a reasonable set of pouring equipment and barrels of Wainwright haha.

[MCMC1875]

No you aren't.

Bottled ale has had the yeast completely removed and therefore it will not be able to produce the gasses to produce a head.

The breweries add some polysomethings after the 'yeast removal' process to enable a 'Fizz'.

Bottled beer is a very poor relation to its far superior, distant relative, cask ale (IMO).

Not true for all bottled ale.

Worthington White Shield has yeast in the bottle and should be stood before pouring so it doesn't get disturbed. Drinkers should pour carefully in one action and leave a bit (with the yeast) in the bottle, except for my Grandad who always drank the lot!

[Doug]

Not true for all bottled ale.

Worthington White Shield has yeast in the bottle and should be stood before pouring so it doesn't get disturbed. Drinkers should pour carefully in one action and leave a bit (with the yeast) in the bottle, except for my Grandad who always drank the lot!

Thanks, never heard of that, I was using the 99% rule. MOST 'real ales' you'd find on a supermarket in bottles do not have yeast in suspension. Bit of brewers yeast never killed anybody (that may be a 99% rule also).

By the way, a few years ago I heard that a French company was 'training' a yeast strain to adhere to the bottom of the bottle - but not seen anything yet!

[Mike E]

I tried putting a pint glass over a Wainwright bottle and just turned it right way up. Then I lifted the bottle slowly.

While it remained a little fizzy, it was more nearer to the gorgeous smooth stuff on tap

[MCMC1875]

I tried putting a pint glass over a Wainwright bottle and just turned it right way up. Then I lifted the bottle slowly.

While it remained a little fizzy, it was more nearer to the gorgeous smooth stuff on tap

Doing that, any dirt on the neck of the bottle will end up in the glass. If you watch a good barman pouring a bottle, he will tilt the glass and ensure the bottle never touches the glass.

[Mike E]

Doing that, any dirt on the neck of the bottle will end up in the glass. If you watch a good barman pouring a bottle, he will tilt the glass and ensure the bottle never touches the glass.

Never seen a barman pour ale from a bottle actually. Interesting.