[Archived] Real Ale

[philipl]

Hard hat on but agree about some of the US micro-breweries producing remarkably fine real ales.

I have had an awful pint of speckled hen which put me off. Will have to try it again.

[PAFELL]

Real ale was always known as a "pint of old fart" in my youth because of its unfortunate side-effects and none of us drank it but I wouldn't drink anything else now. Favourites are Harvey's of Sussex (now available in the north west) and most of the products from Thwaites. Spent some time in Cardiff last week and Brains beers are OK too.

Ironic as I live in sussex. I can drink Harveys as it is a good beer. But as it is always available here, I try the guest ales in my local. Avoid Harveys, for same reasons. Or have at lease one to compare with others. They must be doing ok, as there is over a two year waiting list to tour their brewry in Lewes. Thwaites has been coming down here more and more recently, espcially in Hastings.

Brains, I agree. Reverand James is very popular. Had some of that on wedensday. But I also tried Hophead (dark star) Director (courage) Enigma (Robinson) Betty Stoggs (Skinners) Old peculiar )Theakston). Like you I won't drink anything else.

If ever you are heading dorset area, try wadworth's ale.

Hard hat on but agree about some of the US micro-breweries producing remarkably fine real ales.

I have had an awful pint of speckled hen which put me off. Will have to try it again.

With so many ales on the market, there will always be a popular one that some do not like. Had a speckled hen in fenhurst not long ago. That was ok. But they (brewry) have weakened it these days - sadly. Not sure but I think Greene King have taken it over. I stand to be corrected on that.

[thenodrog]

Real ale was always known as a "pint of old fart" in my youth because of its unfortunate side-effects and none of us drank it but I wouldn't drink anything else now.

Thats a strange statement. Care to explain further Jim?

[Driver99]

Just had a week in the Yorkshire Dales & stayed in a great little village called Askrigg, which is home to The Yorkshire Dales Brewery.

I've been a big fan of Real Ale for a good 20 years but the beers from this brewery are some of the best I've ever tried.

It's a very small one man micro-brewery producing about 7 or 8 different beers.

The Muker Silver is just sex in a glass.

The Kings Arms pub in the village(which was The Drovers pub in All Creatures Great & Small)has their own Kings Arms Ale from the brewery which is also lovely.

I brought a few bottles home but sadly they won't be lasting very long.

Another trip to The Dales beckons methinks!

[J*B]

I may be judging it unfairly, but I was in the DeLacy last Saturday night (late on c.11pm) and the clientèle were definitely ROUGH!!

Nice big screen showing the Barca v Real highlights though

Can't stop certain people coming down unfortunately. The pub gets frequented by a lot of undesirables from Clitheroe on Saturday nights.

However, most of the time, it has football on the big screen, with good ale, a massive beer garden and Roy porters pies. What more can you ask for!!

PS: As it happens I was working last Saturday!

[Clitherover]

Can't stop certain people coming down unfortunately. The pub gets frequented by a lot of undesirables from Clitheroe on Saturday nights.

[J*B]

Oops!

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Thanks for that. My mate likes all that sour brown (and usually flat) brown liquid and reckons anything I like is puff juice. It's prob all down to personal taste. But a word of good advice... don't ever follow a 'traditionalist' drinker into the bathroom the morning after a sesh.

Re your last sentence. When I was a young fella in the 1960's I used to walk to work, it took me about 15 minutes down a quiet lane. Every Monday morning I noticed an older guy, about 55 ish, running to work like the clappers. He was dressed in a collar and tie and looked like he worked in the offices. Not your typical athlete but I thought " Bloody Hell, he must be fit ".

A couple of years later I was in my local when the guy came in. I was at the bar at the time so I asked him about his athletic pusuits. He laughed and told me he always had a real ale session on Sundays but his wife had banned him from using the toilet on Monday mornings because he stank the house out !

[cletus]

Don`t know if anybody has noticed, but Stella Artois is no longer it`s normal 5.2% It`s been lowered to either 5% or 4.8% (not totally sure which one, as i don`t sup the stuff)

It is rumoured breweries have done an 'under the radar' deal with the government to lower the ABV of strong beers. The breweries pay a lot less duty on the beer that leaves their sites BUT the price you pay hasn`t gone down any.....nor is the lower ABV being shouted from the rooftops.

[bradeagle]

My favourite ones at the moment are Prospect Brewery, silver tally and gold rush - bank top and wigan beer brewerys do some good ones too. Anyone tried or heard of Prospect?

[Dreyski]

Don`t know if anybody has noticed, but Stella Artois is no longer it`s normal 5.2% It`s been lowered to either 5% or 4.8% (not totally sure which one, as i don`t sup the stuff)

It is rumoured breweries have done an 'under the radar' deal with the government to lower the ABV of strong beers. The breweries pay a lot less duty on the beer that leaves their sites BUT the price you pay hasn`t gone down any.....nor is the lower ABV being shouted from the rooftops.

Dunno why they would do that with Stella (unless Stella 4% isn't selling), but it's not the first time that's happened. About 10 years ago Caffrey's was reduced from 4.7% to 4.2%. Not sure you could have told the difference if it hadn't been announced TBH.

[Doug]

My favourite ones at the moment are Prospect Brewery, silver tally and gold rush - bank top and wigan beer brewerys do some good ones too. Anyone tried or heard of Prospect?

Yes, its owned by a woman called Patsy. Her 1st brewery she bought off Bank Top as they were expanding a few years ago.

Her new brewery is now bigger than Bank Top.

[PAFELL]

Dunno why they would do that with Stella (unless Stella 4% isn't selling), but it's not the first time that's happened. About 10 years ago Caffrey's was reduced from 4.7% to 4.2%. Not sure you could have told the difference if it hadn't been announced TBH.

Tried many real ales. But it is not often I say I do not like a particular beer. But Caffrey's is one beer I just do not like.

[bradeagle]

Yes, its owned by a woman called Patsy. Her 1st brewery she bought off Bank Top as they were expanding a few years ago.

Her new brewery is now bigger than Bank Top.

Its great isnt it. They have an open brewery where you can have a few on a friday afternoon and they have taken over a pub too. My new local!!

[PAFELL]

Its great isnt it. They have an open brewery where you can have a few on a friday afternoon and they have taken over a pub too. My new local!!

Where is this?

[Doug]

Had a few Theakstons dark mild last night, very good drink for a keg beer. Had liquorice taste notes, lovely. This is NOT the extra cold version either!

[bradeagle]

Where is this?

In Standish pal

[colin]

A pint of Thwaites' "Fine Rain" with my cheese board at "The Three Fishes" at Mytton today.

Lovely.

[thenodrog]

A pint of Thwaites' "Fine Rain" with my cheese board at "The Three Fishes" at Mytton today.

Lovely.

Just one? Amazing display of willpower Colin. First pint of that fine rain lasts me about a minute and a half!

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Anybody else noticed " Stella" is being replaced by inferior lagers like " Amstel "or " San Miguel ". It's happened in a few places I frequent. When I asked why in " The Chop House " in Manchester the barman said " There's no demand for Stella " ! I knew that was pure ######. I said " I'm demanding one now " ! When I pressed him a bit further he did reveal that the real reason was the owners couldn't make as much money on " Stella " as they could with " San Miguel " so they replaced it.

The cheeky illegitimates then went and charged more for a pint of " San Miguel " than they previously had for " Stella " !

[thenodrog]

Anybody else noticed " Stella" is being replaced by inferior lagers like " Amstel "or " San Miguel ". It's happened in a few places I frequent. When I asked why in " The Chop House " in Manchester the barman said " There's no demand for Stella " ! I knew that was pure ######. I said " I'm demanding one now " ! When I pressed him a bit further he did reveal that the real reason was the owners couldn't make as much money on " Stella " as they could with " San Miguel " so they replaced it.

The cheeky illegitimates then went and charged more for a pint of " San Miguel " than they previously had for " Stella " !

Indeed. Some years ago my local changed landlord and his manager replaced Carslberg Export with some Thwaites originated gnats p1ss called Kaltenberg Hell. Apparently Hell cost em 50p less per pint. I never went in again and he lasted about two months. It's a restaurant now.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Indeed. Some years ago my local changed landlord and his manager replaced Carslberg Export with some Thwaites originated gnats p1ss called Kaltenberg Hell. Apparently Hell cost em 50p less per pint. I never went in again and he lasted about two months. It's a restaurant now.

Mm, "Carlsberg Export", we used to call that "fighting beer". Good pint but there was some truth in the nickname.

[adopted scouser]

A pint of Thwaites' "Fine Rain" with my cheese board at "The Three Fishes" at Mytton today.

Lovely.

Is it really called fine rain ? Or does it soak you through ?

[Al]

Anybody else noticed " Stella" is being replaced by inferior lagers like " Amstel "or " San Miguel ". It's happened in a few places I frequent. When I asked why in " The Chop House " in Manchester the barman said " There's no demand for Stella " ! I knew that was pure ######. I said " I'm demanding one now " ! When I pressed him a bit further he did reveal that the real reason was the owners couldn't make as much money on " Stella " as they could with " San Miguel " so they replaced it.

The cheeky illegitimates then went and charged more for a pint of " San Miguel " than they previously had for " Stella " !

I'm not great on lager but I do like a pint of San Miguel outside on a hot day. Far superior to Stella. I reckon your landlord did you a favour.

[PAFELL]

A pint of Thwaites' "Fine Rain" with my cheese board at "The Three Fishes" at Mytton today.

Lovely.

FINE RAIN is a nice beer. Had some in Golden cup when I came up north at easter.