Your Fav' Real Ales

the_fuggler

Mr Goo wrote:

davylear wrote:

Anything from Devon and cornwall keeps me happy, Doom bar particulary easy to drink but Spingo Ale from the micro brewery at Helston is a cracker.

Wooden Hand Brewery - Black Pearl, Cornish Buccaneer, Pirates Gold and Cornish Mutiny. Without exception all very nice bottled beers and available at quite a few Morrisons along the south coast. Even better when you can get them on 4 for £6.

And we have a winner.

Wooden Hand Cornish Buccaneer is the best bottled beer I've ever had - seems to travel much better than any other Cornish ale I've tried. Wonderful though Tribute (St Austell - try a pint in the Norway Inn at Perranarworthal), Doom Bar (Sharps), Betty Stogs, St Piran's (both Skinners), they are all much better locally on tap than bottled.

The Blue Anchor in Helston is legendary. The seasonal ales are immense and can knock your socks off. Middle tends to be a really nice pint, but even that can finish me off after 4 or 5.

BelgianBeerGeek

Another +1 for the Blue Anchor. Great pub, great ales.
Another great place to sample Cornish beers kept in the very best form is (or was) the Blisland Inn, not far from Bodmin. The Skinner's beers were heavenly when I visited.

Dmak

Depends on the mood. Doom Bar is a nice session drink and Adnams Broadside is great but can be a bit wild!

briantrumpet

I hardly ever drink these days, but have happy memories a couple in particular:

Santa Fe (RCH) - a dangerously drinkable 7.3%
Bishop's Tipple, back in the 1980s, before Gibbs Mew sold out.

I really out to do more sampling, as I live near one of the best pubs in the country, The Bridge Inn in Topsham. A constantly changing range of beers served straight from the cask in unique surroundings. If you haven't been there, you should.

amun1000

Sam Smiths

mr_goo

briantrumpet wrote:

I hardly ever drink these days, but have happy memories a couple in particular:

Santa Fe (RCH) - a dangerously drinkable 7.3%
Bishop's Tipple, back in the 1980s, before Gibbs Mew sold out.

I really out to do more sampling, as I live near one of the best pubs in the country, The Bridge Inn in Topsham. A constantly changing range of beers served straight from the cask in unique surroundings. If you haven't been there, you should.

Gibbs Mew. Happy days. Their Wiltshire Bitter was a great session beer. Went to their tap room a few times in Salisbury. Such a shame they closed down.

Had a bottle of Palmers Dorset Gold the other night. Very nice bottled beer. Their Copper Ale is great from the tap. Served at the Square and Compass, Worth Matravers on the Isle of Purbeck. Great stop off for a pint if cycling round the area.

Initialised

I take the whatever's localest which usually means a pint of Sunny Daze.

briantrumpet

Mr Goo wrote:

Gibbs Mew. Happy days.

I thought that might stir one or two memories.

We tried to do a few pub crawls in Topsham when I was at university, but they never got very far as we ended up drinking too much Nipple at The Bridge, and never got further than a couple more pubs. At the rate things are going, it won't be long before there are only three pubs in Topsham - the 'Topsham Ten' is no more. Sad times.

Gizmo_

briantrumpet wrote:

Mr Goo wrote:

Gibbs Mew. Happy days.

I thought that might stir one or two memories.

We tried to do a few pub crawls in Topsham when I was at university, but they never got very far as we ended up drinking too much Nipple at The Bridge, and never got further than a couple more pubs. At the rate things are going, it won't be long before there are only three pubs in Topsham - the 'Topsham Ten' is no more. Sad times.

I remember doing the Topsham Ten a few years ago. Whether it was ten or not I really couldn't say.

The Turf on the other side of the river remains my favourite pub in the world, but that's mostly due to location rather than the beer; although many pints of "Ferryman" have been sunk looking our over the estuary.

teisetrotter

There is a brilliant 'green hop festival' in Kent. All the breweries are doing one, they make the beer with fresh un dried hops. There have been some brilliant beers.

Best one is in a great pub The Craft Beer Co in Clerkenwell. Dark Star - http://darkstarbrewing.co.uk/pdf/six-hop-ale.pdf

I only realised it was 6.5% three pints and a feeling of the early onset of drunkeness

BelgianBeerGeek

Dark Star have been mentioned before, but +1 from me. Their Hophead is an all time fave, and the American Pale Ale is outstanding.
Friday afternoon, nearly beer o'clock....

Gizmo_

That Craft Beer Co pub though... if it's the one I'm thinking of, it's unbearable. Elbow to elbow 'fashionable' publishing/media types.

Irritating.

Still, it's only 400m north of the Mitre.

nickel

beverick wrote:

Particular favourites are most of Honiton's Otter brewery (especially Otter Bright) and Rooster's beers from Knaresborough.

Talk of Taylor's Landlord, and with winter around the corner, reminds me that Ram Tam is an old favourite - it's a mixture of Landlord and Dark Mild. Taylor's say it's "a dark, strong beer that has a reputation as a 'Winter Warmer'. Wholesome and satisfying, this mellow beer has body and depth, leaving a pleasant fruity afterglow".

Personally I'd say it's more like drinking a mixture of liquified liquirice alsorts and bonfire toffee diluted in strong vodka.

Bob

Thank god someone has mentioned Otter breweries; Otter Head remains the best beer I have ever had. Shepherd's neame's spitfire is another favourite.

corks63

Favourite bottled beers.

Badgers - Poachers Ale
Youngs - Christmas Pudding Ale (don't think they do this anymore)

Favourite draft.

Jaipur
Doom Bar
Tribute
Deuchars

I am off to Dorset in a couple of weeks. Anyone know any decent real ale pubs around the Bridport area.

peat

Bottled:

Arkells - Noel (only available at xmas)
Brakspear - Triple
Wye Valley - Butty Bach

Draft:

West Berks - Dr.Hexter's Healer
Timmy Taylor - Landlord
St Austell - Tribute

Ben6899

Far too many to mention, but my two favourites are:

1. Theakston's Old Peculier; and
2. Camden Town Brewery's Hefeweizen.

I'll be having a long weekend in the New Forest at the end of the month and while I am there, I'll be drinking anything from Ringwood.

veronese68

Pub 6 doors away has a beer festival starting this weekend. The landlord sent me the list. A total of 53 different ales (not all at the same time). I won't post the full list but will update with the ones I like, I noticed Pride of Pendle was mentioned above, I know that's on there.

Aquavista97

Marston Pedigree was always my favourite when I lived in Staffordshire, but its one of those beers that just doesn't travel, so never have it these days (now exiled in Oxfordshire). Definite fan of Timmy Taylor's Landlord, Doom Bar and Tribute as mentioned by a few others, and some of my favourite local ones around here are, in no particular order:

Old Tyler, West Berks
Hoppit, Loddon
Village Idiot, White Horse

mr_goo

Aquavista97 wrote:

Marston Pedigree was always my favourite when I lived in Staffordshire, but its one of those beers that just doesn't travel, so never have it these days (now exiled in Oxfordshire). Definite fan of Timmy Taylor's Landlord, Doom Bar and Tribute as mentioned by a few others, and some of my favourite local ones around here are, in no particular order:

Old Tyler, West Berks
Hoppit, Loddon
Village Idiot, White Horse

Agree, Pedigree does not travel at all. It has always been a standing joke with my mates in the south, as is always referred to as pint of Chum. Tastes awful. Not sure what Marstons are up to regards brewing. One of my favourite pints on tap used to be Ringwood Best. But since Marstons took over the quality/taste has become a bit hit and miss. And I do not like the new label on another favourite of mine Sneck Lifter.

On another note, had a bottle of WilliamsBros (Alloa) 'March of the Penguins' stout last night. Quite a nice stout, no bitter after notes, very smooth creamy pint. On offer at Tesco for £1.50. Worth a punt.

BelgianBeerGeek

+1 to this^ I know things aren't wot they used to be but Pedigree is a shadow of its former self. As a Staffordshire lad I was weaned on this stuff (and Banks' Mild 8)) but these days I just can't get on with it. Years ago it needed real proper cellar care, but now I think it's dumbed down for mass consumption.
Ringwood used to also much better, but the hand of Marston's strikes again.

BelgianBeerGeek

Corks63 wrote:

Favourite bottled beers.

Badgers - Poachers Ale
Youngs - Christmas Pudding Ale (don't think they do this anymore)

Favourite draft.

Jaipur
Doom Bar
Tribute
Deuchars

I am off to Dorset in a couple of weeks. Anyone know any decent real ale pubs around the Bridport area.

Palmer's beers are good. Otherwise it's mainly Badger beers in that part of the world.

mr_goo

BelgianBeerGeek wrote:

Corks63 wrote:

Favourite bottled beers.

Badgers - Poachers Ale
Youngs - Christmas Pudding Ale (don't think they do this anymore)

Favourite draft.

Jaipur
Doom Bar
Tribute
Deuchars

I am off to Dorset in a couple of weeks. Anyone know any decent real ale pubs around the Bridport area.

Palmer's beers are good. Otherwise it's mainly Badger beers in that part of the world.

Palmers are really nice ales. Copper Ale is lovely pint, especially consumed at the Square and Compass, Worth Matravers with their home made pasties, sat by the open fire. One of the finer things in life to experience.

Call me fussy but cannot get on with Badger cask ales either, bottled beers are better, Golden Glory, Golden Champion and Flyer all rather good. They do a seasonal cask ale called Firkin Fox . My father in tried this at his local and gave it straight back to the barman stating that it was 'Firkin' awful.

BelgianBeerGeek

I think every pint I've had at The Square & Compass has become my favourite. It's simply a magical place. It's also really great in the summer. Sitting outside looking over the bay with a Palmer's is about as close to heaven as I've got. And it's got a fossil museum 8)
You're right about Badger, I don't like them very much either, but they are strangely better in bottle than draught. That's no way for a proper brewery to behave.
New discovery this week - beers from Kernel brewery in London. Only bottled, but very good. Well worth seeking out.

andyjr

York Brewery- Stonewall or Terrier
St Austell Tribute

verylonglegs

BelgianBeerGeek wrote:

You're right about Badger, I don't like them very much either, but they are strangely better in bottle than draught. That's no way for a proper brewery to behave.

You are right from a purists point of view but changes in the way alcohol is now consumed in this country, more in the home than the pub, then it's probably not a bad thing.

mr_goo

BelgianBeerGeek wrote:

I think every pint I've had at The Square & Compass has become my favourite. It's simply a magical place. It's also really great in the summer. Sitting outside looking over the bay with a Palmer's is about as close to heaven as I've got. And it's got a fossil museum 8)
You're right about Badger, I don't like them very much either, but they are strangely better in bottle than draught. That's no way for a proper brewery to behave.
New discovery this week - beers from Kernel brewery in London. Only bottled, but very good. Well worth seeking out.

The Square & Compass is my favourite pub of all time. Earlier this year parked up in the National Trust car park, went out on the bike for 20 odd miles and finished with that lovely long drag up hill B3069 from Swanage, up through Langton Matravers and back to the S&C. Nice pint of Palmers Copper Ale as the reward. Who cares that the calories burnt off went straight back on.

mr_goo

+1 Hepworth Pullman - 2 for £3 at ASDA.
Very nice smooth bottled bitter. Will be stocking up on this one for Crimbo.

corks63

+1 for the Square and Compass. Have done quite a lot of walking around there and is always nice to refresh oneself mid-walk at the S&C. Unfortunately won't be getting over there this time as we are more over towards the Burton Bradstock area, mind you we are only 50 yards from a very nice country pub.

the_fuggler

Have to say that the pint of Tribute I had while looking at the sea from the comfort of a massive armchair inside The Carbis Bay Hotel after completing the Lands End 100 last week, was one of the best pints I've ever had.

Managed to squeeze in a quick visit to the Blue Anchor while I was down. All ales present and correct.

Gizmo_

This week I have mostly been supping on home-brew.

It's a hoppy light ale that doesn't taste alcoholic at all but makes me very sleepy ...