Beer,Lager,and Ale, oh my...

[PaleoHunterGatherer]

As my plans progress to visit the UK in the not too distant future, I find myself in the need of some important information. While I'm not planning a pub crawl during my itinerary(I'd never make it out of your country alive ), I do wish to partake of the loverly British beers, lagers, and ales.
My only criteria, if you will, for the brews I will be sampling is that they be light in taste, and smooth going down. So what are your recommendations? I figure I'll get as many opinions as there are members here, but thought I'd ask away...
Which reminds me of a saying I've heard about British beers: 'The Vikings came and took our cattle, took our women, at least they left us their ales!'
Cheers
Alex

 

[commandocal]

get on the best first which is lovely then after about 50 of them start going onto the lager ( while still drinking the best ofcourse) Oo its heaven like drinking honey liquor

 

[Shewie]

Not really much of a beer drinker myself so can`t really comment, whenever I do have a session it`s usually a Danish or Belgian imported lager.

 

[Jedadiah]

As recommendations through experience go, i'd say that, as much as this sceptered isle is small, comparatively speaking, different area's have thier favourite grog. So, bearing inmind local tastes, it may be better if nationaly available beer's are recommended.

Here's a few,

Timothy Taylors Landlord or Ramtam (winter ale or stout)
Blacksheep
Witchwood Brewerys Circlemaster, Waggle Dance or Bah Humbug
Teltley Bitter (Yorkshire only, tend's not to travel well)
Samuel Smiths Silly Water (Any Samuel Smiths ale)
Spitfire Ale
Brains S.A (Skull attack) Wales Only
Hobgoblin
Theakstons OP or XB
Hoskins Double Bagger
McEwans 70 or 80 shilling

These are just a few, i'm sure this list will be added to by others, but it all depends on where you go and how long your here for.

Always remember, you know you have had enough when the wall you are leaning against is covered in carpet and cigarette ash and the wall opposite is covered in lights!

 

[Ogri the trog]

PHG, I am going to get into sooooo much trouble!
Firstly, ignore anything labelled as "larger" - its pants, bland, fizzy and absolutely no taste, brewed with known poisons to give the drinker the headache that he needs to think he has had a good night out!
Secondly, be very careful with anything labelled as just "Beer", its likely to be cheaply made and not very good (though infinately better than larger ).
Ciders and Perry's are worth a tipple depending on your individual taste.
Guiness is in a class of its own and, whilst an aquired taste, makes a good quaffable drink, it doesn't travel well though, so the further you are from Ireland, the lower the quality.
Ales are Gods recommended use of grain with wildly varying tastes, strengths and colours - drink all that you can find! I can heartily recommend anything brewed by the Wychwood Company in Oxfordshire, they even have their own website - http://www.wychwood.co.uk/ For light tasting brews I'd say Wychcraft/Blackwych/Circle Master, whereas Goliath and Hobgoblin are likely to be too strong, but all are worth trying.

Nothing to do with the company, just a very satisfied customer.

Oh, and this is a balanced and considered view - anyone who says different is wrong

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[EdS]

the are a range of local ales - best bet is to consider where you are going to narrow things down.

Beer is a catch all term for drinks made from grain, mostly barley over here.

Lagers ferment at colder temperature and the yeast is at the bottom, ales are fermented at higher temp and ferment form the top.

Ales (including porter, stout etc) are the traditional UK beers.

Avoid any larger (except a few from small breweries) a unless it is 100% imported proper stuff - but that will not be British.

To make life easier drink what is on the hand pulled pump - you ge the odd badly kept pint but normally you get a good local beer and often a very good pint.

 

[Toddy]

I'm in full agreement with Ogri
Good ale is beautiful stuff; lager is vile, thin, bitter, alien somehow

Try Fraoch too, that's Heather Ale, and if you like a rich drink try Sweet Stout. I like the St Peter's organic ale and Golden Promise is good too.......I've forgotten the name of the one with Bog Myrtle in it ....it was fine.

Basically, have a look at the bottle and give it a shot...what a way to travel around the UK though, brewery area by area

Good cider and perry ought not be overlooked either, just remember some of them are really potent.

Slainte !

Toddy

 

[British Red]

PHG,

If you are still heading near the Isle of Wight, be sure and visit "The Hampshire Bowman". They have their own micr brewery and lots of guest ales still brewed in tiny quantities.

I agree with all the ales from Wychwood and Theakstons but would also suggest you try any you find from Gadger (Gloden Glory springs to mind as one you would like - light and refreshing) but also try "Tanglefoot" - its well named . Since you will be in Hampshire, any good local beer shop should sell you some from the Hampshire Brewery which is well worth trying

Red

 

[Dingo]

depending on where you are visiting, there will be local beers/ales on offer. There will however almost certainly be a 'SMOOTH' option at the bar, what this means is the beer has less gas and a decent head, they are usually quite soft and easy to drink, sometimes a little to easy! John Smiths bitter, Tetleys bitter, these are the common ones, don't be put off by the bitter tag, they are dark beers as opposed to lagers or light beers brewed on the continent. as for quality the other beers and ales that have been suggested throughout this thread, all are good if kept well, but thats the same of most beers, a good cellar man is worth his weight in gold. they are all good once you have had a few! and after a few more they become brilliant, after a few more the y beeco me exseepttiona l i fink i dddddont remmeemberrr

enjoy them all responsibly that way you will enjoy them more.

only my opinion, no offence meant.

Adam.

 

[John Fenna]

Avoid Lager - it is only served cpold so that your taste buds are frozen!
Do try Speckled Hen and 6X as well as those mentioned above.

 

[ganstey]

PHG,

I agree with all the ales from Wychwood and Theakstons but would also suggest you try any you find from Gadger (Gloden Glory springs to mind as one you would like - light and refreshing) but also try "Tanglefoot" - its well named . Since you will be in Hampshire, any good local beer shop should sell you some from the Hampshire Brewery which is well worth trying

Red

I concur with Red on Wychwood and Theakstons. Golden Glory is by Badger

Another widely available Bitter in the southwest is Wadworth's 6X. Its a lovely pint and doesn't give you (me) a hangover unless you've had the whole barrel

Tanglefoot is v.nice, but you'll need a wheelchair to get back home again

Try and find a pub with a micro-brewery. Get yourself a copy of The Good Beer Guide.

G

 

[Moff8]

another vote for Theakstons Old Peculiar. Without doubt my favourite ale.

if you are fearless try an Orkney Skull Splitter, start with a half

 

[mr dazzler]

If you get to suffolk then you could do no better than adnam's explorer, light colour, but bursting with character and rich flavours, easy to drink, great with food, meat cheese, potataoes etc. Adnams ales is hard to beat in fact. For wallop try adnams "broadside", its deep rich liquorice hoppy powerful kick. Or adnam's "the bitter" great general purpose ale. All of them are superb. Also I can personally recomend "Frome valley cider", it is very very good, not gassy and fizzy like most are, full rich mature velvety appley character, as good or better than some Normandy "cidre doux" and I've tried a few.

 

[Lostdreamer]

My only criteria, if you will, for the brews I will be sampling is that they be light in taste, and smooth going down. So what are your recommendations?

If your objective is to sample a large number of different beers, consider asking for halves of two different beers rather than a pint of one. It also helps if different people order different beers so that you can try them.

Don't be afraid of asking the barman/lass for a taste - anywhere they object to doing this you probably don't want to be drinking in.

Ok. First starting point is the hand pumps. Given your tastes, an IPA or summer ale is a good starting point - look for something with 'IPA', 'golden', 'pale' or 'summer' in the name. Avoid porters, stouts and generally 'dark' pints. 'Bitters' & 'bests' form a kindof halfway point, and 'milds' are a more of a ******* child - they arn't halfway between a stout or a pale beer, they have characteristics of both.
That previous paragraph is, unsurprisingly, a crass generalization summing up thousands of years of practice, progress, culture, variety and nuances into three sentences.
What you should end up with is something quite light, sweet and dangerously drinkable - but still with considerably more character & flavor than a watery pint of Fosters or John Smiths.
If there isn't anything interesting on the pumps, have a glance in the fridge behind the bar to see if there are any bottles there that catch your eye.
If that fails then see what there is on tap.
If that fails, go someplace else. Plenty of pubs around.

I am personally a big fan of IPA's & Milds. (Sarah Huges Dark Ruby Mild. If god made beer, he would brew that.)
Having said all that, I would advise trying a stout/porter if you get the chance. They are a considerably richer drink that would be a shame to miss simply because you didn't try 'em.

 

[Dingo]

well said about the half pints, unless you are a regular drinker with a high resistance to alcohol, this is a good idea, otherwise you could end up in a real mess.

the drinks mentioned in this thread are deceptively strong, especially if your not used to them, i have seen many a BIG Lager drinker absolutely stone drunk on considerably less volume than they would normally consume.

Also, i dont know wether or not you are driving, but this beer can still affect you in the morning if you have consumed enough! please be carefull as drink driving is serious stuff here.

have a good time sampling as many beers as you feel necessary enjoy them responsibly and you will remember enough about them to give us all a taste of what you liked best.

 

[snoop Ex member]

i'll second the guiness, also there's only one ALE and thats NEWCASTLE BROWN ALE !!

also try a good MEAD mmmm

 

[Limaed]

If you come to Scotland try Lia Fail, Schallion, Ossian, Nimbus,Arran Blonde and best of all Innes and Gunn. (These maybe avalible in other parts too?) Ed

 

[ganstey]

and best of all Innes and Gunn. (These maybe avalible in other parts too?) Ed

Ooh yes, forgot about that one. Best taken (by me) in moderation though. I've bought it down here in Wiltshire from Sainsbury's (bigl supermarket chain in case the OP hasn't come across them).

G

 

[Dano]

As my plans progress to visit the UK in the not too distant future, I find myself in the need of some important information. While I'm not planning a pub crawl during my itinerary(I'd never make it out of your country alive ), I do wish to partake of the loverly British beers, lagers, and ales.
My only criteria, if you will, for the brews I will be sampling is that they be light in taste, and smooth going down. So what are your recommendations? I figure I'll get as many opinions as there are members here, but thought I'd ask away...
Which reminds me of a saying I've heard about British beers: 'The Vikings came and took our cattle, took our women, at least they left us their ales!'
Cheers
Alex

I think the pub is more important than the ale, a bad boozer can really bugger up a nice beer, I am an Ale drinker and happen to know a few good pubs around about, where are you going to visit? I can give you a few recommendations

 

[CLEM]

I had a beautifull ale last night,Badger's Englands Gold,blummin lovely it was!