Real Ale, Lager or neither?

[Shaunmg]

Bathams
Doombar
Shropshire Lad
Otter Ale
Timothy Taylor Landlord
Abbot Ale
Fiddlers Elbow
Hob Goblin
Sneck Lifter
Dorothy Goodbody
Bishops Finger
Old Speckled Hen

Just some of the great beers sold in my local. I must be a trendy because I love them

Sorry to disappoint but drinking cask ale alone does not make you a trendy, you would also need to wear those new plimsoll type golf shoes and white belt on your black golf trousers to fully comply

 

[SocketRocket]

Sorry to disappoint but drinking cask ale alone does not make you a trendy, you would also need to wear those new plimsoll type golf shoes and white belt on your black golf trousers to fully comply

Even wearing that lot my beer belly would defy the trendy image.

 

[adiemel]

Real ale when I do have a pint. Old speckled hen, Ruddles county are a couple of favs

 

[Captainron]

So the vast majority of us prefer real ale. Proper result. If you haven't already, you should try out some local beer festivals and taste some different ales. Check out the Camra website here http://www.camra.org.uk

 

[MashieNiblick]

Real Ale for me.

I don't get out to the pub at all but the variety of real ales now available in bottles just from local supermarkets is fantastic. I can get ale from all over the country from Cornwall (Tribute) to Scotland (Innes and Gunn) with loads of local brews too. I'm particularly fond of lighter golden ales like Pride of Oxford by the Oxfordshire Bewery at Marsh Gibbon, Boondoggle, from Ringwood and Hooky Gold and Haymaker from Hook Norton. Thornbridge Wild Swan is a great alternative to lager if you are looking for something refreshing.

 

[Khamelion]

I voted naff, I'll drink either, but i'm not a big drinker, to old and the sniff of a cork gives me a blinding hangover.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Was in tesco today and they are doing a great range of beers (including fullers honeydew) at 4 for a fiver. Plus they are doing innis and gunn at 4 for 6 quid. Pile in....

 

[NorfolkShaun]

Should of put in a both option, love a pint of Stella 4, Becks Vier or Peroni in the summer, I do also love a real ale too

We have a cracking beer festival in Norwich some really good ales and we have some lovely micro brewery's too and not forgetting Adanms just down the road, highly recommend a pint of their latest brew 'Ghost Ship'

Two that stand out for me is a Nelsons blood bitter (real ale infused with spiced rum) and a real ale infused with coffee really interesting pint.

 

[Kellfire]

My pet hate is people who think lager isn't beer.

ARGH.

 

[Tab373]

Neither for me. Coming from Somerset it's gotta be Cider

 

[Shaunmg]

Real Ale for me.

I don't get out to the pub at all but the variety of real ales now available in bottles just from local supermarkets is fantastic. I can get ale from all over the country from Cornwall (Tribute) to Scotland (Innes and Gunn) with loads of local brews too. I'm particularly fond of lighter golden ales like Pride of Oxford by the Oxfordshire Bewery at Marsh Gibbon, Boondoggle, from Ringwood and Hooky Gold and Haymaker from Hook Norton. Thornbridge Wild Swan is a great alternative to lager if you are looking for something refreshing.

Not sure how they can call the supermarket bottle brands real ale, as far as I'm aware they are not. Real ale, as its termed, is cask conditioned ale, that is, it is I tapped and vented as it goes through a secondary fermentation in the pub cellar. The keg beers, (suppose we could call them fake ale) :mmm: where the fermentation is complete when leaving brewery, just as the supermarket bottles are. A quirky name doesn't make it real ale.

I'm not knocking cask beers, there are some good brews and I have drank many, but there is nothing wrong with keg bitters, I will be downing a few Tetley bitters watching the England Poland game tonight

 

[Hacker Khan]

Not sure how they can call the supermarket bottle brands real ale, as far as I'm aware they are not. Real ale, as its termed, is cask conditioned ale, that is, it is I tapped and vented as it goes through a secondary fermentation in the pub cellar. The keg beers, (suppose we could call them fake ale) :mmm: where the fermentation is complete when leaving brewery, just as the supermarket bottles are. A quirky name doesn't make it real ale.

I'm not knocking cask beers, there are some good brews and I have drank many, but there is nothing wrong with keg bitters, I will be downing a few Tetley bitters watching the England Poland game tonight

What about those bottled ales that have sediment in them? I was under the impression that they are doing something in the bottle, but I may we wrong.

 

[swanny32]

Haven't drunk for quite some time now and don't intend on starting up again any time soon, not that I was some kind of raging alcoholic, just didn't like the taste and it would generally go straight through me which I thought was a bit of a waste of money really. Would much rather have a coke or OJ & Lemonade over an alcoholic drink.

 

[MashieNiblick]

Not sure how they can call the supermarket bottle brands real ale, as far as I'm aware they are not. Real ale, as its termed, is cask conditioned ale, that is, it is I tapped and vented as it goes through a secondary fermentation in the pub cellar. The keg beers, (suppose we could call them fake ale) :mmm: where the fermentation is complete when leaving brewery, just as the supermarket bottles are. A quirky name doesn't make it real ale.

I'm not knocking cask beers, there are some good brews and I have drank many, but there is nothing wrong with keg bitters, I will be downing a few Tetley bitters watching the England Poland game tonight

I'm not a beer expert but this is from the Hook Norton website

"The majority of our bottled beers are, what is known as, bottle conditioned – this means that the beer is unpasteurised and not artificially carbonated. Instead, because beer is a natural, live product containing yeast, it undergoes a slow, secondary fermentation in the bottle. This creates a natural effervescence in the beer and helps to create the fantastic, fresh flavours associated with bottled real ale."

This from the Oxfordshire Brewery website

"Marshmellow, A real ale that’s mighty mellow! The signature beer of the Oxfordshire Ales range. For a fuller flavour, Marshmellow is a classic real ale with contemporary, easy drinking qualities. Deep amber in colour Marshmellow is generously fruity, malty and quenches the thirst with a lingering bitterness. Hops: East Kent Goldings and Mount Hood"

Are these bottle conditioned ales not "real ales "? Genuine question.

 

[Wayman]

lager for me

 

[Shaunmg]

I'm not a beer expert but this is from the Hook Norton website

"The majority of our bottled beers are, what is known as, bottle conditioned – this means that the beer is unpasteurised and not artificially carbonated. Instead, because beer is a natural, live product containing yeast, it undergoes a slow, secondary fermentation in the bottle. This creates a natural effervescence in the beer and helps to create the fantastic, fresh flavours associated with bottled real ale."

This from the Oxfordshire Brewery website

"Marshmellow, A real ale that’s mighty mellow! The signature beer of the Oxfordshire Ales range. For a fuller flavour, Marshmellow is a classic real ale with contemporary, easy drinking qualities. Deep amber in colour Marshmellow is generously fruity, malty and quenches the thirst with a lingering bitterness. Hops: East Kent Goldings and Mount Hood"

Are these bottle conditioned ales not "real ales "? Genuine question.

If the beer has a sediment in the bottle then it surely will be bottle conditioned therefore a so called real ale, But there are many beers on the supermarket shelves masquerading as real ale, so if its real ale what you want, you need to read the label

 

[MashieNiblick]

If the beer has a sediment in the bottle then it surely will be bottle conditioned therefore a so called real ale, But there are many beers on the supermarket shelves masquerading as real ale, so if its real ale what you want, you need to read the label

Thanks. That's helpful.

I've also had a look at the CAMRA website and some more of of the brewery ones.

So, while some of the bottled ales are "real ales" i.e. have a second fermentation in the bottle (bottle conditioned), and are labelled as "Real Ales" (e.g Marshmellow). others may not be, athough they are from the same brewery and labelled "craft ales" etc, (and still taste great).

I noticed CAMRA do a book on bottled ales which I may put on my Christmas List.

Also hoping to visit the Hook Norton brewery soon so can find out a bit more then.

Thanks again. Learned something new. :thup: