need advice from UK beer's drunkers.

[william the bastard]

Hi all,

I'm living near Lille in nothern France. Last year two Brit groceries have opened with lot of products. one of these told me this morning they plan to import about 50 new beers for the end of the year, mainly Welsh and Scot!!

I'll be glad if you can tell me wich one I shall taste! (need to negotiate a dedicated fridge with my wife )

My actual list is
Murphy
Guinness of course
London Pride
Smithwick's
Abbot Ale
kilkenny
Caffreys
Newcatsle Brown Ale
Mac ewans (when I was teen)
I'm sure I missing something...
As you can see I'm not a fan of bitter.

I'd like to have good and argumented opinions from you

Thanks



...and Sorry for my French

[Fragony]

If you like Guinness you seem like a bitter fan to me. Don't know much about british beer, I know they give a headache and that the brittish still haven't figured out how to make the perfect draft. Good beer needs foam.

[Vladimir]

I've had a few English beers/ales in the US and my favorite so far is Newcastle Brown Ale. It's good but really expensive.

[English assassin]

I'm struggling with the idea of someone specially importing SCOTTISH beer, no disrespect but its a bit sweet for my tastes. Of your list:

Murphy's: fine stuff


Guinness: also fine stuff though IMHO Murphys is better. Also give Beamish a whirl if they have it

London Pride Actually a very good beer, for all that the brewery is by a massive roundabout on the A4. Oops, probably shouldn't have said that. Its a southern beer, ie more bitter and flatter than northern stuff, can't remember if this one is actually dry hopped but it is hoppy. The seasonal ales are also very nice.

Smithwick's: Pass

Abbot Ale: also a fine southern style beer, better than london pride in my view. Watch out for Green King's IPA as well, (a hoppy fairly string style of beer originally brewed to survive the sea passage to India) I think I prefer that to Abbot

kilkenny: Pass

Caffreys: I don't rate this. Isn't it pasteurised? I find it pretty bland, but it is smooth if you like that.

Newcatsle Brown Ale : yeah, well you either like it or you don't but you pretty much have to give it a go. I used to like it, but now I find it a bit sweet. But lets face it millions of Geordies can't be wrong (and if they are you wouldn't say so to their faces)

Mac ewans: Errr, Did I mention that the Scots make very good whiskys?

Be sure to look out for Shepherd Neame's Spitfire won't you...

I'm not too good on northern beer but I expect someone will be along shortly to help you out...or learn more than you every thought possible here: http://www.camra.org.uk/page.aspx?o=180657

[macsen rufus]

Tut tut Fragony... Guiness is neither bitter nor British (although it does make a damn fine pint ). And beer's for drinking, foam's for washing the dishes

Newky Brown is a good one that travels well, although the best pints are all to be found at a bar rather than a shop. Must be hand-drawn, you see....

So I can recommend Boddingtons and Stones (MUST be draught, not the canned varieties) both very smooth for bitters. Stones really has to be drunk near Sheffield though to be at its very best. Abbot Ale you've met, and that's a nice one. Hmmm, you're making me thirsty now.....

Look out for some of the small brands, there's a lot of new breweries now. The stranger the name the better the beer... try "Tanglefoot" if you can -- but not too much of it

Most of the list you gave are actually Irish, by the way!

And don't touch anything from Everards -- much to my dying shame it's the local brewery and not worth ditch water.

[caravel]

Murphy's
Guinness
London Pride
Smithwick's
Abbot Ale
kilkenny
Caffreys
Newcastle Brown Ale
Macewans

[Fragony]

Tut tut Fragony... Guiness is neither bitter nor British

I know, it's quite good

[English assassin]

Everards isn't as bad as Brakespears, that stuff really is vile.

No cans is an essential rule MR, good call.

[william the bastard]

Most of the list you gave are actually Irish, by the way!

Yes I know that why I wanna take advice for drink new ones. It is fairly easy to find Belgian beers here, just cross the border, but for Brit ones just cross the Chanel cannot do it each week.
to the end can go to Tesco at Sangatte but no so fun

and to be honest my personnal taste go to Brits beers more than Belgians ones, except the wonderful draught Leffe, maybe I drank tooo much of Belgians when I was teen Gah too many to taste

@english assasin : Thanks for the link

[Banquo's Ghost]

An Irish perspective, if it helps.

If you can get Murphy's don't bother with the Guinness. If you can get Beamish, so much the better.

I wouldn't wash my car with Caffrey's, it's foul.

[caravel]

An Irish perspective, if it helps.

If you can get Murphy's don't bother with the Guinness. If you can get Beamish, so much the better.

I wouldn't wash my car with Caffrey's, it's foul.

^^^^What he said.

[william the bastard]

An Irish perspective, if it helps.

If you can get Murphy's don't bother with the Guinness. If you can get Beamish, so much the better.

I wouldn't wash my car with Caffrey's, it's foul.

Regarding Murphy's and Guinness I agree with you, about Beamish I think they got some I will tatse next time

thanks Ghost

[Kanamori]

I used to drink only Spitfire in parliament's bars. If they have it, it's probably at least worth a try. Although to my understanding, parliament is the only place that you can still get it as a real cask ale.

[English assassin]

I used to drink only Spitfire in parliament's bars. If they have it, it's probably at least worth a try. Although to my understanding, parliament is the only place that you can still get it as a real cask ale.

First BKS and now you. At last I can say it...Spitfire's really taking off.

Ahem. I'll get my coat.

(fear not beer fans real draught Spitfire is available from all Shepherd Neame pubs. The bottled stuff is no longer bottle conditioned though, boo.)

[InsaneApache]

So I can recommend Boddingtons and Stones

Boddingtons best bitter...what can I say! From my home town. IIRC Strangeways brewery was established around 1725.....When I resided in Manchester, we called it Boddys 'head bangin' bitter.....

Under no circumstances consume Stones Bitter, it really is shite. I'm just forthright, not as polite as others on this thread, but truth will out.

[Somebody Else]

Winkles Old Peculiar.

[Pannonian]

Winkles Old Peculiar.

Washing down the dried frog pills, whilst singing "A hedgehog can never be b*****ed"?

[ShadesWolf]

Caffreys
Mac ewans export and lager............

This brings back memories

Caffreys and hooch, what a shandy

[Vladimir]

Ahem. I'll get my coat.

You really like your coat don't you?

[Don Corleone]

First BKS and now you. At last I can say it...Spitfire's really taking off.

Ahem. I'll get my coat.

(fear not beer fans real draught Spitfire is available from all Shepherd Neame pubs. The bottled stuff is no longer bottle conditioned though, boo.)

I used to get Spitfire, on draft, when I'd vist my sister up in Barrow-On-Furness (little town near Ulverston). Almost made me consider becoming an expat, just to get more of that dreamy stuff...

[IrishArmenian]

Guiness, Guiness, Guiness- The only beer that I drink on a regualr basis.

[Duke of Gloucester]

It is (obviously) important to remember that there is a difference between bottled/canned and draught beer. The only way William is going to get real beer is to cross the channel, since Kent is Spitfire country, it would be well worth the trip. However to buy from a shop it can't be draught, so he needs some recommendations for canned or bottled stuff. I rate:

Theakstons Best and Old Peculiar
Black Sheep Best and Wensleydale
Ruddles Best (though I haven't tasted this for a very long time and I believe they are now owned by Scottish and Newcastle and this may have a bad effect on quality)
Greene King Abbott ale

For everday drinking Marstons Pedigree is good and MacEwans Export is not bad (and cheap too). Highly rated by Insane Appache, Maddonna and my sister-in-law is Timothy Taylors Landlord, but I think this is too hoppy.

Beers to avoid because of their bland ordinariness:
Caffreys, Stones, Boddingtons (sorry IA), John Smiths, Sam Smiths (I reckon this is the same as John Smiths but in a different can), Tetley.

[Tribesman]

The thing with Britain is that there are just so many to sample , and you get all the seasonal specials .
I like visiting Britain for the ale , but them beer festivals need to go on longer , you need about a month to manage giving each of the decent beers a real good testing .

As for those Irish "beers" mentioned , Smithwicks , Kilkenny , Caffreys . They are very good .....for putting in a dish out in the garden to kill slugs and snails .

[macsen rufus]

@ William -- there's no escape - you have to hop on the ferry and do the "Compleat Orgah Pub Crawl of Olde Englande". Your hosts await

I must say my tastes coincide pretty well with Duke's - the regular tipple is Marston's Pedigree (ie in the village pub, from where I can walk home....), in town it's Guiness, and for treats Theakston's Old Peculiar, Abbott Ale if I'm in the right part of the country, and Ruddles - yes, where did that go? I've not seen it for AGES.....

Oh, and the worst of the worst has been mentioned -- Tetleys. Insipid, tongue-curdling, dishwater. Even worse than Everards. I would expect much better of Yorkshire

You may have a point calling Stones and Boddies bland, but they're more what I'd call "smooth" - get-it-down-yer-neck guzzling beers as opposed to more refined flavour experiences

[william the bastard]

@ William -- there's no escape - you have to hop on the ferry and do the "Compleat Orgah Pub Crawl of Olde Englande". Your hosts await

Definitivly YES!! that whzt I gonna do in october to visit a friend of mine
And too bad Eurostar doesn't understand for us it just like take the tube and lowing their prices I will spend a lot of time in England and money too.
I just hope you'll build a dedicated line to eurostar for Olympics to reduce travel time.

[English assassin]

You may have a point calling Stones and Boddies bland, but they're more what I'd call "smooth" - get-it-down-yer-neck guzzling beers as opposed to more refined flavour experiences

Wait, since when were flavour and consumption in huge quantities alternatives? The words "sip" and "beer" should never appear in the same sentence (unlike, say, "Kylie Minogue" and "bath full of custard" )

Wasn't there a drinking games thread in the frontroom a while back? I'm sure I remember discussing Freddie Fivepence with Somebody Else. WTB needs to check that out for the full UK beer drinking experience I think.

I just hope you'll build a dedicated line to eurostar for Olympics to reduce travel time.

We are. it will be ready in 2013...

[Pannonian]

Definitivly YES!! that whzt I gonna do in october to visit a friend of mine
And too bad Eurostar doesn't understand for us it just like take the tube and lowing their prices I will spend a lot of time in England and money too.
I just hope you'll build a dedicated line to eurostar for Olympics to reduce travel time.

Isn't the Eurostar going to be extended to Stratford, where the Olympics will be based? So you should be able to ride uninterrupted from the Gare du Nord to the Olympic village.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

I will chime in and plug Brains again. Everyone should try S.A. and Dark. As well as tasting great, they're relatively weak, (Dark is 3.5%, SA is 4.1%, both ABV) so make good session beers.

One of my favourites that hasn't been mentioned is Coniston Bluebird. It's bottle-conditioned, so the fact that you can't get it draught shouldn't be too much of a trial.

[Pannonian]

I will chime in and plug Brains again. Everyone should try S.A. and Dark. As well as tasting great, they're relatively weak, (Dark is 3.5%, SA is 4.1%, both ABV) so make good session beers.

What's SA?

One of my favourites that hasn't been mentioned is Coniston Bluebird. It's bottle-conditioned, so the fact that you can't get it draught shouldn't be too much of a trial.

Excellent stuff. I thought I was the only person who's ever tried it. Won a CAMRA award a few years back.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

What's SA?

Brains SA

The brewery is just down the road from me.