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Topic: All Things Beer!  (Read 63935 times)

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Re: All Things Beer!
« Reply #75 on: March 03, 2012, 10:59:26 AM »
My wife does not drink real ale but likes the ciders. Although she'll occasionally have wheat beers or porters.

It's hard for me to believe that 5 years ago I wouldn't have touched real ale with a bargepole... I mean, i tried a few, but always thought they tasted soapy and didn't like them... now it's the only beer I drink!  ( I don't drink keg at all, except under the most desperate circumstances...)

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Abbeydale moonshine won the top award, I didn't have any as I try to go for beers I've not had before when I go to a beer festival.

I'd be all over that one, as I've never tried it before!  Hopefully it will make its way up here at some stage.  I'll talk to my cellarman.

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It was a bit strange in that there were some very common beers there such as Black Sheep, Timmy Taylor's Landlord and Bombadier - can't think why anyone would want those at a festival!
I have a friend whose all-time favourite beer is Landlord, so if she saw it at a fest, she might have one, as it's not one we get up here (i am in Scotland) very often... but I have hated every Black Sheep beer I've ever tried, and also not a fan of Bombardier.  

It's like when you walk into a bar that purports to have real ale and all they've got is Deuchars, or Abbot/Greene King/Belhaven!
« Last Edit: March 03, 2012, 11:21:12 AM by Tracey »


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Re: All Things Beer!
« Reply #76 on: March 03, 2012, 11:37:36 AM »
It's like when you walk into a bar that purports to have real ale and all they've got is Deuchars, or Abbot/Greene King/Belhaven!

You have to remember a LOT of pubs are still tied to the breweries, even if theyre a 'free' house. The landlords might be real ale fans and are able to have a large selection of what they want on hand, but because they still have a contract with the brewery they still have to serve some of their products. Its been a problem as a Enterprise/Green King/PubCo/etc are selling off their properties, but forcing the new owners to still be tied to their drinks as part of the sale.


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Re: All Things Beer!
« Reply #77 on: March 03, 2012, 01:19:14 PM »
We don't really have the 'tied house' situation so much here in Scotland.  But I know what you're saying, and those would be the exact pubs I would seek to avoid.  If I saw that was all that was on the bar, I would walk out.

But lucky you.... living in Sheffield!  Ahhhhhh... the Sheffield Tap, Kelham Island, Fat Cat, Dev Cat, the Shakespeare... an Ossett tap as well, which I haven't yet been to... you've no shortage of good pubs!


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Re: All Things Beer!
« Reply #78 on: March 03, 2012, 08:54:35 PM »
We don't really have the 'tied house' situation so much here in Scotland.  But I know what you're saying, and those would be the exact pubs I would seek to avoid.  If I saw that was all that was on the bar, I would walk out.

But lucky you.... living in Sheffield!  Ahhhhhh... the Sheffield Tap, Kelham Island, Fat Cat, Dev Cat, the Shakespeare... an Ossett tap as well, which I haven't yet been to... you've no shortage of good pubs!

Theres quite a bit here. My techinical local is the Sheaf View, but we prefer the Rutland Arms. I think there was a CAMRA survey and at any one time in Sheffield theres at least 250 types of real ale on...  Its pretty special.

My other half is REALLY into his ale and so some of it rubs off on me.. Ideally, we'd like to own our own pub, serving our own beer one day.. Right now hes settling on trying to get Brew Dog to open a pub here...


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Re: All Things Beer!
« Reply #79 on: March 03, 2012, 09:23:56 PM »
.. Right now hes settling on trying to get Brew Dog to open a pub here...

NOOOOOOO!!!!
Brewdog are one of my pet hates! 
They used to make real ale, and some of it was lovely, but then they changed both the recipe and the gravity of Punk IPA, but still called it Punk.... if you change the taste and the gravity, then it's not the same beer and should have a different name!  Then they started making all this keg beer and as far as I know, don't really produce real cask ale anymore.

We have a Brewdog pub here in Glasgow... I've been... once, and it wasn't to my taste AT ALL.  Including paying £7 for a pint!


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Re: All Things Beer!
« Reply #80 on: March 03, 2012, 09:48:31 PM »
NOOOOOOO!!!!
Brewdog are one of my pet hates! 
They used to make real ale, and some of it was lovely, but then they changed both the recipe and the gravity of Punk IPA, but still called it Punk.... if you change the taste and the gravity, then it's not the same beer and should have a different name!  Then they started making all this keg beer and as far as I know, don't really produce real cask ale anymore.

We have a Brewdog pub here in Glasgow... I've been... once, and it wasn't to my taste AT ALL.  Including paying £7 for a pint!

I'm not bothered.
Im happy with a Rutty butty and just chilling out. I've found the two brew dog pubs I've been in filled with uber uber hipsters and just kinda droll. I mean its bad enough the hipster have embraced real ale, but yeah... Hes just a card holder, plus my OH can be a bit of a brat and likes to wind up CAMRA peoples.


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Re: All Things Beer!
« Reply #81 on: March 04, 2012, 09:38:34 AM »
I mean its bad enough the hipster have embraced real ale, but yeah...

Differences between Sheffield and Glasgow, then!
The hipsters here have embraced 'craft ale', but definitely not 'real ale', which still seems to be mainly drunk by codgers like myself and my friends!  ;)
I'm a CAMRA member... I don't go to meetings (but I've been thinking about going to one, just to see if they're as awful as I've heard), but I do complete the 'Rate Our Beer' survey on our local CAMRA website.  And the discount comes in handy for beer festivals or when Wetherspoons have something nice on!


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Re: All Things Beer!
« Reply #82 on: March 04, 2012, 10:32:39 PM »
NOOOOOOO!!!!
Brewdog are one of my pet hates! 
They used to make real ale, and some of it was lovely, but then they changed both the recipe and the gravity of Punk IPA, but still called it Punk.... if you change the taste and the gravity, then it's not the same beer and should have a different name!  Then they started making all this keg beer and as far as I know, don't really produce real cask ale anymore.


you're right, they've been in dispute with CAMRA over it as CAMRA wouldn't allow them at the GB beer festival because of it.

I'm sort of in 2 minds, because what they do is craft beer, more like the US than over here, and I'm happy enough to drink that product in the US.

I'm in Edinburgh for work in a few weeks so will be visiting my fave pub there, The Bow Bar.
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Re: All Things Beer!
« Reply #83 on: March 05, 2012, 07:38:16 AM »
My friend from the US is in tonight and I shall kidnap him from his co-workers and take him to my favourite pub at somepoint this week, which is also a CAMRA pub and always has something great for me to drink! 
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Re: All Things Beer!
« Reply #84 on: March 05, 2012, 07:48:17 AM »
you're right, they've been in dispute with CAMRA over it as CAMRA wouldn't allow them at the GB beer festival because of it.

I'm sort of in 2 minds, because what they do is craft beer, more like the US than over here, and I'm happy enough to drink that product in the US.

I'm in Edinburgh for work in a few weeks so will be visiting my fave pub there, The Bow Bar.

Lucky you... the Bow Bar is great!

Obviously everyone should drink whatever they enjoy, but... I really don't enjoy craft/keg beer... although on a rare hot day, they can sometimes be more refreshing than the 11 degree ales from the cellar.  :)

PB, which pub is that?  I've not been to Inverness, but have heard of Blackfriars and the Castle Tavern.
« Last Edit: March 05, 2012, 07:54:24 AM by Tracey »


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Re: All Things Beer!
« Reply #85 on: March 05, 2012, 07:59:20 AM »
Castle Tavern
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Re: All Things Beer!
« Reply #86 on: March 14, 2012, 07:26:03 AM »
The Wetherspoons Real Ale Festival starts today!

http://www.jdwrealale.co.uk/ales/list

If you're interested in real ale, this is a great chance to try a few new ones, and at very reasonable prices!

Phatbeetle... see you tonight!  :-*
« Last Edit: March 14, 2012, 07:27:35 AM by Tracey »


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Re: All Things Beer!
« Reply #87 on: March 14, 2012, 09:49:48 AM »
The Wetherspoons Real Ale Festival starts today!

Brilliant timing  ;) 

See you tonight! 
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Re: All Things Beer!
« Reply #88 on: April 01, 2012, 08:26:35 PM »
Drinking a Blathan from the Tryst Brewery this evening. Its very nice!

A beer shop opened up and town and I look forward to seeing what else I can get my hands on  :)
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Re: All Things Beer!
« Reply #89 on: April 01, 2012, 08:37:26 PM »
I'm not a huge fan of Tryst, but I had cask Blathan in the Bon a few weeks ago and it was pretty nice.  Best thing on the board, anyway.


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