Recommend me some commercial Ale

History, I'm more of a Whiskey and Red Wine drinker. Over the past year or two I've started developing a taste for lager. Specifically the Polish stuff, Lech or Tyskie and when not available Stella, a recent trip to Liverpool a friend took me to an Irish pub, I fell in love with Guiness, and since then the Draught.

Now yesterday I tried my first "Old Speckled Hen" ale. Fell in love. Loving Guiness Draught, loving Old Speckled Hen. I think I've sworn off Lager for now, there's no going back.

I need something commercial to try, by that I mean available in most supermarkets or widely available.

Hobgoblin? Newcastle? Fullers London Pride?

Reccomend me some Ale! What are your favourites?

 

Circle master, firecrest, Goliath and golden glory.

Some of my old favs although just like you. It's wine and whiskey/bourbon for me when I drink these days!

 

Sharps Doombar

Any good IPA

Hogsback Brewery TEA

 

Is IPA superior to Ale? From what I've read IPA takes some getting used to?

(I used to work in Kehlam Island and train there.) Where is this brewery?

 

Anything from Ringwood is good. I think forty niner is my favourite all time ale

 

IPA = India Pale Ale. Usually quite a light beer, created for the troops in India back when we had an empire. Good summertime drinking imho

 

Wadworth's 6X
(Wadworth's IPA and Farmer's Glory are also good, but I doubt you'll get them outside of Wiltshire)

 

IPA is export strength ale, designed to last the voyage to India. It became so popular in Britain that they didn't want it to leave!

Speaking of export strength, keep your eye out for Guinness West Indies Porter.

London Pride is great, also Black Sheep.

If you're looking to treat yourself, then consider ordering some of these online:

Dark Star Hophead (very floral, great on a sunny day): http://www.darkstarbrewing.co.uk/beers

Sharp's Atlantic (a bit more robust than Hophead): https://www.sharpsbrewery.co.uk/our-beers/atlantic.html

 

Spoken like a true lager drinker

Newky Brown is okay, but it doesn't taste of much.

 

If we are talking stouts then it has to be Dragon Stout!

 

Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout is also very nice.

Bristol Beer Factory's milk stout is also a winner. Lactose is added to it, which is not digested by the yeast, so it is very sweet compared to other stouts.

 

Isn't Guinness a Stout? I like the draft, I'm currently drinking Guiness Extra Stout Original XX, it's not as nice as Draft imo.

Crow Approves


Crow does not approve

 

Stout is a type of ale. It was originally a strong (stout) porter, but became known simply as stout.

The difference between ale and lager is whether the yeast ferments on the top (ale) or bottom (lager).

 

Newcastle Brown (aka Broon aka Dog) isn't made in the north east any more and I could taste the difference when they moved it, even before they changed the recipe for the Americans.

I'll have to hunt out that Oatmeal Stout though, David. Cheers.

Personal favourites after going through a similar epiphany last year are Trooper, Iron Maiden's beer, and Badger's Poachers Choice. Wychwood's King Goblin goes down well too. Go into your local supermarket and they have what I call an adult pick 'n' mix - 4 for £5/£6 on beers and ales. Grab one of each that takes your fancy and give them a shot.

 

Ew, I haven't had Newky Brown for years, ad I don't think I will again now I know it's gone to Heineken. As soon as a beer gets popular, those mega breweries buy it up and ruin it! San Miguel used to be nice, Peroni used to be nice, even Stella is nice if you drink it in Belgium!

+1 for the Trooper and almost anything Badger produces.

 

But when you're in Belgium you want Jupiler!