Is anyone on here into Real Ales?

What Ales are artificial?

I think pretty much *everyone* here is inclined towards real ales, just like we are inclined towards 552/500s...after all, we all are epicures. Of course inclination towards is no guarantee that we would actually consume them, because it is  virtually impossible  to find non-pasteurized, cask conditioned ales over here in the US. One of my local brew-pubs always used to have a keg of cask conditioned, that rotated regularly. Then it became only IPA (which is one of my least favourite beers), and ultimately it stopped entirely, because people wanted (much) colder and more carbonated beer, and did not purchase the cask conditioned one. 

Somehow the market was driven to low quality consistency and global distribution rather than some variability of a craft product. Sort of like audio, yes? No two 32s sounded alike, yet every one of the billion cans of Budweiser are identical clones. 

When I lived in St. Andrews, I drank Belhaven, when in Manchester I drank Boddingtons and while in Blackpool consumed unreasonable quantities of Thwaites....at the time these were all pretty much available only in a fairly short radius, and were of high quality. I can now get Boddingtons on tap some 4000 miles away...but it doesn't taste anything like the hand pulled pints I had in oh so many Mancunian pubs. 

Ron,

There are a few small brewers now in the usa making some good  bottled lager beers.

These are dark in colour and more like real ale.

They are just making there way over here.

You have been spoilt after living in the uk for many years.

ipa is only good if you have not had a bowl movement for a few weeks ?and need one???? 

Stu.

Your fav canned beer is chemical brewed to get it to 5% vol and give it shelf life 

Red Barrel, John Smiths and any lager (I know they ain't ales) 

To Stu,  Fullers  ESB.

There are also loads of micro brewery beers I have tasted (c/o Evening Star , Brighton) and liked, but after most sessions have been unable to remember the names, or how to get back on the train home!

When i lived in London in the 70's Youngs special was my fav.

I still have my Young's challenge Ram tie.

That was the longest bank holiday weekend in my livers history.

Fullers got a look in from time to time.

Now days  my real ail comes from bottles though.

Their are some nice Ales coming from this place, That only started up at the back end of last year.

Stu

ESB gets my vote as well,3 pints and you know you have had a drink.

Mista H

Barnsley Bitter. Is this a real ale? Used to get it in a jug from the local " beer off. ".

When the brewery closed down from  Oak Well, Barnsley to Tadcaster it was never same. I rememeber a friend of mine giving me some pure liqourice slabs which were used to give the bitter some colour and flavour.

You Southerners  can try all you might ,but you'll never get a froth  on top on the beer. Should see it from the top to the finish of the pint glass. 

I was into quite a few real ales on Thursday night.  It is now Saturday afternoon and I am still suffering the after effects...

Any ale that is classified as a "REAL ALE" provided its from a hand pump.

Bottom pressure is strictly not allowed

Bottles are allowed only if pushed into home consumption

But given a choice ..................  

Session beer   -  Brakspear Bitter  3.4% & the best by a country mile

Quaffing brew  -  Ringwood Filly Drift 4.7%  or Hobgoblin 4.5%

Falling over juice -  Wychwoods Dog's Bollocks  5.2%

Real ale: see http://www.camra.org.uk/aboutale

Bottled beer can be real ale if it is bottled conditioned by yeast left in the bottle. Most bottled beer is not real ale...

I'll go for a safe choice, Real Ale is a bit thin on the ground where I live but my local serves London Pride. Excellent, I just had a couple.

Black Sheep bitter.

Worthington White Shield being a perfect example.

This was a camra gathering/day out at the Colchester Brewery.

When we lived in Henley On Thames I consumed many a pint in the bars in the town & surrounding district,The Brakspear's Off Licence used to issue a map of all the Brakspear  pubs in the area.There where at least 70! within a few miles.

Am I a "Bitter" man, o yes. Tried a pint of the Royal London last night, very nice indeed. Heck...I might go back later and try some more

Suffice to say, Brakspear as been enjoyed by me for many a year.

Haven't drunk any for 18 months now.

I do like a drop of this stuff.....as well as most of the others ale's mentioned here.

On my 18th birthday i was introduced to King & Barnes Festive....we'll so i'm told, don't seem to recall the night myself.

I've yet to find anything anywhere to beat Harvey's Sussex Bitter.

How can people with the correct hifi, be so wrong about ale?? both IPAs and cask ale are very good.

Meantime's lager is a cracker, brewed in the true lager tradition. 

Tony