Do Brits Know More About Beer Than The Rest Of Us?

[StreetCowboy]

Other British styles like IPA and Porter can be fantastic ales but these are hard to find. They are popular styles with craft and home-brewers.

Finally, German Kellerbiers (cellar beer) are similarly cask-conditioned, and for lagers, the only ones I've tried, quite amazing.

The pub I mentioned earlier has both Porter and an excellent IPA also a seven hop IPA at 7.7%!

German beer is good across the board only shame about the sausages....

I was walking down Hart Avenue in Tsim Sha Tsui and I came across a pub selling Deuchars IPA

Mind, that was two or three years back...

SC

Deuchars IPA has been all over London for a few years now. Something to do with a brewery buy out.

Doesn't surprise me to find its travelling to Hong Kong......plenty expat Scots over there!

The Belhaven Stout has gone from JBs on Shi Da Road, so I'm told; I've stopped going to Tai Pei since I heard that

SC

[smokie36]

I still remember my first pint of Belhaven 90/ served at the Tally Ho in Dundee in the late '80s.

Thought I was in a bakery for a moment! After three I'd no idea where I was.....

[lomatopo]

As I undwerstand, IPA was brewed to be pasteurised, kegged and shipped to foreign countries to make the soldiers bad tempered and belligerent; the Pale either refers to the morning after, or is a mis-spelling of pail - again, could be referring to the morning after, or the serving measure

As I say, of course the British know more about beer than the rest of you, but most of it we make up on the spur of the moment...

SC

IPA, or India Pale Ale, is named Pale for the Pale Malt(ed) Barley used to make this stronger style of ale, meant to survive months at sea, it was not pasteurized.

Porter, an even darker style (made with chocolate malt, barley that is roasted), is so named for the people who drank it during the day, specifically Porters.

During my visits to England I did search our real ales, and believe me it was quite challenging. Cask ale has made a pretty decent comeback as people realize how much better it is than mass-produced ale.

Edited March 12, 2011 by lomatopo

[mstribling]

Last night I was drinking next to a Brit. After about 8 Changs I think Brits know everything about everything. Like sitting next to Cliff Claven.

[transam]

Last night I was drinking next to a Brit. After about 8 Changs I think Brits know everything about everything. Like sitting next to Cliff Claven.

NO, l only had 6 Chang's.

[lomatopo]

I think everyone thinks they are more intelligent when drunk. Brits just like to make sure everyone else knows it too. Louts.

Seriously, based on the posts here I'd say the answer to the OP's question in a resounding "No".

Disappointing? Yes. Unexpected? No.

[transam]

I think everyone thinks they are more intelligent when drunk. Brits just like to make sure everyone else knows it too. Louts.

Seriously, based on the posts here I'd say the answer to the OP's question in a resounding "No".

Disappointing? Yes. Unexpected? No.

Don't tell me, eeeeeeeer, your a yank.

[bangkokrick]

I would say that most Brits of a certain age know a lot about British beer just as the American beer drinkers know about American beers. Britain has always had a 'pub culture' and the pub has always been an important part of the community.

The reason that I mention age is that things do seem to be changing in the UK and most youngsters drink 'alchopop' type drinks. although strong ciders seem to be making a come back. I refer to 'Mangers' which seemed to be very popular during my last visit.

The older guys like me prefer the real ales and there are many to be had in the North of England. I come from 'Taylors' country and most of the town pubs have this and guest beers on draft every day of the week. Taylor's landlord is one of the best bottled/draft beers that I have ever tasted and has won many a prize in the UK.

Cheers, Rick

[StreetCowboy]

I still remember my first pint of Belhaven 90/ served at the Tally Ho in Dundee in the late '80s.

Thought I was in a bakery for a moment! After three I'd no idea where I was.....

Never try to spit after drinking Belhaven 90/...

Reminds me of the joke about the chap who is challenged to take a drink from the spittoon

"Steady on, mate, you didn;t need to drink it all!"

"But it was all one big one"

SC

[smokie36]

I think everyone thinks they are more intelligent when drunk. Brits just like to make sure everyone else knows it too. Louts.

Seriously, based on the posts here I'd say the answer to the OP's question in a resounding "No".

Disappointing? Yes. Unexpected? No.

Ahh yes lomatopo.

This is the poster who said it was 'impossible' to have a pub serving 20 real ales at once and proceeded to attempt to lecture us on the reason why.

Oddly enough you have been silent on the subject since being proved wrong haven't you?

In fact when asked for specific information I provided exactly what you asked for...and could do the same for lots of places in the UK.

Don't like that do you?

You sir are a k***.

Send me a PM if you need a translation.

[mark45y]

From what I have read I would say Brits know more about beer than most others. I was kind of hoping for a German to post but none have. It would have been an interesting discussion the difference between top and bottom fermenting yeasts.

[smokie36]

From what I have read I would say Brits know more about beer than most others. I was kind of hoping for a German to post but none have. It would have been an interesting discussion the difference between top and bottom fermenting yeasts.

Oddly enough I like both but German lagers are fabulous. Yeah I would like to hear from a German brewer as well.

I tried an Organic lager today which was no better than ordinary...UK real ale brewers are a long way off the mark with lagers but spot on with ales in my experience.

[Totster]

Lomatopo

When in the UK try Weatherspoons(Witherspoons) pubs you'll find real at good prices

They could be a chain of pubs selling top quality real ales showcasing the best of british food and being great places to visit.

Only they are not. I'll leave it at that.

Cheap beer is cheap beer...

totster

[dananderson]

Not much has changed in wine and the vineyards that produce them...eh? Apparently you are not aware of the competitions that began in 1976 where California vineyards trumped those in France. In France no less with French judges. http://www.wineintro...976tasting.html

That is actually my point. There are people who can tell a great wine from a cheap wine. The people in 1855 who classified the French vineyards would have also been able to tell the excellence of Californian vineyards. The excellence of a wine establishes it's price not the reverse.

Finding out how to judge wines takes a lot of study and experience. It also takes a lot of cash. It is not some marketing ploy.

A person raised on Budweiser is not going to make a very good judge of excellence in beers.

Once you know about ales it is not much of a stretch to learn about other beers. There are German beers and British beers the rest are combinations or descendent's of those two brewing styles.

My basic point is that education or cultural values are necessary to appreciate good food and or beer or wine. I am not trying to dictate tastes but there is a difference between good food and average food. Som tom is not an example of culinary excellence nor is beer Chang beer. I could like som tom or Chang beer but I would never imply they great examples of excellence in cooking or brewing.

The napa vineyard that won was educated but set thier first foot in France prior to wining the blind taste test. They actually gained most of their knowledge from migrants with no upper education. They(Cali) have dominted every blind french tasting since. It does not take money or education to educate a palate. A plethora of less expensive yet quality wines have been produced since at much less the price you insisit upon. You have a good knowledge of British ale but know little about wine. I have yet to see you admit you were wrong in anything you consider to be your field of expertise. If lack of humility were a crime you would be doing life

Edited March 14, 2011 by dananderson

[lazygourmet]

How Big is Anheuser-Busch/InBev?

Anheuser-Busch/InBev is huge. There's simply no denying it. But how huge is huge?

Let's take a moment to compare it against two other beer companies, and some of their brands. First off, Seattle based Elysian Brewing Company -

Elysian Brewing (United States)

The Immortal IPA

The Wise ESB

Dragonstooth Stout

Perseus Porter

Zephyrus Pilsner

Elysian Fields Pale Ale

Okay, Okay. Perhaps it's a bit unfair to compare a Microbrewery against the world's largest beer maker.

Let's take the brands for the number two beer company in the United States, MillerCoors:

Águila (Columbia)

Coors (United States)

Aspen Edge

Barman Pils

Blue Moon Belgian White

Coors

Coors Extra Gold

Coors Light

Coors Non-Alcoholic

Full Moon Winter Ale

Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale

Herman Joseph's Special Reserve

Honey Moon Summer Ale

Keystone Ice

Keystone Light

Keystone Premium

Killian's Irish Red

Pale Moon

Rising Moon Spring Ale

Rising Sun Spring Ale

Cristal (Peru)

Cusqueña (Peru)

Premium Dark

Premium Peruvian

Foster's Premium Ale(Australia)

Grolsch (The Netherlands)

Amber Ale

Blonde Lager

Light Lager

Premium Lager

Hamm's (United States)

Lager

Golden Draft

Special Light

Henry Weinhard's (United States)

Belgian Style Wheat

Blonde

Blue Boar

Classic Dark Lager

Hefeweizen

India Pale Ale

Private Reserve

Summer Wheat Ale

Lech (Poland)

Leinenkugel's (United States)

Berry Weiss

BIG BUTT Dopplebock

Classic Amber Lager

Creamy Dark

Fireside Nut Brown

Honey Weiss

Light

Oktoberfest Lager

Original Lager

Red Lager

Summer Shandy

Sunset Wheat

Millers (United States)

Frederick Miller Classic Chocolate Lager

Harley Davidson Beer

Icehouse

Magnum 40

Meister Bräu

Meister Bräu Light

Mickey's

Mickey's Ice

Mickey's Stinger

Miller Chill

Miller Genuine Draft

Miller Genuine Draft Light 64

Miller High Life

Miller High Life Ice

Miller High Life Light

Miller Lite

Miller Lite Amber

Miller Lite Blonde Ale

Miller Lite Ice

Miller Lite Wheat

Milwaukee's Best

Milwaukee's Best Dry

Milwaukee's Best Ice

Milwaukee's Best Light

Olde English 800

Olde English 800 High Gravity

Penguin Beer

Red Dog

Red Dog 32 Oz

Red, White & Blue

Sharp's

Sheaf Stout

Snow Beer

Southpaw Light

Molson (Canada)

Molson Canadian

Molson Canadian Sub-Zero

Molson Canadian Light

Molson Canadian Ice

Molson Canadian Cold Shots 6.0

Molson Dry

Molson Exel

Molson Export

Molson Golden

Molson Ice

Molson Kick

Molson Stock Ale

Molson XXX

Peroni Nastro Azzurro (Italy)

Pilsner Urquell (Czech Republic)

Steel Reserve (United States)

High Gravity

Triple Export

Tyskie (Poland)

Okay... so that's a lot of beer. But let's take a look at A-B/InBev's Catalog (And note, it's likely that I've missed a few). Take special note to find out what beer you thought was independently or privately owned is actually run by these guys.

Alexander Keith's (Canada)

India Pale Ale

Light Ale

Honey Brown

Red Amber Ale

Antarctica (Brazil)

Chopp

Cristal

Malzbier

Original

Pilsen

Pilsen Extra

Serramalte

Astika Fine Quality Lager (Bulgaria)

Baisha (China)

Gold

Regular

BagBier (Russia)

BagBier

BagBier Classicheskoye

BagBier Krepkoye

BagBier Nashe

Bass (United Kingdom)

Beck's (Germany)

Beck's

Beck's Alkoholfrei

Beck's Dark

Beck's Gold

Beck's Green Lemon

Beck's Ice

Beck's Light

Beck's Next

Beck's Oktoberfest

Beck's Premier Light

Becks's Vier

Haake Beck Krausen

Haake Beck NA

Haake Beck Pils

Belle-Vue (Belgium)

Kriek

Kriek Extra

Framboise

Gueuze

Bergenbier (Romania)

Boddingtons (United Kingdom)

Bohemia (Brazil)

Escura

Original

Weiss

Borsodi Sör (Hungary)

Borsodi Sör: pale ale

Borsodi Bivaly: lager

Borsodi Barna: dark German style

Borsodi Póló: non-alcoholic beer

Borostyán: amber

Bozicno (Croatia)

Borostyán (Hungary)

Budwesier (United States)

9th Street Market Blood Orange Grapefruit

9th Street Market Lime & Cactus Fruit / Vegetable Beer

9th Street Market Pomegranate Raspberry

9th Street Market Tuscan Orange & Grapefruit

Ascent 54

B-to-the-E

Bare Knuckle Stout

Beach Bum Blonde Ale

Blue Horizon (Blueberry Lager)

Bud Dry

Bud Ice

Bud Ice Light

Bud Light

Bud Light Chelada

Bud Light Lime

Budweiser

Budweiser American Ale

Budweiser Chelada

Budweiser NA

Budweiser Select

Busch Beer

Busch Ice

Busch Light

Busch NA

Demon's Hop Yard IPA

Devil Ray Red

Hurricane

Hurricane High Gravity Lager

Hurricane Ice

Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale

Killarney's Red Lager

King Cobra Premium Malt Liquor

Kingsbrucke

Lone Palm Ale

Majestic Flight Lager

Mule Kick Oatmeal Stout

Natty Up

Natural Ice

Natural Light

O'Doul's Low Alcohol Beer

O'Doul's Amber Low Alcohol Beer

Organic Wild Hop Lager

Pacific Ridge Pale Ale

Phillies Red Lager

Red Fox Amber Ale

Red Wolf

Redbridge

Safari Amber

Shock Top Belgian White

Skipjack Amber

Sun Dog Amber Wheat

Tarpon Spoon

Tomahawk Amber Ale

UC Davis Centennial Celebration Oktoberfest

Wild Blue (Blueberry Lager)

Winter's Bourbon Cask Ale

Ziegen Light

ZiegenBock Amber

Cafri (South Korea)

Caracu (Brazil)

Cass (South Korea)

Original Lager

Red

Ice Light

Castlemaine (United Kingdom)

Chernigivske (Ukraine)

Chernigivske Svitle

Chernigivske Premium

Chernigivske Mitsne

Chernigivske Temne

Chernigivske Bile

Chernigivske Bila Nich

Chernigivske Bagryane

Chernigivske Fitness

Diebels (Germany)

Diekirch (Luxembourg)

Lager

Grand Cru

Grande Réserve

Exclusive

Dimix (Germany)

Dommelsch (The Netherlands)

Double Deer (China)

E-generation

Premium Light

Dry Beer

Franziskaner (Germany)

Weissbier

Hefe-Weissbier Hell

Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel

Weissbier Kristallklar

Gilde Ratskeller (Germany)

Haake-Beck (Germany)

Hasseröder (Germany)

Harbin (China)

Hertog_Jan (The Netherlands)

Karakter

Grand Prestige

Lentebock

Bockbier

Dubbel

Tripel

Hoegaarden (Belgium)

Witbier

Rosé

Citron

Das

Speciale

Grand Cru

Verboden Vrucht

Hougaerdse Das (Belgium)

Jelen Pivo (Serbia-Montenegro)

Jinling (China)

Jinlongquan (China)

Draft

Refreshing

Julius (Belgium)

Jupiler (Belgium)

KK (China)

Klinskoye (Russia)

Svetloye

Zolotoye

Lux

Redkoye

Arriva

Samurai

Kamenitza (Bulgaria)

Kokanee (Canada)

Lager

Light

La Bécasse (France)

Kriek

Raspberry

Gueuze

Labatt's (Canada)

Blue

Blue Light

Family

Ice

Sterling

Lakeport (Canada)

Brava

Honey

Ice

Light

Pilsener

Red

Steeler lager

Strong

Wee Willy

Leffe (Belgium)

9

Blonde

Brown

Radieuse/Vieille Cuvée

Ruby

Triple

Liber (Brazil)

Löwenbräu (German)

Original

Pilsener

Dunkel

Triumphator

Löwen Weisse

Urtyp

Oktoberfestbier

Michelob (United States)

Michelob

Michelob Amber Bock

Michelob Bavarian Style Wheat

Michelob Black & Tan

Michelob Celebrate Cherry Lager

Michelob Celebrate Chocolate Lager

Michelob Celebrate Vanilla Oak

Michelob DunkelWeisse

Michelob Golden Draft

Michelob Golden Draft Light

Michelob Honey Lager

Michelob Honey Wheat Ale

Michelob Hop Hound Amber Wheat

Michelob Irish Red

Michelob Light

Michelob Marzen

Michelob Original Lager

Michelob Pale Ale

Michelob Porter American Porter

Michelob Pumpkin Spice Ale

Michelob Ultra

Michelob Ultra Amber

Michelob Ultra Lime Cactus

Michelob Ultra Pomegranate Raspberry

Michelob Ultra Tuscan Orange Grapefruit

Mousel (Luxembourg)

Murphy's* (United Kingdom)

Nik (Serbia-Montenegro)

Cool

Gold

Niksicko (Serbia-Montenegro)

Pivo

Tamno

Noroc (Romania)

OB (South Korea)

Oranjeboom (The Netherlands)

Ozujsko (Croatia)

Cool

Fresssh

Pivo

Paceña (Bolivia)

Permskoye Gubernskoye (Russia)

Permskoye Gubernskoye

Permskoye Gubernskoye Svetloye

Piedboeuf (Belgium)

Blonde

Brown

Original

Triple

Quilmes (Argentina)

Bock

Cristal

Stout

Red Shiliang (China)

Rifey (Russia)

Uralskoye

Originalnoye

Krepkoye

Osoboye Krepkoye

Rogan (Ukraine)

Legke

Tradytsiyne

Monastyrske Svitle

Monastyrske Temne

Veselyi Monach

Bezalkogolne

Kampai

Arriva

Safir (Belgium)

Santai (China)

Sedrin (China)

Sibirskaya Korona (Russia)

Klassicheskoye

Originalnoye

Prazdnichnoye

Krepkoye Lux

Rubinovoye

Yantarnoye

Beloye

Georgievskoye

Skol (Brazil)

Original

Chopp Claro

Chopp Escuro

Spaten (Germany)

Münchner Hell

Pils

Oktoberfestbier

Diät-Pils

Non-alcoholic

Franziskaner Weissbier

Dopplebock Optimator

St.Pauli Girl (USA)**

Lager

Special Dark

Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverage

Staropramen (Czech Republic)

le?ák

Černý

Granát

Braník brands

Ostravar brands

Stella Artois (Belgium)

Artois Bock

Atlas

Bergenbrau

Club De Stella Artois

Dutch Gold Imported

Eiken Artois

Ginder Ale

Horse-Ale

La Becasse Framboise

La Becasse Gueuze

La Bécasse Kriek

Loburg

Noblis

Peeterman

Stella Artois

Stella Artois 4%

Stella Artois Dry

Stella Artois Light

Stella Artois NA

Taller (Ukraine)

Chill

Ice

Original

Tennent's (United Kingdom)

Super

Ember

Extra Lager

Light Ale

Pilsner

Special

Velvet Ale

Stout (Export)

1885 Lager (Export)

Scotch Ale (Export)

Tolstiak (Russia)

Dobroye

Svetloye

Zaboristoye

Krepkoye

Grechishnoye

Tomislav (Croatia)

Vieux Temps (Belgium)

Yali (China)

Yantar (Ukraine)

Svitle

Temne

Mitsne

Zizhulin (China)

Zhujiang (China)

[mark45y]

Not much has changed in wine and the vineyards that produce them...eh? Apparently you are not aware of the competitions that began in 1976 where California vineyards trumped those in France. In France no less with French judges. http://www.wineintro...976tasting.html

That is actually my point. There are people who can tell a great wine from a cheap wine. The people in 1855 who classified the French vineyards would have also been able to tell the excellence of Californian vineyards. The excellence of a wine establishes it's price not the reverse.

Finding out how to judge wines takes a lot of study and experience. It also takes a lot of cash. It is not some marketing ploy.

A person raised on Budweiser is not going to make a very good judge of excellence in beers.

Once you know about ales it is not much of a stretch to learn about other beers. There are German beers and British beers the rest are combinations or descendent's of those two brewing styles.

My basic point is that education or cultural values are necessary to appreciate good food and or beer or wine. I am not trying to dictate tastes but there is a difference between good food and average food. Som tom is not an example of culinary excellence nor is beer Chang beer. I could like som tom or Chang beer but I would never imply they great examples of excellence in cooking or brewing.

The napa vineyard that won was educated but set thier first foot in France prior to wining the blind taste test. They actually gained most of their knowledge from migrants with no upper education. They(Cali) have dominted every blind french tasting since. It does not take money or education to educate a palate. A plethora of less expensive yet quality wines have been produced since at much less the price you insisit upon. You have a good knowledge of British ale but know little about wine. I have yet to see you admit you were wrong in anything you consider to be your field of expertise. If lack of humility were a crime you would be doing life

I wonder why people don't read. I said “Education or cultural values.” If you grew up in a wine producing region chances are you will know something about wine. Viticulture is a complex subject. To produce an excellent wine from selecting the vines, growing and harvesting and aging and bottling. It is difficult to grow Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in Arkansas. The region is more like Germany and conducive to white sweet wines.

There is one person in Arkansas who uses a kidney machine to filter his wines. Technology can do wonders.

If you have been raised in the UK chances are you know something about Ales.

The world's most expensive drinkable wine was sold in auction in New York City in 2001 as a seven-bottle case, for $23,929 per bottle (a $167,500 total). It was a Montrachet 1978 from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, a white wine (curiously, red wines fetch much higher prices in auction).

Any list of expensive drinkable wines will be dominated by French wines.

In almost any international restaurant it is easier to sell a bottle of $1000 French wine than a $1000 bottle of California wine.

Why would I admit to being wrong when I am obviously right? To suggest that modern viticulture techniques are the result of listening to uneducated migrants is just foolish.

It is like comparing the building of a 16th century sailing vessel to the yachts that race for the America's cup today.

If you want an educated palate you must have some education. That education might come from years of experience pub crawling or a simpler and faster way would be to go to school. In the same vein all the education in the world is not going to replace hands on, experience. Not only do you have to do the book learning but travel to the areas where the product is produced.

I have no other way to describe it to you. If you want to find out what a $10,000 bottle of wine tastes like you have to drink one. That takes $10,000 cash. If you want to find out about good Ales you have to go the the UK. Guinness tastes different in Africa and Ireland. Sorry, but the only way to find out that is to go to Ireland and Africa.

If you want to taste Uno's pizza you have to go to Chicago. They tried to make a chain but it didn't work. It didn't travel well. I know I ate at 20 of them. Not the same.

The gentlemen who posted about English Ale in this thread have a wealth of experience over many years. If a young man wanted to find about English Ale he would be advised to spend some time with a group of them visiting different pubs and drinking and listening. That is very much like a college experience. Listen to the professor and then do the research.

If one wanted to brew Ale today or set up a wine producing business he would be advised to start in college and then get a job for hands on experience.

My original statement about education, experience and cash I feel is correct.

[needforspeed]

I am myself a wine and food lover.

And mostly agree that taste and appreciation of “Good” wines and food is a matter of adduction and mostly experience.

I miss one point in this story that is emotion, state of mind, feeling and environment.

When eating just because you are hungry, emotion, feeling, state of mind and environment have little or no influence on your experience and taste of the meal you are eating, first priority is to still the hunger feeling.

While eating and drinking ( I prefer to call this tasting) quality food/wine by knowledgeable people.

Emotion, state of mind , feeling and environment playing a huge role in the experience/taste of that meal/dish or wine.

[smokie36]

I am myself a wine and food lover.

And mostly agree that taste and appreciation of "Good" wines and food is a matter of adduction and mostly experience.

I miss one point in this story that is emotion, state of mind, feeling and environment.

When eating just because you are hungry, emotion, feeling, state of mind and environment have little or no influence on your experience and taste of the meal you are eating, first priority is to still the hunger feeling.

While eating and drinking ( I prefer to call this tasting) quality food/wine by knowledgeable people.

Emotion, state of mind , feeling and environment playing a huge role in the experience/taste of that meal/dish or wine.

1. Food

2.Friends/Family

3.Wine/Beer/Water

4.Ambience

5.Price

[StreetCowboy]

I am myself a wine and food lover.

And mostly agree that taste and appreciation of "Good" wines and food is a matter of adduction and mostly experience.

I miss one point in this story that is emotion, state of mind, feeling and environment.

When eating just because you are hungry, emotion, feeling, state of mind and environment have little or no influence on your experience and taste of the meal you are eating, first priority is to still the hunger feeling.

While eating and drinking ( I prefer to call this tasting) quality food/wine by knowledgeable people.

Emotion, state of mind , feeling and environment playing a huge role in the experience/taste of that meal/dish or wine.

1. Food

2.Friends/Family

3.Wine/Beer/Water

4.Ambience

5.Price

I suppose whenever I've gone somewhere for the sake of a specific band or quality of beer, it has been as much about the journey as the beer.

But on the other hand, once you've got your crew assembled, so to speak, you need something to make the mission worth while - usually something trivial and irrelevant, like Scotch Eggs - but still, you need a differentiating feature for your planned destination - a wine fairy, contra-rotating carousels, the alleged best 80/ in the world, the darkest nicotine stains, being opposite the art college, whatever. Perhaps the Theakstons brewery...

SC

[Moonrakers]

Lomatopo

When in the UK try Weatherspoons(Witherspoons) pubs you'll find real at good prices

They could be a chain of pubs selling top quality real ales showcasing the best of british food and being great places to visit.

Only they are not. I'll leave it at that.

They have their uses.

The one in Swindon had an annual beer festival when they would have countless guest ales on sale.

Roll in when the doors open Sunday morning and then try getting through every ale on sale. 1/2 pint at a time, amazingly cheap.

Some of them were so strong we'd all be hammered by 5-ish, but one must continue until last orders. The day after was ne'er a productive day on the calendar.