The Great UK Folkies Beer Debate

[Danny]

Greetings Folk Music and Beer Lovers Everywhere

UK Folkies own John Hop has a favour he was hoping all of us could help him with.

John is one of the UK's (if not the worlds) most important people if you like a pint of Ale now and again, as I suspect most of us hereabouts do. He runs a major Hop company, they supply hops to brewers all over the world.

And he is held in such high esteem by his colleges & cohorts that he is hosting a table of 12 brewers at the 'Brewing Oscars' this coming Tuesday. This presents John with a bit of a problem, lots of people asking him which is the best beer, but John is, by his own admission, too knowledgeable on the subject.

What he wants from us then is the opinion of the 'Joe Public' beer drinker. Tell us all what beer you like and why, although it would be more helpful if we could talk about flavour and such like and not 'I like that Aussie stuff 'cause it's cheap and gets me blasted really quickly' type comments (although as a drinker of the cheapest Lager known to mankind I wouldn't mind a bit of that as well ;D )

So, I'm gonna make this sticky and an announcement until Monday (John'll be their on the Tuesday) and let the debate begin, just don't spill beer on your keyboards when typing.

Here's a thought, why not do a quick 3 or 4 minute youtube video of yourself talking about your favourite beer/s and post them below as well?

Have at it people.

Danny

[scanbran]

Dunno about a youtube video, Danny, but I do like beer!

It might sound a bit traitorous from a Scot, but English ale is best - I always go out of my way to find a pub with a decent selection, or a good guest cask ale on.

The last one I had which I really enjoyed was a pint of Piddle (seriously), and I also like the taste of Spitfire.

My favourite at the moment, however, is Timothy Taylor Landlord.

I don't know if I can describe the taste, but I generally don't like it too bitter...

[Danny]

Glad you like beers from this side f the border mate :-) I ADORE whiskey from your neck of the woods tho, so I guess Scotland can feel proud of it's whiskey distilling heritage ay?

I'm normally a lager man, but when I do go for something a more 'high brow' so to speak I tend to enjoy Bishops Finger (I've never drunk Piddle, but with a name like that it's definitely on the to do list)

I've never liked Spitfire unfortunately, it's got a great name hasn't it?

I've never really gotten on with bitter, their ARE some nice bitter's out their, but it's far to easy to end up with a pint of something that taste's like soapy water, not nice at all in my humble opinion.

Maybe we should ask Al Murray what HIS landlord prefers.......

[ned]

With the byline (Mines a Pint ) Are we surprised that you are the first to reply?
Cheers for joining in mate
Who brews Piddle by the way?

[raydaroriley]

My main drinks are Hobgoblin, Goliath, and Abbot. But my local sometimes has a guest ale called Wobbly Bob from the Phoenix brewery I believe, which is undoubtedly my favourite beer. It tastes pretty much exactly how I imagine butterbeer to taste from the Harry Potter novels. It's bloody delicious.

[duggyk]

I like to drink...

Guinness - there's nothing quite like the black stuff, a drink for almost every occasion. I like it's smoothness.

Bombardier - proper tasty beer, malty, fruity and a little bit spicy too.

I'm also partial to a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Fullers Organic Honey Dew Golden Beer when the suns out.

My wife like the occasional Wells Banana Bread Beer (which I like too).

I realise these are all pretty much 'major' brands, and I'm sure there's lots of rarer delicacies out there to be experienced.

I haven't got round to it yet but there's a new independent brewery started up very near where I work called Bighams www.binghams.co.uk/ . Some of my colleagues are very keen on the Binghams beers.

Right now I'm not enjoying a beer, but nursing a Sailor Jerrys and Coke.

Chin chin!

[ned]

Being ancient, most of the brews I favour are no longer available.
Ind Coope made a superb bitter - Gone.
Mitchell and butler made a wonderful creamy dark mild. -Gone
Tollymach Cobbold. - Gone
Truman Hanbury and Buxton, - Trubrown. - Gone.
Youngs Bitter was lovely, but Youngs were taken over by Wells, so the jury is still out on that one.
A brewer called Bruce started a small chain of pubs locally with a micro brewery in each one, called the something and Firkin, the one I visited regularly was the Fox and Firkin. Superb ales and a wonderful atmosphere. Sadly Gone
What do I drink now?
Mainly a lager called Excelsior, brewed by EMB for Lidle. As a lager it is much tastier than all of the major brand names, especially the one that thinks that is probably the best, they also brew a pilsner lager called Grafenburg which is good.
There are a lot of very good ales about as well, like Adnams The Bitter, and lots of seasonal brews, which is good. We do need variety to make the most of our taste buds, although Chris is right about Guinness, but only out of the tap , not bottled or canned.
It seems to me that tastes change almost daily, and that we enjoy the challenge of exploring all the delights on offer
I hope that has left Mr johnhop totally confused,
As Martin said = Mines a Pint!

[ned]

126 Guests in the last 24 hours.
Dear guests your opinion would be very welcome in this debate, even if you detest beer. John needs opinions from every source.
While you are here , Why not join up, it is free after all, and we are a friendly bunch.
It's more about music than beer, usually, so make yourselves a place to be heard, right here.
Welcome One and All
Pete

[scanbran]

Apr 5, 2011 17:24:03 GMT ned said:

With the byline (Mines a Pint ) Are we surprised that you are the first to reply?
Cheers for joining in mate
Who brews Piddle by the way?

I think it's this mob...

dorsetpiddlebrewery.co.uk/

[Danny]

I still love the idea of drinking piddle, or even better, offering someone a pint of it ;-)

As the eejit who started this thread, I suppose I ought to weigh in with my favourite beers.

As primarily a lager drinker and a creature of habit I almost exclusively drink a beer called Excelsior, a 4% ABV lager from Lidl. I originally bought it due to it's low price and my extreme skintness at the time of purchase, however I prefer it to all other lagers, including a load of name brand ones. It's WAY better than Stella Artois (revolting bloody beer, tastes like week old dish water) and the less said about 'The Best Lager In The World Never' the better really, Excelsior is far nicer than both them, Fosters (brewed in Scotland not Australia by the way, check out the small print on the side of a can) and quite a few others. I just find it to have a really nice flavour and to be a very satisfying pint to drink.

On the rare occasion I venture away from my beloved cheap but surprisingly nice no name lager I tend to enjoy 'Bishops Finger' (for the name if no other reason) a beer my dad Pete (AKA Ned hereabouts) bought me a little while ago called 'Adnams Bitter (or possibly 'The Bitter' I can't remember) also John Hop gave me one called 'The Hop' (I think) which was a bloody nice beer indeed.

I, rather sadly, don't like Spitfire. I DESPERATELY wanted too just 'cause of the name, but alas no, not the beer for me.

Now having said that, I'm gonna go and have a glass of 'Whyte & Mackay' the finest scotch I know.

Who's next?

Danny

[johnhop]

Thanks guys for all your comments.
On the whole they were most interesting!
I agree with all that was said and it is the mix that keeps the trade going.
Just for the record, my favourite beers - in order:
Duvel.
Orval.
Adnams Bitter.
Butcombe Bitter.
Timothy Taylor, Landlord.

I am now in training for an tiring day tomorrow...Meet some of my guests in pub near Guildhall at 11am, sample nominated beers in crypt at Guildhall 12noon, lunch and presentation of awards 1 to 4 (beer, etc. on tables), more sampling 4 to 5, back in pub....home at ??
Dirty, horrible job but it has to be done!
Thanks again guys and I promise to use your opinions.
Cheers,
John

[ned]

Be careful John. That London is a scary place!
Pete

[Danny]

It'll be hell out their John, let me go in your place

Danny