Beer

[Tale]

I would like to engage in a cultural exchange topic on something that is probably near and dear to the livers of a few people around here. Beer.

 

I'm not a regular drinker of it, myself, but I do pick up a 12 pack of bottles every few months. I'm a fan of Shiner, especially their Hefeweizen.

 

I recently broke from this to pick up a pack of Newcastle Brown Ale. I did some brief researching, found that it is the US's most popular imported beer. But I'd really like to know what is England's most popular beer for the English. Among the draught and bottled, especially. Looking to see what I can get a hold of that the English prefer.

[Raithe]

The trouble is.. are you talking Beer, Ale or Lager?

[Morgoth]

Wieselburger, Puntigamer, Reininghaus.

[Walsingham]

Being a fat old fart I like real ales.

 

When I remember I'm not grey haired yet I drink light, very hoppy ales. Usually IPAs.

[Gfted1]

I was always under the impression the Guinness was the beer of choice for Brits. IMO, it tastes like warm death but opinions vary.

[Laozi]

Only one man would dare give me the raspberry.......Lone Star

 

 

 

[Tale]

Only one man would dare give me the raspberry.......Lone Star

 

 

 

I am a Texan and I have never heard or seen this beer before.

[Tale]

The trouble is.. are you talking Beer, Ale or Lager?

All three! Why not? What's your preference in each? Being an uncivilized brute that is an American, I must confess to ignorance of the distinction.

[Morgoth]

British "beer" tastes like piss mixed with sulfur. No wonder they're so gloomy people...

[Tale]

British "beer" tastes like piss mixed with sulfur. No wonder they're so gloomy people...

Then tell me about Austrian preferences. I want to learn!

[Morgoth]

Puntigamer - Das "bierige" Bier ("Puntigamer - The "beery" beer")

 

Someone who comes up with such a brilliant slogan must know how to make beer.

[Monte Carlo]

The trouble is.. are you talking Beer, Ale or Lager?

All three! Why not? What's your preference in each? Being an uncivilized brute that is an American, I must confess to ignorance of the distinction.

 

Generally British beer is distinguished into three main groups (I'll talk about cider separately). Yeah, there a sub-groups within these three, but I'm going into general man-in-the-street definitions as if you'd walked into an English pub.

 

Bitter - Bitters are generally darker, hoppier beers served at or just slightly above room temperature. They tend to be less carbonated / fizzy than lagers. My favourite, personally, is Fuller's London Pride and yes, I also like Newcastle Brown (known in the Northeast as 'Dog' or 'Brown Dog'). IPAs (as Wals mentioned) are known as Indian Pale Ales and are lighter, cooler ales. It's important to remember that there are, literally, thousands of regional varieties of bitter. Well-known real ale brands include Hobgoblin, Brakspear, Worthingtons, Abbott, Badger... the list is endless. The nearest thing to it in America is the darker, hoppier beers you find in micro-breweries but these all tend to be chilled. English beer is seldom chilled.

 

Lager - a continental, not native, brew, lager is very popular. I prefer Czech, Belgian and German beers personally. American (domestic) lager is internationally renowned as being the worst in the world, I give you the hyper-chilled, tasteless piss that is Coors or Bud. I'm not talking the perfectly quaffable Sam Adams and it's ilk.

 

Stout - the 500lb gorilla here is Guinness, but there are other varieties of stout and porter. There are also hybrids like McCaffrey's.

 

Cider - madly popular at the moment as a summer drink, perry (i.e. pear cider) is also popular. I used to live in the West Country, the home of real cider (aka 'Scrumpy') which is usually poisonous, hallucinogenic apple gunk with bits of dead animal floating in it. It's fab.

 

I hope that helps, if you see what's available locally where you live that's from the UK let me know the brand and I'll give you a view.

 

Cheers

MC

[Monte Carlo]

tell me about Austrian preferences.

 

Cream cakes and fascism.

[Walsingham]

I was always under the impression the Guinness was the beer of choice for Brits. IMO, it tastes like warm death but opinions vary.

 

Guinness is certainly very popular. And I think Guinness' superb advertising was responsible for making normal folks realise that lager is actually fizzy disinterest. So I have a special affection for it.

 

However if you kind of like Guinness but it's not exactly right for you, try porter. Roasted grains and presumably other stuff make it rich and iron-ish. Often brewed with spices, to a high alcohol content. It's a bit like drinking vodka laced chimney soot, while wrapped in the arms of a beautiful woman.

[Laozi]

I am a Texan and I have never heard or seen this beer before.

 

 

Strange I can't remember a time I was buying beer in Texas whether it be in a bar/pub or at the store that Lone Star was not an option.

 

Lone Star is like the official I'm going to drink a lot of cheap beer tonight and piss on Bud/Miller/Coors.

 

I've always subscribed to the drink a sixer of relatively good beer and finish the night with a twelve pack of Lone Star method.

[Kaftan Barlast]

Being a fat old fart I like real ales.

 

When I remember I'm not grey haired yet I drink light, very hoppy ales. Usually IPAs.

 

Im neither old, fat or grey haired yet but I too prefer ales. And the occasional draught for extra protein.

[Tale]

Thanks for the info, Monte. I'll keep my eyes out and will let you know what we have for opinions.

 

I am a Texan and I have never heard or seen this beer before.

 

 

Strange I can't remember a time I was buying beer in Texas whether it be in a bar/pub or at the store that Lone Star was not an option.

 

Lone Star is like the official I'm going to drink a lot of cheap beer tonight and piss on Bud/Miller/Coors.

 

I've always subscribed to the drink a sixer of relatively good beer and finish the night with a twelve pack of Lone Star method.

Maybe I've never seen it because I skip over the cheap beer automatically. But I don't know anyone who drinks it, either. Only drinking buddy in recent times I've had preferred Shiner like me. Family and co-workers drink crap like Coors so I'd never ask their preference if my life depended on it.

 

Well, my brother-in-law has somewhat good tastes. But I've seen him drink Heineken. Only time I had that it was like slightly flavored water.

[Laozi]

Anchor Steam has a really nice porter

[Orogun01]

I'm quite fond of some of the Japanese brands, such clear taste.

[Nightshape]

Being a fat old fart I like real ales.

 

When I remember I'm not grey haired yet I drink light, very hoppy ales. Usually IPAs.

 

As do I, but I assert, they pour it wrong in the south, THEY POUR IT WRONG!

[Krookie]

Really, really, really, really, really, dirt cheap Keystone Ice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

yayayay college

[Hurlshort]

Bleh Krookie, I remember the days of cheap beer from college. I would always tart with a couple shots so I could handle the pisswater like Keystone and Milwaukee's Best.

 

 

I like a good wheat based beer, particularly in the summer. I'm actually planning a trip to Bend, Oregon this summer, and there is a microbrewery tour I plan on doing. They have like 7 breweries in a small area so you can stumble around to them all.

[Walsingham]

Being a fat old fart I like real ales.

 

When I remember I'm not grey haired yet I drink light, very hoppy ales. Usually IPAs.

 

As do I, but I assert, they pour it wrong in the south, THEY POUR IT WRONG!

 

????

 

I'm usually slavering like Pavlov's dog as soon as the pump starts to move. Far too excited to notice how it's being poured.

[HoonDing]

Leffe, Chimay, Grimbergen.

[Enoch]

I usually prefer ales, stouts, and porters. There are some good lagers, but most of them are just kinda bland. I like a nice strong hoppy and/or malty flavor.

 

I tend to dislike beers that have any of these words on the label: "wheat" "white" "barleywine" "Belgian"