So I’ve recently made the change from Lager drinker to real beer, I’ve slowly made my way through the selection at my local Sainsburys & Co-Op, current favourites are Old Thumper & London Pride. Now I know there’s hundred’s of beers out there, but where can I go to carry on my sampling 🙂

Currently have a Bengal Lancer on the go…

Morrisons always have a great selection.. Alternatively, a bikeride that takes in a couple of local micro breweries is always a popular run with the lads, and with the added benefit of guiltless drinking by remaining calorie neutral.

1 pint per 5 miles being our usual guage (Offroad of course)

just cracked open a Deuchars IPA, cheers.

elzorillo

we do ten miles a pint. 5 – I’d never get home

we do ten miles a pint. 5 – I’d never get home

This has been a problem for us in the past LOL

alabama 3

and a chilean malbec to have with my enchiladas when they’re done

Solo night riding taking in various pubs would probably end in tears.

For home consumption other than the supermarkets are there any other shops or even good on-line stores?

Reet nice, like.

I have tried so, so hard to like real ale! It just doesnt ‘do it’ for me…I am a failure as a man.

OP – whats the secret?

I feel a bit of a phillistine, but I’m starting the evening on Budweiser – I’m on an economy drive and finishing the leftovers from Xmas. I have a nice wine for later though (again leftovers from xmas).

SilentSparky – don’t knock the supermarkets…Booth’s (Northern England only?) is the best for different beers, Morrisons isn’t too bad either.
Have you got any local breweries you could buy from? I like to buy a mini-keg (8 pints) of Loweswater Gold (Cumbrian Legendary Ales), Mmmm.

Try a good local off licence or there seem to be beer specialist shops springing up where you can buy beer on draught as well.

Also see if you have a micro brewery near as they generally allow off sales which are a lot cheaper than offies.

Online take a look at mybrewerytap.com

I have tried so, so hard to like real ale! It just doesnt ‘do it’ for me…I am a failure as a man.

OP – whats the secret?

The secret is to keep trying them. Somewhere out there is a proper beer to suit every palette.. it just takes a lot of tasting sometimes to find it.

Currently supping

and then off to see what’s this week’s special on tap next door

A few of my regular fave bottles…

Brakspear Oxford Gold
Jennings Cumberland Ale
Thwaites Wainwright
Badger Golden Glory (peachy)
Badger Hopping Hare
Black Sheep Golden Sheep

Fenred – I’ve tried in the past and didn’t really like whatever it was that I tried. I just started buying various bottles 4 for £5 sort of offers with the weekly shop and found that some were ok compared to lager (Suffork Blonde for example) and then I guess kind of got a liking for the various tastes, oh and chill them to start you off. Lager tastes a bit bland now tbh, although I still have the odd one.

I’ll have a hunt round and see what micro breweries might be about.

I have tried so, so hard to like real ale! It just doesnt ‘do it’ for me…I am a failure as a man.
OP – whats the secret?

You’ll just have to wait until your taste buds mature. I was in my 30’s before I could appreciate Guiness and black olives.
Try one of the lower strength but well flavoured beers like Banks’s. Only around 3.2abv, but a great taste, something that hardly any keg lagers possess. Real lager, like Budweiser Budwar or Chimay has proper taste too.

I’m going through a strong American pale ale phase, sierra Nevada torpedo, 5 barrels, brew dog punk IPA.

You’ll just have to wait until your taste buds mature. I was in my 30’s before I could appreciate Guiness and black olives.

I’m 40 this year!!! 😯

Silentsparky – Taken your advice on board, I’m in Essex and there are a couple local breweries and have family living in Suffolk (Adnams country) so will have a feel around 🙂

I’m currently enjoying a Williams Bros. Midnight Sun sourced by my wife for me for Christmas from http://www.hoppocketwine.co.uk. Give somebody twenty quid and get them to buy you something different. Don’t be afraid to try different types. But then I don’t think I’ve ever not finished a pint 😳

I like:

Bishops finger
Spitfire
Hobgoblin

There are loads others, but they spring to mind as you’ll get em in supermarkets, however I get mine from lidl as it’s generally cheaper

or thay Bath Ales Wild Hare stuff are pretty good. I’m currently slumming it tonight on Sol & Tiger though!

or for something a bit different:

SilentSparky – IIRC you’re fairly local to this place: Andwell Brewery. Certainly worth popping in and picking up a sampling pack!

And, bit of a wait, but pencil 22nd September in your diary: http://www.sherfieldbeerfestival.org.uk/ – good list of local microbreweries on that webpage too.

Tribute and Butty Bach are my current favourites, after a long stint of Duchy Ruby Ale. Prince Charles is good for something. I find the supermarkets are better than the offy here in Malvern.

Try lambic if real ale’s not your bag.

Fullers Honey Dew 🙂 🙂 🙂 .

Try my brewery tap for one of the biggest selection of real ale micro brewerys in the UK plus some awesome US beers.

Their selection box is a great place to start & they do a mighty fine 52 week beer club. Yes you have to pay shipping but their service is great & in the 18 months I’ve been using them I’ve yet to have a beer I don’t like.

I started getting in to IPA’s after trying Bengal Lancer and haven’t looked back since. Marble Brewery in Manchester do a great beer called Dobber which is similar to Bengal Lancer if a little more complex. I’m now on to the US Craft beers such as Odell, Stone, Anchor etc but still got a lot of love for the likes of Magic Rock, Thornbridge, Marble, Bristol, Darkstar etc

Sainsburys do a good selection but i always find Waitrose good for the smaller brewerys, especially local ones to you.

When out & about keep an eye open for Freehouses as they tend to have some different beers on rather than the usual stuff & when in there see if they have any copies of the CAMRA magazine (Drinker) as this will have loads of stuff going on local to you pub, brewery & festival wise.

If you can find a beer festival they can be a great place to try new beers from all over the UK plus no one will look at you funny if your drinking 1/3rd’s of a pint so you can try more.

The long & short is to get out there & try them. Yes you may get some you don’t like but that’s part of it.

Enjoy 😛

if you’re used to lager then moving to real ales can be a bit of pot luck. Pick a bad one (bad for you, not bad out of the bottle) and you’re sunk before you leave harbour…

Try anything described as “blond” or “blonde” first & then when you’ve decided whether it’s the bitterness or the hoppiness you like, then you can try others, such as “pale ales” or “IPA” type ales. If they’re too fruity then perhaps you’d like something more “bitter”; if you just want to get p***ed then go for something strong & dark like Old Peculier, Victory Ale, Hobgoblin, etc.

+1 for Booths and Morrisons though; Asda, Tesco & Sainsbury usually have a reasonable range too.
AFAIK Booths are from the north-west of England, my nearest is in Ilkley but it’s only 8 miles so well worth the trip if I want something I can’t get in the more local Morrisons/Asda stores.

Something they (Morrisons & Asda) have started doing lately is stocking some of the local microbrewery stuff, such as Copper Dragon (Skipton), Saltaire Brewery (er, Shipley actually), Ilkley Brewery, York Brewery, and many more

Or failing that, brew your own 😉

Surprisingly easy. All you really need is:
1) a big boiling pot – ideally with a tap. £65 or thereabouts
2) a big mesh bag – £9
3) a selection of yeast, malted barley and hops – malt from £1.60/kg, hops from £3 for 100g, and 100g does several brews
4) a fermenting bin
5) some bottles to store it in

oh, and 6) a recipe or two
and a few hours spare.

depends on what you like but Deuchars IPA in the local is great and oakham citra in the other local

bottles are ok but best out of a tap (if you’ve got a good landlord)

Taken the plunge and purchased a bottle of specked hen and a bottle of London pride to start me off.

Taste test starts tomorrow night.

Stay tuned, life long lager drinker wanting to convert….

or for something a bit different:

I tried the Blue Moon, thought it was dreadful. I poured three quarters of it away.

bottle of specked hen and a bottle of London pride

Good call. Hen is lovely, and Pride is, well, alright.

IMHO, etc.

I’ve recently reverted to the real ales. Living in Shropshire i do think i’m a little spoilt.
Hobsons,Ludlow brewing company,Woods,Three Tuns and a brilliant micro brewery in Ironbridge
I find my tastes are around the IPA and pale ales. There’s something there for everyone, i think its a very versatile segment of the drinks market.
Any ale house worth its salt will give a taster first, don’t be afraid to ask and say nope! Try something else!

http://www.cockhotel.co.uk

My tipple tasting establishment!

Three Tuns

Four words.

Bishop’s Castle Beer Festival.

That is all. You’re welcome.

We went a couple of years ago. Camped on the Foxholes campsite, its clashed with holidays since! 😥

I had the pleasure of that Purple Moose stuff at a local beer festival a while back, Glaslyn I think it was called.

Fendred – you can also get a few ‘real’ lagers if you look around. Tastier than Carling and all that fizz. Harviestoun do a one called Schiehallion which is good for starters. Ill post more names when I can remember them matey.

Where’s binner?

Fenred, Adnams do a beer called Spindrift, made to help with the conversion, it bring you over to the darkside with you hardly even noticing 🙂 Good luck.

As for the OP – Supermarkets do seem to be doing a great job of getting a good selection of ales in, the tesco’s set is just growing and growing these days while the crap lager section is slowly reducing.

For a serious sampling session looking into some local beer festivals.