Beer

Deadman

After 30 odd years of being a lager drinker, and dabbling with other things in between, as you do,  I went on a brewery trip a couple of months ago to The Wychwood Brewery in Witney, Oxfordshire. 

Having tasted the malt (even the fuggle stuff) and some other ingredients, it now goes down better and makes sense as I can pick out what I'm tasting. Before it actually used to make me gag and tasted like cold tea to me. Something has triggered in my head and I've turned into a bitter/beer man in a big way.

On my nights out now I'd rather have a cool Hobgoblin than an ice cold Peroni. And I do. Sometimes in the pub right adjacent to Wychwoods.

And then there's Porter. Holy shit. I'm absolutely loving the stuff. Black Wych is the most beautiful pint ever.

I'm not too keen on the lighter, paler ales. It's the stronger/darker ones that excite me. Why I don't know. 

So. Is it an age thing? Or am I just a late starter? How can one go from hating the taste of something to relishing it? At age 46?

Mmmm beer......

Thoughts? Tips? Anyone?

pintspiller

I like the rubies and the ambers. Currently drinking Doom Bar. Usually go for Abbot, Newcastle, Smithwicks. Do they still do Bass? I liked Courage the last time I was out that way. Is that still on the go?

Deadman

I saw Bass two weeks ago on draught in Lincoln. Doombar! Everyone keeps mentioning it. I haven't had the opportunity yet.....

not_the_dj

Give the Hook Norton stuff a try, that's from up near Banbury. 

Deadman

I plan on doing. I'm also eyeing up another brewery trip there 

stimpsonslostson

If you like porter try Meantime London porter. It's amazing (& widely available). 
If you have the opportunity i recommend doing a brew your own session at a brewery. You really get a chance to do something totally unique. I brewed a slightly hopped amber. 200 bottles for £100. Winner. 

not_the_dj

If you can find it Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter is fantastic, as is their Oatmeal Stout and Nut Brown Ale. 

hywelg

Before you dismiss pale ales treat yourself to a bottle of Thornbridge Jaipur. 

As you like darker beers already you must try Titanic Plum Porter. 

RandallFlagg

I had a run on Adnams Broadside a while back, bought a couple of their home kegs and get a few bottles every now and then. It's quite dark and sweet.

i tend to go between Scrumpy Jack Cider, Stella, Cobra or Broadside.

years ago I used to pop out for a pint at lunch to a little pub near my work and they used to have an Abbott cask behind the bar with a wooden spiggot and a blanket on and pour direct from the barrel. The best pint of Abbott ever, you could taste the difference between barrels.

Deadman

Right.

1. Meantime London Porter on tomorrow's shopping list
2. Brew your own trip to research
3. Samuel Smith Taddy/ Oatmeal/ Nut brown all major possibilities when I venture up North at Christmas
4. I'll definitely look for Thornbridge Raipur ( just the name sounds great)
5. Titanic plum porter. Wow. Yes. That sounds awesome.

Cheers! 

thermionic

So much beer, so little time...

It's a whole world of taste out there. I've found a good local shop that sells all sorts of interesting stuff - local breweries, Belgian classics, obscure USA imports. I love it all. I particularly like supporting local breweries. Everybody's jumping on the double-hopped American IPA bandwagon now, which is fine... I also like dark beers. One of my favourites now is Reverend James Rye from Brains. 

My birthday present from my sister and her husband last year was a brewery tour of Cwrw Llyn (another one of my favourites) in north Wales. He was driving so as well as mine I had his 3 1/3rd pint samples at the end, and I congratulated him on organising a piss-up in a brewery.

RandallFlagg

I live just a few miles from Beers Of Europe: http://www.beersofeurope.co.uk/

it's an beer lovers dream, they stock 1700 different beers and claim to be Britains biggest beer shop

Tone71

I`m having a few London  & West Indies porters tonight, with an IPA to wash them down.............lovely.

boogieman

I used to be a confirmed lager drinker till I went to college in Yorkshire in the 70s where I was soon informed that "that's a poof's drink". Switched to beer and never looked back. It was all Theakstones up there. I'd never had a real hangover till I'd overdone it with a night on Old Peculiar, lethal stuff. 

Nowadays I like the lighter beers, ambers and IPAs.

ICBM

All beer is good, there are just different beers .

I have to admit to liking high quality Pilsner-style lagers too - as long as not served too cold.

merlin

I still think that Harveys of Lewes is one of the best bitters in the country. I'm not biased towards it because it's my local brewery, but it does make it easy to get a really good pint in many local booze havens. 

Stevepage

Hobgoblin is one of my favourites.

Best ever, Dragons Breath brewed by Dartmoor Brewery. I haven't found it outside of Devon but it's just gorgeous.

richardhomer

Special Brew - from a can - on a park bench for me....

Iamnobody

Re. Doombar - good session beer and widely available. CAMRA members  with bizzare facial hair and a penchant for strong cheese will look down on you for drinking it...

I like it though and don't care.

Re. pale ale/golden - have a try of Boondoogle or 49er from Ringwood.

Butty Bach is also very nice.

I'm the opposite - I've never drank lager. Possibly due to a northern upbringing!

littlegreenman

boogieman said:

I used to be a confirmed lager drinker till I went to college in Yorkshire in the 70s where I was soon informed that "that's a poof's drink". Switched to beer and never looked back. It was all Theakstones up there. I'd never had a real hangover till I'd overdone it with a night on Old Peculiar, lethal stuff.

Old Peculiar on draught, now that's a real ale

hotpot

Moorhouse's Bitters are a thing of sheer beauty.