Best Beers / Pubs In The Uk

[jeremy]

Hi All,

I have been living in Mid-Wales for about a month now in a little village called Bow Street, near Aberystwyth. As it was a bit un-economical to drag over my brewing equipment, I am now a pub drinker searching for the UK's best pints. I am currently working in a local pub that has two real ales on tap, 6X, and Greene King IPA. Apart from that it has the usual UK pub fare at the moment, Carling Lager, Worthingtons Creamflow Bitter, Stella Artois, Guiness and a couple Ciders. What should I be looking for, beerwise, in the UK?

The other day I was chuffed to bits when I found Timothy Taylors Landlord at a nearb pub, and I have also enjoyed a pint of a Butty Bach, a current favourite from the Wye Valley Brewery in Herefordshire. Being new to the whole UK scene, I have been amazed and impressed at how seriously they take their real ales. In my pub, if anyone asks me if the cask is coming to an end they are usually right on te money, even though they is not a cloud in the glass, and the care taken with conditioning the next keg, and tapping it properly is huge. Whats more if it hasnt been conditioning for long enough, the locals will know!

I also happen to live about 3 miles from a pub which houses "the smallest commercial brewery in the world" which is a modest 40odd litre all grain setup squeezed into the building that used to be the outdoor toilet. The beer is actually quite good too! There is a picture of the outside of it here:

http://www.professionaltravelguide.com/Wor...mallest/Brewery

Any ideas of other pubs in my area that are worth visiting?

Cheers,

Jeremy.

 

[DennisKing]

Hi All,

I have been living in Mid-Wales for about a month now in a little village called Bow Street, near Aberystwyth. As it was a bit un-economical to drag over my brewing equipment, I am now a pub drinker searching for the UK's best pints. I am currently working in a local pub that has two real ales on tap, 6X, and Greene King IPA. Apart from that it has the usual UK pub fare at the moment, Carling Lager, Worthingtons Creamflow Bitter, Stella Artois, Guiness and a couple Ciders. What should I be looking for, beerwise, in the UK?

The other day I was chuffed to bits when I found Timothy Taylors Landlord at a nearb pub, and I have also enjoyed a pint of a Butty Bach, a current favourite from the Wye Valley Brewery in Herefordshire. Being new to the whole UK scene, I have been amazed and impressed at how seriously they take their real ales. In my pub, if anyone asks me if the cask is coming to an end they are usually right on te money, even though they is not a cloud in the glass, and the care taken with conditioning the next keg, and tapping it properly is huge. Whats more if it hasnt been conditioning for long enough, the locals will know!

I also happen to live about 3 miles from a pub which houses "the smallest commercial brewery in the world" which is a modest 40odd litre all grain setup squeezed into the building that used to be the outdoor toilet. The beer is actually quite good too! There is a picture of the outside of it here:

http://www.professionaltravelguide.com/Wor...mallest/Brewery

Any ideas of other pubs in my area that are worth visiting?

Cheers,

Jeremy.

Welcome to the UK here is a link to your local CAMRA group http://www.ceredigioncamra.org.uk/eng/
My good beer guide list a few pubs in Aberstwyth but it`s a few years old. Been there a few time`s seem to remember a lot of midland beers Mastons, banks, bass etc. Was in north Wales recently and drank conwy brewery beers, very good.

 

[bconnery]

Hi All,

I have been living in Mid-Wales for about a month now in a little village called Bow Street, near Aberystwyth. As it was a bit un-economical to drag over my brewing equipment, I am now a pub drinker searching for the UK's best pints. I am currently working in a local pub that has two real ales on tap, 6X, and Greene King IPA. Apart from that it has the usual UK pub fare at the moment, Carling Lager, Worthingtons Creamflow Bitter, Stella Artois, Guiness and a couple Ciders. What should I be looking for, beerwise, in the UK?

The other day I was chuffed to bits when I found Timothy Taylors Landlord at a nearb pub, and I have also enjoyed a pint of a Butty Bach, a current favourite from the Wye Valley Brewery in Herefordshire. Being new to the whole UK scene, I have been amazed and impressed at how seriously they take their real ales. In my pub, if anyone asks me if the cask is coming to an end they are usually right on te money, even though they is not a cloud in the glass, and the care taken with conditioning the next keg, and tapping it properly is huge. Whats more if it hasnt been conditioning for long enough, the locals will know!

I also happen to live about 3 miles from a pub which houses "the smallest commercial brewery in the world" which is a modest 40odd litre all grain setup squeezed into the building that used to be the outdoor toilet. The beer is actually quite good too! There is a picture of the outside of it here:

http://www.professionaltravelguide.com/Wor...mallest/Brewery

Any ideas of other pubs in my area that are worth visiting?

Cheers,

Jeremy.

Definitely involved with your local Camra group if you are chasing good pubs and beer.
Worth investing in a copy of the Good Beer Guide from them as well...

 

[Bribie G]

If you head a bit south from Aber. and get down to Swansea / Glamorgan / Cardiff there are some great beers served on cask such as Felonfoel (recommend the Double Dragon) and Brains (SA, SA Gold - that's a stronger version, not Gold as we get in Aus <_< ). Enjoy a few for me. Southern Welsh Beers are less hoppy and more malt driven. As Dennis said in Mid Wales you are more likely to get some of the Midlands beers such as Banks and Marstons.

 

[Tim]

I say give CAMRA a miss unless you want to drink with fat, smelly, weird bearded freaks. No really CAMRA is a leftist political organisation and best avoided at all costs. They don't operate within the interest of pub owners/landlords and support degenerate drinking barns such as JD Wetherspoon chain bars.

In terms of beers to look out for - Anything by BrewDog, you can pick up there stuff in supermarkets too. punk IPA is awesoem and a great beer. Wales in general isn't that great for beer but if you are in London make sure you visit The Gunmakers Arms in Clerkenwell. My favourite pub run by Jeff Bell of Stonch's beer blog fame - a top bloke and a good mate.

 

[DennisKing]

I do know what you mean about CAMRA. they can be a pain in the arse. I was a member in the 70`s for a few years but didn`t rejoin because they seemed to move away from the main purpose. However they did achieve a remarkable turnaround in our beers. In those days I had to travel several miles for a decent pint now over 50% of pubs in my town sell good beer. They also put on some great beer festivals and produce some decent beer related books. I have found some local branch websites can be good a guide when travelling to unkown areas. By finding where they meet Jeremy will find good beers. You don`t need to become their best mates

 

[DennisKing]

PS don`t have a beard

 

[bconnery]

I say give CAMRA a miss unless you want to drink with fat, smelly, weird bearded freaks. No really CAMRA is a leftist political organisation and best avoided at all costs. They don't operate within the interest of pub owners/landlords

No they don't. They operate within the interest of beer drinkers. As that is the category to which I fall they had my membership while I lived there...

Whatever you might feel about the members the beer festivals are awesome and the good beer guide a great way to find good pubs. You don't have to actually go to meetings or anything...

P.S. I am also not fat, smelly or bearded. Jury is out on the other one

 

[Tim]

No they don't. They operate within the interest of beer drinkers. As that is the category to which I fall they had my membership while I lived there...

My issue is that CAMRA have taken it upon themselves to speak and act on behalf of all drinkers, when they are a minority group. The argument that they saved Real Ale is really weak- I'm not going into it, but if you read widely online there is plenty of debate as to their impact and agenda. They make claims to support local breweries and pubs, but are in bed with large regional brewerys and support the tied house's and Pubco's. If they continue with their current policies of supporting tied and chain pubs, there will be very few places left where you can go and buy an Ale thats not Green King IPA, Youngs Bitter or Fuller's London Pride (which are effectively the XXXX, VB and New of the ale world).

 

[JonnyAnchovy]

a leftist political organisation best avoided at all costs.

this sentence does not compute in my brain.....


p.s. the workers should own the means of production.....

 

[Bribie G]

My issue is that CAMRA have taken it upon themselves to speak and act on behalf of all drinkers, when they are a minority group. The argument that they saved Real Ale is really weak- I'm not going into it, but if you read widely online there is plenty of debate as to their impact and agenda. They make claims to support local breweries and pubs, but are in bed with large regional brewerys and support the tied house's and Pubco's. If they continue with their current policies of supporting tied and chain pubs, there will be very few places left where you can go and buy an Ale thats not Green King IPA, Youngs Bitter or Fuller's London Pride (which are effectively the XXXX, VB and New of the ale world).

I think the major impact of CAMRA was to restore a choice of real ale to areas of the country which had become beer 'deserts'. I know this from bitter experience as I lived in Newcastle in the early 70s and there was quite literally no real ale in an area with the Population of Victoria. I had to hop on the train and go to York or to Edinburgh to get a pint. They did a great job of restoring real ales, as well as setting the scene for micros and brewpubs which were unknown only 30 years ago, but in areas of the country which had, and continue to have strong regional real ale breweries, they left well alone and I doubt if you would have any problem with getting a pint off the handpump in Cardiff (Brains), Manchester (numerous) or Kent (Shep Neame) to name but 3.

 

[JonnyAnchovy]

... I know this from bitter experience ...

lol. Punalicious.

 

[Tim]

BribieG - Newcastle is still a Real Ale desert. While there are plenty of small players emerging, 95% of the real ale market is dominatent by a small number of large regional brewers. A lot of the product barely meets the definition of 'Real Ale'. Not that, that means much anyhow. I prefer to judge good beer, rather than whether or not it's 'real'.

 

[RobB]

Back on topic, Butty Bach is a pretty good ale to have at your local and I rate everything that comes out of the W.V.B. very highly. In particular, look for their "Dorothy Goodbody" range. The stout and summer ale are delightful. If you ever find yourself just over the border in Hereford, go to The Barrels which is the flagship pub for W.V.B.

For a general search, punch your postcode (just the first bit) into the location box in beerintheevening for user reviews of local pubs.

On a recent trip, I discovered the range from Bath Ales which I really liked. Not exactly on your doorstep, but it's in the western half of that strange little island, so you never know.

For bottled beers, check out any of the larger farm shops which are in your area. Some of these are the size of supermarkets and have a range of local ales and ciders which will keep you standing in front of the shelves for hours.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

I say give CAMRA a miss unless you want to drink with fat, smelly, weird bearded freaks. No really CAMRA is a leftist political organisation and best avoided at all costs. They don't operate within the interest of pub owners/landlords and support degenerate drinking barns such as JD Wetherspoon chain bars.

In terms of beers to look out for - Anything by BrewDog, you can pick up there stuff in supermarkets too. punk IPA is awesoem and a great beer. Wales in general isn't that great for beer but if you are in London make sure you visit The Gunmakers Arms in Clerkenwell. My favourite pub run by Jeff Bell of Stonch's beer blog fame - a top bloke and a good mate.

I take offence at your comment that CAMRA members are "fat, smell, weird bearded freaks" - is rather stupid. Childish gibberish such as that is unwarranted in the thread. Stick with your arguments and assessments as it appears you have some strong knowledge of the UK brewing scene that is worthy of following but express your stupid insulting opinions somewhere else.

 

[Tim]

Point noted

 

[raven19]

Not quite in your area, but from Bristol and further south west there are some great Ciders on tap too.

Any "free house" in your area should have good local ales, they did wherever I went during my time in the UK.

Look forward to hearing some yarns when you get back to Adelaide! :icon_cheers:

 

[cubbie]

I say give CAMRA a miss unless you want to drink with fat, smelly, weird bearded freaks. No really CAMRA is a leftist political organisation and best avoided at all costs. They don't operate within the interest of pub owners/landlords and support degenerate drinking barns such as JD Wetherspoon chain bars.

In terms of beers to look out for - Anything by BrewDog, you can pick up there stuff in supermarkets too. punk IPA is awesoem and a great beer. Wales in general isn't that great for beer but if you are in London make sure you visit The Gunmakers Arms in Clerkenwell. My favourite pub run by Jeff Bell of Stonch's beer blog fame - a top bloke and a good mate.

Must say there are a few that are fat with beards, not sure about the smelly part however, but I will stay out of that debate.

If you are in Clerkenwell, the Jerusalem Tavern in nearby Farringdon is also a good spot for a real ale it is run by the St Peter's Brewery in Sulfolk
In the same area is the Dovetail which is great for a Belgian and I also liked drinking at the Crown Tavern on Clerkenwell Green

Oh if you happen to be in Reading the Hobgoblin is the best place in town for real ale and cider, the bar staff can be a bit anal however.

 

[Tim]

Must say there are a few that are fat with beards, not sure about the smelly part however, but I will stay out of that debate.

If you are in Clerkenwell, the Jerusalem Tavern in nearby Farringdon is also a good spot for a real ale it is run by the St Peter's Brewery in Sulfolk
In the same area is the Dovetail which is great for a Belgian and I also liked drinking at the Crown Tavern on Clerkenwell Green

Oh if you happen to be in Reading the Hobgoblin is the best place in town for real ale and cider, the bar staff can be a bit anal however.

I tned to think The Jerusalem is over-rated. Sure its a St Peters place, but the beer is ordinary at best and rarely in good condition. I should give it a rap as Im mates with Dave the manager, but it trades on unqualified reputation.
The Dovetail is good, but expensive. While you are in this area, you should see Scottles at The Mitre on Erye Pl. The fat bearded type propping up the bar after hours is my old boss Andrew. Say hi for me!

 

[hoohaaman]

I have trimmed my mo,so it is not wider then my face.If camra includes wy1469 i'm in