UK Supermarket beers recommendations?

[evoo4u]

I'll be spending a week in England & Ireland next month, and while I would love to prop up as many bars as possible, if the overnight accom is not within walking distance, I could well be tempted to try some packaged 'over-the-counter' brews from Tescos for example:
http://www.tesco.com/groceries/ProductBuylist/default.aspx?id=G00010019&icid=TBH_beer_cider_buylist_Tab_ale_stout
Cheap enough (6 pounds is around $9.60), so I'm open to suggestions! Won't be able to try them all, but if there are any highly recommended, please let me know.
I'll have the CAMRA app to guide me to real pubs of course, but just making contingency plans...

 

[peteru]

Fullers London Pride is always a good fallback beer, as is their ESB.

While I was in Ireland, I really enjoyed Murphy's stout, I thought it was much nicer than Guinness. Not sure how good it is in cans over there, but the cans that make it to Australia are nowhere near as good as it was on tap.

 

[Dave70]

 

[Matplat]

Go to the grog aisle in Sainsburys and stare in awe at the wall of beer before you.

Fresh Theakstons Old Peculiar, Wychwood Hobgoblin, Badger Tanglefoot, Robinsons Old Tom, Shepard Neame Spitfire, Newcastle Brown Ale..... to name but a few....

To top it off, as you have noticed, it doesn't cost your left nut to drink them either...

**** I miss english beers.

 

[WarmerBeer]

Depending upon where you are staying, I doubt you'll be more than a short walk from a pub, even out in little country towns.

The range of decent bottled beers found in Tesco's, etc, is extensive, but there is nothing like a nice, fresh, 4% Bitter through a hand-pump, whilst sitting in an 800 year old pub lounge-room.

 

[Blind Dog]

Depends where you’re going to be. Tesco’s, Waitrose etc usually stock a decent array of local ales plus a standard national range. For example the Waitrose near my parents stocks Butcombe, Cheddar, Exmoor and Cotleigh ales and others, which you’d be hard pressed to find outside the West Country. Whenever I’m in the UK, I like to buy local beers mixed with a few all time favourites (London Pride, Fuller’s Porter, Hook Norton Bitter, Spitfire spring to mind)

The standard pricing is still about GBP 1.50 a 500ml bottle if you buy 3 or 4 (or more) and you can usually mix and match, so it’s not too much of an issue to try a few you’ve never heard of.

That said, a decent local pub with real ale on hand pump, a proper steak and kidney pie, and great atmosphere is really hard to beat.

 

[Matplat]

'tis true, my sister was over recently from London, and apparently plenty of pubs over there have been pushing their game on the food front... combo of keg fresh beer and tasty food you can't cook yourself is a winner.

I'm sure Wetherspoons will be dishing up the same crap, however, and surviving off students et al who are just there to get pissed...

 

[Dave70]

Export Jurgenbrau.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5gQ_rruDmc

 

[welly2]

'tis true, my sister was over recently from London, and apparently plenty of pubs over there have been pushing their game on the food front... combo of keg fresh beer and tasty food you can't cook yourself is a winner.

I'm sure Wetherspoons will be dishing up the same crap, however, and surviving off students et al who are just there to get pissed...

You can't knock Wetherspoons. They're a strong supporter of craft beer. Much that I'd like to hate them, more often than not, they have a great range of well conditioned beers from small breweries and at excellent prices. Bastards.

That's not to say students go there just to get pissed but they do have a cracking range of beers.

 

[Bribie G]

'tis true, my sister was over recently from London, and apparently plenty of pubs over there have been pushing their game on the food front... combo of keg fresh beer and tasty food you can't cook yourself is a winner.

I'm sure Wetherspoons will be dishing up the same crap, however, and surviving off students et al who are just there to get pissed...

Don't ask for keg beer - over there the term keg means filtered pasteurised pressurised spawn of the Devil. Fortunately most of the main offenders such as Watney's Red Barrel, Whitbread Tankard are now defunct but it's still around, especially in the form of "smooth beer" that is nitro keg.

Cask.
Cask.
Cask.

B)

 

[evoo4u]

Enjoyed the 'Corner Shop' clip.

Reckon I'll try the Guiness Porters -- they probably know a thing or two about brewing 'em! And even better if I can find a real pub with it on tap.

And that Tesco's lineup looked pretty comprehensive, but will surely try Sainsbury's too. And Wetherspoons? - haven't heard of them until now.

So don't know how much of the scenery we'll take in. Might just enjoy the lilt of the ladies behind the bar! Ahh - so much to try, and so little time...

 

[welly2]

Enjoyed the 'Corner Shop' clip.

Reckon I'll try the Guiness Porters -- they probably know a thing or two about brewing 'em! And even better if I can find a real pub with it on tap.

And that Tesco's lineup looked pretty comprehensive, but will surely try Sainsbury's too. And Wetherspoons? - haven't heard of them until now.

So don't know how much of the scenery we'll take in. Might just enjoy the lilt of the ladies behind the bar! Ahh - so much to try, and so little time...

Wetherspoons is a chain pub. They're pretty much everywhere and are absolutely devoid of any atmosphere or character, however they do cracking beers and are cheap as chips. And the food, which is less than average, is super cheap too. But they do great beers and usually have a beer festival on of some description. Where in the UK are you going to? Depending on where, I can give you a list of pubs to go to. If you see a Samuel Smiths pub, definitely go in. Also cheap (around 2 quid a pint on average) but cracking beers.

 

[spog]

Go to the grog aisle in Sainsburys and stare in awe at the wall of beer before you.

Fresh Theakstons Old Peculiar, Wychwood Hobgoblin, Badger Tanglefoot, Robinsons Old Tom, Shepard Neame Spitfire, Newcastle Brown Ale..... to name but a few....

To top it off, as you have noticed, it doesn't cost your left nut to drink them either...

**** I miss english beers.

Badger Tanglefoot......YES !

 

[evoo4u]

Where in the UK are you going to?

5 days in Republic Of Ireland, spent between Dublin and Waterford, then a few days around Gatwick/London, before heading over to (very expensive) Finland. Last time I found the CAMRA (Campaign For Real Ales) app very handy for finding good pubs while driving around England, so I'll use it again this time around. Might have to cram the brews in before existing on berry juice and water...