Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
At The Back => Time Out => Topic started by: _tom_ on November 26, 2006, 05:14:36 PM
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Its my 18th tomorrow, so as I can legally buy the stuff, I decided I need to celebrate with some good beer :) I want to try something different - I've only really had the typical cheap beers such as Carling, Fosters etc and theyre a bit boring.
:D
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Are you talking lager or real ale? If it's real ale I can give you a LOT of recommendations!
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I'm not really bothered :lol: Never tried any real ale so I guess I should give it a go.
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Beer for your 18th? Pfft. Try a bottle of smirnoff blue. Or of course you can't go far wrong with bacardi. Well, as long as you avoid all the piss water they market as breezers.
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Beer for your 18th? Pfft. Try a bottle of smirnoff blue. Or of course you can't go far wrong with bacardi. Well, as long as you avoid all the piss water they market as breezers.
I think I've tried some of that.. I hated it.
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For an interesting lager with lots of flavour, try Grolsch.
Real ale is something of an acquired taste. Some people loathe it, others love it, still more come to love it after thinking they loathe it...
The best place to drink real ale is in a pub ("on draft"). If you're buying from a shop, buy bottled ale instead of canned, and, if possible get stuff that is marked "bottle conditioned". This means it continues to ferment in the bottle, leaving a dusty deposit of yeast at the bottom (am I selling you on this? :D ).
Some rules of thumb:
* The madder the name, the better it tastes.
* Local stuff is often better than big name beers.
* Avoid anything with "Best" in the title. It usually isn't.
Try one or more of the following:
Sneck Lifter
Timothy Taylor Landlord
Dark Island
Black Sheep
Duchy Originals Organic
St. Peter's Organic
Hobgoblin
Titanic White Star
Old Speckled Hen
Co-op Bumble Bee
Tanglefoot
Fursty Ferret
Bitter and Twisted
Old Peculier
Spitfire
Bishop's Finger
HSB
Summer Lightning
If you find 1066 on draft, order a pint immediately. This is what Rush were talking about when they sang, "For I have dined on honey dew and drunk the milk of paradise." (Or was that Samuel Taylor Coleridge? :D ).
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Cheers for the list, I'll try some. Co-op do a 3 for a fiver thing on quite a few of those you mentioned so I'll have to get me some :) Is the real ale meant to be drunk chilled, or at room temp? Read somewhere ages ago that some beers are totally ruined by chilling.
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If it doesn't say anything on the bottle, assume it's to be drunk at room temperature. Let us know how you get on!
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Happy birthday for tomorrow Tom-enjoy a good proper beer as Froglord suggested-avoid tinned beer it is generally rubbish. Once you have mastered the art of drinking beer we proceed to lesson 2-whiskey.
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Although I enjoy a Grolsch once in a while, it's not a beer for the beginner. It has a very robust flavour.
Try a nice Corona, Mexican beer. It's best when it's cold and a slice of lemon in it. Drink it straight from the bottle.
Cheers! :drink:
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hahah cheers. I've tried whiskey many a time at various parties/bbqs and I never understood how people could enjoy it :lol:
As for Grolsch, I dont really like it that much.. not much flavour, unless the stuff in cans is different.
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i dont see any Courage Bitter on that.
mmmmm, ale *drool*
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Cains, if they are selling it nationwide again now (don't know if its still just Liverpool area)
Alternatively, drink a treble or quadruple Jagermeister in a pint of red bull. 4 or 5 of those and you'll be bollocksed.
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I'm really digging sam adams at the moment- it's american, but don't let that put you off! it's actually nice american beer- lager, but kind of tastes half-way to ale.
frog's recommendations on ale sound good, though- i've only heard of one or two of them.
grolsch is quite nice too- though I think I prefer stella, kronenbourg or amstel if you're going down the continental-style lager route.
EDIT: happy birthday!
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oh, Staropramen is damn nice too. And Zywecz too. (dont check me on those spellings, damn Czech and Polish beers)
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LOL i see someone suggested Hobgoblin, gotta love it.
Get some Absinthe, that'll sort you out!
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As you live in Kettering - try out the potbelly brewery - always worth trying whats local as beer normally is best if it travels short distances.
My fav, however, is:
Ale: London Pride or Abbot Ale
Lager: Staropramen or Lech
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Anything from the 'Mordue' brewery (based in Wallsend - near Newcastle) and the 'Jarrow Brewery' beers are all very good too (my home town).
For stuff that'll be more widely available, try McEwans 80-shilling, Speckled Hen or Old Peculiar. I'm also fond of the 'fruit' beers - cherry, raspberry and, err, banana :lol:
:twisted:
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I generally avoid Grolsh as it smells a bit too much like a fart when you open the bottle. I'm nearly exclusively a Stella and Kronenburg man for largers.
For Ale then there are loads, good thing about Ale is that you can just buy anything and give it bash, it's generally all nice although I drink a fair bit of Adnams at the minute and always like a pint of Abbot Ale. I had Nettle Thrasher once and it was bizare to say the least, but what do you expect when you make beer from stinging nettles. Actually felt like it may be good for you wich was odd.
The best beer that I've ever had is from Amsterdam in a place that not of a lot of tourists go to. My Dutch mate shown me it last time I went to visit him and we all nearly had to be carried home. There's a windmill (funnily enough) that brews it's own beer and it's all the wobbly side of 6%.
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Yes, Yes,YES..This is the best question I have ever read so here goes..
Carlsberg/Stella/Kronenberg/Guiness - These are the Dimarzios and Duncans of the beer world - They have tons of money and like to pretend that they are quality but they are made be economists and priced WAY above to pay for advertising.
I see that many of the previous comments have mentioned local or micro-breweries and that is a good thing as they tend to be the BKP's of brewing.
I will attempt to advise based on nationally available bottle conditioned beers for you to aquire a sense of adventure in the truly wonderful world of drinking which is about to unfold before your eyes.
There are three main types of REAL beer.
Larger/golden ales
Darker Ales, India Pale Ales / Stouts+porters
Barley Wine
If you walk into the Morrisons/Tesco in Kettering you will most likely find these following bottle conditioned recommendations.
Fullers Discovery / Honey Dew / Youngs Waggle Dance - delicious blonde beer. Light, fruity and thirst-quenching - A great place to start to progress from bubbly cr@p largers and get a taste for drinking real ales. (Irish Tours + Mules)
Fullers ESB or 1845 - ''an ample, grainy-nutty aroma and a broad, authoritative flavour, with lashings of dry marmalade-like bitters'' Great tasty beers these.(The Emerald/Riff Raffs)
Fullers London Porter - This is the style of beer that eventually developed into Guiness when taken to Ireland - My favourite type of more complicated stronger beers but not to suitable to all tastes.(Nailbombs)
Youngs Old Nick / Breakspere Triple / Old Tom - The Warpigs of the beer world, these will blow your socks off with their strength but are full of taste and the power is never at the expense of quality. Wonderful beers to drink when appropriate but be very careful, I've seen Royal Marine Commandos knocked bandy by a couple of these!.
If you really like Larger try to drink Czech beers such as Staropramen or Budweiser Budvar (Miracle Man/Painkillers) These naturally have a very clean taste but with no shortage of strength and power.
In the Earl of Dalkeith you should be able to try any number of hand pulled ales as Weatherspoons pubs regularly have guest ales such as Summer Lightning and they are very cheap compared to the cr@p lagers they also serve.
Have a great time young Padawan learner and remember "The beer will be with you... always.
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I just thought...
Try to buy a bottle of OLD TOM from the Co-op.. Kinda appropriate dontch think? :P
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Happy Birthday Tom!
If you can find it, look for a Japanese beer called TIGER! It Niiiice!
For something a bit crispier, go for an Indian beer called COBRA! I like!
To get really blocked, there is a Geman wheat beer called FRANZISKANER which will taste a lot different than regular beer but you might like it better!
Then there is always GUINNESS which is probably my favourite
:wink:
Then again if you haven't tried BUCKFAST (tonic wine) now is the time! :twisted:
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Yes, Yes,
If you really like Larger try to drink Czech beers such as Staropramen or Budweiser Budvar (Miracle Man/Painkillers)
There's a place in Nottingham where you can have a Happy Hemp Burger and pint of Budvar. The ultimate hangover cure, especially as we all leave drunk again :roll:
This thread sort of flys in the face of the "Drink Responsibly" campain.
38thbettle - If your a whiskey man, you really should come round to mine. I've got a bottle of Cardhu Special 15 year on the go. Smooooth.
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tonemonkey what place is that in Nottingham, it sounds interesting!
Hey Tom you should try special Brew I know its got quite a bad rep but I quite like it. Its only considered a tramps beer in England btw, in other countries its just like a normal beer.
I pretty much drink anything but I would say my fave is red wine, A bottle of Grenache SHiraz is the most tasty wine I've had yet.
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My favourite tipples are Wadworth's 6X, it's the perfect bitter, with a rich almost Marmitey malt flavour mmmmmmmm.......... (and I don't even like marmite)
Leffe Blond, a Belgian blonde beer that's seriously strong (6.6%), really refreshing and with a good flavour. It's also ridiculously cheap. You know it's got to be good as it's what the Belgians actually drink. It's like a good meeting point between lager and beer, with the good points of both.
Happy birthday.
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Then again if you haven't tried BUCKFAST (tonic wine) now is the time! :twisted:
ah, the old Lurgan champagne! a pub near me actually sells shots of that piss!
happy birthday Tom (i'm not sure what day this is but anyway)
if you wanna try Guinness, you gotta drink it in Ireland, from a tap that's got a good flow going. one pint from an irregularly used tap will always be rotten. there's a pub in a town called Westport where they have six taps, all going flat out! that stuff practically drinks itself! (at least, that was my excuse)
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oh aye, Belgian beers! that Leffe's not bad, also Duvel. but if you really want to remove your socks with explosives, find yourself a bottle or two of Elephant Beer! the most powerful beer i've ever drank, yet still quite tasty
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if you wanna try Guinness, you gotta drink it in Ireland, from a tap that's got a good flow going. one pint from an irregularly used tap will always be rotten. there's a pub in a town called Westport where they have six taps, all going flat out! that stuff practically drinks itself! (at least, that was my excuse)
Ah this is a tricky issue.
For a long time Guinness has been nitro-keg pumped or that awful "Extra Cold" - This is not "real" Guinness even in Ireland!
The strange thing is that Nigerian Guinness is the closest thing made nowadays to what Guinness "should" be. It is not distributed in Europe any more... :(
I like a pint of Guinness "to be sure" but the heritage and flavour of this beer has been lost since the sale of the company.
I currently sits in the best of a bad lot category for me.
Sadly Hoegaarden has gone the same way since the brand was bought by InBev - hoegaarden is no longer the same beer and is not brewed in hoegaarden!
More and more great beers and history will be lost the way Guinness and Hoegaarden have been if we don't support real beer!
Beer not brands - fight the propaganda and lies! :evil:
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Hey Tom you should try special Brew I know its got quite a bad rep but I quite like it. Its only considered a tramps beer in England btw, in other countries its just like a normal beer.
Not quite true...
(http://www.arrysbrewsite.co.uk/images/gallery/images/people/busterbrewshirt.jpg)
Here are two great sites for all you lovers of "Trampagne" :roll: :lol:
http://www.arrysbrewsite.co.uk/
http://www.trampjuice.tk/
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Then again if you haven't tried BUCKFAST (tonic wine) now is the time! :twisted:
If the conversation's headed that way then i'll recommend Special Brew, Tennents Super, Omega (synthetic cider - there's nowt to do with apples in that stuff!),any own brand vodka calling itself "imperial" and MD20/20
Any combination of the drinks above should lead to an entertaining evening! :P :lol:
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The ideal woman?
(http://www.arrysbrewsite.co.uk/images/gallery/images/people/me-posing-wiv-brew.jpg)
I think so! :twisted: :wink: :twisted:
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Happy Birthday Tom!
As for beers I'd say Dave got a pretty good list for you to start with there, and take a look out for local beer festivals which may be around ,and then next August get yourself down to Earls Court for the Great British Beer Festival!!
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Well I went co-op and got just 3 to try out, some Waggle Dance (which was drank whilst cranking the Laney, great beer, great tone :twisted: ), some Hobgoblin and some Abbots, not tried either of those 2 yet though but will do later :) Didnt see any "Old Tom" at the Co op Dave :(
Just found out my brothers got me a crate of beer (didnt say what brand) for my birthday although hes at uni so I have a few weeks till he comes home with the goods :D
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Well I went co-op and got just 3 to try out, some Waggle Dance (which was drank whilst cranking the Laney, great beer, great tone :twisted: ), some Hobgoblin and some Abbots, not tried either of those 2 yet though but will do later :) Didnt see any "Old Tom" at the Co op Dave :(
Just found out my brothers got me a crate of beer (didnt say what brand) for my birthday although hes at uni so I have a few weeks till he comes home with the goods :D
Good one Tom!
This will be you in a few hours...
(http://www.wychwood.co.uk/pd/images/art_lagerboy_taste.jpg)
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hahah! I hope I like it. Waggle Dance was great :D
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There are a chain of Hobgoblin pubs in Tokyo, the beer is almost as good as the UK, the bottled stuff is the same of course... except... EXCEPT...
It's 5 quid a pint!!!!!
Thankfully I found a place with a British landlord and he sells Shepherd Neame and O'Hanlons and has a half price happy hour so it's a bit more bearable.
O'Hanlons is seriously good, Sainsbury's often has some so check it out. There is an O'Hanlons pub in Clerkenwell in London which has great beers on tap even though its not run by Mr O'Hanlon anymore.
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Wow, a fiver a pint?! Its £1.25 for a 500ml bottle in Co-Op!
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Woo Hobgoblin!!
I got someone to get me that once just because of the name and logo ahaha.
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Special Brew is a good choice if you're looking to get drunk really quick! I bought it for my first ever carry out and it only took 4 cans! Tastes like beer mixed with cheap vodka though! :?
I used to drink a lot of Buckfast as well, until I drunk 8 bottles one night>day. PDT_009
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ah, the old Lurgan champagne! a pub near me actually sells shots of that piss!
:lol: :lol: :lol:
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I will be drinking some Buckfast tonic (or liquid wisdom, as i prefer) later tonight, if things aren't going well.
It's a long shot, but, if you guys can get them, the Three beers from the Carlow Brewery are well worth checking out. O'Hara's Stout, Moling's Red Ale and Curim Irish Weissbeir. Tipples of choice in my house, anyway.
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Waggle dance is really nice, they occasionally have it on tap around exeter :-)
"Youngs Old Nick / Breakspere Triple / Old Tom - The Warpigs of the beer world, these will blow your socks off with their strength but are full of taste and the power is never at the expense of quality. Wonderful beers to drink when appropriate but be very careful, I've seen Royal Marine Commandos knocked bandy by a couple of these!. "
*knods head* i remember downing most of a pint of it because my mate had, lets just say "had enough for the evening :-P"
I really like Marstons Single Malt if your going for bottles.
If you can find it on tap try Summa that, it is a summer ale but its sooo good :-D.
And steer clear of woo woos they suck :-P
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if you wanna try Guinness, you gotta drink it in Ireland, from a tap that's got a good flow going. one pint from an irregularly used tap will always be rotten. there's a pub in a town called Westport where they have six taps, all going flat out! that stuff practically drinks itself! (at least, that was my excuse)
Ah this is a tricky issue.
For a long time Guinness has been nitro-keg pumped or that awful "Extra Cold" - This is not "real" Guinness even in Ireland!
The strange thing is that Nigerian Guinness is the closest thing made nowadays to what Guinness "should" be. It is not distributed in Europe any more... :(
I like a pint of Guinness "to be sure" but the heritage and flavour of this beer has been lost since the sale of the company.
I currently sits in the best of a bad lot category for me.
:evil:
i bow to your wisdom master dave, clearly your knowledge of the falling down water is greater than mine!
still, i like a nice pint of Guinness. although in most pubs now i wouldn't buy a pint of anything! there are some very dodgy practices in the pubs around here, and it's the same for anyone that drinks vodka. god knows what's really behind that smirnoff label. except for a couple of bars i know well, i stick to bottled beer and whisky.
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Guinness hasn't been the same since the dumpy bottles of Red Heart vanished.
Happily where I am forced to live in london the local stores still carry Nigerian guinness.
Remember that the Stella in the UK isn't proper Stella :(
Personally I have been sticking with Theakstons (Old Preculiar being their most common product)
For largers, I tend to like the french brewed these days, or the czech (though I do have a huge liking for Greek brewed amstel)
Though I am still suffering from too much Bushmills & Absinthe from last week (bleuch describes Saturday & yesterday)
Rob...
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Hey Tonemonkey-I do love a wee dram I must admit-your supply sounds very satisfying.
Good to seeTom that you are getting some tuition.I do not know much about beer except when I am "on site" and I can usually sort out something that suits-if they have nothing good I give it a miss. All I will say is to repeat what I said before-I stand to be corrected but good beer does not come in cans-if it does then I have never encountered it.
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canned beer only tastes good if you've already consumed a pint of whisky! actually, almost anything tastes good then...
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Happy Birthday young _tom_ Tchin'
Ahhh Bucky the national choice of the ned here (chav in england etc)
Suprisingly I've heard a buckfast c--ktail is meant to be quite nice apperently, even if bucky on its own tastes exactly like licking a toilet seat.
Best beer I had was in holland aswell a localy brewed beer called Palm (if I remember right) that a dutch friend of mine from recommended.
Not had hoegarden (great from what i remember, very fruity) in ages wtf happened to it ?!?
You might want to try a bourbon (like southern comfort/jack daniels) first before moving onto whiskey if your young and not used to it, saying that I'm only like a year and a half older than you. Ahhh the joys of being a student.
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I live Down Under, in Sydney to be exact. I had to go to Melbourne for work for a few months and I found a great little pub called the Elephant and The Wheelbarrow that serves all sorts of UK/European delights. It was there that I discovered what would become my staple diet for the remaining few months - Old Speckled Hen.
I also learned that this beer is particularly fussy about the way it is poured. If it's rushed it will definitely let you know about it (and I, in turn, will swiftly let the bartender know!) . It tastes like shitee when it's not poured correctly but with a little patience this is one lovely beer.
I've only ever had it on tap. I've been told it's not so good out of a bottle but I'll make my own mind up about that when I get a chance.
I've also had Hoegaarden White on tap here in Sydney. Same story, if it's poured patiently you are well rewarded.
Anyway, that's just my opinion. Everyone else is welcome to theirs!
Hope you had a great 18th _tom_, make the most of your license to drink by trying as many beers as you possibly can. It's much easier to do while you're young! :wink:
shakman
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If you want to find the pubs that really do beer properly, this is a great site:
http://www.goodguides.co.uk/pubs/search.asp
Choose your region, tick "Beer" and off you go. It can also be used to find the pubs with the best food, best accomodation, etc...
You can also plan ahead on places to go if you're on holiday. I used this on a recent trip to the Isle of Wight and tracked down the Red Lion in Freshwater - a place I would otherwise have passed by completely. Their lamb shank is virtually a religious experience.
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Forgot to say: Happy Birthday, Tom!
I'm drinking a bottle of Old Peculier in honour of your 18th (and because I've just passed my second Kung Fu grading).
Have a good one!
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tonemonkey what place is that in Nottingham, it sounds interesting!
It's called The Ally Cafe, it's really out the way even though it's right in the city centre.
Stand next to the lions facing the same way and walk towards the road that's ahead of you, but slightly on the right. Next to the Habitat shop (or somewhere around there) is an orange gate that goes down an alley. GO down there and the cafe is in the back right corner, through the door and up the stairs. Really good food and 99% of the time, some really banging music.
I'll be the hungover bloke eating hemp burgers.