A moan about some real ale pubs...

[General Staal]

Just been posting some reviews of pubs I have been to on my recent hols.

When listing the ales served, I realised that the ales they sold were basically the same. For example, one pub served Tetley Cask, Thwaites Bitter, Black Sheep Bitter and a fourth ale which was also a bitter.

Thinking about it, several real ale pubs serve a number of ales which are, basically, a bitter. Or they go for a range of citrussy flavoured ales.

Why do they do this and am I imagining it?

[Bucking Fastard]

General,that's a gripe I often have.It is well worth mentioning in any review,and I usually give extra marks if I find a pub with a well thought out range of beer styles and a variety of ABV's.

I suppose a possible reason for stocking say four real ales all with a similar style and similar ABV's may be that the publican is buying his beer from a distributors list and wants to maximise profit by stocking ales which may be subject to a cheap offer.A little misguided but you can see in these more difficult days for the pub trade why some publicans may be tempted to do this while maintaining that they sell a range of real ales.

[NickDavies]

It's a marketing thing sometimes. My local chain pub decided it was summer and for a while had four or five 'summer ales' plus London bleedin Pride. I find those light beers too acidic by the second pint so, as far as I was concerned, it wasn't very good marketing. I know lots of people like them but for me a sign saying 'Summer Ales Festival' is as depressing as the one you used to get in chip shops saying 'We are now frying new potatoes".

[Oggwyn Trench]

Sometimes its what the customers want , the Station where i do most of my drinking has 2 permenant ales , Shropshire Gold and Ansells Mild plus 6 guests mostly golden citrusy/hoppy , they do have the occasional darker one/stout/porter but they dont tend to sell that well .

[gillhalfpint]

Whatever is on the bar, I always feel I can have no gripe over as the bar serves his regulars. I have been in pubs where beer is served far too cold (not just JDW) so the flavour all but goes, but feel this must be how the regulars like it. Same if they are all golden, hoppy or dark beers.

Landlords in some areas must cater for his regulars rather than the likes of me who may turn up once to spend £3 and never be seen again.

Town pubs or those on well known crawl routes can afford to put a better variety on the bar, so as long as the beer is drinkable, I will accept the selection offered.

[Andy Ven]

Sometimes I go into the Wellington and most of the 16 on offer are rated as 'A' (pale) for colour. Sometimes there might only be one that is D or E (darkest). Having said that, sometimes the ratings are inconsistent which leads me to think that the brewer has rated them rather than the pub.

I suppose pubs need to sell stuff they can turn over quickest (i.e. what the punters want) and pale ales and bitters outsell milds and stouts - do you think?

[gillhalfpint]

As a bit of an ignoramous, is it not possible to make brown hoppy beer with a bit of malt so they are not all described as pale. I don't want to see all porters, stouts and milds, but there must be something possible in between these days.

[Rex_Rattus]

I suspect that in some cases there's a bit of laziness involved. Pubco managers are given a list from which they can order, so they tick a number 4, 7, 12 and 16. In one of my locals (a 'spoons) I've known the four guests to be all stouts and porters, and on another occasion all hoppy "summer" ales. I just don't believe they really think it's what their customers want. Is it reasonable to sit down and come to the conclusion that "this week all our customers will want to drink stouts" - and "next week all our customers will want hoppy ales"? I wouldn't have thought so.

[Strongers]

The Doric Arch (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/54207/) used to have a system of voting from the patrons to pick the guest beers, I thought it a good idea at the time and still do.

[gillhalfpint]

I agree that giving the customers a chance to chose a beer for the guest pump is a great idea, and keep them interested. Even if only a few of the regulars interested so pick their favourites no-one should blame the landlord. I have seen the system around and about in a few pubs.

[PaulOfHorsham]

Is it reasonable to sit down and come to the conclusion that "this week all our customers will want to drink stouts" - and "next week all our customers will want hoppy ales"? I wouldn't have thought so.

It may be that some have simply do not shift as quickly as others which were on a few days earlier so, on your visit, you find an unbalanced selection.

This lack of real choice is, though, a real bug-bear of mine. A selection of London Pride, Harveys Sussex and, say, Bombardier is, to me, not really much of a choice, and this is all too common in London and Sussex. My theory has always been that these are stocked by unimaginative landlords who've looked at the charts, decided which ones are the top-sellers and thought "if I stock 3 of the top 5, I'll sell loads and make a fortune".

[Farway]

God, you lot are spoiled, around here, without a bus ride etc, the choice is Hobson's

I can have Fuller's, or Marston's, and one ale only at the nearest one, which can be whatever Enterprise have on the "ale" list that week, lately it is 6x, Havant Forgotten or Doom Bar, not that I object to any of the offerings, it makes me smile a bit when some say "only" 8 ales, or above, on offer. A different world exists outside cities

I would love a local choice of "London Pride, Harveys Sussex and, say, Bombardier" like POH

[Moonraker]

I like my beer to be a dark brown colour. Although some of these 'citrusy' ales can taste all right in small doses, they look like lager! Give me a good pint of HSD any day!:cheers:

[gillhalfpint]

HSD is a favourite of mine and I did a crawl of St Austell and never found it. Was in Cornwall around 9 weeks before I found HSD in 2 pubs in Fowey. I like that any day over the citrussy pale beers around these days.

[Wittenden]

I like my beer to be a dark brown colour. Although some of these 'citrusy' ales can taste all right in small doses, they look like lager! Give me a good pint of HSD any day!:cheers:
Looking at this thread and the Changing taste... thread, I sense a renaisance of interest in brown bitters. I do enjoy pale 'n' hoppy as a freshener, but find the darker types more complex. The beer recently drunk that I think about most is Otter Amber,which I found multi layered.I'm not sure what hops were used,but it does'nt look like lager!

[Wittenden]

I like my beer to be a dark brown colour. Although some of these 'citrusy' ales can taste all right in small doses, they look like lager! Give me a good pint of HSD any day!:cheers:
Looking at this thread and the Changing taste... thread, I sense a renaisance of interest in brown bitters. I do enjoy pale 'n' hoppy as a freshener, but find the darker types more complex. The beer recently drunk that I think about most is Otter Amber,which I found multi layered.I'm not sure what hops were used,but it does'nt look like lager!

[NickDavies]

God, you lot are spoiled, around here, without a bus ride etc, the choice is Hobson's



If only we had Hobson's Best (http://www.hobsons-brewery.co.uk/beers/best-bitter.aspx) round out way

[hondo]

Looking at this thread and the Changing taste... thread, I sense a renaisance of interest in brown bitters. I do enjoy pale 'n' hoppy as a freshener, but find the darker types more complex. The beer recently drunk that I think about most is Otter Amber,which I found multi layered.I'm not sure what hops were used,but it does'nt look like lager!
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/otter-amber/100663/20036/

[Oggwyn Trench]

If only we had Hobson's Best (http://www.hobsons-brewery.co.uk/beers/best-bitter.aspx) round out way

Loads of it up here , the Milds even better

[Spinko]

One thing I've noticed is that younger drinkers <35 go for the paler, hoppier, cleaner tasting beers and the older drinkers go for the brown old-style bitters. You tend to find there'll be more interesting keg beers at the former type of establishment too (as an example in Leeds, paler beers and younger ale fans can be found in Foleys and The Hop, whereas darker beers and an older clientele locate in Scarbrough Hotel or The Grove).

Or am I talking ballcocks :D

[aleandhearty]

the Milds even better

First came across it in The Plough, Worcester. Would easily make my Top 5 Milds. Beautiful stuff.

[Soup Dragon]

Hobsons - class. I think it is on a par with Holdens, Enville and the great Bathams. These Summer ales are ok for a pint but there is an overkill on them, dark beers have far more taste in my opinion and good to see MILD getting a mention from my esteemed colleagues on PG.

MILD is for life, not just May:notworthy:

[ROBCamra]

MILD is for life, not just May:notworthy:

I may have to start legal action against you for that comment Soup ala Sam Smiths.

It's far too easily confused with my strapline, and I own it, not you and (stamps feet at this point) it's not fair!!!! :D

[Soup Dragon]

I may have to start legal action against you for that comment Soup ala Sam Smiths.

It's far too easliy confused with my strapline, and I own it, not you and (stamps feet at this point) it's not fair!!!! :D

I refute the allogation, Sir. I never copy anyone and you are getting paranoid. By the way, Conrad, can you change my name to CAMRARob please? :p

[Andy Ven]

Hobsons - class. I think it is on a par with Holdens, Enville and the great Bathams.

Wot no Highgate!?

[MJ71]

Highgate is beautiful stuff, too. Shame the brewery has been having more downs than ups in recent years.

I do wonder if the current obsession that many small brewers are having with extremely bitter beers is creating this new appretiation of 'proper' ales with more subtle flavours?:glass:

[Andy Ven]

I feel a sense of loyalty to Highgate as the brewery is based in my home town ..... but the Two Towers Mott Street Mild I had in the Brown Lion (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/68940/)in Hockley today was mighty fine

[aleandhearty]

Looking at this thread and the Changing taste... thread, I sense a renaisance of interest in brown bitters. I do enjoy pale 'n' hoppy as a freshener, but find the darker types more complex.


I do wonder if the current obsession that many small brewers are having with extremely bitter beers is creating this new appretiation of 'proper' ales with more subtle flavours?:glass:

I wonder if the demise of Tetleys is having an effect at some level? A case of valuing what you've got before it disappears.

[General Staal]

I feel a sense of loyalty to Highgate as the brewery is based in my home town ..... but the Two Towers Mott Street Mild I had in the Brown Lion (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/68940/)in Hockley today was mighty fine

Two Towers is one of my favourite beers at the moment. The Brown Lion is becoming one of my favourite pubs. Not pretty to look at inside, but very friendly and people are more than willing to talk to you. If you're in there, try the Jewellery Porter. But not all night! Its strong stuff and is one of the only ales that I can remember that gave me a hangover the following day. But lovely for one or two.

Having said that, I also like the Baskerville Bitter and Hockley Gold...

[General Staal]

Went into the Queslett yesterday and what were their real ales - Jaipur IPA, Fuller's IPA, Pedigree Pale Ale and Brew XI. For an Ember Inn, the Queslett used to have a nice range of beer. It was all well kept, but it was a choice of a pale ale, or a pale ale or a Bitter...

[Wittenden]

Went into the Queslett yesterday and what were their real ales - Jaipur IPA, Fuller's IPA, Pedigree Pale Ale and Brew XI. For an Ember Inn, the Queslett used to have a nice range of beer. It was all well kept, but it was a choice of a pale ale, or a pale ale or a Bitter...
Dunno about you, but I'd kill to see Jaipur in a pub-never ever seen or tried it.

[gillhalfpint]

Jaipur was given as the inclusive beer with a curry in Wethherspoon Drapers in Peterborough after the fest. We had 2 free pints and it was good. Usually only offer Ruddles so we were well chuffed.

[RogerB]

I'd kill to see Jaipur in a pub-never ever seen or tried it.

I've tried it 3 or 4 times and really can't get into it but then I appear to be the only person who feels this way so it's probably just me! I felt the same way about the Bengal Lancer from Fullers which I thought was a similar pint. I may enjoy them a bit more with a curry though - some beers take on a whole new character when accompanying a curry and I could see them being a decent compliment to a tongue burning Vindaloo!

[General Staal]

Dunno about you, but I'd kill to see Jaipur in a pub-never ever seen or tried it.

Its often in pubs in Birmingham City Centre - well, its often in the Old Contemptibles. Its about 5.9%. I didn't like it when I tried it.

I am not complaining that Jaipur was on, just that it was one of three PAs. No real choice.

In my opinion, a pub should have a pale and a dark ale at least. Or a pale, an amber and a dark. All IPAs is no choice at all.

[Andy Ven]

Its often in pubs in Birmingham City Centre - well, its often in the Old Contemptibles.

or the other Nicholson's pubs - The Shakespeare in Lower Temple Street or the other Shakespeare in Summer Row

[Wittenden]

Its often in pubs in Birmingham City Centre - well, its often in the Old Contemptibles. Its about 5.9%. I didn't like it when I tried it.

I am not complaining that Jaipur was on, just that it was one of three PAs. No real choice.

In my opinion, a pub should have a pale and a dark ale at least. Or a pale, an amber and a dark. All IPAs is no choice at all.
I agree with the choice aspect;I only commented because I've never seen this divisive beer! Call me old fashioned, but my ideal pub would have the whole range of one brewery's production available, preferably on gravity.I know I shouldn't, but I tend to distrust the rubric "beer range varies" in the GBG.

[Al 10000]

I agree with the choice aspect;I only commented because I've never seen this divisive beer! Call me old fashioned, but my ideal pub would have the whole range of one brewery's production available, preferably on gravity.I know I shouldn't, but I tend to distrust the rubric "beer range varies" in the GBG.

Hi Wittenden,

If your ever in North Yorkshire try going in the Wooley Sheep in Skipton,this is a Timothy Taylor tied house and when i went in there two weeks ago they had the full range of Timothy Taylors beers on the bar this included Golden Best which is a light mild, Dark mild, Landlord a proper bitter, Best Bitter normal session bitter and Ram Tam a dark porter type drink.
I thought this was a great choice of beers from one brewery and all on the bar at the same time.

[sheffield hatter]

I've tried it 3 or 4 times and really can't get into it but then I appear to be the only person who feels this way so it's probably just me!

Me too! Mind you, I'm not that keen on any of the Thornbridge beers, which was a bit of a bugger when the Sheffield Tap (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/68140/) opened, as that was all they served.:( Fortunately, they now have other breweries' product available, including Hard Knott.

[Wittenden]

Hi Wittenden,

If your ever in North Yorkshire try going in the Wooley Sheep in Skipton,this is a Timothy Taylor tied house and when i went in there two weeks ago they had the full range of Timothy Taylors beers on the bar this included Golden Best which is a light mild, Dark mild, Landlord a proper bitter, Best Bitter normal session bitter and Ram Tam a dark porter type drink.

I thought this was a great choice of beers from one brewery and all on the bar at the same time.

Sounds like my type of pub! We hope to be in North Yorkshire next month, but the other side of the A1!