Fantasy beer line-up

Now then, I vaguely remember a similar thread back in the day on the other site, but thought I'd revive it here as it was quite a good one...plus there's been so many good new beers over the past couple of years we may have some new ones to add (I know I have).

So, fantasy beer bar.

Five ales: of the five, one must be dark and one must be over 5%

Couple of keg products: whatever you fancy

Cider (one)

I'll begin

Pump 1: Orkney Red MacGregor
Pump 2: Thornbridge Kipling
Pump 3: St Austell Tribute
Pump 4: Dark Star - (I'll take whatever they offer!)
Pump 5: Sarah Hughes Ruby Mild

(so many I had to miss out like Butts Barbus Barbus and West Berks Maggs Mild to name but two!)

Keg: I'm still finding my way around the 'better' end of the keg market, but usually enjoy Sierra Nevada :) maybe a fruit beer as well

Cider: I've become quite fond of Tutts Clump at the Nags Head so I'll go for that.

This list is subject to change, especially as there are a number of beers I've had only the occasional pint of and want to try them more often so I can get a full appreciation of their merits (Marble, Brewdog, Purple Moose).

There'll probably be some others that I remember as the thread opens up but it's start, anyway.

Only five !

Pump 1 - Wye Valley Butty Bach
Pump 2 - Bathams Bitter
Pump 3 - Kelham Island Captain 6.5%
Pump 4 - Six Bells Harry Porter
Pump 5 - Hobsons Mild

Would have to be constant rotation for Salamander , Pictish , Salopian , Woods , Skinners etc

Cider - Gwatkins Black Rat
Lager - Cotswald Lager and Wheat Beer

Difficult - it is a nigthmare keepign it down to five:

P1 Suffolk Dark Velvet
P2 Shepherd and Neame Late Red
P3 Cairngorm Trade Winds
P4 Hopback Summer Lightning (5%abv)
P5 Hadrian and Border Secret Kingdom

Keg (a technicality, quality foreign beers which are not cask conditioned) :

Pelforth Brun
Pauliner Alt

Lager:

Stonehenge Danish Dynamite

Cider:

Gwatkins Foxwhelp (or Rats Tale - I can't pick between these two)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oggwyn Trench

Only five !

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yeah, I kinda figured that five is a good figure in terms of what the 'average' good beer pub would serve. With the other caveats added it means that you don't get too overloaded with one style.

And the first brewery I overlooked - Wye Valley. Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout and Butty Bach are lovely...but where do I put them? ("in the cellar", perhaps). Hobson's Mild is lovely but I've only had it twice, so it falls into the 'future contender' bracket for now...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Quinno

yeah, With the other caveats added it means that you don't get too overloaded with one style.

...Hobson's Mild is lovely but I've only had it twice, so it falls into the 'future contender' bracket for now...

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Now if we had to nominate a mild, it would have to be Hobson's (though I now can't get the anagram out of my head).

Okay, here's my tentative effort (I'm sure I'll want to revise endlessly)

1. Milk Street - Mermaid (4.1%)
2. Westerham - Puddledock Porter (4.3%)
3. Palmer's - Dorset Gold (4.5%)
4. Fyne Ales - Highlander (4.8%)
5. York - Centurion's Ghost (5.4%)

On tap - Hertog Jan - Dubbel (7.0%)
- Piebalga - Dark Lux (5.8%)

Cider - Mr Whitehead's - Heart of Hampshire (5.0%)

Der, all confused but I think


1. Thwaites Nutty Slack
2. Acorn Barnsley Bitter
3. Roosters Yankee
4. Acorn Gorlovka Imperial Stout
5. Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby

Lager: probably Pilsner Urquell

Cider: - dunno I prefer Perry, but when I was a lad we got got some stuff reputedly made in a hole in Bristol Docks (Riches?), it came in a plastic container and the next day the remains of the cider had digested some of the plastic :eek: - damn fine stuff.

Keg: - you're 'aving a laff, or maybe some of that Irish stuff that mad bald bloke makes

You didn't ask about bottled beers but I'd have to have:-

Schlenkerla Rauchbier
Prize Old Ale
Worthington White Shield
Fullers 1845
GK Strong Suffolk
Guinness Triple Export
St Bernardus Prior 8 :D
Maradsous
Duvel
Copper Dragon Golden Pippin (better than the real draught :eek:)

Difficult one, this, but here goes:
1. Dark Star Hophead.
2. Harveys Sussex Best Bitter
3.Goachers Fine Light
4.Goachers Mild.
5.Ramsgate Gadds No 3
Keg-pass
Cider-don't really drink it now, but probably Rough Old Wife.

Bottled
Westerham Viceroy IPA
Gadds No 3 (again!)
Dark Star Russian Imperial Stout
Wensleydale Lidstone's Mild

This is very Kent and Sussex centred-I do like Yorkshire beers-honest!
There's a list of beers I'd like to get to know better that is more geographically diverse.

I have a real love / hate thing with threads like this. No matter how long you spend deliberating, someone always chooses a beer that you can't believe you overlooked!

Anyway, in my fantasy I own two pubs:

Pump1: St Austell Black Prince.
Pump2: Mallinsons Castle Hill Premium.
Pump3: Hophead Decadence.
Pump4: Saltaire Crystal Red
Pump5: Elland 1872 Porter.

Pump1: Fernandes Malt Shovel Mild
Pump2: Roosters YPA
Pump3: WharfeBank Camfell
Pump4: East Coast Moody's Mild
Pump5: Acorn Gorlovka Stout.

Lager: Harviestoun Schiehallion. (Does that count?)

Keg: Hoegaarden.

Cider: I'll say Pure North Cider 6%, as it's brewed by a farmer in Holmfirth.

I've had a few long days in the tractor:when radio 4 palls,I think of beer.
Beers I've had in the past,but not enough to say I really like 'em, but I probably do.
1. Oakham Bishop's Farewell
2.Goose eye No eyed deer
3. Milk Street Funkey Monkey
4. Elgoods Black Dog Mild (actually I really do like this, but Goachers Mild even more.)
5. Larkin's Porter.Local to me, but I've only drunk this once or twice.

Beers I've never tried-the fantasy list:
1. Thornbridge Hall-Jaipur IPA or Kipling
2.Sarah Hughes Ruby Mild
3.Something from Mallinson's (getting vague from here..)
4. Wye Valley Butty bach
5. St Austell Proper Job IPA

These lists are always far easier to read than they are to compile but for what it's worth...

Casks -
Saltaire - Amarillo Gold
Westerham - Grasshopper
Nethergate - Lemon Head
Burton Bridge - Damson Porter (the Dark One)
Hawkshead - Lakeland Lager (the 5%'er and one to keep lager fans happy)

Kegs -
St Austell - Cornish Cream
Sam Smiths - Sovereign Bitter

Cider -
Westons Raspberry Cider

I've tried to vary it but seems it all came out a bit fruit heavy!

Hawkshead! An excellent choice, Sir!

The Red is delicious (as is the lager!)

Casks:

1. Sarah Hughes Ruby Mild
2. Old Swan (Ma Pardoe's) Entire
3. Hobson's Best Bitter
4. Highgate Mild (loyalty to my home town)
5. Batham's Bitter

Keg: Flower's Bitter, Leffe Blond, Toohey's New

Cider: No idea - Magner's?

This has taken a bit of thinking about but I’ve finally decided. Rather than go for the ‘I’ve got two pubs’ ploy like A&H I‘m going to have a ‘coming next’ board running above the bar with a similar styled beer ready to come on to each pump. Here are my selections

Pump 1 - York, Centurions Ghost (Exmoor, Exmoor Beast)
Pump 2 - Jennings, Snecklifter (Ringwood, Fortyniner)
Pump 3 - Dark Star, Hophead (Brew Dog, Trashy Blond)
Pump 4 - Thornbridge, Jaipur IPA (Hop Back, Summer Lightning)
Pump 5 - Leeds, Midnight Bell (Elgood’s, Black Dog Mild)

Keg would be Franziskaner and Delirium Tremens.

I’m not a big cider drinker but often have a pint or a half as a palate cleanser after a session of dark beers. So I’m going for something that is going to sooth rather than shock the senses, Biddenden Bushels.

For bottled stuff I’d go for a quartet of Belgians, Chimay Red, Duval, St Bernardus 12 and a Duchess De Bourgogne. There’d also be a Rouge Mocha Porter from the US.

If I were to find a pub like this I’d be happy for life…. which probably wouldn’t last very long

I had to change my local because, for some strange reason ,I lost my taste for Hobsons Bitter and no other ale was available. Another pub close bye has Wye Valley, Butty Bach,HPA and Best Bitter. Yet another has Tribute and Doombar but the bar maids are an addded extra.
My fantasy list would include anything free....but then I always have admitted to being a Phillistine as well as a freeloader.

Errrm...whose round is it ?

Wow! Excluding the likes of Darkstar, Pictish, Millstone and oh so many favourites seems a treason-like act, but forced upon us by the dastardly Quinno. Trying to keep within the rules, I'll open up at lunchtime with...

Pumps 1-5, no particular order

Marble Pint
Oakham Bishops Farewell
Thornbridge Kipling (5.2%)
O'Hanlon's Port Stout
Everards Tiger

Keg
Brewdog 77 Lager (cask or keg, apparently)
Other, dunno, Staropramen?

Cider
Brown Snout, maker unknown (I read it's also/equally the name of a cider apple, but am going with the taster given to me by an expert guv at Portsmouth's Florence).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Quinno

Five ales: of the five, one must be dark and one must be over 5%

Couple of keg products: whatever you fancy

Cider (one).

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Thornbridge - Kipling (5.2%)
St Austell - Proper Job
Badger - Golden Glory
Kelham Island - Pale Rider
Brooklyn Chocolate Stout

Leffe blonde
Stella Artois

umm..Old Rosie

Ales:

Ringwood - Old Thumper
Sharps - Doom Bar
Fullers - Hock (narrowly beats Rudgate Ruby Mild to my 1 allocated mild pump)
Twickenham - Naked Ladies
Oakham - JHB

Keg:
Veltins
Meantime Wheat Beer

Cider:
I don't know the first thing about cider and avoid it like the plague. Someone would have to choose for me!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Quinno

Pump 1: Orkney Red MacGregor
Pump 2: Thornbridge Kipling
Pump 3: St Austell Tribute
Pump 4: Dark Star - (I'll take whatever they offer!)
Pump 5: Sarah Hughes Ruby Mild

(so many I had to miss out like Butts Barbus Barbus and West Berks Maggs Mild to name but two!)

This list is subject to change, especially as there are a number of beers I've had only the occasional pint of and want to try them more often so I can get a full appreciation of their merits (Marble, Brewdog, Purple Moose).

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Well what a difference a couple of years makes!

These days I'd definitely want to include a Windsor & Eton brew - the Conqueror Black IPA (the 1075 version if I could get my paws on it) would replace Sarah Hughes; W&E are, for my money, the best brewery in Berkshire now despite some stiff compeitition (not something anyone would have thought a few years back!!). Saltaire Elderflower I had at the West Riding Licensed Refreshment Rooms was fantastic, so that's in too but I don't want to drop the Tribute as that's a good 'standard' bitter and I'll have top-heavy selection of light, hoppy/zesty beers. I've also had some excellent ales from Ascot (Aardvark especially), Binghams (their stouts are wonderful), Redemption (Big Chief and Hopspur) and Kernel; these are just off the top of my head too. Hawkshead and Marble just keep churning out fantastic beers, I've never had a Hawkshead that's been less than fantastic.

What a good thread, pointed here by Millay earlier today and just having read the earlier posts its dawned on me how difficult this is going to be.Anyway this is what I reckon at the moment,probably have second thoughts as soon as I post.
Pump 1 Dark Star Hophead.
Pump 2 Dark Star American Pale Ale.
Pump 3 Thornbridge Jaipur I.P.A.
Pump 4 Timothy Taylors Ramtam.
Pump 5 Moorhouse Black Cat Mild.

Keg
Meantime London Lager

Cider
Kenny Cramps Double Vision:nishelypished:

Come across this thread again after discussing favourite beers with a work colleague. I think I might update this once a year to log how my tastes change (seeing as I never get round to doing BOTW regularly!). I think I’ll pinch the idea of having a ‘now and next’ section.

Let's call this the 2013 list :D

Pump 1 (dark): Hobsons Mild followed by Hawkshead Brodies Prime
Pump 2 (standard bitter): Bathams Bitter followed by Wye Valley Butty Bach
Pump 3 (hoppy): Dark Star American Pale Ale followed by Hawkshead Windermere Pale
Pump 4 (hefty): Windsor & Eton Conqueror 1075 followed by Dark Star Revelation
Pump 5 (speciality): Hawkshead Red followed by Saltaire Elderflower

On order (yes I’m cheating): Binghams Vanilla Stout, Redemption Big Chief, Magic Rock, Marble Pint, Purple Moose Dark Side of the Moose, Butts Barbus Barbus, Orkney Red McGregor, Twickenham Naked Ladies, Ascot Aardvark, Dorothy Goodbodys Wholesome Stout, Titanic Plum Porter....I had Old Tom on cask during a Spoons festival a few years back so can I order that too???

I wouldn’t want Thornbridge anymore except perhaps Saint Petersburg, their beer tastes like soft water soap suds now. Sarah Hughes isn’t as tasty as it was IMO. Brewdog no longer cask and Kernel only do very limited runs so I wouldn’t count them either.

Probably missed a couple as usual...

OK,for 2013,
Pump 1 (dark) Titanic Stout followed by East London Brewery Quadrant Stout
Pump 2 (standard Bitter) Bowman Quiver followed by Twickenham Naked Ladies
Pump 3 (hoppy) Darkstar American Pale Ale followed Whitehorse Village Idiot
Pump 4 (hefty) Darkstar Critical Mass followed by Magic Rock Dark Arts
Pump 5 (specialty) Darkstar Greenhopped IPA followed by Bowman Elderado

Completely missed this thread before,it a goodie.

My 2013 selection for the five handpumps would cover a range of styles

Pump 1 (Mild) Mighty Oak Oscar Wilde
Pump 2 (Session Bitter) Bathams Bitter
Pump 3 (Strong IPA) Marble Lagonda IPA
Pump 4 (Porter) Red Squirrel London Porter
Pump 5 (Stout) Titanic Chocolate and Vanilla Stout

That's pretty close to beer heaven.

No place for some cracking brews in that line up,I will just have to open a second boozer:D

A Yorkshire selection


Pump 1 Timothy Taylor Golden Best
Pump 2 Ilkley Mary Jane
Pump 3 Kirkstall Dissolution IPA
Pump 4 Elland 1872 Porter
Pump 5 Black Sheep Russian Imperial Stout

After a bit of thought my fantasy pub has gone Locale

Pump 1 (Mild) Hobsons - Mild
Pump 2 (Stout) Ironbridge - Wenlock Oak Aged Stout
Pump 3 (Golden) Salopian - Oracle
Pump 4 (Strong IPA) Clun - Citadel
Pump 5 (Bitter) Wood - Shropshire Lad

It's so difficult to limit it to just five, but here goes:

Harveys Sussex Best
Hobsons Mild
Williams Brothers Ebulum
Batemans XB
Boddingtons Bitter (well, this is a fantasy bar - in my fantasy someone manages to go back in time and recreate the original Boddies twang: a beer to die for)

Kent and East Sussex
Pump 1: mild/old.Harvey's Sussex xxxx old ale
Pump 2: session. Larkin's Traditional
Pump 3:lightweight pale'n'hoppy.Canterbury Brewers LocoIPA
Pump 4: porter.Larkin's Porter
Pump 5:heavyweight: Gadd's no 3

but there are more...

Pump 1 (MILD) St Austell - Black Prince.
Pump 2 (Session Bitter) Acorn - Yorkshire Pride.
Pump 3 (Strong IPA) Kirkstall - Dissolution IPA.
Pump 4 (Heavyweight) Elland - 1872.
Pump 5 (Red Ale) Rat - Red Rat.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mobyduck

OK,for 2013,
Pump 1 (dark) Titanic Stout followed by East London Brewery Quadrant Stout
Pump 2 (standard Bitter) Bowman Quiver followed by Twickenham Naked Ladies
Pump 3 (hoppy) Darkstar American Pale Ale followed Whitehorse Village Idiot
Pump 4 (hefty) Darkstar Critical Mass followed by Magic Rock Dark Arts
Pump 5 (specialty) Darkstar Greenhopped IPA followed by Bowman Elderado

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Thought I would revive Quinnos thread to see if much has changed in nearly the four years since I posted the above list.

Pump 1 (Dark) Siren Broken Dream followed by Saltaire Triple Chocoholic
Pump 2 ( Standard Bitter, I tend not to drink this anymore but if I had to) Salopian Darwin's Origin followed by Fullers Jack Frost
pump 3 (Hoppy/citrus) Oakham Citra followed by Adnams Mosaic
Pump 4( Stronger) Thornbridge Kipling followed by Marble Lagonda IPA
Pump 5 ( speciality) Red Cat Kiaros followed by Darkstar Greenhopped IPA

Sessionable beers that I have enjoyed regularly this year
pump I West Berks -maggs magnificent mild
pump 2 Dark Star -hophead
pump 3 -Thornbridge -Jaipur
pump 4 Big Smoke -underworld porter
pump 5 Binghams -vanilla stout

Quote:

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Originally Posted by london calling

Sessionable beers that I have enjoyed regularly this year
pump I West Berks -maggs magnificent mild
pump 2 Dark Star -hophead
pump 3 -Thornbridge -Jaipur
pump 4 Big Smoke -underworld porter
pump 5 Binghams -vanilla stout

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Oakham should be in there. 4 or 5 of their beers could be interchange with Dark Star or Thornbridge.

I'm going for beers that are no longer available in their original form and as far as Boddies and Bass go it's back to the seventies.

Brakspear Bitter - the Wychwood one is nothing like the Henley original.
King & Barnes Old - some of the current Horsham micros have made a good job of recreating this.
Boddington's Bitter - It was never the same after it escaped from Manchester and the NW.
Pitfield Street Dark Star - a bit of mischief!
Draught Bass - It was ruined in the early eighties and is now just a poor variation on Pedigree.

I could add the two Young's bitters, Marston's Owd Roger, Lees Moonraker, Ruddles County, Gibbs Mew Bishop's Tipple and many more but... Oh! I just have.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bucking Fastard

Completely missed this thread before,it a goodie.

My 2013 selection for the five handpumps would cover a range of styles

Pump 1 (Mild) Mighty Oak Oscar Wilde
Pump 2 (Session Bitter) Bathams Bitter
Pump 3 (Strong IPA) Marble Lagonda IPA
Pump 4 (Porter) Red Squirrel London Porter
Pump 5 (Stout) Titanic Chocolate and Vanilla Stout

That's pretty close to beer heaven.

No place for some cracking brews in that line up,I will just have to open a second boozer:D

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My only changes would be:

Pump 4 Titanic Plum Porter
Pump 5 Siren Craft Broken Dream.

The pub would get a 10 .:)