Retro Drinks

[rpadam]

Black and Tan you don't see any more either, Guinness and mild, or bitter depending who you ask.

Some Wetherspoons currently have a cask (i.e. pre-mixed) Black and Tan from Naylors Brewery.

[Wittenden]

Back in September, I took my brothers on a pub crawl down in Digbeth. We started off in the ever excellent Bull Ring Tavern.

I ordered three Milds, but was stopped in my tracks by my brothers who asked for Brown and Mild. So we had three Brown Ales and Milds. My brothers' eyes lit up when they received Manns Brown Ale.

I thought that Brown and Mild was utterly delicious, but I don't ever remember having it before. The barmaid in the Bull Ring Tavern knew exactly what we were asking for. I have ordered it in pubs since, but the barstaff have no idea what I am talking about. After I have explained it, I have to order a half of Mild, a bottle of Brown Ale and an empty pint glass. Its invariably Newcastle Brown and it isn't as nice as Manns.

Now my brothers are 10 years older than me and the 70s were their formative years, whereas mine were the 80s. The drink of choice I remember back in the 80s for teenagers out drinking was a Snakebite - a mix of Lager and Cider. Unfortunately, Cider provokes unsociable side effects in me, so I have learned to avoid it.



What other retro beer based drinks are out there, that are still do-able?

I spotted a couple of lads ordering brown and MILD in the Lamarsh Lion, Essex, last summer.Not real MILD, unfortunately, but it transported me back to the 70s!

[ETA]

Light and bitter was popular around Kent and Sarf London back in the last Century. It made the Courage Best more palatable, I think.

[RogerB]

I have come across one pub in Dartford and a couple across the river in South Essex that sell keg Double Diamond although I haven't been in any of them for some time. According to various websites, Tetleys stopped brewing it in 2003 but I have had it within the last 2 or 3 years and there are some recent reviews of it on Ratebeer so it is obviously still around. It still tasted as disgusting as ever when I last tried it.

[gillhalfpint]

I remember being on snakebite, and it was bitter and cider we had as a mix.

In my young lager drinking days, I hated it when a dash of lime was put in as I cannot stand the stuff and always had to get it replaced.

Black and tan was another popular northern drink.

Just remembered another that was around in the north, a pint of bitter with a little bottle of Gold Label.

[Alesonly]

Guinness & Gold Label was the Drink of Choice for Me & most of crowed I drank with in the Mid seventy's. Probably because in most Pubs there was No decent Ale it was all Keg manly Tankard Red Barrel Or Double Diamond were we lived in Ponders End Enfield

[aleandhearty]

Some Wetherspoons currently have a cask (i.e. pre-mixed) Black and Tan from Naylors Brewery.

My village local has this on quite regularly. I'm assuming it's a blend of Pinnacle Bitter and Pinnacle Porter. I know you weren't too keen, but I don't mind it. Not earth-shattering, but quite easy drinking.

[Grailhunter]

Just remembered another that was around in the north, a pint of bitter with a little bottle of Gold Label.

That brings back memories of the Eighties for me.
I was working in Slough then and we had a local where we would go after work for a couple. My mate would then give me a lift home and while he nipped round to the council car park to get his car I would finish off with a pint of Directors and a bottle of Gold Label to top it up !
It was a wonderful nightcap (Directors was a superb beer in those days when it was brewed in Bristol) and he always wondered why I usually fell into the car when he picked me up !

[RogerB]

I always recall people drinkng Ramrod and Special in Youngs pubs. I never did it myself but with Ramrod now back as a seasonal, the opportunity may arise in the not too distant future.

[Farway]

I have come across one pub in Dartford and a couple across the river in South Essex that sell keg Double Diamond although I haven't been in any of them for some time. According to various websites, Tetleys stopped brewing it in 2003 but I have had it within the last 2 or 3 years and there are some recent reviews of it on Ratebeer so it is obviously still around. It still tasted as disgusting as ever when I last tried it.

Oh dear, I used to like DD, and Red Barrel, my favourite at the time though was Watneys' mild, think it was called Nut Brown or something like that

Hangs head in shame & slinks off to end of bar

Party 7 anyone?

PS, just remembered, it was Drum mild I think