Feel free here to discuss the fine topic of Real Ale, any nice beers you've found or anything about the Homebrew process

I'll start it of with Xan's suggestion

Xantiriad wrote:Here's a starter for 10 and a real classic: Espresso, by the Dark Star brewery in West Sussex. Buy it from these places: http://darkstarbrewing.co.uk/beerfinder/ or online http://www.alesbymail.co.uk/shop/pick-n ... esso?pop=0

There's plenty of great microbreweries near me in the Black Country, here's one of my favourite local ales

Holden's Golden Glow http://www.holdensbrewery.co.uk/index.a ... iew&bid=13

I was thinking of having a go at brewing my own, anyone here ever tried it, if so, any tips?

Was my birthday recently and my brother bought me a few bottles of Red Squirrel from the Arran brewery very tasty drop especially when backed up with a glenlivet or two.

We've an excellent Microbrewery here in Canterbury (in fact we have four but the other 3 are meh), http://www.thefoundrycanterbury.co.uk/c ... y-brewers/ I enjoyed some Streetlight Porter last night.

They've been doing some amazing experimental beers the past few months.

Somehow, this thread reminded me that it's almost time for Corsendonk Christmas Ale to start coming into rotation.

Happy man, I am.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/41/140

I'm a big fan of Oakham Ale's Green Devil at the moment. It's definitely one of the finest IPAs I've had in a long time.

http://www.oakhamales.com/beers/greendevilipa.html

I've also been getting into Bamberg Rauchbeir lately. It puts a lot of our smoked porters to shame.

As a general rule I always recommend ales from my neck of the woods, Yorkshire. I swear that the quality of water up here has a lot to do with how amazing many of our craft ales are. Copper Dragon and the Ilkley Brewery are probably my favourite breweries.

This is why I love Beer festivals, as you get to sample the delights of the whole of the UK. I've only been to Worcester and was going to go to Hereford this year but it was flooded!

Look forward to hopefully going next year. I will look out in the meantime for the ales suggested here

I really love my IPAs and this has been a long time favourite that I feel compelled to pimp on here.

Any suggestions for a decent supermarket available ale? Might pick a couple up this evening.

magicjoef wrote:Any suggestions for a decent supermarket available ale? Might pick a couple up this evening.

Where in the country are you?

You can usually pick up Black Sheep ales nationwide. I like their Riggwelter. Oh, and Timothy Taylor's Landlord is always a safe bet.

In Suffolk, so Greene King is always about. Might try the Taylor's, as I've never had that before. Thanks

magicjoef wrote:In Suffolk, so Greene King is always about. Might try the Taylor's, as I've never had that before. Thanks

Trivia: It was Madonna's favourite ale when she was pretending to be English.

Anyone picked up any festive ales yet? I'm looking for inspiration.