"A Pint of Bitter, Please."

[Vladd67]

There used to be a small brewery locally that produced some good beers. Sadly it recently ceased trading, however their recipes and brands have been sold to another brewery so they are still available.

 

[BigBadBob141]

I love a Guinness, you can't beat something with a bit of body in it, usually floating face down in the cask!

Apart from the jokes (and I really do love a Guinness) there was a very good bottled beer called Badger, it was cheaper then other beers but pretty good, unfortunately the shop that sold closed and I've never seen it elsewhere.
Spitfire is fairly good as is Bishops Finger and one called I think Old Speckled Hen, might have been made by Theakstones I also like their Old Peculiar, Hobgoblin brewed by Wytchwood Brewers, Oxford is good, I like the t shirt of this, it as the goblin on the label on it holding a pint of beer and saying "what's the matter larger boy, afraid you might taste something!" which I think sums up a lot of modern beers .
As you no doubt can tell by this I happen to like beer!!!

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

I like the t shirt of this, it as the goblin on the label on it holding a pint of beer and saying "what's the matter larger boy, afraid you might taste something!" which I think sums up a lot of modern beers

I have that very T-shirt

 

[Randy M.]

I love a Guinness, you can't beat something with a bit of body in it, usually floating face down in the cask!

Apart from the jokes (and I really do love a Guinness) there was a very good bottled beer called Badger, it was cheaper then other beers but pretty good, unfortunately the shop that sold closed and I've never seen it elsewhere.
Spitfire is fairly good as is Bishops Finger and one called I think Old Speckled Hen, might have been made by Theakstones I also like their Old Peculiar, Hobgoblin brewed by Wytchwood Brewers, Oxford is good, I like the t shirt of this, it as the goblin on the label on it holding a pint of beer and saying "what's the matter larger boy, afraid you might taste something!" which I think sums up a lot of modern beers .
As you no doubt can tell by this I happen to like beer!!!

One of the best black & tans I've had is at a local restaurant that mixes 1/2 Guiness with 1/2 a local pale ale. It gives the local some substance, and smooths out the Guiness. Really tasty.

Randy M.
(who now wants to go to that restaurant in spite of their so-so food)

 

[Vince W]

I love a Guinness, you can't beat something with a bit of body in it, usually floating face down in the cask!

Apart from the jokes (and I really do love a Guinness) there was a very good bottled beer called Badger, it was cheaper then other beers but pretty good, unfortunately the shop that sold closed and I've never seen it elsewhere.
Spitfire is fairly good as is Bishops Finger and one called I think Old Speckled Hen, might have been made by Theakstones I also like their Old Peculiar, Hobgoblin brewed by Wytchwood Brewers, Oxford is good, I like the t shirt of this, it as the goblin on the label on it holding a pint of beer and saying "what's the matter larger boy, afraid you might taste something!" which I think sums up a lot of modern beers .
As you no doubt can tell by this I happen to like beer!!!

I love Guinness. I was at St. James Gate for the 350th Anniversary. It's a must stop if you're ever in Dublin.

 

[Extollager]

Over here in the States, Guinness is no longer imported, it seems, but brewed here, and oh boy was I disappointed with the stout I bought a year or two ago. It just didn't taste very good to me, where formerly it'd been a delight.

 

[hitmouse]

I love a Guinness, you can't beat something with a bit of body in it, usually floating face down in the cask!

Apart from the jokes (and I really do love a Guinness) there was a very good bottled beer called Badger, it was cheaper then other beers but pretty good, unfortunately the shop that sold closed and I've never seen it elsewhere.
Spitfire is fairly good as is Bishops Finger and one called I think Old Speckled Hen, might have been made by Theakstones I also like their Old Peculiar, Hobgoblin brewed by Wytchwood Brewers, Oxford is good, I like the t shirt of this, it as the goblin on the label on it holding a pint of beer and saying "what's the matter larger boy, afraid you might taste something!" which I think sums up a lot of modern beers .
As you no doubt can tell by this I happen to like beer!!!

Guinness is great when kept well. Preferably from a tap in Ireland.
Spitfire is Kentish beer By Shepherd Neame, and is excellent.
Old Speckled Hen Is nice. Had a bottle last week.
I got quite drunk on Hobgoblin in an Oxford pub once in the late 1980s. I have memories of a bad hangover.

 

[Vince W]

Spitfire is Kentish beer By Shepherd Neame, and is excellent.

Fantastic beer! I think I'll have one (or several) now.

 

[The Big Peat]

Guinness is great when kept well. Preferably from a tap in Ireland.
Spitfire is Kentish beer By Shepherd Neame, and is excellent.
Old Speckled Hen Is nice. Had a bottle last week.
I got quite drunk on Hobgoblin in an Oxford pub once in the late 1980s. I have memories of a bad hangover.

The big advantage Guinness has in Ireland is that its fresh, as they go through it a lot quicker. I've visited the brewery and the difference between how it tastes fresh there and how it tastes in London is insane.

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

I found that when I did the Guinness brewery tour and had a complimentary pint, it was the worst pint of Guinness I'd ever had! I put it down to the turnover rate of the barrels. Probably don't have time to settle.

On the other hand, a pint of G in one of the rural pubs was exquisite. One technique the barmen have is to have a load of half-pulled pints ready on the bar for the customers, thus giving the first half time to settle, then pulling the second half as and when required to liven it up.

Now I want a Guinness

 

[hitmouse]

The big advantage Guinness has in Ireland is that its fresh, as they go through it a lot quicker. I've visited the brewery and the difference between how it tastes fresh there and how it tastes in London is insane.

I always have a bad feeling when trying to drink Guinness from a chain hotel bar, where it is usually kept badly, pulled badly, and chilled to within an inch of its life. Probably the only time I will order a lager in preference over Guinness or chilled bitter.

 

[Vince W]

The big advantage Guinness has in Ireland is that its fresh, as they go through it a lot quicker. I've visited the brewery and the difference between how it tastes fresh there and how it tastes in London is insane.

Isn't it just.

 

[BigBadBob141]

Oh my god what have I started (lol)!
I must admit on a very hot day I do enjoy a nice cold San Miguel, am not a big fan of largers as a whole but for some reason I do enjoy this one.
When it comes to Guinness out of a can which do you prefer, a straight forwards one or a gassed up one with a widget giving a very large head, while the latter is not bad I tend to find it a bit too creamy for my tastes compared to the other which is definitely more of a bitter taste!

P.S. The Badger beer that I mentioned was a pretty good brew, it also only cost 99p a bottle compared to £1.20 to £1.40 which was the average cost of bottled beer at the time, this was well over ten years ago, has anyone come across this one, no idea who brewed it.

 

[Danny McG]

Bottled Guinness, as opposed to cans, is a better option.
I remember a local pub that, a few years ago, also started stocking quite a range of soft drinks.

I learned then that a bottle of Guinness and a bottle of Lucozade, carefully poured together into a pint glass, makes a superb 'mender' after a heavy drinking session the previous night.

 

[Dave]

Referring to #3 above, is it safe, then, to say that what Ransom asked for, when he asked for "'a pint of bitter'" perhaps in 1938 was "just a weak, bland, everyday beer, which could be drunk in large quantities without ill-effect, what is known as a 'session beer' today"?

Obviously, this is only my own view, but I think, yes. But it could still have been some local brew that he remembered with some affection.

Sierra Nevada (Chico, Calif.)

That's brewed in the UK under license by Fullers (now taken over by Asahi) who are based in Chiswick, London, and own many pubs around London. So, you would feel at home,

Bottled Guinness, as opposed to cans, is a better option.

The Guinness bottled for export (I think originally for export to Africa and the Caribbean but which can bought domestically) is quite a lot stronger than that sold on draught or in the cans with widgets. It is almost a barley wine.

 

[The Big Peat]

Lager has a bad name these days that it probably doesn't deserve. I mean, the commercially popular lagers of the UK deserve every last rock thrown at them, but the style itself is a good one. Go to Germany and taste it done properly and you're left wondering why it isn't like this everywhere.

I don't know how many of you are into the craft beer scene, but there's a theory that the next big thing will be lager. First it was IPA, now sours and milkshake IPAs are huge, but next it'll be lagers as they taste good when done well, they're a good test of skill as you're doing a very simple thing so screw-ups are magnified, and it's also a good way of getting craft beer into more hands. I know Brewdog sells a *lot* of its Lost Lager.

 

[hitmouse]

Bottled Guinness, as opposed to cans, is a better option.
I remember a local pub that, a few years ago, also started stocking quite a range of soft drinks.

I learned then that a bottle of Guinness and a bottle of Lucozade, carefully poured together into a pint glass, makes a superb 'mender' after a heavy drinking session the previous night.

That sounds revolting. Almost as revolting as a shot of Baileys poured carefully into a glass of Guinness. It sinks to the bottom where it forms a grey layer. Amazing what seems cool when you are 17.

 

[Dave]

...one called I think Old Speckled Hen, might have been made by Theakstones....

It's brewed by Morland Brewery (now owned by Greene King). I had a friend who lived in the area covered by the Morland Brewery but way back then they didn't make Old Speckled Hen and their beer was ****. I think it was one among many reasons he moved away.

The big advantage Guinness has in Ireland is that its fresh, as they go through it a lot quicker. I've visited the brewery and the difference between how it tastes fresh there and how it tastes in London is insane.

I totally agree that in Dublin and London the Guinness tastes very different, but I thought it was to do with the water. You are probably correct.

Lager has a bad name these days that it probably doesn't deserve. I mean, the commercially popular lagers of the UK deserve every last rock thrown at them, but the style itself is a good one. Go to Germany and taste it done properly and you're left wondering why it isn't like this everywhere.

Visit Prague. Czech lagers are even better than German. They also make dark lagers, and it is the original home of Budweiser (they still have a long running dispute with the US Company over the use of the name (which actually means "Beer brewed in Budweis").

 

[Matteo]

Living in Belgium I'm spoiled for beer but still love a Guinness - as long as it's nice, thick and creamy - and not too bloody cold.

I also like a nice lambic (and, as long as it's been made with some care - and not mass produced to be as sweet as hell - a kriek) and so am intrigued to see what this bottle I bought a few weeks ago tastes like.

 

[The Big Peat]

Bit difficult to visit anywhere right now Dave

Re The Guinness - that's what we were told at the brewery. In this day and age you can screw with the water's chemical content to make it what you want to be to a certain degree anyway.

Re @Extollager 's question - I dug into my wife's big binder that she used when studying to be basically a beer sommellier, and that says ordinary bitter grew out of the pale ale style in the late 1800s, so I think it's an okay-ish bet that what they called bitter then and what we call ordinary bitter now (which generally has a 3.2 - 3.8 ABV anyway) is probably pretty similar.

This said, there's three different distinct styles of bitter in this - Ordinary Bitter, Best Bitter, and Strong Bitter. The flavour profile is the same but the alcohol content goes up; I'd imagine you want the lower alcohol version. Something like Bass is pretty high ABV.

As for getting it State-side - I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that what is available in one state isn't always in another, but Brooklyn seems to be well distributed and has a couple of bitters scoring highly on BeerAdvocate; and I'm guessing you're close-ish to Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, whose West Bank Pub Ale also ranks highly on said site, although there's some confusion as to the style in the comments. Similar story with Goose Island's Honker in terms of listed as bitter but confusion on style in the comments (not that GI is local but also well distributed).

Export wise, couldn't really predict, but I know I've seen Youngs and Sam Smiths in PA - there'll probably be something in the shop (if you haven't already looked)

Finally... should be served at about 11-15 degrees celsius i.e. the temperature of the cask room iirc.