Spoiling real ale

[Kingfisher]

Although not about homebrew or breweries there are a number of pubs boasting of keeping a variety of real ale which should also be subject to review. I know that in my area, North East England (the Wear Valley District), there are a number of houses supporting small breweries.
Camra has covered some but not all and their comments are published.

Those which have escaped scrutiny, for whatever reason need to be looked at and I'm thinking particularly of The Black Bull at Frosterley, a free house, which reopened about 3 years ago as a themed victorianish pub. The regulars mostly left after it was done over and have been replaced by a crowd who think that a sprig of cherry tomatoes laid on top of a their meal is the latest thing.

There are usually three or four ales on sale, no draught lager, only bottles and in my opinion the beer suffer from poor cellaring. I'm old enough to have drunk the real thing and think that what's on offer is not of the quality I remember. I'd welcome other thoughts so if you're past this way or connected with Camra can you give it a try?

 

[jonnybeer]

Hi K. can't help you with that one but i'm familiar with what you see is not what you get.

We visited Walton on the Naze last year on possibly the hottest weekend of the year. It's a coastal resort about an hours drive and after being stuck in traffic I was gagging.

The sign outside said,'cask and bottled ale, and guest beers, That's the place I thought.

Guess what, inside was C***ing, S****r,F*****s and some other indiscribable fluids.

Needless to say swmbo couldn't understand why I didn't return with her red wine.

Bad day alround really, sometimes wonder why we've stayed wed for 37 years, anniversary today, wed 21.Aug. 1971.

And I didn't forget the card.

 

[Wez]

Happy Anniversary JB and Mrs JB :

37 Years - :clap: :clap:

On real ale gone bad.......

Where I live it's not so much the quality thats the main issue it's the lack of anything different to try, in my village we have 6 pubs, 4 of them are what you'd describe as nice looking olde worldy pubs, all of them have only 2 beer enginer, Bass & Pedigree, now I like pedigree and a couple of the places keep a nice pint but, you know what sometimes I want choice, wouldn't it be good if pubs were 'made' to bring in a guest ale periodically :hmm:

 

[jonnybeer]

Thanks, Wes.

Not sure what the answer is to the 'decent pint' but it must have something to do with the amount they sell before it goes off, maybe bad cellar management, the lack of customers who prefer their beer 'real'.The person who comes up with the answer will be a rich man. But it's not a new problem, I just try to f ind a pub that suits our taste and not to expect them to have on tap the beer that you want next time you visit. Be prepared to walk out, swmbo can't understand it, but i'm making my stand.

 

[Wez]

Good for you JB :clap:

 

[J_P]

Kingfisher, congrats on the anniversary. You can't be that far away from me in Darlington then, where abouts are you at?

 

[BrewStew]

Where I live I have plenty of choice of pubs, especially in town, but ones in town tend not to have ales, and the ones that do are poorly managed... for example the whetherspoons have 5 or 6 guest ales on all the time, but it's a bit touch and go as to whether or not you get an oxidized taste or when it's not been matured enough before they hooked it up to the pump.

There's alot of Gastro pubs near me too. they do bloody nice food but the bill comes to nearly £100 for two people for a 3 course dinner. An example of which is the Fox and Hounds in Harlestone, northampton. They only have one ale on tap, Timothy Tailors Landlord, but i must confess that was the best ale i've ever been served in a pub for years.

I'm now much like you JB. when i walk into a pub if i dont see any hand pulls i immediately ask "do you have any ales?" and if the answers "no" i thank the clerk/bartender and head for the door.

I think we've got to start making more of a stand in the pubs that do serve ales though rather than just getting the ones that dont, in on the bandwagon. I'm getting so sick of paying nearly £3 for a pint of badly kept beer. I've now started to hand them back and ask for my money back or another beer in exchange. Not to be beligerant, but i'm so sick of getting **** beer i will be polite about it of course

I think it's the pubs that serve ale half heartedly that are bringing the rest down. Imagine you've never tasted an ale before and you get poured a **** one for your first taster, are you gunna try it again in another pub if you dont like it? no, because as an inexperienced ale drinker you'd imagine that the beer you just drank will taste the same wherever you go.

my rant over :lol:

 

[Frisp]

Well said those men... :clap: Hail to the Ale :!:

 

[Kingfisher]

Kingfisher, congrats on the anniversary. You can't be that far away from me in Darlington then, where abouts are you at?

J_P it wasn't me and the wife (I don't remember these occasions) :whistle: and I live in Weardale Co Durham where the men are men and the sheep fearful :)

 

[jonnybeer]

I think that was me, 37 of them i'm unlikely now to get it wrong.

mmmm. spose there's still time.

 

[Kingfisher]

Forgot to say congrats JB. :

 

[Vossy1]

Congrats JB :clap:

 

[jonnybeer]

Thanks Guys. This calls for a brewday, got some time off next week, I think i'll call it anniversary ale (original)?

It'll be along the lines of a Styrian Stunner, min. 5%

I like that beer, it had a lot of interest last year, has it fallen out of favour?

I'll try to get some pics. up after the brew, find it too much to do both at once,

jb.

 

[Wez]

I think styrians are hard to get hold of, you might like to try a "Townes IPA" which uses Cascades instead if you cant get them

Target OG 1.045
96% Pale
4% Wheat Malt
Cascades to ~40IBU full boil
Cascades 40g per 25L steeped post boil for 15 mins at 80c

 

[J_P]

Bobeks beat Styrians hands down, has anyone done a bobek stunner yet?

 

[Wez]

Bobeks beat Styrians hands down, has anyone done a bobek stunner yet?

You're gonna get V1 started on Bobeks now :lol:

I'd try one, i'm very impressed with how they work with Cascade, I find them to have a flavour that gives a great 'background' taste - lots of flavour - just not so full on and 'raw' as styrians.

 

[Vossy1]

You weren't so impressed with the Bobek pale at the night out Wez...or can you only remember Jugs :lol:
For me it's styrians all the way, but then again I don't like subtle hops.

 

[Wez]

Do you know what, those were nice jugs

However, yes I do recall the night out, somewhere in the north?

Will have to do it again

I like the bobeks in the Havest Gold i did, I took bottles into work today for some sampling

 

[J_P]

Jugs and beer? My two favourite things, how did I miss that one? Was this where I was in Scotland? I'm gutted now.

 

[Wez]

How about this....

Crown Inn, Stockport - 1st weekend in December - the first THBF Christmas get together?

I'm in the midlands and can car share for folk Darn Sarf :grin:

AT and co - you'll have to swim or something :