Commercial Ale recommendations

[Wonderwoman]

Right, so... don't laugh... The reason I don't know anything about Ale is because I was told that Ale is very bitter and although I like a lager, some days more bitter than other days (especially in summer), I haven't dared to pay pub prices on something I might not like. And I wouldn't even begin to know which Ale I might like.

But I think it's time to sample a few because I think I would like ale. I like fruity hop notes etc.

So... Could you recommend me a few readily available commercial Ales that I can buy in the supermarket which not too bitter at all? I've failed to find the IBU rating on bottles...

(Now I'll go crawl in a hole)

 

[MyQul]

I much prefer malty and/or sweeter beers to the hop bombs that you seem to find everywhere

London pride is quite sweet and not very hoppy.
Doombar is quite bland and not very hoppy so good to start out on
Dry stouts although can have highish IBU's this is to balance the roasted malts out so don't taste bitter at all - similarly with porters
Thwaites Wainrghts is a lovely light (non hoppy) summer ale
Courage directors - strongish at about 5% but not hoppy

 

[Hops_and_Dreams]

I was an all lager drinker until I discovered ale. I still find i prefer lighter coloured ones, but I'm now really into hoppy IPAs.

There's so many, but off the top of my head, some easy going ones are St Austell's tribute, anything by Badger Brewery, Wadworth 6x, London Pride.

Hoppier numbers are Goose Island, anything by Brewdog, Fuller's Wild River, Adnams Ghost Ship, anything by Oakham's and loads more that don't spring to mind!

 

[Hops_and_Dreams]

I much prefer malty and/or sweeter beers to the hop bombs that you seem to find everywhere

London pride is quite sweet and not very hoppy.
Doombar is quite bland and not very hoppy so good to start out on
Dry stouts although can have highish IBU's this is to balance the roasted malts out so don't taste bitter at all - similarly with porters

How could I forget doom bar!

 

[MyQul]

How could I forget doom bar!

Cuz it's so bland :lol:

 

[Hops_and_Dreams]

Cuz it's so bland :lol:

Not a fan then?

 

[Labowner]

I only recently started drinking different ales myself, purely for research of course lol
I've found most are great and very few too bitter/hoppy to drink but there are one or two I won't be rushing to buy again ;-)
I like Bass Premium Pale Ale as a low hop light and refreshing pint.
Old Speckled Hen is lovely and a must try.
Hobgoblin is very tasty bit more hoppy than the others
Proper Job Cornish Pale Ale I quite liked and would buy again
Iron Maiden Trooper beer is another good refresher.

There are loads more, tesco and asda usually have mix and match offers where you can buy 4 or 5 for less than individually (normally less than ��£2 a bottle anyway) and asda has the bass for ��£1 a 500ml bottle.

The others here will have many more that they can and have recommended.

 

[MyQul]

Not a fan then?

Not really no. I'll drink it if there's nothing else to drink. However, if you come across them, Sharp's Original and Sharp's ESB are absolutely cracking. Mrs MQ's parent's live in Cornwall, and the last time I was there I came across both of the above beers. I keep meaning to email Sharps to get the low down one what the ingredients are so I can have a go at making a clone o them

 

[Hops_and_Dreams]

Not really no. I'll drink it if there's nothing else to drink. However, if you come across them, Sharp's Original and Sharp's ESB are absolutely cracking. Mrs MQ's parent's live in Cornwall, and the last time I was there I came across both of the above beers. I keep meaning to email Sharps to get the low down one what the ingredients are so I can have a go at making a clone o them

I've not come across either of those before. I've tried their effort at a trendy beer, Atlantic I think it was and was nothing to write home about.

 

[MyQul]

I've not come across either of those before. I've tried their effort at a trendy beer, Atlantic I think it was and was nothing to write home about.

http://www.sharpsbrewery.co.uk/our-beers/original.html

http://www.sharpsbrewery.co.uk/our-beers/special.html

I got the impression one is just a stronger version of the other like London Pride and Fuller's ESB but I could be wrong

 

[HisDudeness]

I've not come across either of those before. I've tried their effort at a trendy beer, Atlantic I think it was and was nothing to write home about.

Yeah bit nondescript that one, they also have a red IPA Wolf Rock which was even more disappointing to me, really lacking in any notable flavour at all. Doom Bar is a bit hit and miss I find, loved it when I first tried it but since its begun appearing in lots of pubs it seems to be on the slide

 

[Halfacrem]

Why not try some local ales to you for some excellent beer?

Ringwood 49er, Boondoggle, Old Thumper (do the Tour of the Brewery, it's great value) Ringwood are available in supermarkets

Bowman's Ales are really good, and more on the malty side. Maybe not Supermarket material, but available from Bitter Virtue, in Southampton, which is well worth a trip if you haven't already done so

Also try Flower Pots, which they often have on sale from the Keg at Bitter Virtue - also visit the pub in Cheriton, which is lovely. The Brewery is next door

Oak Leaf Brewery, in Gosport brew some lovely beers too.

Timothy Taylor Landlord, Hogsback T.E.A, Hopback Summer Lightening, all available in local Supermarkets.

 

[Hops_and_Dreams]

Yeah bit nondescript that one, they also have a red IPA Wolf Rock which was even more disappointing to me, really lacking in any notable flavour at all. Doom Bar is a bit hit and miss I find, loved it when I first tried it but since its begun appearing in lots of pubs it seems to be on the slide

I'd seen that and not bothered because Atlantic was so bland.

There's a pub near me with Doom Bar on tap, it's always off, but I still order one every so often in the hope that it will be as it should be. It never is.

 

[Leon103]

Didn't doom bar go down when they moved production sites?

 

[Slid]

Right, so... don't laugh... The reason I don't know anything about Ale is because I was told that Ale is very bitter and although I like a lager, some days more bitter than other days (especially in summer), I haven't dared to pay pub prices on something I might not like. And I wouldn't even begin to know which Ale I might like.

But I think it's time to sample a few because I think I would like ale. I like fruity hop notes etc.

So... Could you recommend me a few readily available commercial Ales that I can buy in the supermarket which not too bitter at all? I've failed to find the IBU rating on bottles...

(Now I'll go crawl in a hole)

My Father in Law, who likes my homebrew, bought a Golden Ale selection from the supermarket. They were all much of a muchness, TBH, but pale colour, low bittering and reasonable flavour - which I think is the "ask" here. On offer they are like 6 for �£8-9 or something.

If you buy one of these, decide which you like and we can work out how to replicate, which is far more important.

 

[clibit]

Go to a Wetherspoons and drink half pints. About £1.15 a half. In fact their beer festival starts today I think and lasts two or three weeks. You can get 3 one third pints for the price of a pint, about £2.35.

Aldi does some decent bottles for £1.25. Hobgoblin Gold, Cumberland Ale, Hobgoblin, Golden Hen.

Have a look at ratebeer.com to find the top rated beers for each style.

 

[HisDudeness]

Forgot to actually answer the original question here, fruity hoppy beers friendly to unseasoned Ale drinkers would be as follows IMO!

Pretty much anything by Badger, if you want a really fruity one try and find Poachers Choice

Old Golden Hen, Hobgoblin Gold, Adnams Ghost Ship, Martsons EPA or Marstons New World if you want a lighter golden ale.

Other notable and easily found options St Austell Tribute or Proper Job, Fullers London Pride or Bengal Lancer etc etc

 

[terrym]

Go to a Wetherspoons and drink half pints. About �����£1.15 a half. In fact their beer festival starts today I think and lasts two or three weeks. You can get 3 one third pints for the price of a pint, about �����£2.35.

Good idea. And when in there try Devils Backbone IPA, exclusive to Wetherspoons :drink:.

 

[clibit]

And some of the bottled and canned beers. Like the Flying Dog bottles and the Sixpoint brewery cans.

 

[martinjamesford]

Aldi is good bet for cheap beer from stone good British and European breweries. Also consider the temperature you're drinking at - straight from the fridge will mask a lot of flavours ... Sometimes that's a good thing, other times not so much...