I know that this can get a bit pedantic as there are ales, lagers, stouts, porters etc. I know also that such a question is, at the face of it, patently unfair as there are so many different tastes. Quite frankly I dislike the idea of "the best" list as there are too many factors involved.
But for those who enjoy a good pint being pulled (and I am not saying I do and I am not saying I don't) what do PPRuners think of as the best "beer" of all?
Just curious what stands among the favorites (a better phrase IMHO than "the best"). Certainly there must be a consensus as to what stands near the top.
Last edited by Uncle Fred; 27th Apr 2012 at 00:28.
For me, Directors Bitter, brewed by the Courage Brewery, had the perfect blend, texture and taste, and being hand pulled, was not horribly gassy.
A truly delicious brew!
I first discovered Directors at the Lamb and Flag in Rose Street, Covent Garden in the late 70's, along with their famous cheese sandwiches, open fires, and original exterior gas lighting.
Courage sold the pub, so they no longer sell Directors (and I no longer drink alcohol).
I tend to order the local micro-brew on tap IPA wherever I may happen to be. Portland, San Antonio, Denver, Baltimore, Charlotte - wherever, they're all a good draft.
If your premises don't do that sort of thing, order the Sam Adams lager or the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in the bottle. You'll enjoy it.
If you're forced to drink a beer in Europe, just order the local bitter (UK) or lager (Continent) and toast to better days ahead.
When the thread opened, I thought of Windhoek. It's cracking stuff. The Germans had Namibia as a colony and the old brewing laws were enforced which are known as the Reinheitsgebot. The law only allows, yeast, barley (or wheat), water and hops to be used, nothing else. The continent may have gone to the dogs but they still make one of the world's very best beers.
Mass produced American beer is I'm afraid, like making love in a canoe. Farking close to water. Coors, Miller, Schlitz The micro-breweries are gaining a foothold so there's some hope.
The best Tetley's I recall was served in the Town Hall Tavern, in a Friday afternoon lock-in, but enough of that.
Irrespective of the fact that I worked for Greene King for a while (when it was still a local brewery) and am still partial to their products (IPA at lunchtime, Abbott in the evenings) my personal favourite is Butcombe bitter. An excellent, well-balanced pint that refreshes all sorts of prats that other beers do not reach. (Sp deliberate). Unfortunately my local doesn't often stock it so I have to rely on Exmoor Ale which is a similar brew - just I prefer Butcombe, thank you very much.
