TOPIC:

I have been visiting the UK a bit lately (and will be back again to York, Sheffield and probably London in the coming months). Naturally, I have been visiting CAMRA referenced pubs serving "real ale" on these visits. A downside of this that I have noticed [i:38mwm9lb]seems[/i:38mwm9lb] to be a preponderance of IPAs and pale ales in general. Now while I enjoy well hopped ales, I like to try other ales (darker ales/bitters/ESB etc.) but they seem to me to be harder to come by and being replaced with Thornbridge Jaipur clones. Anyone else notice this? Or even care?

I stress that this is not a scientific view but is based on my personal travels in recent months.

you're not wrong there. Fairly hard to find cask porter or brown ales. Like you say mostly hoppy pale ales.

Can't say it was my experience of London last month at all. The handful of normal-people's-pubs I was in always had Pride, Bombardier or an equivalent brown bitter or two on. But I wouldn't be surprised if the smaller independent breweries -- the sort CAMRA-award winning pubs tend to stock -- are turning much more to pale 'n' 'oppy as that is the fashion at the moment. Family-brewery tied houses are probably your best bet for more traditional styles. Or dare I suggest one of Mr Wetherspoon's hostelries?

"TheBeerNut":104cy0yz wrote: Can't say it was my experience of London last month at all. The handful of normal-people's-pubs I was in always had Pride, Bombardier or an equivalent brown bitter or two on. But I wouldn't be surprised if the smaller independent breweries -- the sort CAMRA-award winning pubs tend to stock -- are turning much more to pale 'n' 'oppy as that is the fashion at the moment. Family-brewery tied houses are probably your best bet for more traditional styles. Or dare I suggest one of Mr Wetherspoon's hostelries?[/quote:104cy0yz]

I think you may have nailed it there TBN; "pale 'n' 'oppy" may be the fashion of the moment. This warrants further research and I hope I am up for the challenge. As for your suggestion of JDWs establishments, I tend to not bother for the same reasons that I don't go into Starbuck's; - I prefer to support the "independents" (not that there are many true ones left!)

This is the hot topic of the moment in CAMRA circles - many members seemingly tired of moaning about the price of beer in general and the "disgrace" of the short measure are once again turning on the very people who try their best every day to keep this national industry alive. What they cannot seem to get their heads around is that in order to survive these brewers must produce commercially acceptable beer. In order for the licensee to survive, he must sell commercially acceptable beer - which at the current time is golden and hoppy, predominantly.
People who want to see less pale, hoppy beers on the bar should be careful what they wish for. Or, as I have suggested in another similar thread, they should start a brewery themselves and brew the milds, porters and other beer styles that drinkers are apparently screaming out for.

I would go to Mr.Wetherspoon's anytime I'm in Derry, mainly because the price is great and there is feck all choice in the other pubs. Only problem i'd have is that they tend to stock a lot of mild,'same-y' ales e.g. Ruddles. The odd time though, especially during their real ale festival you can get great beers.worth a visit to see what they have.