MartinCliffe
Well-Known Member
As this is the pub, let's talk beer. IMO, the best beer in the world is brewed in Belgium. Often by Trappist monks in monasteries. My favourite is Orval, which is a wonderfully spicy dark ale. Other great Belgian ales are Leffe (Blonde and Brune) and Westmalle Dubbel. I find Duvel overrated.
The other thing the Belgians do well is fruity beers. My favourite fruit beer is Timmermans' Peche, which is peach flavoured. Sounds weird, tastes great! Another great flavour is kriek, which is made out of sour cherries.
I also like some of the oriental lagers - Tsing Tao is probably my favourite, although Cobra is also excellent with a curry, and Tiger beer is available in most Chinese restaurants and is nicer than most typical English lagers.
Here in England, we do brew some interesting beers ourselves. Wychwood brewery make something called Hobgoblin, which is a chocolate flavoured dark ale - perfect for cold dark winter nights. I remember having a lemon flavoured organic ale from a local brewery in Shropshire which was also delicious. Lots of small breweries produce great beers that don't get the recognition or distribution they really deserve.
Of course, sometimes you just want a cold one with a pizza or curry in front of the TV. For that, you can't beat Carlsberg Export lager... Fosters, Kronenberg 1664 or ordinary "green" Carlsberg is also very pleasant. The most popular lager in the UK is probably Stella Artois, which is vile and has strange chemicals in it that make you violent... interestingly enough, the stuff they brew in Belgium is much nicer, even though it's the same beer.
The beer I miss? About 15 years ago, there were "Ice" beers which were readily available and popular. Bud Ice, Fosters Ice, Labbatts Ice etc. These have disappeared from the UK... and I miss them - particularly the Labbatts Ice. Such a shame.
The other thing the Belgians do well is fruity beers. My favourite fruit beer is Timmermans' Peche, which is peach flavoured. Sounds weird, tastes great! Another great flavour is kriek, which is made out of sour cherries.
I also like some of the oriental lagers - Tsing Tao is probably my favourite, although Cobra is also excellent with a curry, and Tiger beer is available in most Chinese restaurants and is nicer than most typical English lagers.
Here in England, we do brew some interesting beers ourselves. Wychwood brewery make something called Hobgoblin, which is a chocolate flavoured dark ale - perfect for cold dark winter nights. I remember having a lemon flavoured organic ale from a local brewery in Shropshire which was also delicious. Lots of small breweries produce great beers that don't get the recognition or distribution they really deserve.
Of course, sometimes you just want a cold one with a pizza or curry in front of the TV. For that, you can't beat Carlsberg Export lager... Fosters, Kronenberg 1664 or ordinary "green" Carlsberg is also very pleasant. The most popular lager in the UK is probably Stella Artois, which is vile and has strange chemicals in it that make you violent... interestingly enough, the stuff they brew in Belgium is much nicer, even though it's the same beer.
The beer I miss? About 15 years ago, there were "Ice" beers which were readily available and popular. Bud Ice, Fosters Ice, Labbatts Ice etc. These have disappeared from the UK... and I miss them - particularly the Labbatts Ice. Such a shame.