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types of real ale by region?

One of the things I love about travelling to the UK is drinking real ale. I am planning a two week walking tour this spring, and as I am going through my options on which long distance path to take, I keep wondering which of them is most likely to take me to good pubs serving quality and well kept ales. I have my CAMRA book, which I always take with me to the UK, but I don't have enough data (and can't readily deduce from the CAMRA volume) to guess where in general I'm most likely to find the best ale...

I realize that "best" means different things different people. Part of it is of course just the care that the pub takes with their ale, but producers and style also matter. I personally tend to prefer bitter that is on the mid to lightly hopped side (though a good IPA certainly has its place), tends to be more floral (than say, malty), and is lower in alcohol (not because of any hostility to alcohol, of course, but just that I find that the lower alcohol ales correlate better with my tastes...though there are of course many tremendous higher alcohol bitters). The adjectives that tend to correspond to the particular kind of bitter I particularly like are citrusy or fruity or dry...

Some examples of my favorites are Flowers and Adnams...

When last in the UK fell in love with a pub in Salisbury (the Village Free House) that served some unbelievably wonderful bitter, though according to my CAMRA guide it specializes in beers not normally found in that area (Abbey Bellring, Cottage Championflower, Mendip Gold as examples).

I fear this is too vague to get good advice but any help would be gratefully received. For instance, if malty high alcohol bitters dominate in Region X, or if the density of quality pubs that take care of their beer tends to be worst in Region Y, those would be the areas to avoid...whereas if Region Z produced produced lots of floral bitters and had a high density of quality pubs, that would be the place to make for.

Any thoughts or suggestions gratefully received.

many thanks Amy

Reply to
amy radcliff
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Beers are now so widely distributed throughout the country that "regional tastes" are becoming less and less important.

Many independent brewers in a region are likely to still adhere to the traditional characteristics of that region, but whether you go in a free house or a pub company outlet you're just as likely to find something brewed two hundred miles away.

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Reply to
PeterE

You could find examples that fit the bill in most parts of the country except possibly Scotland, where beers a predominantly malty. There is no real regional preference for strength -- most breweries and pubs have a range. As you are walking, Yorkshire or Devon/Cornwall would be a good bet since they are both scenic and both have much good beer.

Reply to
1Z

re finding the best pubs near good walking areas - I can only really mention 3 places I've visited or lived where I've enjoyed great pubs & walking (relatively) nearby.

I used to live in Norwich (easy to get to flat, but beautiful Norfolk & Suffolk countryside & coast) & some of my favourite pubs are in the city (Fat Cat, Alexandra Tavern, Coach&Horses) plus I've read recently that the city's good beer pub situation has recently got even better- also home to such citrussy low-grav delights as Woodeforde's Wherry.

I've enjoyed walking in Cumbria (Lake District) & loved pubs & beers such as the floral beauty of Coniston Bluebird (award-winning hoppy bitter brewed at the BlackBull brewpub, Coniston).

I now live near Liverpool (despite something of a chequered history & reputation, a beautiful & interesting city & fairly easy reach from walking/climbing in North Wales, e.g. Snowdonia). Liverpool's pub gems include the sublime Ship&Mitre (always has a stunning range of 12+ cask beers incl the ultra-hoppy low-abv pale ales from Rooster's of Harrogate, Yorks). The excellent Baltic Fleet pub brews its own hoppy pale bitter (Summer Ale).

As already mentioned, Yorkshire has both v good walking & some excellent pubs & beers that should meet your tastes (Taylor's Landlord, Rooster's, Ossett, Eastwood&Sanders, Tigertops, & a load more).

It might seem an obvious thing to say, but in general pubs which have been v regular entrants in the GoodBeerGuide &/or local/regional/national CAMRA pub of the year, should be the best pub in the area (this info is often mentioned in ther GBG pub listing).

It might be a good idea to buy a new copy of GBG, or to check here in case specific pubs haven't gone down the pan/closed/etc since your copy was published, there are also a couple of independent online pub guides, but as I've not really used them, I can't comment (anyone else?) Good luck, enjoy & let us know what you make of the places, pubs & beer? cheers MikeMcG

Reply to
MikeMcG

[snip]

Very true. But a few "rules of thumb" might help the OP here. For example, the Scottish style tends to be malty rather than hoppy. In Yorkshire the converse is true. Around the North West and in the Midlands, mild is still a significant brew - typically less highly hopped and lower in alcohol than the bitters, which themselves are (IMO) less highly hopped and less strong than in Yorkshire.

Down South, tastes change again. I would describe the typical Southern bitter, if there is such a thing, as a pleasing balance of hops and fruitiness, not tending to any extreme. And, of course, usually served with very little head.

But pick a decent pub, with a range of ales, and you're bound to find something to suit your particular taste.

Reply to
Dean Lane

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