The more I read the posts on this forum, the more I wonder if I’m in the minority. So, I have to ask. Does anyone else out there like just normal, plain old traditional English-type Ales? I see lots of discussions on high alcohol barley wines but I just don’t have a taste for them. I see lots of talk about American style IPAs with all of their fruity, citrusy C hops which I am fine with and do enjoy on occasion but I certainly can’t spend a whole night drinking these. There’s just too much there. Maybe the hard core lupulin addicts out there can do it but not me.
So, is there anyone out there that just likes a plain old 4 or 4.5% English Bitter or Pale Ale?
I put this in the Pub because it’s meant just as a discussion, not as a criticism of any style or anyones taste. Something you’d chat about over a beer in a pub somewhere in the world. Am I alone? Are there others out there that don’t want 11% beer or hops, hops and more hops or am I just becoming a boring old man?
I love all the weird ones, the American more-of-everything styles, the barleywines, the crazy belgians, etc. That said…I have a very strong affinity for British bitters, milds, and pale ales. The best of these seem to have a perfect balance between modest hopping, really tasty malt character, and yeast esters that straddle the fence between the strong notes of Belgian yeast and the very neutral character of American yeast.
In short, British ales are sublime and wonderfully balanced. Marstons Pedigree Bitter would be my desert island beer. If I had a good clone of that on tap all the time I’d probably gain weight in no time…
I enjoy good English Ales and I made 4 over the winter that turned out nice. I think it can be very difficult to get a 3.8%-5% beer just right. I think I have ADD when it comes to beer because I am constantly changing from one style to another. :-[
I love a good ESB. It’s one of the recipes I’m trying to perfect this year. I’d be happy having it on tap all the time. I’m sipping on a pint of the latest batch as I type this as a matter of fact.
I do also like some of the 11% ales but that’s not exactly a session beer. The over the top C-hop American ales are not my favorite style. There are some good ones and I enjoy them occasionally but like the OP I usually don’t want to drink too many in succession.
Love, love, love them. I dream of having a beer engine in my kitchen and a cask conditioned ale on hand at home. I love the taste and mouthfeel of cask ales.
There’s a newish brewpub in Chicago that has a mild as one of their house beers and two cask ales on at all times. If I lived closer, I would brew much less ;D
I used to like them a lot and made a Special Bitter my house recipe for years. Like you, I didn’t really care for American IPAs much, except for on occasion. Then, out of nowhere, I just got to where I craved that 75+ BU IPA and mostly lost my taste for mildly hopped beers with EKG.
Used to make barley wines every 6 months or so too, but I just never really drank them. Last one I made was in 2007 and I still have oodles of bottles. But, if I make a IIPA its gone in weeks.
j/k I mostly drink bitter, hoppy brews.