Favourite cask ale or bottled ale.

[IndigoSpritz]

Do you have one, or more than one ? My favourites change from time to time but I think Theakston Old Peculier takes the cask prize just now. It's consistently good quality and its strength means overdoing it just isn't an option, thereby reducing expenditure. I don't often have bottled ale but I usually plump for Shepherd Neame Bishop's Finger when I do. Dark, bitter and full of flavour. SN used to brew beer for Asda - I don't know if they still do.

BTW, I've enjoyed reading the latest gin discussion, even if I don't recognise most of what we've been talking about.

Greene King IPA or Abbot Ale

Speckled Hen, Bishop's Finger, Abbot or Hobgoblin for me.

Speckled Hen, Abbot and Hobgoblin all used to be favourites of mine but, sadly, I don't think any of them are as good as they used to be. I had a pint of Abbot last night and it was all I wanted - it was very cloying and syrupy. Hobgoblin has lost some bitterness and become sweeter, without the forthrightness of Old Peculier (if I sound like a CAMRA bore, I'm sorry).
Bottled Speckled Hen is still OK, but the cask has deteriorated. I can't pinpoint why.

Nothing in clear or green glass.

Anything by thornbridge is fab.
Dark Star, Adnams, st Austell. All good!

Landlord is on a resurgence now.

Timothy Taylor Draught Landlord!

Ooh watching with interest 😊

Skinners Lushingtons. Bleddy lush.

Also a fan of Citra hops so I’ll stock up on Oakham Ales’ Citra if it’s in stock anywhere down here.

I’m lucky that my local is a St Austell pub that also has guest ales plus lots of bottles, so there’s lots of choice.

I love Fraoch Heather Ale but I don't know if it's available outside Scotland.

Brains Dark. But must be on handpull not from a bottle. Whenever I go home to Wales I always make a trip to the pub for a pint.

Sneck Lifter and Cockahoop!

I love Purple Moose Cwrw Ysgawen (elderflower). We sometimes have a mini-cask at family dos.

Most of the beers mentioned so far are the fairly boring selection available in big tesco and sainsbury stores but you will find much nicer stuff in a good quality independent off licence. Look out for:

Butty Bach by Wye Valley is fantastic but has become difficult to get hold of for the last year or so as their distribution has deprioritised getting the beer out much beyond the Wye Valley sadly.

Dartmoor Legend

Otter Ale

Shakespeare Brewing Co - Macbeth and Tempest both excellent

Hobsons Old Prickly

Pitchfork PG Steam

Pretty much anything by Dawkins

Sneck is not in any Tesco or supermarket.

Samuel Smith do a reasonable range of bottled ale but that has also suffered from lowering quality in recent years. Their Nut Brown Ale and Strong Pale Ale used to be fabulous, when they came in the returnable, clear glass bottles. Then the company stopped supplying supermarkets and began exporting the bulk of their produce to the USA. Fair enough, a big market for Smiths but quality suffered and the price increased. Backward step.

Speaking of Smith's, John Smith used to brew a splendid premium beer called Magnet. I haven't seen it for years.

Cameron's Best Bitter and Strong Arm were once great. And the bottled Vaux Double Maxim - lovely stuff. I used to buy it at Blayneys.

DH likes Gower gold and doom bar day to day and used to drink Brains smooth.

Palmer's 200. Nothing better.

Whenever I go back to the U.K. I seek out pubs selling Tanglefoot elderflower beer by these people. It’s got a touch of elegance about it (says she who will only drink beer from a handle-less glass, not a tankard)!
www.badgerbeers.com/

Titanic plum porter is amazing. So is dark Side of the moose by purple moose.
We had a hobgoblin bar at our wedding (which is completely outing now) it took my dh to the church and then they gave us a barrel of beer 🙌 which we then took on honeymoon!

Said truck

I forgot to mention Ringwood Forty-Niner. It's a good day when that's on the bar.

Doom Bar, Old Speckled Hen, Einstok Icelandic Toasted Porter and I had the most fabulous Cappucino Porter last year.

Gk East Coast IPA and Briarbank Grapefruit IPA are both lovely. In a bottle I tend to get Spitfire or GhostShip. Tbf I'm yet to have an Adams ale I don't like

*adnams

Indigo, I don't know anybody else who drinks Sammy smiths!
Like Batemans XXXB. Their chocca moccha is a nice ale too.
Have to agree it has to come in a brown bottle.
Hand pulled pedigree is nice but find the bottle too fizzy.
Fuller's London Pride is a nice sup too.

Thornbridge is one of my favourite breweries. Their beers are consistently excellent, Jaipur is my favourite. I also rate Blue Monkey from Nottinghamshire. Their Infinity IPA has won national awards.

Tim Taylor’s Landlord and Fuller’s ESB are excellent, widely available beers.