Bottled Beer

Beer has been bottled since the middle ages for convenience sake. It caught on amongst wealthier classes in the 1600s as a useful means of being able to enjoy beer at home whilst avoiding the ‘rabble’ that frequented inns, or whilst taking part in outdoor pursuits such as hunting and …

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Draught Beer

Draught beer generally refers to beer that is hand pumped from a barrel (a keg or cask) and served in glasses, usually in a pub or bar (see article: ‘Family Brewers’ for more information on ‘cask beers’). These days canned beer may be referred as draft beer, especially if it …

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Bitter Beer

The word ‘bitter’ is used in Britain to describe pale ale and other similar types of beer. The word has been in use since the early 19th century, when beer brewers began to develop and expand upon the production of pale ale. Bitters range greatly in colour, taste and strength, …

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What is Real Ale?

Real Ale is defined as beer that’s still ‘alive’ when it’s served: That is to say, real ale must contain yeast in the barrel, often leaving small yeast residues in the drink itself. Brewing beer in this way makes for a fresher pint, with a stronger mix of flavours. CAMRA …

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Stout

Stout is a specialist variety of ‘Porter’ named after the porters who worked on London’s docks, who favoured the drink over other ales – a dark beer made from dried malt, roasted unmalted barley, hops and soft water. It is characterised by a smooth consistency with a creamy head of …

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The History of Lager

Lager is an immensely popular type of beer, characterised by a clean taste and high levels of carbonation thanks to its particular brewing style. There are a wide variety of lagers ranging from dark to light and sweet to bitter, the most common being the ‘pale-lagers’ or pilsners. Lagers are …

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Beer By Region

Throughout history different regions of the U.K. have been known for brewing their own specific types of beer. Although regional differences have largely faxed out over time, with many British brewers now brewing beer varieties traditionally brewed abroad, some of these regional traditions hold up, and it is often felt …

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Strong, Light and Heavy Beers

Beers are often referred to as ‘strong’, ‘light’, ‘heavy’ or ‘mild’. These categories are not necessarily binding, and many systems have sprung up for categorising a beer by strength. However, there are some broad systems that can be used, and that still apply to some styles of beer, which are …

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Facts About Beer, Beer Names And Breweries

Beer somehow lends itself to humour, daftness and the downright unusual. From breweries operating from converted toilets to unusual beer names and strange combinations of ingredients, there is much in the way to ponder and amuse oneself within the world of beer drinking and brewing. Daft Beer Names and Dafter …

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High Status Beer

Impressing prospective family members or business partners by clicking your fingers and ordering a Jeroboam or a Methuselah may be a distant memory thanks to the effects of a credit crunch. But for those lucky souls whose plastic can still punch above its weight when it comes to the drinks …

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Beer Expert