My Favorite Beers from England

There is such a large variety of beer out there that it's hard to figure out sometimes what you want to try. There are more and more pubs, bars and restaurants offering a wider array of domestic and imported beers that their beer menu could make your head spin. If you happen to be someone who prefers a stronger beer taste then you should certainly opt for a beer from England and here are a few I would readily suggest. You must remember however that these are not going to taste anywhere similar to most domestic beers. *In the 15th century, English beers were unhopped and therefore would have been known as an ale, but by the 16th century "ale" had come to refer to any strong beer, and all ales and beers were hopped. Here are some of the English ales that I have tried and preferred over most others. I was fortunate to have a great convenient store nearby that carried beer from probably just about every single region of the world.

Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale is a nice place to start with a nice balance of malt and hops. Stepping away from the original dark ales of England, the deep amber color only accentuates the great taste. This is a good ale for the beginner to try as the darker ales are probably going to be a little too strong. This ale is sort of dry on the palate with a medium body and lightly toasted malt taste. The brewery where this ale is created was founded in 1758 and uses hand-picked hops and water for the brewing from a well sunk over 200 years ago.

Next would be the Samuel Smith Pure Brewed Lager with it's golden hue and tangy hop accent. It is crisp, clean and hints of a lightly toasted pale malt flavor and just the right bitterness.

Bass Pale Ale - the Bass & Co. Brewery was established in 1777, but the beer is now imported by Anheuser-Busch. Bass Pale Ale has a low hops and malt flavor with a slight bitterness. The taste is medium bodied and the coppery hue is nice.

Bluebird Premium XB from Coniston Brewery has a robust citrus aroma. In this ale you will find a smooth taste with floral hints and a light malt flavor. The beer has a nice orange-coppery color with a light bitter hop flavor. A very nice choice for the amateur. Don't expect a centuries old tradition here though as this brewery was established in 1995, but just because they are "younger" than most, they still produce an excellent beer.

The last one I could recommend is Fuller's London Pride Pale Ale from the Griffin Brewery with it's complexity and malty taste. This is a nice ale with a light amber color and it's very clean. You can smell the yeast, sort of like smelling the outside of a bread bag, so it's a mild scent and has a nice hint of malt taste. This is a relatively light tasting beer and finishes on the dry side.

Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_in_England