UK beer scene

I don’t know jack shit about the subject, but this is one of the most interesting and informative threads I’ve read in some time.

Originally posted by CanIHave4Beers
I don’t know jack shit about the subject, but this is one of the most interesting and informative threads I’ve read in some time.

Originally posted by chriso

Originally posted by Papsoe
The British admins don’t really recognize any British made beers as IPAs unless it’s made with foreign hops.

Before my time as an admin but I believe the issue stemmed from the fact that Americans didn’t tend to recognize anything that wasn’t made with US hops (or at least had a massive hop presence) as an IPA and British brewers hadn’t really started making strong beers using US hops at the time. Consequently, pretty much anything categorised as an IPA from the UK got poor reviews. Not helped by some British brewers insisting on calling beers IPAs that patently were not by any stretch of the imagination. I guess there is an argument that, if brewers want to call a weak beer with only a modest hop character an IPA they deserve all the bad reviews they get. Of course, however it is categorised on the site, plenty of people will review anything with IPA in the name in accordance with their expectations of the style anyway. Just leaf through some of the Greene King IPA reviews to see that.

Originally posted by harrisoni

Originally posted by CanIHave4Beers
I don’t know jack shit about the subject, but this is one of the most interesting and informative threads I’ve read in some time.

If you ever make it over to London, we can all meet up for a pint of Greene King IPA and we can all tell you exactly what’s wrong with it. And what is good and bad about the UK beer scene. I really think that the UK is on the edge of something really interesting and the RB people in the UK are always happy to share beers and knowledge. Oh and dumb ass opinions on Scottish and Scotch Ales

Originally posted by harrisoni
Oh and dumb ass opinions on Scottish and Scotch Ales

Originally posted by Papsoe

Originally posted by SaintMatty

Originally posted by Papsoe

Originally posted by chriso

Originally posted by harrisoni
At the moment the new breweries are just finding their feet, so brewing safe bitters and golden ales

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/old-dairy-hop-top/128986/

At 8.5% ABV shouldn’t this be listed as a Double IPA as the brewery itself suggests?

I’ve entered some beers such as 6% IPA and then noticed that somebody changed the style to an ESB. The beer concerned is certainly strong enough to be considered an IPA, is very hoppy in both the aroma and taste and is even called an IPA.

As a result of this, I pay little attention to the styles of the beers on this site as it begins to get a bit confusing after a while.

The British admins don’t really recognize any British made beers as IPAs unless it’s made with foreign hops. Most are simply Bitters or ESBs. A strong IPA with British hops will most often be listed as an ESA. I understand the confusion - I believe the urge to be different comes from living on a remote island...

The number one reason I would head to the UK would be for the beer and the ratebeerians, know that.

Originally posted by CanIHave4Beers
The number one reason I would head to the UK would be for the beer and the ratebeerians, know that.

Originally posted by CanIHave4Beers
The number one reason I would head to the UK would be for the beer and the ratebeerians, know that.

Originally posted by wheresthepath

Originally posted by SaintMatty

A few breweries in the UK have attempted to recreate recipes from the 19th century, including some India Pale Ales. Notable examples include:

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/hopshackle-historic-ipa/106909/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/pitfield-1837-india-pale-ale/26369/

Seems to be becoming quite the in thing at the moment. Even Greene King have done one that’s widely available (but probably gopping):

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/greene-king-very-special-india-pale-ale/126139/

The one thing all three have in common? Despite being supposedly authentic IPAs, using authentically English hops, they’re not down as IPAs here! Perhaps the IPA category should more accurately be called Cascadian Pale Ales...