Post #83906 by martiki on Wed, Mar 31, 2004 7:04 PM

Jax- not sure what you mean- I certainly didn’t do anything. Your post looks the same to me. I’m not sure what was cut.

I'll take a minute to talk about some of my favorite UK brews. First, the good people at Fuller's make some beautiful beer. 1845 is readily available here in the US and is a delicious bottle conditioned ale. They also have a superb Vintage Ale which gets an annual release. Always buy two of those and let one age a while. I've had 1999 and 2000, and 2001 is calling out to me from the cellar (well, under the bed). Of course, they all taste better when their served from well kept casks in their native land. For martiki's idea of heaven, visit The Dove in Chiswick, just down the river from the brewery, grab a pint of perfectly kept London Pride or ESB and sit on the deck along the Thames.

Also the two breweries of Masham in the north make beautiful beers, even if they seem to be at some kind of war. Theakston’s Old Peculiar is an amazingly complex brew. And right across town, Black Sheep Brewery makes the wonderful Riggwelter. Both now available in the US! Touring both the breweries one day made for a wonderful afternoon.

Another great brewery both for product and a visit is Samuel Smith’s in Tadcaster. Plus, drinking their beer anywhere near their brewery is not only delicious, but extremely affordable.

I enjoy the Shepherd Neame beers as well- we can get some here. So many wonderful regional beers that I wish I could remember as well- just wandering around with a CAMRA guide through the country, you stumble upon so much character and variety.

I am getting so thirsty. Yesterday I had to get an Anchor at lunch just from thinking about it too much.