Grand Slam of Beer

First topic message reminder :

Ok, with the 6 Nations heading for the final round, a bit more light hearted poll....

What is your beer of the 6 Nations....






For clarification....

Guys, lets keep in perspective....

The selected beers are synonymous with the tour to that nation, they may not be the best choice beer from that nation.

By all means suggest your preferred pint, but the choices (1 per nation), is all that is on tap behind this 6 Nations Bar. So choose one of these or go without a pint.

I selected them based on the beer most likely to be sold in the capitals of each 6 Nations on match day.

ie. Go around Cardiff on match day, its Brains SA, Dublin is Guinness, London mostly London Pride, Edinburgh its a "pint of heavy" (McEwans), Peroni in Rome, and K'berg in Paris....

As I have said, I'm not saying they are the best ales, most aren't. (Guinness being the exception in Dublin only mind), but this is a Rugby Tour theme....So that's the choice.... One of those or drink on your own

I voted for Kronenburg anyway.

Smithwicks is a better pint than Guinness. FACT. End of.

BlueNote wrote:"Could be tricky when your side is playing last on the final Saturday" - we're on in the middle, though.

England v Ireland is the final game. If you're England, that is!

Scotland - 18yr old Springbank
Wales - Penderyn Sherrywood
Ireland - Midleton Very Rare
England - Hicks & Healey
France - Baron de Sigognac 20yr old
Italy - Bepi Tosolini Tocai en Susino Barrique

Think there's only one place in Scotland I've ever got a decent pint of Jinty McGinty's in Glasgow.... Pipes are cleaned every day and the extra cold is pretty much perfection...

Scottish beers I've found fairly decent once you exclude Vitamin T... Although not much of a heavy fan. Although this may stem from the fact that it is used in the Iron Stomach competition in our Union. Innis and Gunn (the whiskey one not the rum), Brewdog, and a whole pile more!

Had Brains SA once in Cardiff, although I was well on my way by this point, but a nice beer all the same!

Old Peculiar or Abbots would be my favourite English beers. Old Peculiar is rocket fuel too!

Peroni is gorgeous but far too expensive, same for Birra Moretti.

Only ever had the slop they make in Edinburgh 1664 so can't really comment!

Deuchars is a good Scottish pint, and I found some cracking beers in Orkney

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Scotland - 18yr old Springbank
Wales - Penderyn Sherrywood
Ireland - Midleton Very Rare
England - Hicks & Healey
France - Baron de Sigognac 20yr old
Italy - Bepi Tosolini Tocai en Susino Barrique

AsBo if we're going to have Whiskey then only one of those is worthy...

Midleton is by far the smoothest, most amazing whiskey I have ever had the pleasure of tasting... I was lucky to get a bottle at Christmas. Bloody awesome stuff!

Ulster, after my visit to the Jameson Distillery on Saturday, I'm an official taster now!

Very fine stuff, altho why they need to put it up against a blended Scotch in the taste test is beyond me - flagrantly cheating!

Here's what I was told by my boss when I worked in a pub. Guinness is nice if lots of people are drinking it. There's pints of it in the pipe between the keg and the tap, depending on how far away the keg room is from the tap. In the pub I worked in when I was younger I was told there was about 8 pints in the pipe. If nobody is drinking it the Guinness settles in the pipe. When it does come out it isn't as nice. If lots of people are drinking it and it's constantly flowing from the keg it's much nicer. There are some pubs where people say the Guinness is great. So everybody drinks it there. But the reason the Guinness is great is because everyone is drinking it there. Not sure if that's true but that's what I was told. Also, where I worked, the Guinness pipes were cleaned far more than the other beers. Maybe that doesn't happen in England?

And having been a barman, in my opinion it doesn't matter at all how it's poured. It's the same stuff in the glass. The guinness pour is just to get the creamy head the right size and make it look nice. I can't see how it can magically alter the flavour.

Cleaning the pipes has little to do with the taste, its to stop the Flip things furring up with the blydi tar they make it with. Its a slow enough process now without the bore of the pipes being decreased.

Feckless Rogue wrote:
And having been a barman, in my opinion it doesn't matter at all how it's poured. It's the same stuff in the glass. The guinness pour is just to get the creamy head the right size and make it look nice. I can't see how it can magically alter the flavour.

You mean you've never heard Satchmo sing to you from the minute bubbles as you poured slowly?

No wonder you don't believe in the magic. Pour slowly and hear him sing - it's the truth.

Peroni is an undeserving representative of Italian beer that owes it's fame (& price) to heavy marketing rather than quality. Moretti is a much better mainstream beer that is successful without the marketing becuase it doesn't need it. The more premium priced Moretti Doppio Malto is particularly tasty. If you're in the north of Italy the Piemonte beer Menabrea E Figli is also a quality option.

Peroni in Rome after the walk back from the flamingo

Sweet.

Brains SA is a personal fav of those 6, London Pride is a bit gash.

They are all pretty average. but kronenbourg cru and peroni grand reserve would be much better than the rest. The standard brews are pretty average in fairness.

to be honest on that list guiness would have to be the best if you arnt going with the better regional varities, however i probally drink more peroni than any other- its a half decent cheap average lager.

Basically as that list stands- guiness wins for me- however i am no expert on stouts!!.

Peroni wouldnt be on the first page when it comes to lagers, but still decent.

A lot of publicans don't take care of their lines too. They're usually cleaned out every three weeks but some clean their own at shorter intervals and they're usually the ones whose Guinness tastes the best. It's true that the UK has the same Guinness as Ireland too so MRW it may well be the pipes.

Also it isn't vegetarian-the stout is but it's filtered through fish bladders and they haven't figured out a way to do it vego friendly yet.

Before any Paddy slates this Kiwi for talking about Guinness I worked for Diageo too!

If Belgium entered this comp you'd all be fighting for second place though. Same goes for Germany!

"If Belgium entered this comp you'd all be fighting for second place though. Same goes for Germany!"

different league- now your talking and chezch would take third spot

would have to go with beligium topping it mind- i allways have a couple of westmalle tripples before i start a night!

yep my local is full of beligium bottled beers lol- we also have leffe blonde,half and half budvar, dark budvar, peroni, pisner urlquel and starporana on tap!!

Belgium...girlie beer - sweet and nice Man's beer we're talking about here

SecretFly wrote:Belgium...girlie beer - sweet and nice Man's beer we're talking about here

not really how id describe it lol. However if belgium beer is sweet and nice, what's british beer like then- dirty water? and in fairness i reakon you would get more drunk of that an all!!

Ok, I know we are supposed to go with the original list. But there are better alternatives.

Wales - where to start. Apart from the delicious Dark, Brains have fallen from favour with discerning beer drinkers. Tomos Watkins and Purple Moose brew excellent ales (hopefully I'll be in the 'Diff for Junes annual beer and cider festival again).

England - Pride is a fine pint, but has plenty of rivals. St. Austell Tribute was a good shout earlier. Bathams bitter gets my vote.

Ireland - not a lot of (well known) competition, but something from The Porterhouse in Dublin would do it for me.

Scotland - aye; Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted (good shout for Trade Winds).

France - Wasps fans drink Guinness. Say no more.

Italy - local Peroni is acceptable, but try the bottle conditioned Trentale if you can find it.

I'd say Fly that you have 6 pints of your man's beer and 6 pints of girlie Belgian beer and see which gets you p*ssed more.

disneychilly wrote:I'd say Fly that you have 6 pints of your man's beer and 6 pints of girlie Belgian beer and see which gets you p*ssed more.

Oh it's a What gets you Drunk Quickest survey? Oh why didn't you all say that in the first place! What get's me drunk quickest? I'd say Petrol/Gasoline works best

Cant drink to many pints- like a beer with a dedicated glass, it adds to the flavour and enjoyment!

People shouldnt down belgium beer- we enjoy it, however it can be very strong!!

Went with Guinness.
But I do like a Butcombe Blond

Surely the Scots would be Tennants Super!
Pint of IPA for England please

If you're choosing qa beer to represent Scotland then it has to be Innis and Gunn aged in oak casks. top

I will change my mind RE:Scots beer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP20a8zKhLQ
Tactical Nuclear Penguin - insane

UlstermaninGlasgow wrote:Old Peculiar or Abbots would be my favourite English beers. Old Peculiar is rocket fuel too!

Old Peculier is a lovely drop.

"If you're England, that is!."

Nope, I will be at the Millenium.

I'd like Monteiths Black to represent the All Blacks though. A lot of the mainstream NZ beers I don't like, however the Monteiths range is great. European style beers brewed with NZ ingredients, can't go wrong.

I'd go Guinness for overall winner of the 6N. 4N I'd pick Monteiths Black as previously mentioned, James Squire (both pilsner and porter are lovely) for Aussie, Windhoek for SA (yes I know it's the Namibian capital lol) and Quilmes Negra for Argentina.

I know it's 6N but I wanted to join the party too.

pint of Landlord for me!

(Although Worky Ticket or Radgy Gadgy might be better)

London Pride - load of gash!

We generally drink Boddy's after playing.
But Guinness for watching at home.

BlueNote wrote:"If you're England, that is!."

Nope, I will be at the Millenium.

Ah, my mistake!

luckless_pedestrian wrote:

UlstermaninGlasgow wrote:Old Peculiar or Abbots would be my favourite English beers. Old Peculiar is rocket fuel too!

Old Peculier is a lovely drop.

It sure is a lovely tipple. I wouldn't fancy sinking pint after pint at the rugby though. I think it might be tough going

I don't know if it's possible to sink pints of Old Peculier. It demands to be drunk quite slowly and appreciated, in my experience.

propdavid_london wrote:I will change my mind RE:Scots beer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP20a8zKhLQ
Tactical Nuclear Penguin - insane

A weak effort in comparison to their latest,
http://www.brewdog.com/product/sink-the-bismarck

Dublin (soft) Park Royal (hard) totally different Guinness waters. Good beer brewing is matched to local water / minerals. So god knows what happens with Brains on the Taff.

Peroni is just wet air.

B91212 wrote:

screamingaddabs wrote:If it were Innis and Gunn for Scotland they'd have my vote,

I tried Innis & Gunn based on a recommendation on this forum as they sell the bottles here in Alberta and must say I was extremely disappointed. I hope it tastes better on pump because all I got from the bottle was a watery flowery tasting poor attempt of an ale, 2/10.

They don't do it on the pump apart from in very small batches by request. It's aged in whiskey barrels and so some people might not like it I guess. You tried the proper stuff with the red label yes? Not the blonde, which isn't as good? If so you are the first person I have ever heard of not liking it...

Pat_Mustard wrote:

propdavid_london wrote:I will change my mind RE:Scots beer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP20a8zKhLQ
Tactical Nuclear Penguin - insane

A weak effort in comparison to their latest,
http://www.brewdog.com/product/sink-the-bismarck

omg lol 41 %- i was gonna buy one but they have none in stock lol- imagine finishing a bottle


oh and well done scots for trumping the germans!!

London: Youngs (prefer to Fullers)
Cornwall: Sharps Doombar
Bury St Eds: Greene King Abbott
Wiltshire: Rucking Mole (appropriate)
Glos: (my current county) Stroud Budding or Uley Old Spot
Portsmouth: Gales Ales
Kent: Shepherd Neame sponsored my old RFC club. (but don't try it, tastes more bitter than a Welshman's loss)
Bham/ Notts: used to love Burton & Bass: do the still brew these ?

didnt realise many peops actually liked british ales- gonna have to try me a few of em i suppose.. Maaybe i will have a hobgoblin later on- i think i have a few in me garage

Its like living in london and never doing the touristy stuff from my pov

My 12 year olds first words when he was a baby were Doom Bar

gregortree wrote:London: Youngs (prefer to Fullers)
Cornwall: Sharps Doombar
Bury St Eds: Greene King Abbott
Wiltshire: Rucking Mole (appropriate)
Glos: (my current county) Stroud Budding or Uley Old Spot
Portsmouth: Gales Ales
Kent: Shepherd Neame sponsored my old RFC club. (but don't try it, tastes more bitter than a Welshman's loss)
Bham/ Notts: used to love Burton & Bass: do the still brew these ?

I'm originally from Notts but not seen Burton or Bass for years (I think Marstons still brew a Burton beer), my old man used to drink Bass in the local when I was a nipper. Although an ale fan I've only tried Greene King Abbott off your list - most traditional ale's around my neck of the woods tended to be from up north like Black Sheep Ale or Theakston's XB. Personally I don't rate either Youngs or Fullers.

Heavy for me. I'm partial to a "pint and a pie" since my first tour to Edinburgh. First trip to Cardiff I was intorduced to Brains. Not a bad tasting beer but the gut rot was horific. If satan had chladymia he would pee SA.

SA actually stands for Satans Ale - you're not far off there

you sure it wasnt dime bar ruby?

That's not too bad for you Mitey - Sounds like the depression is lifting

ehhh

So looks like the round is.....

Brains SA 8 pints

Guinness 26 pints

London Pride 6 pints

Kronenbourg 1664 10 pints

McEwan's Heavy 5 pints

Peroni 14 pints



Come and get them.....

... and lets all drink to the best team of the 6 Nations.....


WALES