Beer

I have just returned from a 600 mile road trip over the past four days visiting old haunts in the Borders, Yorkshire Dales, Lancashire and Cumbria and new places in north Yorkshire. The common thread throughout the trip was beer and pub food. The emergence of micro breweries in recent years is a timely reminder that rampant capitalism reduces choice, destroys local jobs and diminishes the rich diversity of local produce that should be the measure of local well being. I sampled old favourites like Thwaites, Timothy Taylor's and bought the first pint of Wainstone's Amber which was brewed in North Yorkshire and released that very day. A beer with no harsh harmonics which prompted a second visit to the bar. And it will be the beer for my daughter's wedding in September.


I began to think about all the good local beers that have disappeared over the years but particularly in the 1970's and 1980's when Watneys, Allied Breweries and Scottish & Newcastle carried out a beer cleansing programme and bestowed us with keg beers and increased flatulence. I made a mental list of my favourite beers over the years. A lot of it has gone and the new microbreweries, whilst welcome, find it easier to source their ingredients nationally rather using local produce. 

So in no particular order what has whet my palate the most over the years and would I pick in my first eleven beers to drink with the pub food that was surprisingly fresh, local and good last weekend.

Dutton's Bitter, Blackburn, closed
Hartley's Bitter, Ulverston, closed
Mansfield Bitter, Mansfield, closed
Timothy Taylor's Landlord, Keighley, family run and still going strong
Bellhaven Best, East Lothian, now owned by Greene King but still a good pint
Tetley's Bitter, Leeds. (weaned on this as a teenager at my local)
Tolly Cobbold, Ipswich, closed but nectar in the summer of '68
John Smiths, Tadcaster, more widely available nationwide
Thwaites Smooth, Blackburn still thriving
Theakston's Bitter, Masham, drove past the brewery at the weekend
Greenmantle, Broughton Ale, a sentimental choice as they support hill running