Since arriving here in 2005, beer drinking has been a hit and miss affair, where I started with Quilmes, which is nearly as awful as Budweiser IE tastes like piss. I've yet to find a decent bitter, but there are more and more micro breweries opening up, so that's something.
I'm not a huge beer drinker, but I find it breaks the ice nicely before going onto the wine, so now I drink Stella Artois which, on a very hot day can really hit the spot. And it has to be icy cold, served from a small bottle and poured gently into a cold beer glass. I simply can't drink straight from the bottle and that's a habit I simply will not follow.
When I'm home in the UK my favourite bitter beer is Butty Bach from Wye Valley Brewery, which is hand pumped of course, not too bitter, a slightly sweet edge and not too strong at 4.5%. A session beer if you like. Love the stuff and when we're in Hereford, we head straight for The Barrels pub where there is Butty bach aplenty and a lovely beer garden.
A really good beer that survives being in a bottle or can is Old Speckled Hen which again, is not too bitter and has good body.
We're off to England again this July, so some sampling will be in order.
What's your favourite?
