English Ales - What's your favorite recipe?

[Cheshire Cat]

So you buy your beer in 568mls then....

No half litres

 

[McMullan]

It could be conveniently rounded down to a simple 0.5L, but expect unprecedented rioting by disciples of a 'reformed' Brexit party surfing a fake wave of English colonialist 'values'. Even if the price were adjusted down more than fair. Even if the first 0.25L of each 0.5L was free for the first year as a special introductory offer during a transition period to metric. They'd still be goaded and out in the streets with pitchforks. I was mainly taught metric at school (in the UK) in the late 70s to early 80s. Imperial was only taught in maths classes and used for basic problem-solving exercises. I can understand clinging on to imperial measures in daily life for older people more used to managing things in imperial, but, honestly, what happened? Did that ridiculous clown Johnson actually ban metric? Strange times.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

It could be conveniently rounded down to a simple 0.5L, but expect unprecedented rioting by disciples of a 'reformed' Brexit party surfing a fake wave of English colonialist 'values'. Even if the price were adjusted down more than fair. Even if the first 0.25L of each 0.5L was free for the first year as a special introductory offer during a transition period to metric. They'd still be goaded and out in the streets with pitchforks. I was mainly taught metric at school (in the UK) in the late 70s to early 80s. Imperial was only taught in maths classes and used for basic problem-solving exercises. I can understand clinging on to imperial measures in daily life for older people more used to managing things in imperial, but, honestly, what happened? Did that ridiculous clown Johnson actually ban metric? Strange times.

There’s no popular opinion to return to Imperial measurement, I’m 71 years old and work in metric as do most people of my generation. It’s people like Rees Mogg who wants to return to Imperial’s and be able to beat your servants.
A pint is interesting as I believe it’s no longer a strict measure more a description of going to have a beer, I.e. when people say off for a few pints tonight they probably mean a few drinks.

 

[DuncB]

Kg, g, mg.

L, ml.

And the world would be much easier.

The modern world is, only USA and two others aren't.
I'll leave you all guessing who those countries are for a while.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

U.S., Myanmar and Liberia

 

[Northern_Brewer]

It could be conveniently rounded down to a simple 0.5L,

It wouldn't be convenient - you'd need to change every pint glass in the country, for a start - for no real gain.

but expect unprecedented rioting by disciples of a 'reformed' Brexit party surfing a fake wave of English colonialist 'values'.

Same would apply if you tried to make the US go metric, would you describe that as colonialist?

Did that ridiculous clown Johnson actually ban metric?

No - but metric measures have long been banned, draught beer must legally be served in multiples of a third or a half imperial pint. The regulations have been tweaked by just about every government, but if you want to you could go back through the various Weights and Measures Acts to the Duties on Beer, etc. Act 1802. It was even explicitly written into a European directive by the colonialists in Brussels.

Personally I'm OK with restrictions on dispense size, I prefer it to the deregulation (ie complete chaos) in US bars, where it's a lottery what size they offer below a pint and it's a faff having to ask at a busy bar whether it's 10oz or 8oz or whatever. The only changes I would make would be to extend the range, allowing multiples of 1 litre to allow places to buy standard Oktoberfest glasses from the Continent rather than special (expensive!) 2-pint equivalents, and to allow something like a 100ml or quarter pint taster size to allow all-in-one festivals to be legal here.

 

[McMullan]

It wouldn't be convenient - you'd need to change every pint glass in the country, for a start - for no real gain.

They’re only glasses. They could be smashed up and down the land, as a national event to mark a transition to metric, then recycled in France to make new 0.5L glasses. They can still be called ‘pints’*. Not as much hassle as changing to driving on the ‘right’ side of the road.

Same would apply if you tried to make the US go metric, would you describe that as colonialist?

Yes, absolutely, I would. In fact, I suspect it might be even a bit worse in the US. English colonialism, that is.

*Edit: Who’d have guessed? A so-called ‘pint’ can range from as little 250ml (pintje) and about 350ml (Pintchen) to several under 568ml (425-551ml) and over (570-1136ml) and the biggest of all, the Scottish pint at a whopping 1696ml. According to a table of different versions of a pint on Wikipedia.

 

[Miraculix]

Kg, g, mg.

L, ml.

And the world would be much easier.

Which unholy beast did I unleash?!

 

[McMullan]

Which unholy beast did I unleash?!

Imperialism. Do you know that a ‘royal pint’ is 54 French cubic inches?

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

I reject your systems of volumetrics and substitute my own.
Henceforth all malt beverages in my humbleabode shall be served in an "Erik", the volume of said unit will be whatever i feel for at the moment, but most often corresponding to an Imperial Pint.

 

[Miraculix]

I reject your systems of volumetrics and substitute my own.
Henceforth all malt beverages in my humbleabode shall be served in an "Erik", the volume of said unit will be whatever i feel for at the moment, but most often corresponding to an Imperial Pint.

That is the most logical thing to do right now.

 

[An Ankoù]

Like @Brewskey , relegated to 12 oz. pours for now though I plan on using 22 oz. "bombers" for the long-aged 1848 RIS and vintage IPA I'm doing coming up. As lame as it is....just can't bring myself to pour an English bitter in a standard, insipid, straight-walled 12 oz. glass.

You do know, of course that the standard measure for beer in the UK is the PINT, and that there are 20 fluid ounces in a pint rather than 16. Your bomber glasses sound perfect for getting a full pint with a head on top.
(1 pint is 568 ml)

 

[An Ankoù]

I reject your systems of volumetrics and substitute my own.
Henceforth all malt beverages in my humbleabode shall be served in an "Erik", the volume of said unit will be whatever i feel for at the moment, but most often corresponding to an Imperial Pint.

A missed opportunity, Erik.
This soon to be legendary measure should be the minimum volume of beer that requires two hands to lift it ie, it can't be lifted with only one hand. Thus you could have the "regulars'" Erik, the "wife and girlfriend's" Erik, the "boy's" Erik etc.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

An Eric equals 1 groat plus 2 bushels and one and a half rods, poles or perches and six gills.
Plus the UK must go back to pre Norman Conquest units of measure. Bloody French Vikings coming here with their new ways, stealing our birth right and bringing French cuisine.

 

[An Ankoù]

Bloody French Vikings coming here with their new ways, stealing our birth right and bringing French cuisine.

You say that, CC, but what would young boys be playing with today if William hadn't brought them conkers?.

(Worthy of Philomena Cunk, wise woman of Mercia, that one, I thought).

I wonder how well this "banter" works on the international stage. I was astonished to find that my kiné, who's never crossed the parish borders of Brittany, knew of and loved Monty Python, so probably better than one might imagine).

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Before the Normans came here the next king would have to be elected by the Witan. Since then any idiot can be crowned as the monarch. I.e.
John
Edward 2
Richard 2
Henry 6
Bloody Mary
Charles 1
Charles 2
James 2
George 3
Gearge 4
Edward 7
Edward 8
Charles 3

 

[DuncB]

So you buy your beer in 568mls then....

I don't add a unit of time to my volume purchases.
Just 568 ml for me.

 

[An Ankoù]

So you buy your beer in 568mls then....

Nope. In pints. But there are pints and there are pints and that can be confusing. I'm thinking of moving over to Eriks!

 

[Miraculix]

Nope. In pints. But there are pints and there are pints and that can be confusing. I'm thinking of moving over to Eriks!

#metoo

 

[user 246304]

You do know, of course that the standard measure for beer in the UK is the PINT, and that there are 20 fluid ounces in a pint rather than 16. Your bomber glasses sound perfect for getting a full pint with a head on top.
(1 pint is 568 ml)

The bomber is a bottle, not a glass. We typically have 12 oz bottles, or these 22 oz'ers. We just can't get our crap together.

 

[user 246304]

Are the “pint” glasses in the US the same size as in the UK? Ours are 20 fluid oz (568 ml).

Here's our pints.

Here's yours.

 

[InspectorJon]

Not sure if it was imperial measure or not but all the bars in Alberta in the 1970s sold beer in 10 oz glasses. I haven’t been there since then. There was a line on the glass to allow for foam. I particularly liked that they were only 25 cents. Ordered by the dozen. I don’t know if this applied in the rest of Canada. I was given to believe the glasses were government regulated. Canada is part of the Commonwealth so maybe this fits in this thread.

 

[balrog]

Ordered by the dozen

and in French.

 

[Colindo]

Hi everyone,
for some reason I did not get notification regarding this thread for a few months. What a quiet time! I returned to give you this paper of the origin of Guinness yeast that I got via Facebook yesterday: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-023-05587-3.pdf

Regarding glasses and pints, when I studied in the UK, they still had the very confusion double system for milk. You would get both 1 litre and 2 pints, as well as 2 litres and 4 pints etc. Since Brexit this has reduced to only pint measures, as far as I can tell.

Anybody have experience with Maris Otter Extra Pale Ale?

I made a very nice Munich Hell with that malt including decoction. Tastes much nicer than those ghastly German pilsen malts that everyone is using.

 

[balrog]

those ghastly German pilsen malts that everyone is using

wha?

 

[Colindo]

I mean everyone here in Germany. I really can't stand the flavour of Pilsen malt, and it spoils most commercial beers for me. An many homebrewed ones as well.
Can't count the amount of times that people gave me a homebrewed English Ale and were surprised I could tell that they used Pilsen malt.

 

[tracer bullet]

I really can't stand the flavour of Pilsen malt

I actually wondered if I'm the same. I've only used it a few times and just don't seem to like any beer it goes in. I figured it was my imagination, it couldn't be that distinct. But, maybe it is?

 

[Colindo]

But, maybe it is?

I did some A-B tests to make sure. It might also not be the Pilsen malts from every German maltster, but definitely the Weyermann one.

 

[user 246304]

I actually wondered if I'm the same. I've only used it a few times and just don't seem to like any beer it goes in. I figured it was my imagination, it couldn't be that distinct. But, maybe it is?

You guys are speaking of pilsen malts generally, and not just their use in a British ale? You don't like them as a malt, wherever used?

 

[user 246304]

Hi everyone,
for some reason I did not get notification regarding this thread for a few months.

Happens to me too. When I asked about it a member suggested I un- then re-subscribe. I don't always get the e-mail, but I do always get the notification here, doing that.