Features
We take a look at different types of beer, the work of the Campaign for Real Ale, and the long and varied history of drinking vessels.
Types of Beer
The stereotypical image of beer-drinking in England treasured by many foreigners is of a peculiar predilection for “warm” beer, as though beer were nothing more than an alcoholic alternative to tea. It is certainly true that English beer and ale are drunk a few degrees less cool than continental lagers and American lite beer, but that’s because we like our beer to taste of something.
From Animal Horns to Beer Glasses
The traditional receptacle for drinking your pint from is, of course, a pint glass. To much sadness, the old dimpled pint mug is no longer being manufactured, so once your local has broken all its existing stocks, everybody will be drinking from the functional, but perhaps soulless, straight-sided glass. In the past, though, almost any material might be used as a drinking vessel.
The Campaign for Real Ale
The Campaign for Real Ale has been at the forefront of the struggle to preserve Britain’s beer heritage since its formation in 1971. With a current membership of around 80,000, the group has achieved many notable successes over the years, and has been described as possibly Europe’s most effective lobby group.
