Second, let’s read between the lines at the Brewdog interview. End of the day, James and co. have an agenda to push and internationally.

Third, we believe at beerviking.com that the ability to consistently brew a below 4% session beer is the hallmark of a great brewer. It was the main thrust of our summer tasting this year, in particular at the GBBF.

@Mark names some great ones but a favourite of ours is the Weltons (W. Sussex) Pridenjoy at 2.8%.

Baron – Glad you are finding great ales!

Barm – Massive fan of Paradox and Punk, I have a hot/cold relationship with Dogma, and Chaos Theory blows my mind!

Mark – I agree, there are lots of dull session ales, and trying new things can result in disaster. But I’m also optimistic, it’s better to have tried it than to not have tried it! Thanks for the list, that’s a lot of votes!

Paul – hopefully you don’t think I’m negative about British brewing, quite the opposite! Looks like I should have spent more time on the title but I was racing the clock to post this for Mr Dredge! Loving the resurgence in mirco/craft breweries, and home brewing too. Have tried none of your list so am on a mission to have them all ASAP!

However some large British brewers have not helped relieve themselves of this title by creating “smoothflow” which is an abomination that I can only see aimed at enticing lager drinkers.

The upsurge in micro/ craft breweries is a good sign, and a better sign is that more pubs seem to be selling a local beer. It is about enticing people to try something new when it is your round! Please try:

Wagtail Brewery: Ale-Next-The-Sea
Bradfield Brewery: Farmers Pale Ale
Unknown: Pommies Revenge
Kelham Island Brewery: Easyrider
Abbeydale Brew: Absolution

I drink at home more than in the pub. If I go to the pub then I want to drink beers from the breweries I know are making great stuff. I tend to steer away from ones I don’t know so well unless it comes with a recommendation. It’s a difficult, double-edged sword of a situation – I want to drink more but I want to drink better!

We should rightly be celebrating the best British beers and most of these will be session ales as that’s what British drinkers drink (our love of big and esoteric is quite rare among pub drinkers, unbelievable I know).

Hopefully Beer Swap will showcase a lot of great beers (39 entrants, 4 beers each, taking into account some overlap, should give us over 100 excellent brews).

Right now my votes would go…

Thornbridge: Jaipur, Halycon, Handel, Kipling, St Petersburg, Alliance.

Marble: Pint, Dobber.

DarkStar: Hophead, Six Hop.

Gadds: No.3, No.7, Dogbolter, Black Pearl, Reserved Barely Wine.

Worthington White Shield.

Harviestoun: Schahallion, Ola Dubh, Old Engine Oil.

Fuller’s: London Porter, London Pride, Vintage.

Brewdog: Punk, Paradox, zeitgeist, 77 lager, Tokyo*.

Meantime: IPA, LPA, Porter.

Hopdaemon Skrimshander.

Taddington’s Moravka.

Then beers from Oakham, Pictish, Amber, Lovibonds, Saltaire, Bath, Orkney, Crown (I’d better say Stu! – he is deserving, after all)… there are so many!! this is just top of the head stuff, I’m sure more will come to me later!

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