Author: Ron Pattinson

Ron Pattinson is a beer historian and travel writer. Check out his blog, barclayperkins.blogspot.com, for info on his books and the history of beer.

Crimea Porter History by the Glass by

Wherever the British army went in the 19th century, beer was never far behind … and it was usually in the form of Porter. And when the British army invaded the Crimea in 1854, they got thirsty.

Salvator History by the Glass by

Nowadays, it’s the brand name of Paulaner’s Doppelbock … but once, “Salvator” was the name of a style, brewed across Bavaria and beyond.

Scottish Sweet Stout History by the Glass by

What’s Scotland’s most distinctive type of beer? Scotch Ale, Scottish Ale or Shilling Ale? Actually, it’s none of those; it’s Scottish Sweet Stout. Stout isn’t most people’s first thought when Scottish beer is mentioned, but there’s a long history of brewing Stout in Caledonia.

Stock Pale Ale History by the Glass by

In the 19th century, Pale Ales were matured for months before sale. The gap between mash tun and glass could be more than a year. And not just the beer shipped to India; Pale Ale in a pub in Britain could be just as old as the IPA in Bombay.

Alloa Ale History by the Glass by

London, Burton, Edinburgh: Britain’s key brewing towns. But one name is missing. The forgotten great of British beer: Alloa, renowned for its ales and Pale Ales.

Double Brown Ale History by the Glass by

The first modern Brown Ale, brewed by Manns of London, appeared just before 1900. Only after World War I did the style really take off. In the 1920s, most other London brewers introduced their own.

War and Beer History by the Glass by

Let’s run quickly through British wars and their effect on what Tommy Atkins drank when he came home, from The English Civil War to World War II.

East India Porter History by the Glass by

Pale Ale wasn’t the only beer sent to India. It wasn’t even a majority of the beer sent. No, that honor belongs to a beer that’s been lost to history: India Porter.

Broyhan History by the Glass by

A few hundred years as North Germany’s favorite beer, yet it’s disappeared virtually without a trace. What was it exactly, and why has it been so thoroughly forgotten?

Beers in a 1914 London Pub History by the Glass by

Stumbling into a London pub in August 1914, what should you order? Time travel being theoretically possible, here’s a handy guide to the beers you’ll find.

A Short History of Mild Feature by

You might be surprised at some of the multitude of forms Mild Ale has taken. Many were about as dissimilar from the modern version as you can imagine. But let’s get one thing straight first: The name Mild has nothing to do with low gravity or low hopping rates.