PLEASE HELP. Because InBev has killed off my favorite beer, Bass Ale, can anyone suggest an alternative? I am drinking Smithwick's now, which is fine, but it is hard to locate in my area. As for Micro-Brews, I am more of a Macro-Brew type of guy. Other beers I drink are Guinness and Stella, but I really want to find an Amber/Red Ale. (Apparently, I am allergic to a lot of Micro-Brews. Anything that is hazy kills me. Seems like a lot of Micro-Brews fall into that category.)
Might want to figure out what ingredient is bad for you. Doubt it’s Only in “micro” beer. How does hazy “kill you”? Try Nugget Nectar, not hazy. Smithwicks Enjoy
I am in the same boat as the OP. I was a huge Bass Ale fan and have yet to be able to find anything that tastes similar. Hard to believe such a historical, classic brew is no longer made (at least in the US).
Fuller’s London Pride or, although it’s seasonal, Brooklyn Summer Ale (or Pennant Ale. I think summer ale replaced Pennant ale or was re-named or something)
That is currently in process of change: Amber -> Golden. https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...gets-full-makeover-after-sales-tumble.670872/ Cheers!
This is going to be trickier than you think. English Pale Ale or Bitter is getting very tough to find in the US; and whatever our local craft brewers are making is usually not fermented properly, so the yeast signature isn't right (which is seriously important for this style). The imports will have the right character but will also sit on the shelves too long when you can get one. The Old Speckled Hen and Fuller's are great suggestions. I'd start there, or if you can get Well's Bombardier. Hopefully they are in decent enough shape to be enjoyable. If you're in the New England area I'd also look into trying Cisco Whale's Tale. Alternatively, you may have a local brewer who's doing it the right way. Please let us know your general location for better suggestions.
Can you please expand on this observation? Enquiring palates want to know. To me, I always think craft brewers miss using the right malts -- Maris Otter, to be specific, but that may just be a personal preference.
I've had beers using Marris Otter and Goldings that still didn't get it right, because they were made in the brewer's normal conical. I believe that the English yeasts get their fullest expression when used in open fermenters, based on my own experience and talking with various brewers through the years.
It’s another InBev product now but I’ve always found Boddingtons to be pretty enjoyable and easily found. Fullers ESB is excellent also, but not sure how easy it will be to find
Michael, I also have an opinion that fermentation temperatures play a notable role here too. When I brew my annual batch of Bitter Ale, in addition to using floor malted Maris Otter Pale Malt I use the Timothy Taylor's Landlord yeast strain and I make it a point to ferment warm (e.g., 70 degrees F). Cheers!
Pipeworks Blood of the Unicorn (assuming they're still brewing it and assuming you're in the distribution area). Here's a link to a listing of the Amber/Red ales on BA: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/styles/128/
I agree that this is trickier than one would expect. US craft/micro beers are often going to be putting too much emphasis on toasty malts and hops (compared to Bass) and not enough emphasis on fruitiness. Idiosyncratic UK imports (like Fullers or Samuel Smith) are likely to have equally idiosyncratic flavor profiles compared to Bass. The following recommendations can be very different from one another... so just take these all as possible places to experiment with rather than a list of interchangeable beers. UK imports are not very common right now. I'll add another recommendation for Old Speckled Hen. Other imported options are Belhaven Scottish Ale, Boddingtons, and lastly Robinsons Trooper (the regular one) if the price of that one doesn't turn you off. I want to give a few choices out of left field. If you are willing to try US beers, give Samuel Adams Boston Lager and Blue Point Toasted Lager a shot. Maybe go really outside the box and try an imported dark German lager like Hofbrau Dunkel. That last one might be a longshot, but it might actually have a better chance of scratching the itch compared to many US craft/micro beers that are made to be in the same category as Bass. Although nobody here would put these beers in the same category as Bass, I think it might pay to be flexible in this case.
By “kills me,” I mean makes me throw up. Don’t know why. I would love to figure out the “ingredient” but it’s a process of elimination. Typically, it’s a hazy, hoppy beer. Smithwicks is my go to. Never tried Nugget Nectar but will try it. THANKS
