Having a beer in a pub is one of the top tourist activities for all those foreigners who arrive in England each year. But what has made England so popular for its beer? Having a very long history, English beer differs from beer in other brewing countries.

Quality

Beer lovers around the world know that if they want to taste good beer, they should go to countries such as the UK or Ireland. Brewing in England was established in 54BC by the Romans. Beer was the first alcoholic drink to be produced in England and it is also the drink with the longest tradition. Probably the most typical English beer is ale beer, which finishes often maturing in the cellar of the pub. Real ale beer is served with only natural carbonation and differs from larger style beer, which has increased considerably in popularity since the mid 20th century. Thanks to this long brewing tradition, the quality of English beer has very high standards that are recognised by beer experts all around the globe.

Serving Temperature

The way in which a cask ale is served is also something very unique that many tourists like. While in other countries beer is only good if it is cold, a real English brewing tradition is the actual temperature in which beer is served. Traditionally, ales in England should be poured and served at room temperature because only in these conditions can all the subtly beer flavours be tasted. This characteristic surprises many tourists who love to have a beer in the 'English style.'

Pubs

If there is something England is famous for, it is pubs. English and Irish pubs have a particular style – dark and cosy - that many countries have copied all around the world, particularly in Europe. Even if Brits are too used to it to realise, tourists go to copycat style English pubs in their home countries. Obviously, the first thing they want to visit when landing in the UK is going to a proper and real English pub.

Quantity

Traditional English beer styles include bitter, mild, brown ale and old ale. However, the list can be much longer if we count all the beer styles available in a pub such as lagers - a term generally used in England for bottom-fermented beer- and other mixtures. British brewers have different names for variations in beer strength, such as best bitter, special bitter, extra special bitter, and premium bitter. Tourists are obviously impressed by this rich variety, especially considering that each of these categories includes further subcategories. It is a real paradise for beer lovers!

Glasses

This is a reason why England is so famous for beer that might actually be ignored by many English people. As well as the charm of English pubs, the traditional glasses these beers come served in is also part of the English beer experience. Believe it or not but many tourists actually try to steal these glasses to take them home with them.

Author
Neil blogs about technology and real ales, when he’s not online or cycling around town you can’t get him out of the kitchen for his love of food.