You have been brainwashed: Ale is far superior to lager

Why you should ditch the lager and replace it with a bitter


My interaction with alcohol started innocently enough. My experimentation with frosty jacks at the park when I was 15, the progression onto Lambrini when I was 16, my found hatred for Guinness at 18, it has been a rocky ride.

Before, I had been addicted to Budweiser as it was the only thing we could get but when I reached that magical age of 18, a treasure trove of alcoholic nectar was now available to me. The world of fancy cocktails and beer brewing masterpieces were merely a few pennies away. So what did I do?

I stuck with Budweiser.

It was a good look

As the vultures (my friends) hit this age, no drink was safe and a once full pint was reduced to droplets after a trip to the toilet. Something needed to be done, I couldn’t keep going on with my drinks being stolen, and this is when I discovered ale.

A drink that gets a bad rap most of the time, comparable to licking toe sweat according to some people. Nevertheless, I wish to convince you to also make the transition from Lager to Ale so we can act pompously when we drink it.

It is not a pompous drink 

There are many types of ale, some taste amazing and others make you feel sick. Luckily, many pubs offer a chance to try the drink before fully committing and there is no shame saying you don’t like it. Trying before you buy and saying no is much better than being stuck with a pint of liquid toejam. Many people chose to drink it because of its superior taste.

Real ale tastes of something

With the exception of Brewdog who make some amazing alcoholic potions, commercial lager is actually quite bland. We pretend it is refreshing and nice for show but in reality we are trying to hold back the tears. Ale on the other hand allows itself to be extremely experimentative with real ale festivals boasting some of the best concoctions people have made. Ale has been mixed with mangos, coffee, crème brulee, and bacon, any flavour and they can make it. Many of the regular brands also taste pretty good without the fancy additions.

Ale is much better for you than lager

Ok, Ale is not something that is extremely healthy regardless and choosing what is better between lager and ale is like comparing a burger and a burger with cheese. Ale though is the champ, with less calories and more of these fancy anti-oxidants called phenols that are good to protect your heart.  Something to consider when you’re six pints in.

You can support local brewers if you buy ale

Goldstone supports my local Sussex student bar

The 2015 edition of the Good Beer Guide lists 1,285 breweries now operating in Britain, many are local breweries that sell their ales to local pubs allowing a personal and bespoke feel to your local watering hole.

Ale is usually cheaper

A quick stop at a local Wetherspoons will confirm this. The ales in there are usually priced anywhere between £2.25 – £2.90 and in certain venues they are even cheaper on a Monday.

The joy of cask rotation

One of my favourite things about ale is that pubs will change around what ale they have in stock so you can truly find that special drink. This means that if you don’t like the selection of drinks, chances are they will change next week. However, lager does not have this luxury with many chains being paid by the big companies to have a permanent and well advertised spot on the bar.

There is a real strong ale community

You would never have thought it, but there is in fact a real ale “pressure group”. The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is 180,000 strong group made up of passionate individuals who wish to tackle the issue of tax, killing beer and pubs. Joining is very easy and you are regularly emailed information about real ale festivals, vouchers, and how you can protect your local pubs.