Reading the first few posts of this thread the question was asked 'why do American beers brewed in the English tradition taste nothing like their English/British counterparts?' From my recent foray into making beer (it's the next big thing folks - you read it here first!), I'd say the Americans choose zingier, more citrusy hops (Amarillo, Citra, Centennial for example) and often use the same hop for bittering and aroma - giving a more refreshing taste, whereas here in the UK we seem to choose a greater variety of different hops at various stages of the boil to impart a more complex hop profile.
Two beers in front of me. One a London Pride clone - malty, and sweet, and although I used a heap of Target, Challenger and East Kent Goldings, it's not particularly hoppy (but that might be down to not using the correct Fullers strain of yeast), and the other an American IPA experiment - I'm getting grapefruit, oranges and melons </Jilly Goolden> - it's almost like a health drink. I'd say the Americans like a younger, fresher tasting beer in general, although they have become far more sophisticated and hungry to learn from and copy the European tradition in recent years.
Tigerrr - London Pride (when brewed by the professionals...) is a pretty darn good pint - and always a safe bet when confronted by an array of beertaps. If you want my idea of the perfect English Ale, then try a Fuller's ESB, although it takes a bit of getting used to as it's quite strong. And Landlord is a lovely pint too. (and Madonna's favourite when she was shacked up with Guy Ritchie!). I reckon I might have a go at making some too.
F*ck me. I've become a beer bore. Sorry
