Drinking beer for research

George and I carried out some extensive market research today. We visited all the pubs in Berkhamsted, had half a pint in most and asked what beers they sold the most. The most popular beers in Berkhamsted appear to be:Fullers London Pride (a great all round pint), Tring’s Side Pocket for a Toad (a hoppy session beer), Green King IPA (I suppose it’s cheap but I prefer the Abbot) and Sharp's Doom Bar (not my personal choice). The idea is to offer these beers at a blind tasting and see which people genuinely like to drink without the branding. Is it about taste or hype?

The quality of the beer varied dramatically between pubs. I have now established the pubs in Berkhamsted where I won’t drink real ale in the futre and I have established pubs that I would not trust to sell our ale. Here is my review of Berkhamsted's pubs:

• The Lamb - Top of the town, good range of well-kept real ales, usually Adnams, Tring and Fullers on offer in traditional pub with good local following.
• The George - Limited range of real ales, more of a lager drinkers pub, but nicely decorated and chatty landlord.
• The Kings Arms - Part of the Oakman Inns pubco, refurbished a few years ago converting shabby hotel into welcoming gastro pub, reasonable range of beers including Brakespear and Tring, but served a bit too chilled for my liking.
• The Crown - A Weatherspoons pub with wide range of beers at low prices, there are always two local beers on offer, eg Tring and Red Squirrel, alongside favourite a like Doom Bar and Greene King IPA?
• The Goat - Run by the landlord of the Lamb, reduced selection of ales and more emphasis on the quality of music.
• The Spotted Bull - Only one real ale pump and this was off on our visit, bui of a local lager drinkers pub.
• The Old Mill - Recently refurbished to a high standard, good range of well-kept ales and superb food, very welcoming manager and staff.
• The Rising Sun - Traditional boozer bit shabby chic, great range of well-kept ales and wide selection of ciders, the house ale Riser Bitter is produced by Tring, nice setting for sitting outside in summer.
• The Boat - A Fullers tied house, it serves the best pint of London Pride and other Fullers ales in town, also good food and nice setting beside the canal all year round.
• The Crystal Palace - Bit of a locals pub but reasonable range of beers on offer and reasonably well-kept, good Thai food and some seating by the canal.
• The George & Dragon - Just outside of town in Northchurch, reasonable rnage of beers all well-kept, friendly landlord and really good value Sunday lunches.

Wherever you go, enjoy the real ale. Hopefully ours will be available in some of these pubs by Easter 2014.