Issue 150

Drink Real Ale

04th December 2006

The Real Ale society are far more than a bunch of old blokes with beards, in fact there was very little facial hair in sight when we met up with them last week and found out just what it is about Ale that makes it so appealing.

The difference between Lager and Ale is not just in the way that it's fermented but also in its content. Many of our favourite Lager's are in fact full of additives and preservatives, obviously to help it keep longer and also supposedly to improve the taste. Ale, on the other hand, has none of these. So it could be argued that it's better for you and some even claim that you won't get a hangover if drink it and, apparently you can get drunk quicker.

Despite these supposed benefits, Ale still doesn't have the popularity of Lager and there could well be a few reasons for that. The most obvious is the fact that Lager is mass produced and available in practically any bar you happen to step into, Ale is far more exclusive. We spoke to President Tom Gillard who said, "We're trying to get away from that old man image" that Ale tends to carry. Ale only has a short shelf life and it doesn't tend to travel very well unless it is bottled, this is why much Ale is localised, as it is hard to produce on a large scale and transport.

With such a local product there is much different Ale on the market, and it all depends on which part of the country you are residing in at any one time. Here in Swansea we have quite a wide range available to us, which is something that the society takes full advantage of. Tomos Watkins is a local brewery with which the society has links; they have in the past even gone on tours around the brewery. They also hope to have a tour around the Swansea Brewing Company in the New Year and of course who could forget the most popular ale in Wales, Brains, which is brewed in Cardiff.

The society has been at Swansea for some years ago, but five years ago it was re-founded by Andrew Last, who has now gone on to work at a brewery in Manchester. The society has a good 20 members who attend regularly on a Thursday night, at various pubs around Swansea to try the different Ale's that are on offer. Although the membership is largely made up of boys they do have a couple of female members who thoroughly enjoy trying out the local products.

Last month the society attended the Great Welsh Beer Festival to try out some more unusual Ale's including those which are brewed in peoples sheds! This is the largest annual Beer event in Wales, bringing together people from all over the region to try out each others brews. Once they had paid their entry fee they were given Pint glasses and tokens, for which they then exchanged for Beer. A thoroughly good time was had by all who attended.

The society would, in future, like to hold their own beer festival here on campus, as their counterparts at Cardiff University do, though as of yet no steps have been taken to run this event.

For more info send an email to swanseauni_realalesoc@yahoo.co.uk

Becky Lewis