10 Best Ales in the UK 2021

After returning to America (from studying brewery in Belgium) Keith Villa created his interpretation of the classic Belgian style. He used a different type of orange peel for a more subtle sweetness and then balanced it (perfectly, may we add) with coriander. After this, he added oats and wheat to create a lovely smooth and creamy finish. Thus, Blue Moon was born. 

This delectable ale is a cloudy copper-orange due to its unfiltered nature, and is extremely refreshing and light. We think it's the perfect introduction to the world of ales, and pleasing to traditionalists – for this reason, it takes our top spot! 

The concept behind this ale is shockingly simple, yet completely genius. 44% of all bread in the UK is thrown out, and that's where Toast Ale comes in. Using the malted barley from this discarded bread, Toast Ale produces a delicious and sessionable IPA. Coincidentally, it has a bready aroma, with malty, caramel and biscuit overtones. 

Not only do they tackle the problem of food wastage, but they also donate 100% of their earnings to charities that are helping fix the food system. We honestly couldn't think of a better way to spend our money. 

As of December '19, Sharp's Doom Bar was the highest selling ale (from the tap) in UK pubs, and by some distance. It has an alluring gentle aroma of sweet malt and resinous hops, and everything about this beer is light, from its colour to its taste. To be honest, we think it's light enough that your Nan could sink a few of them. 

This is a perfectly-balanced drink, combining both subtle and complex flavours seamlessly. Doom Bar has a unique capability to leave you completely satisfied, yet always contemplating another one. 

A shot of rum in your ale? Not quite. This tipple from Innis & Gunn is finished for 60 days in American oak barrels that used to contain navy rum, which gives their Caribbean-influenced ale a fruity vanilla taste and a little spiciness. 

This is a heavy full-bodied drink with a medium mouthfeel, and is a great choice for those who like their ale a little on the sweet side. Innis & Gunn also have a pretty interesting background which is worth checking out! 

Thornbridge have been around the block. They entered the ale-race just before the craft beer boom, and during that time have produced some recent classics – like this delightful Jaipur IPA, which has won over 100 awards worldwide.

As it's a pale ale, the Jaipur IPA naturally has a strong malty foundation. However, there are a lot of hops crammed into this little can, which give the beer a kind of spiced, flowery taste. On top of this, you have the compelling apricot and grapefruit flavours, which make for a wonderfully complex beverage. 

For all the talk earlier about how amber ales tend to be full-bodied, Bath Ales have all but blown that out of the water with their Gem offering. Don't be deceived by its deep amber glow, this is a light and crisp ale that tastes of dark fruits with hints of malt and caramel. 

This brew has very subtle aromas of toasted malts, and if you're skilled enough you might be able to pick out some of the fruity dried apple notes. It's not too strong, either, and available in both cans and bottles. 

This red ale is from an award-winning Welsh brewery based in Cardiff – Cwtch (which rhymes with butch, and means cuddle or cubbyhole), being what they won an award for! 

It's an ale in which the traditional meets the contemporary, with a lovely warm, toasted malt body made from a blend of 6 caramelly malts, accentuated with lush tropical aromas from three citrussy American hops. One for the craft fans! 

This ale from Duvel has a complex and sophisticated taste, which comes from a unique bottle conditioning process of 90 days. It spends 2 weeks in 'warm cellars' which gives time for the yeast to perform a second fermentation, before being transferred to 'cold cellars' for the remainder of the time.

However, Duvel is a devilish beer. Masked within its golden appearance, refined, silky taste and under its complex fruity aromas, comes a staggering 8.5% alcohol content. It's something you should be aware of as a few of these will leave you worse for wear the next day!

Another British classic, this dark, ruby-red brew from Theakston has won countless awards and is admired all over the world for its smooth taste and original banana and black cherry aroma. 

It's made with a blend of pale, crystal, and roasted barley as well as 3 different hops, the most notable being the magnificent 'Fuggle' hop which leads the way when producing those rich fruit overtones. Again, this is a low carbonation beer for those that are comfortable exploring flavours, rather than one to introduce somebody to the world of ale. 

This iconic brand has been around since 1927 and is by far the most famous brown ale in the world. It's a full-bodied and smooth beer that has a distinctive caramel character and a surprisingly sweet aftertaste. Have a few sips and you'll understand why it's stood the test of time. 

Though a classic British bitter, it's also collected a huge following across the pond. Rumour has it that it's all Clint Eastwood's fault, we think the yanks owe you one Clint! Newcastle Brown is somewhat of an acquired taste, so if you're new to ales it might be best to swerve this one until you are a bit more comfortable.