A guide for your next visit to the bar
Citrus and hops, biscuit and toffee, coffee and chocolate. There is plenty to explore in a glass of real ale.
You do not need to know the names of the styles before you arrive. Start with the flavours you enjoy, then use this guide to find something to ask about.
What makes it real ale?
Real ale is beer that continues to mature with live yeast in its final container. At a cask bar, that means beer which develops its condition in the cask before it reaches your glass.
Cask-conditioned beer is served without carbon dioxide being injected into it. Its gentle natural carbonation is part of the experience, alongside the care taken over storage, temperature and serving.
In a pub you will often see it poured through a handpull. At a festival you may also see beer served straight from a tap in the cask.
Read more in CAMRA’s guide to cask-conditioned beer.
Start with a flavour you like
Open a flavour below for a few styles to look out for. These are starting points: individual beers can be quite different, so read the tasting notes as well as the style name.
Citrus, fruit & hops
Look at pale ales, golden ales and IPAs. Depending on the hops, you might find lemon, grapefruit or tropical fruit, or more herbal and spicy flavours. Check the notes for bitterness; a fruity aroma does not necessarily mean a sweet beer.
Biscuit, toffee & a malty finish
Try the bitters and milds. Bitter often balances malt flavours with a dry hop finish. Mild is generally less hop-led, with malt taking the lead. Mild can be pale or dark.
Coffee, chocolate & roasted flavours
Look for porters and stouts. Their roasted grain flavours can be dry, sweet or somewhere between. A dark colour does not tell you how strong the beer is: check the ABV.
Richer malt & dried-fruit flavours
Explore old ales and barley wines. These can have fuller flavours and a warming character. Check the strength and ask which serving sizes are available.
Explore CAMRA’s beer style tasting notes for more detail.
Three things to check at the bar
Flavour
Read the tasting notes. Tell the team whether you prefer something malty, hoppy, roasty or less bitter.
Strength
ABV means alcohol by volume. Check it on the label or list rather than judging by a beer’s colour or name.
Ingredients
Ask for the current allergen information. If you need a vegan or gluten-free option, check the individual beer before ordering.
Cask, keg, craft and live beer
“Cask” describes how the beer is conditioned and served. “Craft” is a broader description, so it does not tell you on its own whether a beer is cask-conditioned.
CAMRA uses “live beer” for beer that continues to condition in its final container. That can include suitable beers in bottles, cans, tanks or kegs as well as casks. The container alone does not tell the whole story.
Put your new knowledge to use
Join us at Northumbria Students’ Union, 7–10 April 2027. The drinks list will be published when confirmed. Bring a flavour preference and ask the bar team where to start.
Prefer apples and pears? Explore our cider and perry guide.