Twickenham’s Real Ale continues to go from strength to strength. Catherine Whyte pops in for a pint
If you like a tipple, you must make the pilgrimage to the new-look Real Ale shop in Twickenham. Since the refit a couple of months ago, there’s even more room for all those bottles, cans and kegs – with more than 500 different types of beer and 300 artisan wines in stock at any one time. The shop calls itself the liquid delicatessen and it’s not hard to see why.
In fact, Real Ale is one of Richmond’s success stories. Since opening its doors in 2005, the independent business has gone from strength to strength, both locally and nationally, beating the likes of Waitrose and Aldi to win Retailer of the Year at last year’s Drinks Business Awards. It even has its own label brand called ‘Ubiquitous’.
At Real Ale the passion for pints is evident: you’ll find beers, lagers and ciders there that you won’t find anywhere else (it has introduced drinks from 60 new breweries in the past year alone). I’ve always found the staff really helpful and ready to recommend a new brew. There is also a rotating selection of freshly kegged draught beer on tap, so you can try before you buy or take home in one- or two-litre growlers (either BYO or buy from the shop).
What’s more, the diary is chock-full of great tasting events where you can geek out about your beer in some great company. For example, the team from Manchester’s ever-popular Cloudwater Brew Co will be dropping in on July 7 to delight the crowds.
So, sod the supermarket. Hop down to Real Ale instead.
For more information or to order online go to realale.com
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