Real Ale in a Bottle

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT REAL ALE IN A BOTTLE

WHAT IS REAL ALE? | WHAT IS REAL ALE IN A BOTTLE? | IS IT BETTER? | ARE THERE ANY OTHER ADVANTAGES? | IS IT NEW? | WHO BREWS REAL ALE IN A BOTTLE? | ARE THE BOTTLE VERSIONS OF WELL KNOWN CASK BEERS REAL ALE IN A BOTTLE? | IS IT JUST BRITISH? | AREN'T ALL FOREIGN BEERS LAGERS? | HOW CAN YOU RECOGNISE IT? | HOW TO POUR IT? | CAN THE SEDIMENT BE DRUNK? | WHERE CAN YOU BUY IT? | WHAT ARE THE BEST KNOWN EXAMPLES?

CAN THE SEDIMENT BE DRUNK?

The sediment is all natural, an essential part of the beer.  It will do no harm if it is drunk, although the beer may not look too attractive.  In fact, many drinkers prefer to add it to the beer.

Belgian wheat beers, such as Hoegaarden, are meant to be drunk cloudy.  For these, pour most of the beer into the glass, then swirl the remaining beer around in the bottle to disturb the sediment and pour into the beer.