The comedian Simon Evans, in one of his stand up routines, mentions the irony that the drink of choice of the homeless is called Tennants...

These days I prefer to just have one or two beers at home and prefer stronger ales and stouts.

The craft beer market do some excellent imperial stouts. These unusually weigh in somewhere between 9 and 13%, though I do have one at home that’s 16.7%. Some are also then stored in a whisky or other spirit barrel as well. Buxton, Alpha Delta and Northern Monk do some very good strong stouts and Brew York do some unusual ones.

Those who prefer a traditional ale, Green Jack Brewery do some great ales, all in 750 ml bottles. Mahseer, Ripper, Gone Fishing and Red Herring all recommended. Though my favourite is Baltic Trader a 10.5% stout. In a wine size bottle you’ll probably only need one.

Drinking stronger stouts has made me realise how crap Guinness is. I always call it the Carlsberg of stouts.

I did actually say IN CAPITALS that I was asking about BOTTLES, therefore not cans. So yes there IS a hard and fast rule, which is that standard bottles of beer are always 500ml whereas standard bottles of lager are always 330ml.

Palace since 19 August 1972. Palace 1 (Tony Taylor) Liverpool 1 (Emlyn Hughes)

Can’t say for lager (don’t touch it). But ale bottles 500ml seems to be the normal.
However, a few do some in 750ml bottles or even 330 ml bottles.

Usually barley wines/imperial stouts in 330ml bottles. Tesco currently have a Vocation imperial stout in a 330ml bottle that is 12% I think. I am currently drinking from a 750ml bottle.

So I guess ales usually are in 500ml bottles, but not always.

Best beer I’ve had was “Ghost Ship” but on Draught so nice and chilled , that was in a pub in Norfolk , they love it up there

They only have it down here warm and it’s nothing like it is chilled

“This is a crisis, a large crisis.... in fact if you have a moment, it’s a 12 storey crisis, magnificent entrance hall, carpeting throughout, 24 hour portage , and an enormous sign on the roof saying “This , is a large crisis” - Edmund Blackadder

Adnams make Ghost Ship. It's one I can never make my mind up on, sometimes seems meh and other times hits the right spot. Based in Southwold, Suffolk

My friend and I always say how we think there beers are somewhat over-rated.

Their premium beer is Broadside. The original is 6.3% and available by bottle. They keep lowering the ABV of the draught version. Sure it started at about 5.4%, but is possible now even below 5% and so is a completely different beer to the original version.