I really can't understand why so many people like Old Speckled Hen, which seems quite mass produced and anonymous to me. My heart also sinks if I go into a pub and all they've got are beers such as Wychwood, Charles Wells, Hopback, John Smith's or London Pride.
I find my tastes have changed throughout the years and also according to the weather. Top beers oin no particular order of preference are:
Oakham Ales Mompesson's Gold
Newby Wyke White Squall (but just about every beer they make)
Rooster's Rooster (do they still make it?)
Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild
Nethergate Old Growler
Barnsley IPA (but not Barnsley Bitter, which I can't stand)
Ossett Excelsior
Oakham Ales Citra is a weird one - sometimes I love it, yet at other times I find it difficult to finish a pint.
One that baffles me is Oakham Ales Green Devil. It keeps winning awards, yet to me, it is the nastiest beer I have ever tasted. So tangy and acidic that it strips the taste buds from your mouth. I had to have a Guinness afterwards to take the taste away.