The English pub is the main source of traditionally brewed draught beer (a.k.a. real ale).

You can purchase bottles and cans of beer in any local food-store, off-license and supermarket. You can even buy draught beer in cans!! - But if you want to taste the real thing, then you will have to make the effort and visit your local pub.

Major brewers as well as independently-run breweries will sell their product in pubs throughout the UK. Consider the following:-

• In some cases, a brewery (be it major or independent) will have purchased the pub and a consequence, stock it with their product.

• In other cases, a consortium may own a chain of hostelries (another name for the pub). In this case the pub in question can still sell draught beer, but it is limited to whose beer it can sell. More often than not the beer will have to be purchased from the consortium who in turn, will have made special deals with certain breweries.

• The Free House is everybody’s favourite because they can buy beer from whoever they wish and are not tied to specific breweries. They will undoubtedly have Guest beers (i.e. offer a different beer each week or month) and just as important – they can decide what price to charge the customer.

In the UK, the Good Pub Guide lists all pubs that serve real ale, together with a list of the brands on offer.