Any Brits here, who are cooks?

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Hi - We hope to make a steak and ale pie, and have the recipe, but it calls for ale. Not having a clue what kind of ale is normally used in England/Wales to make these (it was lovely, by the way) I thought I'd check here to see if anyone could recommend a few varieties. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to purchase them here in California. Thanks! - Nan

I am not British but I am a cook. I don't know one ale/beer from the next but I know if you are going to eat it, use one you like the flavor of -- it's all good.

You can use any traditional English ale or stout. If too bitter you can tone it down with a little sugar. Don't use lager.

Newcastle Brown, Theakston's Old Peculier, any one will do. You are cooking after all. It is the strength of flavour that will come through. You might prefer a light ale.

Important things about steak and ale pie:
1. proper short crust pastry
2. nice chunks of meat
3. nice and hot

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A21206350

I'm GFCF so can't have this unfortunately.

Thanks. Have a lovely chunk of beef, am able to make a decent crust, and don't drink so I wouldn't know one ale from the next. I think it's possible to get Newcastle Brown in the import store down the road. This is what they list as available:

Bass
Fuller's (quite a variety of them)
India Pale Ale
Hen's Tooth
Newcastle Brown
Old Speckled Hen
Old Suffolk
Pendle Witch's Brew
Sam Smith's (several varieties)
Welsh Double-dragon

Thanks for the link to the BBC site, it was quite helpful. Wednesday's dinner this week should be quite nice! - Nan

Tried Newcastle Brown Ale... probably not the best choice as the resulting pie was basically inedible. Will try again with something lighter.

I use Guinness in some of my cooking, I make a steak & kidney pie that uses it in the gravy
What I do is brown the meat which I dredge in flour till its nice and brown, then I add onions and
carrots and give them a good stir and then I add a can of draft guinness and 1 liter of beef stock
I cook it until the liquid is reduced by half or a nice gravy is formed, let it cool then add to your
pie crust.
I would defiantly avoid any Porter as they are quite bitter

I made a cookbook thread, I'd like to know pie recipies if anyone has made them personally.
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt110508.html