I preferred Beamish to Guiness and Murphy's (I like that the least - Is that Whitbread now?), I think because of that "more acquired taste" - to me, it had far more character but... maybe it's just me but I don't think the drink has been the same since Scottish Courage got involved and the pub I used to like it in went to "Beamish Red" (Caffreys like bitter) and "Beamish Black" - it really seemed to lose the old "bite".

Jon