Quote Originally Posted by MadAmster View Post
Used to be THE way to help create a clear rather than a cloudy beer, once fermentation had finished. These days there are non-animal derivatives that are used, in the main. They are known as finings

Back when I did part time bar work and cellar work, if we got a cloudy barrel, we'd phone the brewery, tell them which brew it was and they'd send the finings for that brew. Add to the suspect barrel and, hey presto, you're serving a nice clear pint of Pedigree.
On a similar theme, I welcomed a new friend from the USA for a holiday here recently, and as a beer drinker he was keen to compare American and English brews. England came out best in every instance, for instance the Coors we have is way better than the American equivalent, beer served with meals always tasted better, and he’s become a convert to our bitters, preferring Pedigree but loving others, and preferring our pubs to American bars (and the more relaxed atmosphere of not being expected to tip for every minor service)