Mark,
My IBU comment was based on the main difference between the beers being that Wadworths 6X is less hoppy that 1 Hop and Steerage, and that was an assumption with you not having suggested what you like about 1 Hop and Steerage but don't like about 6X. Necessarily making an assumption isn't "making things up".
I now understand that you "believe the beers are better because they taste better" to you, and we can all offer such subjective comments, but your, or my, opinion doesn't equate to a fact.
Having used pubs since 1971 and taken a keen interest in their beers since then I believe that I can appreciate the difference in quality of many beers.
I believe that Slaters and Titanic brew very good beers, Ged Slater's use of a brewing consultant when he started being money well spent, and neither brewery would have grown to the size they are now if their beers lacked quality or consistency. I have though drunk poor quality beers from newer breweries ten and fifteen miles away and the amateurish efforts of the likes of "hobby brewers" certainly don't do customers or the industry any favours.
I would still be interested to know about your "mass produced rubbish" comment in terms of at what annual barrelage beer becomes "mass produced" and so "rubbish" - but maybe we now can just get back to discussing Candid.
I named 1 Hop; Steerage and Blonde because they are well known beers that most regular pub goers will know. I could have named beers from Pollys, Deya or Mondo (etc) but you will only know those brewers if you drink at Candid or follow them on Facebook - I do both.
My comment that the beers are better quality is not just my subjective view of what they taste like. It's also based on fact. For example, would you claim that the difference in quality of a McDonald's burger vs a steak meal at a decent restaurant is merely subjective. It's based on numerous factors - the ingredients used; the quality of those ingredients; the setting and who is cooking your meal etc etc.
If you can appreciate the difference in the quality of the beer, then you should also be willing to pay more for it. I assume you're happy to pay £3.40 for a pint of Steerage despite knowing that you can buy a pint of Wadsworth(?) for £2 at the C&H. The principle is the same. I am happy to pay more for the beer at Candid; Slater's; the Sun etc because I believe the beer is better and I prefer those pubs.
I am not sure why you are mentioning Hobby Brewers. To my knowledge neither of my two favourite pubs (floodgate, candid or any of the real ale pubs in Stafford) have stocked any beer from hobbyists.
I've not said a beer is 'rubbish' because its mass produced. I have merely said I don't like / enjoy / want to drink the mass produced rubbish sold in pubs like Wetherspoons, such as Carling and Strongbow etc. I also don't think the beer is kept very well.
Some mass produced beer is nice - I love a decent Gunness and Saddlers beers can now be found on the shelves of Aldi.
I drink beer because i enjoy the taste. I don't drink to get drunk or based on price. When I go to a pub I want to drink decent beer and i am very happy to pay more to do so. Its for that reason I drink at Candid; Sun; R&C; Slaters; BiH; Shrewsbury Arms and not at C&H, Wetherspoons and Hogarths etc. If you want to drink at those places, great, but i struggle to see why you begrudge me wanting to drink at Candid and wanting to pay more. As you've said all pubs / beers appeal to different people and budgets.
Final point on this debate because I am getting bored. Floodgate was the best pub in Stafford and sold the best beer, which it did so at a very reasonable price. For a number of years, Andy only charged £3 a pint and more recently increased the price for a pint to £3.40. Rip floodgate. You will be forever missed. If he charged more I would have happily paid it.