Tuesday 29 November 2011

Shepherd Neame - Spitfire

Was in the Two Brewers saturday (near Selhurst BR station) and had a couple of fine pints of Spitfire. I had intended asking for a Late Red which I had recently had in a bottle, a very fine pint that was too. However, I guess I must have been a couple of weeks too late for that!

Still Spitfire is a fine pint, clear in colour and sharp in flavour. Very distinctive too. I was quite surprised to see they've only been brewing it since 1990!

Goering Goering Gone!

http://www.spitfireale.co.uk/spitfire-adverts/

Friday 14 October 2011

Windsor and Eton Brewery

Guardsman Best Bitter

Went to the Croydon and Sutton Beer Festival last night and had a real find in this bitter, was my favourite of the evening. Smooth, with just the right amount of flavour as to make it a perfect session beer, not too strong at 4.2% but with plenty of taste

A relatively new brewery - only opened in 2010 but I think its one with a good future if they continue producing Guardsmans.

View the website for a list of pub that stock their beers

http://www.webrew.co.uk/ourbeers.html

Friday 16 September 2011

GB Beer Festival overall winners

Overall winners 
Champion Beer of Britain - Mighty Oak, Oscar Wilde (3.7% ABV, Maldon, Essex) 
Second - Marble, Chocolate (5.5% ABV, Manchester, Gtr Manchester) 
Third - Salopian, Shropshire Gold (3.8%ABV, Shrewsbury, Shropshire) 

Mild category 
Gold- Mighty Oak, Oscar Wilde (3.7% ABV, Maldon, Essex) 
Silver- Rudgate, Ruby Mild (4.4% ABV, York, North Yorkshire) 
Bronze- Coastal, Merry Maidens (4% ABV, Redruth, Cornwall) 

Bitter category 
Gold- Salopian, Shropshire Gold (3.8%ABV, Shrewsbury, Shropshire) 
Silver- Teignworthy, Reel Ale (4% ABV, Newton Abbot, Devon) 
Joint Bronze- Triple fff, Alton's Pride (3.8% ABV, Alton, Hampshire) 
Joint Bronze- Potton, Shannon IPA (3.6% ABV, Potton, Bedfordshire) 

Best Bitter category 
Gold- Houston, Peter's Well (4.2% ABV, Houston, Renfrewshire) 
Silver- Country Life, Golden Pig (4.7% ABV, Bideford, Devon) 
Joint Bronze- Castle Rock, Preservation (4.4% ABV, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire) 
Joint Bronze- Bollington, Best Bitter (4.2% ABV, Bollington, Cheshire) 
Joint Bronze- Blythe, Staffie (4.4% ABV, Rugeley, Staffordshire) 

Golden Ale category 
Gold- Cumbrian Legendary Ales, Loweswater Gold (4.3% ABV, Hawkshead, Cumbria) 
Silver- Salamander, Golden Salamander (4.5% ABV, Bradford, West Yorkshire) 
Bronze- Holden's, Golden Glow (4.4% ABV, Dudley, West Midlands) 

Strong Bitter category 
Gold- Moles, Mole Catcher (5% ABV, Melksham, Wiltshire) 
Silver- Kinver, Half Centurion (5% ABV, Kinver, Staffordshire) 
Bronze- Adnams Broadside (4.7% ABV, Southwold, Suffolk) 

Speciality Beer category 
Gold- Oakleaf, I Can't Believe It's Not Bitter (4.9% ABV, Gosport, Hampshire) 
Silver- Amber, Chocolate Orange Stout (4% ABV, Ripley, Derbyshire) 
Bronze- Orkney, Atlas Wayfarer (4.4% ABV, Stromness, Orkney) 

Winter Beer of Britain winner (announced in January 2011) 
Dow Bridge, Praetorian Porter (5% ABV, Catthorpe, Leicestershire) 
Holden's, Old Ale (7.2% ABV, Dudley, West Midlands) 
Hop Back, Entire Stout (4.5% ABV, Downton, Wiltshire) 
Marble, Chocolate (5.5% ABV, Manchester, Gtr Manchester) 

Bottled Beer of Britain winners (sponsored by Hotel du Vin) 
Gold- St Austell, Proper Job (5.5% ABV, St Austell, Cornwall) 
Joint Silver- Molson Coors, Worthington White Shield (5.6% ABV, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire) 
Joint Silver- Brown Cow, Captain Oates Dark Oat Mild (4.5% ABV, Selby, North Yorkshire)

Real Ale news!

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/875505-boom-time-for-real-ale-with-trendy-new-image

This is great news, not that it surprises me.

The article mentions an increase in both younger men and women drinkers and I would confirm this too, if only by the clientele seen over the last 20 years of the GBBF.

I can remember in the first few years having a criteria and points system for spotting a certain type of gentleman, it went something like this:
10 points awarded for:
  • Bushy beard
  • Overhanging beer gut (extra points for an old festival T-Shirt that's far too short exposing belly)
  • Sandals and socks
  • Biege trousers with useful pockets (extra points for longer socks with shorts)
Extra points for a combination of the above.

Whilst some of that clientele are still at the festival, it has to be said the crowd has changed over the years and it can only be a good thing.

I have also seen two very good blogs by women (which are in my list of links), who would be in the category that the article is talking about. Here's hoping this trend continues.
And as the years go by, lets hope I don't add too many of the criteria!

Friday 2 September 2011

Molecatcher wins award

http://www.molesbrewery.com/site/?p=696

Glad to see my taste buds aren't too bad, this was my favourite of the ones I tried on the day.

Friday 26 August 2011

Sharp's Brewery - Doom Bar

Now I must have had a dodgy one the first time I tried this because I've tended to avoid it, until I had little choice this week. How glad I am too, this is a great pint!

I had it with a meal and then asked my wife if she minded driving home so that i could have another!! (In my defence I had just driven all the way back from the coast :-)

It's in that category that you could call a session beer.

Brewery: Sharp's (Rock - Cornwall)
Beer: Doom Bar
Style: Premium Ale 4.0%

Another beer to add to my long collection of likeable west country ales!

http://www.sharpsbrewery.co.uk/our-beers/doombar/

Here's a little bit about the name and its origins:
Where the river Camel meets the Atlantic Ocean on Cornwall’s rugged north coast, a sand bank, centuries old, known as the Doom Bar protects and calms this beautiful estuary. Sailors respect the Doom Bar knowing it to be unforgiving if met with haste or arrogance.

Saturday 20 August 2011

Great British Beer Festival 2011

Honourable mention must go to the following beer:

Brewery: Beeston (Norfolk)
Beer: On the Huh
Style: Premium Beer 5.0%

In the GBBF brochure it gave this description:
Chestnut in colour, this is an old style traditional strong bitter. Smooth, malty, rich and full bodied.
I just gave it three stars, however as it was one of the last ones I tried on the day, I honestly can't give you much more description than that!! But as it got the same marks as the Potholer it couldn't have been too bad.

Further beers I had, that got two stars, which would imply an acceptable beer are as follows:

Brewery: Braydon (Wiltshire)
Beer: Yetiz
Style: Bitter 4.1%

Brewery: Keltek (Cornwall)
Beer: Magik
Style: Bitter 4.0%

Brewery: Exe Valley (Devon)
Beer: Silverton Pride
Style: Bitter 3.9%

Brewery: Kelburn (Glasgow)
Beer: Red Smiddy
Style: Premium Ale 4.1%

Brewery: Surrey Hills (Surrey)
Beer: Shere Drop
Style: Bitter 4.2%

and finally one that only got 1 star

Brewery: Church End (Warwickshire)
Beer: Goat's Milk
Style: Golden Ale 3.6%

I had underlined citrus and dry finish and whilst I don't mind a bit of tang it's not my favourite flavour in beer. Although I seem to be seeing many more "citrus" beers at the festival as years go by. Is it an industry idea that these flavours are more palatable? Or a change in drinking habits?

Thursday 11 August 2011

Great British Beer Festival 2011

Brewery: Moles (Wiltshire)
Beer: Mole Catcher
Style: Premium Beer 5.0%

This was probably my favourite beer of the day.

I don't know anything about this brewery, its was first time i'd come across it. The best accolade I can give it was it reminded me of an old favourite of mine King and Barnes Festive, praise indeed!

http://www.molesbrewery.com/site/

The flavour description in the brochure probably backs up my claim by describing the taste as malty, spicy hop and the look as ruby, brown, and the taste - bitter/sweet, a perfect beer, maybe for a colder evening.

Tuesday 9 August 2011

Great British Beer Festival 2011

Having visited last Thursday, I thought I'd pass on my thoughts about my personal favourites. I shall also do it over a number of posts. So here goes.

Brewery: Cheddar (Somerset)
Beer: Potholer
Style: Golden Ale 4.3%

This was my equal second favourite beer of the day.

http://www.cheddarales.co.uk/

This was my first beer of the festival, and I wasn't disappointed either. The taste description in the brochure said dry, refreshing and zesty, and I underlined refreshing, so there you go! With just a hint of citrus, (a hint is all you need and many of the summer beers appear to over do this slightly). A great beer on which to start the day.
Brewed in Somerset it adds to my opinion that west country beers are some of our best.

Wednesday 3 August 2011

Otter Brewery

Last week I spent a very pleasant week in South East Devon, not far from Branscombe, and on three occasions we visited the Hare and Hounds pub at Putts Corner, a few miles south of Honiton.

The pub had Branscombe Vale Breweries Branoc which I tried first and whilst it tasted fine I just felt it didn't have quite enough flavour for me, that said I had it at lunchtime and would've considered more if i'd been 'on an all day sess'!

However, on the next two visits I tried the Otter Ale. (My wife had the Otter Bitter - which is a bit of a mouthful to ask for?! -which i liked but not as much as the Ale)

The Ale was rich in taste and rich in colour and went down very smoothly. Maybe this was, in part, due to the fact I was relaxing on holiday with family and friends whilst also surprisingly enjoying good weather too. It would definitely also be due to the fact that all the beers here were being served straight out of the barrel and the pub clearly looked after its ale!

Otter and I go back a long way in fact, I've been a regular attendee a the GBBF over the years, but i have to say I don't often follow up a beer I've drunk at the festival and look out for it elsewhere, that wasn't true with Otter which I found 'bottled' in an off licence just up the road from where I was living, Otter Head in this case, a bottled beer well worth investing in!

http://www.otterbrewery.com/

Beer: Otter ale

Brewery: Otter Brewery

Category: Premium ale
ABV %: 4.5

http://www.cyclopsbeer.co.uk/dynamiclist.php?beer_id=4207

Saturday 9 July 2011

crystal palace ale

http://www.cpfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10323~2388874,00.html

Not sure how often i'll get to sample this, but what a top idea! I can't think i'll miss the saturdays at the Two Brewers for this, but certainly at an evening game i'd go there and have one.

I'd be interested to know how many if any other clubs have something like this? I've not heard of it, butthen I've not done much research either

Spitfire Ale

Currently Morrisons (or at least the one in Oxted, though I suspect nationally!) are doing Spitfire at £1 a bottle offer lasts until 17 July!

These kind of deals seem to come around less and less these days, so I thought i'd share!

Wednesday 6 July 2011

Great British Beer Festival

With the GBBF just around the corner I thought I'd give you a list of the three overall winners from last year

Champion Beer of Britain - Castle Rock, Harvest Pale (3.8% ABV, Nottingham, Notts)
Second - Timothy Taylor, Landlord (4.3% ABV, Keighley, West Yorkshire)
Third - Surrey Hills, Hammer Mild (3.8% ABV, Guildford, Surrey)

The link below has all the category winners
http://gbbf.camra.org.uk/cbob

I have sampled 2 of the 3 winners, but to my shame i've not had any beers from the Surrey Hills brewery!

I recently tried the bottled variety of the Castle Rock and was pleased that I had. A sharp, crisp fresh taste. Clear and light in colour.
(I know my cousin who lives in Nottingham speaks very highly of it ... I know I know - I should get up there and have a go myself!)
3.8%

http://www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/site/?page_id=70

I have also had Timothy Taylor Landlord ... on many ocassions ... its one of those beers that calls out to you when you see the badge on the pump. A good session beer with a pleasant looking colour. A beer that you can rely on!
4.3%

http://www.timothytaylor.co.uk/OurProducts_Landlord.aspx

So who will triumph this year?
Why not get along to Earls Court 2-6 August to make your own opinion!

Tuesday 21 June 2011

Westerham Brewery - Summer Perle

Monday night beers ah the joy!



Went out to celebrate my wife's birthday in our local - The Crown, Old Oxted. They had four real ales on last night, London Pride, Adnams Southwold, Old Speckled Hen and Westerham Summer Perle.

What with Westerham Brewery being our most local brewer* it seems only right to support them. I've had and discussed the SPA previously on this site and would now add Perle to a long list of enjoyable session beers!

The first pint went down very smoothly, a clean clear light summer beer almost yellow bronze in colour, with a definite citrus taste to it and a zingy bitter finish. (maybe my tastes are changing because i'm sure in years gone by I would have found the citrus flavour not to my liking).
I had thought I might try one of the other ales but this pint deserved a second chance and the second one went down just as well!


* Mileage wise it maybe the Reigate brewery - Pilgrims, but they don't seem to supply many pubs!

Thursday 9 June 2011

Pubs crawl on the train

http://www.realaletrail.net/

This route was made popular by James May and Oz Clarke during their programme Oz and James Drink to Britain. I wasn't a major fan of the programme which I think could have been made a lot better. But this part caught my eye and is something I wouldn't mind partaking in at some time in the future.

Someone who has done it - or at least part of it is this blogger:

http://badpoo.co.uk/2010/03/a-rail-ale-trail-afternoon-out/

It is all about beer ... honestly!

Monday 23 May 2011

Alton's Pride - fff brewery

Squeezed in a pint of this Sunday lunchtime at the Wetherspoons at Oxted station (£2.25).

It's a really smooth pint and one I would recommend you trying. It's an easy beer to drink with a great bitter flavour.

The fff website description:

http://www.triplefff.com/index.html

Alton's Pride 3.8 % ABV
Supreme Champion Beer of Britain 2008
After years of fine tuning, our vision for Alton’s Pride is complete. A traditional amber bitter brewed using water from the Hampshire chalk hills. Full and clean tasting, initially malty then citrus fruit and resinous hop build to a quenching bitter finish.

Tuesday 17 May 2011

Coniston Brewery - Bluebird Bitter


Another fine find, and another bought from Utobeer - Borough Market. A bottle conditioned real ale with a really smooth taste, if i'd have bought more I would have drunk more there and then!

http://www.conistonbrewery.com/index.htm

Via their website, I found this description:

Bluebird Bitter
3.6% ABV

Malt - Maris Otter pale malt and crystal malt
Hops - Challenger
“It is, quite simply, a wonderful beer. It is exceedingly pale (21-22 units colour), with just a hint of colour in its cheeks from the dash of crystal malt. It has a massive orange fruit aroma from the challengers, balanced by biscuity malt.

"Juicy malt and tart hops vie for attention in the mouth while the finish is tart and hoppy but well balanced by creamy malt. The bitterness rating is a substantial 36-38. The tangy fruit lingers on the back of the tongue until it develops a hint of orange liqueur.”  Roger Protz - CAMRA

I have to say units of colour and bitterness rating are a new one on me, and not something I claim to understand, but yes it was quite light but not really a 'light' flavour. I would imagine Roger was having draught which is always superior, but the hoppy and creamy references ring true, though I don't honestly remember juicy malt and tart hops vieing for attention in the mouth!

Monday 16 May 2011

Springhead Brewery - The Leveller













http://www.springhead.co.uk/the-leveller

Had a bottle of this at the weekend and worth a visit to Morrisons for another I think!
The website description belwo is spot on I think, and the taste reminded me of my old favourite K&B Festive.

(OG 1047, ABV 4.8%)
A dark, smoky intense flavour with a burnt toffee finish.  Brewed in the style of Belgian Trappist ale.
The Leveller has won the runner up of best bitter at the Great British Beer Festival 1995
The Levellers were politically minded opponents of King Charles 1st who sought a better balance of power between the king and Parliament.  They put together pamphlets citing their demands :
An Agreement of the People, for the People"
Since February 2011, The Leveller beer is also available in bottles; nationally at Morrisons, and regionally in Oddbins, Sainsbury's and Waitrose.

Another ale from the Springhead Brewery that you may have had and enjoyed is Roaring Meg.

Thursday 5 May 2011

Top 5 Real Ales that i'd search out for in pubs

I've changed this around a bit. I think there are so many categories within real ale that its too hard to pick a favourite. So this new top 5 is independent brewery real ales that you can easily get in pubs:

Fullers: London Pride
Being a Londoner I have plenty of opportunity to sample this beer and it is so often very well served which I guess is testament to the landlord of Fullers pubs.

Charles Wells: Bombardier
This is another beer that is generally well looked after. Proud of its Englishness too which is always well received be me.

Shepherd Neame: Spitfire
Drink this regularly at the Two Brewers before venturing up to Selhurst Park, much enjoyed with a very distinctive taste

Palmers: IPA
The Claret in Lower Addiscombe Road, Croydon has this and is always a tasy brew.

Timothy Taylor: Landlord
Lovely ale!

Honourable mentions should go to: Palmers IPA. Adnams Southwold. Woodfordes Wherry. Actually this list could go on and on ...  HogsBack Tea. Dark Star Hophead, Westerham SPA.I told you it would ...

Sadly missed would have to be King & Barnes Festive

Feel free to let me know of any massive favourites that I've missed out and maybe I'll samle them and then update as time goes on.

Thursday 28 April 2011

Toad Brewery - Doncaster

I and three friends had a fine couple of days away in Doncaster over the Easter weekend. Whilst the initial lure of weekend was a drab (Doncaster 0 Crystal Palace 0) game of football (with passing mention to the excellent passionate Palace supporters). We also realised the potential of a 'few beers' oop north. And we weren't disappointed either. My cousin and a couple of his mates joined us for the first evening so we had inside knowledge of the best real ale pubs too.

First stop was the Cask Corner: Serving a number of real ales but particularly a few from the Toad Brewery.

http://www.toadbrewery.co.uk/index.html

Toad Brewery:

These beers are quite hoppy and a couple of them were too 'burnt' flavoured for my taste. Blonde on Blonde and Golden Angel being those.

That said I really enjoyed the pints of Tadpole that i quaffed! Still quite hoppy but a fine beer to enjoy and at only 3.8% you can spend a whole evening on it if you want!

Their website says of it:
A Smooth enjoyable bitter with a delicate hint of fruit to liven the palate ending in a clean dry finish.  Hopped with three specially selected hops from around the world.

A special mention goes to some of the names which made me smile too:
Dark side of the Toad, The Da Vinci Toad.

Other pubs we frequented and well worth a visit:
The Mason Arms:
Again a nice old style boozer not spoilt by being modernized and long may that continue. As I remember I had Timothy Taylor Landlord in here and jolly fine it was too!
The Plough:
Quirky old boys pub with two rooms and "outdoor" lavs. Not changed in many a year and all the better for it. Beers from the Acorn Brewery (Barnsley) and also Kelham Island (Easy Rider)
Tut n Shive:
Lively and rocky and we watched more footy on the TV, but the beer was fine I had Tadpole in here until it ran out and then a not so good Greene King IPA.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express out on Catesby industrial park but the Woodfield Farm next door also served a fine pint of Tadpole and did great food too!

Thursday 7 April 2011

St Austell Brewery

I like West Country Beers!

And last Friday I was very fortunate to get a whole evening paid and I was also very fortunate to be in a pub that served Proper Job! That pub being the Horniman on the Thames, a Nicholsons pub, which had at least another 6 or 7 beers on offer that evening.



http://www.staustellbrewery.co.uk/beers/cask-beers.html

Its taste is quite distinctive but not so much so that I felt the need to go onto something smoother or easier on the palette.

In truth by the end of the evening I suspect taste was fairly irrelevant!

I've enjoyed Tribute and Tinners from St Austell both of which I would recommend.

Thursday 31 March 2011

Lizard Ales - Frenchman's Creek













http://www.lizardales.co.uk/

A recent acquisition from Utobeer (Borough Market) a bottled Conditioned Ale from a brewery that up and till now i'd never heard of. They are clearly very proud of their Cornish roots with the black and white flag and why not. The Frenchman's Creek refers to a tributary of the Helford River.

As with all bottled conditioned ales (or BCA's) as i've seen them written on some websites, you have to poor quite slowly and in my case leave it to settle a little because you haven't poured slow enough!!

With that in mind the first couple of sips were not great (slightly acidic I would say due to the yeast) but as it settled down so the taste improvedand by the end I was enjoying it very much.

Frenchman's Creek
Strength: 4.8%
Colour: Pale tan
Taste: Session beer.

I also have a bottle of the Lizard Bitter, so i'll edit this post in the near future!

The website has some interesting information about IPA:
Frenchman’s Creek is available in cask and bottle.The style of beer which is nowadays called India Pale Ale was developed in the 19th century when brewers discovered two things – first that ships carrying materials to England from India were often sailing back empty, making the carriage from England to India cheap; and second, that hops were a natural preservative. So India Pale Ales were developed: bottled beers brewed strong and with lots of hops, allowing them to survive the long hot trip to India. Our Frenchman’s Creek is a modern-day version – 4.8%, pale tan in colour and brewed with bucketfuls of hops!

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Brakspears Brewery (particularly Oxford Gold in bottles)


http://www.brakspear.co.uk/


Brakspears is now part of the Marstons group which also includes the Wychwood range. I can remember drinking Brakspears many years ago (prior to the 2002 Marston take-over) in the Lion Inn in Pawsons Road, Croydon. The pub is still there but i suspect is nothing like I remember it.

However I recently enjoyed a very fine Brakspears - Oxfold Gold (in bottle). Their website site describes it as follows:
Oxford Gold
English Target hops give this beer a remarkable aroma. Late hopping with Goldings and fermentation by the Brakspear yeast creates a remarkable zesty aroma, a full fruity flavour and a golden colour.


Wheras Roger Protz via the excellent beer-pages website says:


http://www.beer-pages.com/


Brakspear's Oxford Gold uses all-organic ingredients, including English Target hops and late hopping with Goldings. It pours a light amber colour, with a rich white head. There's a punchy orange and almost tropical fruitiness to the nose, with complex sultana hints and a little caramel malt behind. On the palate this walks a nice line between thick, sweet, malty character and bittersweet, resinous hops, to produce a really nice, dry, chewy style of ale.


Chewy? ? ? Well I'll bow to his superior knowledge but hey ... either way its worth a try

Sunday 20 March 2011

Black Sheep Brewery

http://www.blacksheepbrewery.com/beers/black_sheep_cask_ale/


Not a new brew on me by any means, for example, I distinctly remember having some in 2003 on my stag do in York. However it is one that I have just re-discovered due to the Shipwrights Arms on Tooley Street serving it. I have also managed to get some of the bottled variety via Morrisons.

It's what some would describe as a good session beer, and I guess i'd be one who'd agree with that. I could certainly see myself staying for an evening on this pint with very little problem.

The web-site says of it:

Part of our original brewery line up, Black Sheep Ale is a powerfully flavoured pint that packs a punch with rich fruit aromas  and a distinctively smooth, bittersweet taste.
Aroma
Masses of hops, orange-fruit and roast coffee maltiness
Taste
Bittersweet in mouth with a dry finish packed with fruity notes and Goldings hops.

Black Sheep Ale is a full flavoured, premium bitter with a rich fruity aroma. We use plenty of choice Golding hops which give it a roast coffee maltiness followed by Black Sheep’s characteristic refreshingly dry and bitter finish.

I admit, i'm not good with all the flavours, but "refresingly dry" really does it justice I think!

Tuesday 15 March 2011

Crystal Palace Beer Festival

what's not to like!

http://www.cpfc.co.uk/page/Events/0,,10323~2315238,00.html

Would like to know a few more of the beers they'll have on the day, but potentially this could be a great day out!

Perhaps they could get the Palace Crystals to serve the bars ;-)

Monday 7 March 2011

The Orkney Brewery


Its probably the furthest brewery away from my location allowable when talking of Great British Real Ales but this weekend I enjoyed a fine botte of Dragonhead from the Orkney Brewrey. Quite possibly one of the best stouts you can get!

I was lucky enough to have the cask version of this brew at the GBBF a couple of years ago. I am also lucky that locally to me is Utobeer (Borough Market stall) which sell it too.

Now, I'll admit there is a little more fizz in the bottled variety but I can let that go, as the taste is really pleasing. Warning though if ou are not keen on a burnt taste in your ale, then you probably won't enjoy this one.

I think the best description comes from the bottle itself, I can certainly verify the roasted and smokey flavours!

Dragonhead is a legendary stout, dark, intense and fully-flavoured, it is our tribute to the Vikings and their cultural legacy in Orkney.
On the nose:
this black stout has a smooth roasted malt aroma giving bitter chocolate, dark roasted coffee and smokey notes balanced by hints of spicy Goldings hops.
On the palate:
the drak roasted malts combine to give a rich rounded palate with chocolate, toast and nut flavours, with a satisfying hop finish.


I can also thoroughlly recommend the bottled, Red MacGregor, Raven Ale and Dark Island!

Thursday 3 March 2011

Adnams Brewery


http://adnams.co.uk/news/awards/adnams-named-brewery-of-the-year-by-the-good-pub-guide

Well i'm not about to argue with that as I've enjoyed many a Southwold or Broadside.

While we're discussing Adnams, can I also point you in the direction of the bottled Gunhill and Lighthouse!

Wednesday 2 March 2011

Wells Bombardier

http://www.bombardier.co.uk/#/about/

Wells and Youngs Brewing Company



I like this beer, a lot, it is very common now though it's a relative newcomer really, known as the Drink of England and has gone some way to making St George's Day an actual event, which would always get my approval.

If I see it in a row with other well known brands it'll generally be the one I default to, it just always seems to taste right.

Roger Protz editor of the Good Beer Guide has this to say about it:
"A burnished copper colour, it has a rich, tempting aroma of peppery hops and raisins, while the palate is dominated by more dark fruit, juicy malt and tangy hops."

... and well done him. Personally I just think it's a good beer ;-) clearly I don't have his refined taste buds!

Strength: 5.2% Bottle and 4.3% cask
Colour: A burnished copper colour apparently
Taste: Malty, Tangy but smooth. What I would class as a good session beer
Some other brewery alternatives: With Youngs and Wells combining list is quite extensive, but a couple of favourites would be Ram Rod and Special particularly when mixed half and half together and Wells Waggle Dance.
Not yet had Burning Gold but believe you can get a reasonable deal through Aldi at the moment!

If you'd not tried it then do!

Wednesday 23 February 2011

CAMRA - National Pub of the Year and Southwark pub crawl

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/album.php?aid=283006&id=256056404862

Definitely included this pub on a couple of our London pub crawls in the past, just round the corner from the Chandos (Museum Ale) if my memory serves me correctly. I'm sure its a worthy winner!


If its London pubs then these days I always seem to end up around the Southwark area. The list of decent real ale pubs is really worth considering:
I add the Royal Oak mainly because of the food I had there, Roast Rabbit with mash, but the beer was excellent too.
The best pubs here would probably be:
Market Porter: Excellent pub always with at least 6-8 real ales on, which they constantly change!
George Inn: For it history ... and its beer!

Monday 21 February 2011

Westerham Brewery

http://www.westerhambrewery.co.uk/

Possibly the nearest brewery to my home. The Crown in Old Oxted always seems to have one of theirs on tap.
On Friday night it was the SPA, which a bit light on taste, but still pleasant none-the-less, I had two pints of it so I must've approved to a degree! Funnily enough the SPA is another light citrus tasting beer, not normally what I go for, but there you go!


From the website:
SPA: A hoppy, citrus flavoured golden ale made with hops from the Scotney and Finchcocks' hop gardens of West Kent.


Personally i've always liked the British Bulldog “BB” 4.3% Best Bitter



Again from the website:A rich, full bodied best bitter in the traditional Kent style. Finest Maris Otter pale ale malt and crystal malt for colour and richness. Hopped with local Kent Northdown and Finchcocks' Whitbread Golding Variety hops for a full flavour and aroma.

Thursday 17 February 2011

Chef and Brewer pubs - Cask Ale Festival - 6 Weeks. 22 Ales

Week 1
http://www.chefandbrewer.com/chefandbrewer/events/cask-ale-festival/week-1/c

Some fairly big companies in this festival not giving it quite the same appeal as, say, a Wetherspoons beer festival which is a bit of a shame, but some independent brewers can be found for example during the first week
Brains - Bread of Heaven (4.0% ABV) and the Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted (3.8% ABV)

Both of these not on in the Old Bell Oxted on Friday night ... humph ... had the Hobgoblin, which isn't one of my favourites!

Badger - bottled beers

From Hall and Woodhouse
Golden beers are not my favourite, and this one follows suite, it says on the back brewed with Elderflower and thats very apparent in the taste. I'l stick with the Fursty Ferret from now on I think!

Badger - Golden ChampionStrength: 5.0%
Colour: Light almost golden
Taste: Fragrant aroma!
Other brewery alternatives: Badger First Gold, Tanglefoot, Poachers Choice, Golden Glory, Englands Gold
Other Seasonal alternatives: Fursty Ferret

Monday 14 February 2011

Panther Brewery

http://www.pantherbrewery.co.uk/
Had to comment on this new brewery (opened 2010). I've never had the beer, as it only been around for a short while, but I think I might order some! However, I really am taken by their branding. Whilst they've kept a traditional look and feel, that'll work well as both a beer mat and hand pump sign, they've also made it look really modern and eye-catching. I approve. So well done to both the brewery and to whoever designed it. I hope the beer is as good. I'll let you know!

Valentines Day

http://www.barnsleybeercompany.co.uk/html/beer.php?id=104

Not had this myself, was emailed a link via a friend, but couldn't resist a little plug for them, today of all days!

Thursday 10 February 2011

Sole Bay Inn the pub opposite Adnams Brewery


Do you know I can't be exacty sure what pint this was now, shame on me! All I definitely know is it wasn't Broadside or the Bitter. It was six years ago now. The picture is very pleasant though!

Tuesday 8 February 2011

Streatham - Greyhound

Showing my age again!
Now I've not been to the Greyhound for many many years, it may be a great pub, but that's not why I'm discussing it. (FYI - http://web.beerintheevening.com/ - BITE - give it 5.8 out of 10 rated by 20 users)

No why I'm bringing up the pub is that many years ago, it used to brew its own beer on site. And a fine beer it was, i'm talking of Dynamite. I first had a pint of Streatham Dynamite in central London just off Picadilly Circus in the Glassblowers in Glasshouse Street.

Then, I and friends used to make regular trips to Streatham just for a pint of Dynamite, I remember it being a dark fulled bodied beer with plenty of taste.

The reason why I was reminded of this was because I was trying to think of the strongest beer I've ever drunk, and maybe it was one of theirs - XXXmas ale. They only served it in half pints and asked us if any of us were driving as we'd be over the limit on that half alone. I believe it was 11%, but I could be wrong. I think it was a bit sickly ... but it had to be done!

Can't find out much about the brewery on the web, I think it closed around about the 90's. Shame.

Monday 7 February 2011

Bluebell Railway Real Ale trip

Bluebell Railway run a very successful rail ale trip, the next one being on 15th April. Now, I'm no steam fanatic by any sorts, but honestly, who can resist a few pints of real ale and a trip on an old steam train... !?

I went two years ago, it was a good night out. A couple of beers on the train down to Sheffield Park, pie and chips and a few more beers in the Bessemer Arms, another beer on the return trip as far as Horsted Keynes then a bar and a jazz band there. All this in the dark which, only adds to the atmosphere (so says my friend Andy ... now he does like trains!).

http://www.bluebell-railway.com/event/rail-ale-evenings/

I'd enjoyed it proven by the fact i'm going again.

Sunday 6 February 2011

This weekend i've drunk ...

Joseph Holt - 1849: which was bottled and made for a very fresh friday night relax! Morrisons sell this, and its worth searching out, I think it was in the £1.69 bracket, so not their cheapest range, but still on a deal.
http://www.joseph-holt.com/

Young's - Bitter: also bottled, this followed the 1849 and was a little weaker in comparison. In a Young's pub I'd always go for a half of Special with a half of Ram Rod ... hmm Ram and Special, so its no surprise the ordinary isn't quite enough for me!
Wells - Bombardier: which I regularly have if I see it in pubs, had a fine pint of this in the Bell in Old Oxted. With a free lunch courtesy of Tesco Clubcards. Wells and Youngs are of course one company now. Bit of shame Youngs had to close their brewery in Wandsworth, I used to have to drive past on the way to work and was regularly held up by the draymen delivering beer to the local pubs by horse drawn carts, somehow it didn't seem to matter, however late I was, or perhaps thats rose tinted specs shining through after all these years! http://www.bombardier.co.uk/#

Saturday lunchtime I found another new brewery to me -
Ramsbury Brewery, I had a pint of Kennet Valley Ramsbury. http://www.ramsburybrewery.com/index.html
I had it in the Wetherspoons outside Norwood Junction. It's quite a bitter bitter, but it went down smooth enough and I'd give it another shot if I came across it!

Monday 31 January 2011

This weekends brewery of choice! - Dark Star

My first taste of Dark Star produce was in the sadly now closed Beer Circus in South Croydon. As I 've mentioned before light beers are not my personal favourite, but that said, I often enjoyed a Hophead or two.

Well, the wetherspoons I visited saturday evening was doing two Dark Star beers Hophead and a new one on me Partridge, I tried each beer and would recommend you search them out.

An interesting website too http://www.darkstarbrewing.co.uk/opdarkstar.htm

Hophead
Strength: 3.8%
Colour: Light golden colour
Taste: A bit of citrus flavour (which is what I normally dislike about light beers, but its not so heavy as to take away the 'beer' flavour in this one so worth a try)

Partridge
Strength: 4.0%
Colour: Dark reddish brown, a typical bitter colour
Taste: I liked this one a lot, difficult to describe but I had another!

Saturday 29 January 2011

Last nights bottled beer - Brains SA

Very nice, very nice indeed. Very smooth taste.
Many bottled beers in the past have struggled to get rid of the fizziness of a bottled ale. Most now have gone some way to reduce this, but I have to say SA is one of the better ones in my opinion.

A very popular Welsh beer and rightly so.

SA
Strength: 4.2%
Colour: Rich golden brown
Taste: A full bitter flavour, nuttyish, just right in fact!!

Thursday 27 January 2011

Retro

I've just been flicking through my 1990 copy of the Great British Beer Festival brochure (held in Brighton that year).

How times have changed, for example, all the beers show original gravity as opposed to alcohol %. (I believe you just take the last two digits and put a decimal place in the middle so Pedigree would be a 4.3% beer, although I'm happy to be put right on this).

As I'm  little bit of a stato I marked which beers I'd sampled, here is the full run-down, its no wonder looking at the gravity of these beers that I feel asleep on the beach that afternoon (don't forget that in those days the festival closed at 3 and re-opened at 5 as was the pub laws at that time).

Marstons: Pedrog (as in a half of Pedigree (1043) and a haf of Owd Rodger (1080)
Ballards: Wassail (1060)
Biddenden Perry
Nethergate: Old Growler (1055)
Hop Back: Summer Lightning (1050)
Lloyds: VIP (1048)
Belhaven: Strong Ale (1070)
and lastly
Clarks: Hammerhead (1056)

I'll have to have a look to see how many of these breweries still exist.
In answer to my own question.
Marstons: Yep http://www.marstons.co.uk/
Ballards: Wassail (1060). Yep and still doing Wassail. http://www.ballardsbrewery.org.uk/page13.html
Biddenden Perry: Yep  http://www.biddendenvineyards.com/
Nethergate: Old Growler (1055) Yep still around http://www.nethergate.co.uk/
Hop Back: Summer Lightning (1050) Yep http://www.hopback.co.uk/
Lloyds: VIP (1048), don't think so
Belhaven: Strong Ale (1070) Yep http://www.belhaven.co.uk/ though acquired by Greene King in 2005
and lastly
Clarks: Hammerhead (1056) not sure but they could be http://www.hbclark.co.uk/ though don't see Hammerhead anywhere.

Pleased and a little surprised to see that

Tuesday 25 January 2011

Shepherd Neame Brewery - Faversham, Kent

My personal favourite from this brewery is Spitfire
The beer is a regular with me as I often found in the Two Brewers (Selhurst) before a Crystal Palace game. Very distinctive in its taste, so not always popular with everyone. But personally, when served well this is a very more-ish pint, and enjoyable pint, so much so I named one of the tables at my wedding after it!

Spitfire
Strength: 4.2%
Colour: Dark Reddish Orange
Taste: Slightly spiced. Very distinctive at the first gulp!
Other brewery alternatives: Kents Best, Master Brew
Other Seasonal alternatives: Late Red, Whitsable Bay

Of the alternatives, whilst I'm sure they are perfectly fine, the only one that makes me move from Spitfire is Late Red. Although I have been known to have a Master Brew from time to time, if the barrel of the Spitfire is being changed.

Late Red
Strength: 4.5%
Colour: Copper
Taste: Very easily drunk, with a slight nuttiness

Master Brew
Strength: 3.7%
Colour: Lighter than Spitfire but not much
Taste: A lighter version of the Spitfire in taste too, in my opinion.

As an aside, I did try the Canterbury Jack when it first came out, and didn't take to it at all, I see it is still on sale, which surprises me, I wonder what the target audience is as its not a traditional taste at all.

Finally, the Faversham brewery does an excellent brewery tour which I did a couple of years ago, it ended with a very well informed tasting session. If you do stay over whilst in Faversham, I can thoroughly recommend the Sun Inn, also a Neame pub, as most in town are. Britains oldest brewery goes from strength to strength in my book and long may it continue.

Monday 24 January 2011

An Introduction

Hello all,

Okay, my name is Simon, and I've enjoyed real ale now for about 25 years, and this blog initially is to pass on my personal opinion of some of the many beers that I've drunk (King & Barnes Festive, Pompey Royale etc) am drinking or even would like to drink!

I've regularly been to The GBBF (Great British Beer Festival) and always enjoy trying a new beer. I'll be honest I'm not professionally trained to pass on an opinion, but I like to have one anyway.

Recently I've found bottled beers have improved immensely and will be reviewing plenty of those too, as I write I've just finished off two very nice bottles of Jennings beers - Golden Host (an Organic beer not one I normally go for but a pleasant one none-the-less) and Cumberland which I've had on many occasions and would thoroughly recommend, I'm not going to go into details on this first post, but plan to do more in depth reports on future beers including these ones.

Personally, I enjoy beers from all around Britain but particularly South West brewers with beers such as the Otter Head Ale, Palmer IPA, St Austell's Tribute and a lovely one I had at GBBF in Aug 2010 Tintagel's Gull Rock. That said go all the way to the Orkneys and who could resist a pint of Dragon Head, okay I'll admit I've never been to the Orkneys but the bottled variety is a very nice dark ale. Lets not also forget all the breweries in between either.

I think that'll do for my first post, as I've said I will expand how I review, once I got to grips with blogging thing.