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

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!

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 ;-)

British Pie Week

http://www.britishpieweek.co.uk/

Clearly not real ale related, but, well what's not to like!!

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.

http://www.sinclairbreweries.co.uk/home.html

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

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!

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!