The Rev James (Bottled variety)
4.5 ABV
A really tasty beer, fruity and spicy in the same gulp. Rich in flavour.
http://www.sabrain.com/beers/take-home/the-rev-james
This was on offer at Morrisons as part of their 4 for £5 deal, (which appears these days to be at the better end of the supermarkets promotions prices! Sadly.).
On the bottle it says "The Rev. James is brewed to a traditional recipe and has been described as having a flavour not commonly available these days." and i can't quite put my tastebuds on it but I'd tend to agree. Am I getting liquorice, it certainly has depth!
However, this is a beer to enjoy one or two of and probably not a session beer, for that, if you want to stick with Brains, I'd go for the SA
Thursday, 23 February 2012
Friday, 27 January 2012
Recommended reading
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Man-Walks-Into-Pub-Sociable/dp/0330412205/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327700694&sr=1-1
Very good read. Moved along at a good pace from the start of brewing right up to the present day.
Informative without being to heavy.
Found out a good deal about breweries and pubs, and why our beer was/is comparatively weak compared to the continent ... surprise surprise ... government interferance.
Very good read. Moved along at a good pace from the start of brewing right up to the present day.
Informative without being to heavy.
Found out a good deal about breweries and pubs, and why our beer was/is comparatively weak compared to the continent ... surprise surprise ... government interferance.
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/
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
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.
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)
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:
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!
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)
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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)