Rogue Yellow Snow IPA

Rogue Yellow Snow IPA

Style: India Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 5.2%

From: Newport, Oregon, United States of America

Purchased From: Beer Boutique, Putney, United Kingdom

http://rogue.com/

It rarely snows here in the UK, so when it does everyone will be out making snowmen or sledging. Once the melt begins to start, strange yellow snow begins to appear. Being a playful little scamp, I would often enjoyed winding my mum up by pretending to eat the yellow snow. Once, the snow got rather to close for comfort and ended up with a small, gritty chunk in my mouth. Quite frankly, it tasted disgusting and I finally understood why my mum was so freaked out every time I tested her. So forever scarred from this memory, I really hope this beer does not taste like the real thing.

Rogue Ales is an American craft brewery founded in 1988 in Ashland, Oregon. The following year the company opened their second brewpub in Newport, Oregon where they are now headquartered. They operate brewpubs in Oregon, Washington, and California. Rogue exports throughout the US and internationally. Rogue Ales have been described as "invariably fun and full flavored". The company's offerings are popular with critics and craft beer aficionados and have been major award winners in worldwide competitions.

Colour: pours a bright straw yellow complete with a brilliant, snow bite head. It really looks like yellow snow has been melted down and bottled (let's hope it does not taste like it!). As I drunk this beer straight from the fridge, a slight bit of chill hazing in, is also present in the glass.

Aroma: The nose is Full of tart gooseberries and juicy clementines notes to start. As the drink warms these fruity note being to dwindle to slowly reveal notes of slightly burnt sugar or caramel. Certainly a nose of two halves.

Body: Surprisingly dense for an IPA. This beer will flood your taste buds and clog the back of the throat. The surprising level of bitterness ensures that this clogging sensation endures during your entire drinking experience.

Taste: The nose translates into the taste. The aforementioned juicy clementines and tart gooseberries dominate the palate. The dryness of the gooseberries are complemented by the hop acid to help produce an unbelievably dry, slightly herbal finish. It feels as if a shot of Jagermeister has been added to this beer. As this IPA warms, the characteristics change dramatically. The caramel notes from the nose being to appear along with a subtle hits of wood. Delicious! For me this is another case of ensuring you drink a beer at the correct temperature. Take this beer out of the fridge and leave it on the side for fifteen minutes. This will ensure all the flavours are present in every sip, helping to increase your enjoyment.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/kona-brewing-company-castaway-ipa.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/anchor-brewing-old-foghorn.html

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Brewdog Old World India Pale Ale

Brewdog Old World India Pale Ale

Style: IPA

Alcohol Content: 7.5%

From: Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK

Purchased From: Beer Boutique, Putney
http://www.brewdog.com/

Sorry, its been awhile. My real job seems to be monopolising my life at the moment.

Brewdog was founded in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie. The brewery at the Kessock Industrial Estate in Fraserburgh produced its first brew in April 2007. It claims to be Scotland's largest independently owned brewery producing about 120,000 bottles per month for export all over the world. The company moved premises to nearby Ellon in the Autumn of 2012, however it has been announced that the Fraserburgh site will be used as a brewing laboratory for experimental beers.

Brewdog's provocative marketing has been a key aspect of the business, and has gained them substantial international coverage.

In late 2013 Brewdog decided to revisit the Old World, by producing two beers based on a bygone era. These being a Old World Imperial Stout and the subject of this review, an Old World India Pale Ale. Both of these beers have beautifully hand drawn labels by Johanna Basford which intricately depict the story and heritage of each beer style.

Beautiful label

Colour: Pours a light chestnut with a slight warming orange hue. A small sprinkling of foam is present in the glass but this dissipates down to nothing as fast as you can say IPA. For me this is most disappointing, as I love a dense head on my IPA's. A sizeable head helps to provided a perfumed nose, which in turn helps to enhance the drinking experience. As the drink warms, the chestnut colour starts to deepen into a rich mahogany.

Aroma: As mentioned above, the lack of a head on this beer leads to a very faint aroma profile. The slight hints of the roasted malts create a sensation of brown bread, whilst the English hops help to provide a faint floral note in the background.

Body: First thing you will notice is the this beer is slightly denser than most IPA's on the market. The mouthfeel is very reminiscent of a Green King IPA, slightly thick and malty. The soft carbonation helps to add to this dense texture and the English hops help to create a mild clogging on the back of the throat. Very easy to drink and the perfect match for a roast beef supper.

Taste: Notes of roasted malts dominate the palate right from the get go. The bread like sensation is quickly cleansed away by a soft, almost delicate hoppy bitterness that is not unpleasant at all. To me the drink tastes rather bland and reminds me more of a mass produced bitter than an IPA. In my opinion, the beer's one redeeming feature really comes to the fore as it warms in the glass. Sweet notes of heather honey appear to add a pleasurable depth of sweetness. So my advice to you all would be to serve this beer at room temperature, rather than straight from the refrigerator. Once again it seems that my love/hate relationship with Brewdog beers is set to continue. For all their pomp and marketing, I find some of their beer extremely uninspiring. Unfortunately, their Old World India Pale Ale falls into this category.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/emelisse-blond.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/mikkeller-koppi.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

Beavertown Gamma Ray Pale Ale

Beavertown Gamma Ray Pale Ale

Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 5.4%

From: Hackney, London, England

Purchased from: Beer Boutique, Putney, London, England
http://www.beavertownbrewery.co.uk/

Beavertown was set up in December 2011 by Logan Plant and Byron Knight in the kitchen of Duke's Brew and Que, in De Beauvoir, Hackney, London. The brew house, situated opposite the two Smokers of the BBQ restaurant, runs at 4 BBL per brew (650 litres - 1150 pints). In March of 2013 they moved out of their home at Duke's Brew & Que and into their new brew site at Unit 4 Stour Road, Fish Island, London E3 2NT. Now with a little bit more space they can push the boundaries of brewing and get more amazing beers out to the thirsty masses.

Really love their label designs

Colour: Pours a sumptuous bright orange with a minimal head. This little head laces the glass beautifully throughout your drinking experience.

Aroma: Upfront notes of grass and carbon dioxide to start with, however this quickly settles down to unearth notes of fresh grapefruit and sharp, ripen oranges. It's a bit like you are walking though an orangery just before the summer harvest in sun kissed Italy. All that's missing would be your beautiful summer crush.

Body: Speaking of oranges, the mouthfeel of this drink is remarkably similar to that of a orange juice that's been slightly watered down. If you can remember a drink call Sunny Delight, then you will understand what I mean. Very smooth and easy to drink which could be rather dangerous if you attempt to session this beer given it's 5.4% ABV. As you swallow this drink, you will notice a very slight clogging on the back of the throat. This is caused by the use of four hops, Magnus, Columbus, Bravo and Amarillo working in tandem to create 45 units of bitterness.

Taste: Just like the nose, this beer is full of juicy grapefruit and orange notes. There are slight hints of the caramalts which help to provide some extra body and sweetness. That being said, I personally found this beer rather thin and feel it could benefit from a little extra body. This is rather unfortunate as I loved their 8-Ball Rye IPA but feel rather let down by this beer. Let's hope their Blood orange IPA goes down better (once I get my greasy little mitts on it).

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/partizan-brewing-pale-ale-cascade.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/schlenkerla-rauchbier-urbock.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

Coopers Original Pale Ale

Coopers Original Pale Ale

Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 4.5%

From: Adelaide, Australia 

Purchased from: Wine Rack,Weybridge, UK
http://www.coopers.com.au/

Over the past week, the area that I live in has resembled something out of the Kevin Costner film Waterworld. Some of my friends have been driven from their homes due to the rising flood waters. There seems to be no end to this misery as rain and wind continue to batter the nation. No doubt everyone is dreaming of a long hot summer. I certainly am! So I decided to try a pale ale from one of Australia's largest craft breweries, Cooper's.

Coopers Brewery Limited, the largest Australian-owned brewery, is based in the Adelaide suburb of Regency Park, South Australia. Coopers is known for making a variety of high quality beers, the most famous of which are its Pale Ale and Sparkling Ale. Its shares are primarily owned by the extended Cooper family, and the company's constitution and classes of shares makes it difficult to sell shares outside the family. In 2012, Coopers released a limited edition "Celebration Ale" to celebrate their 150th Anniversary, as well as adding celebratory labels on to their other beers. All of Coopers beers are made with no additives or preservatives ensuring that you get a beautiful brew every time.

Colour: Pours a pale yellow not to dissimilar to a lager. There is a slight hazing in the glass which is combined with a small white head that will stay with you throughout the duration of this beer.

Aroma: Although this beer is not overly aromatic, you can pick out hints of tart sour lemon underpinned by biscuit notes. As the drink warms, grassy, slightly floral notes will reveal themselves. Not overly inviting when you compare it to other Australian pale ales such little creatures pale ale.

Body: Quite gassy for a pale ale and yet again it reminds me more of a lager. It also has a body to match as. Very light and refreshing. The perfect thirst quencher. Perhaps this beer is suffering from some sort of identity crisis or perhaps it has been designed this way due to the warmer Australian climate.

Taste: The first flavour you will be able to extract will be tart lemon followed with slight hints of biscuits. Unfortunately, these flavours do not stay around very long and as you progress it becomes extremely watery and thin. The finish is mildly bitter combined with a metallic edge. It really does not have the flavour to carry the drink as it should. Personally, I would rather drink Coopers Sparkling Ale, as it has a much greater depth of flavour and is extremely enjoyable.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/flying-dog-doggie-style-pale-ale.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/left-hand-brewery-black-jack-porter.html

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Partizan Brewing Pale Ale Cascade Centennial

Partizan Brewing Pale Ale Cascade Centennial

Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 4.8%

From: Bermondsey, London, England

Purchased from: Real Ale Shop, Richmond Upon Thames
http://www.partizanbrewing.co.uk/

So it's that time of the year again where I get very excited about a bunch of bulky men chasing around after an egg shaped ball. Yes you guessed it, the rugby six nations is back! So I grab a craft beer and hit the sofa to watch England vs France. Unlike most years, I am full of expectations that England will do well in the tournament and carry that momentum onto the World Cup in 2015. Figures crossed! So the beer of choice for this game is Partizan Pale Ale Cascade and Centennial.

Update: Well England lost to France in the first game, but there were quite a few positives and I remain upbeat for the rest of the tournament.

Partizan brewing was founded by Andy Smith in 2006 originally as a way of getting cheap beer. He was frustrated that the majority of American IPA's were imported and thus were not enjoyed fresh as the brewery intended. In order to help him with this quest, Evin O'Riordain of the Kernel brewery gifted him a brew kit and he set up his brewery in Bermondsey, South London. He chose the name partizan as it symbolises lost cultures and more importantly, lost beer. Along with the vast array of beers on offer, this brewery is also famed for their label designs. These labels are crafted by an artist called Alec Doherty, who also lives in London. Now this brewery is quite small and have a limited output. So catch their beers while you can.

Colour: Pours a hazy yellow with a brilliantly fluffy white head. This head is awe inspiring and will stay with you throughout the duration of the drink.

Aroma: As soon you pop the cap, huge notes of tropical fruit such as pineapple and grapefruit will wash over your nostrils. This comes from the perfect blending of cascade and centennial hops used in the production process.

Body: Feels rather creamy in the mouth which causes a mild clogging on the back of your throat. As the beer warms, it will become smooth and juice like. Lovely stuff!

Taste: First you will be presented with the taste of fresh grapefruit which is then promptly followed by hints of malted grain or cereal. Very different to the pale ales I have tried previously. However, that being said, it works amazingly well as it gives a raw, rugged taste to the beer. The finish is mildly bitter with hints of fresh fruit juices and hop resins. This is now the second Partizan beer I have tried and so far they have come up trumps each time.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/rogue-juniper-pale-ale.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/by-horns-diamond-geezer.html

If you are interested in Alec Doherty's work click on this link: http://www.alecdoherty.com/

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

Rogue Juniper Pale Ale

Rogue Juniper Pale Ale

Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 5.2%

From: Newport, Oregon, United States of America

Purchased From: Utobeer, London Borough Market, UK

http://rogue.com/

So this coming Saturday i will be holding my first craft beer night. Rather than inviting some serious craft beer heads, i have decide to invite my young apprentice (he's actually five months older than me), his wife; Sushila and my girlfriend; Emma. After popping down to the Real Ale shop this morning, the drinks list is starting to shape up. So far we have, Oakham Ale's Citra, Kernel Brewing IPA Cascade and Arbour Ales Clementine Saison. Im looking to add a couple more later this week so i will keep you posted. Fingers crossed my knowledge on these beers is up to scratch. #squeekybumtime

Rogue Ales is an American craft brewery founded in 1988 in Ashland, Oregon. The following year the company opened their second brewpub in Newport, Oregon where they are now headquartered. They operate brewpubs in Oregon, Washington, and California. Rogue exports throughout the US and internationally. Rogue Ales have been described as "invariably fun and full flavored". The company's offerings are popular with critics and craft beer aficionados and have been major award winners in worldwide competitions. Well seeing as this is my first ever Rogue beer, I'm rather excited. I have heard nothing but good things about this brewery, so lets see if they live up to their hype. The subject of this review is Rogue Juniper Pale Ale.

Colour: Pours a light brown with a slight yellow hue. Nice bubbly white head which dissipates to a heavy dusting of foam that will linger around for the duration of the beer.

Aroma: Sweet biscuit notes from the pale malts under pin this drink, and the use of sterling and cascade hops provide a bitter orange and lime perfume. Surprisingly, it's quiet difficult to smell the addition of juniper berries, but as the drink warms you will be able to pick out a cleansing pine sensation to let you know it's in there.

Body: Slightly heavier than other pale ales in the mouth. Fine champagne like bubbles ensure a smooth, pleasant drinking experience. The heavy hopping ensures a clogging of bitterness with every sip.

Taste: Sweet orange flower honey to start followed by a lingering bitter after taste which can be quite overwhelming at first, but you will get use to it. As the drink warms the dry biscuity malts reveal a mild caramel sweetness which helps to compliment the fresh orange flavour. To be honest, this drink is not really setting the world alight for me, which is a shame since I've heard lots of good things about this brewery. From looking at their website, there appears to be plenty more to try, including Voodoo Maple Bacon ale. Interesting! If anyone has any recommendations, please feel free to leave a comment below.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bear-republic-racer-5-ipa.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/moor-beer-company-old-freddy-walker.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

Weird Beard Brewing Company Hit The Fairy Lights

Weird Beard Brewing Company Hit The Fairy Lights 
Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 4.6%

From: Hanwell, London, UK

Purchased From: Real Ale Shop, Richmond upon Thames, London, England

http://weirdbeardbrewco.com/

So, Christmas 2013 has come and gone faster than you can say Santa Claus. As per usual, I became a gluttonous monster, devouring cheese by the kilo and drinking wine by the gallon. Quite frankly, I was quite pleased to “halt the assault” on my bowel’s and take it easy. After a few days of “drying out”, my inner booze hound returned. After returning to my parents, my dad was kind enough to offer me his remaining Christmas ales. With glee I picked out a beer that I had never tried before; Weird Beard Brewing’s Hit the fairy Lights. Interestingly, this was a Pale ale rather than the generic (and somewhat boring) brown beer that is produced around the festive season. As this was slightly out of the ordinary, I decided to review it. But first a bit on the brewery.

Weird Beard Brewing company is based in Hanwell, West London. Like most brewers, the company’s founders, Gregg and Bryan, first began brewing beers in their kitchen’s. After winning numerous home brewing awards, the dynamic duo decided to up the ante and turn their hobby into a business. And before you ask, yes, Gregg and Bryan do sport some very impressive facial hair. Now as my best friend is moving into this area later this year, no doubt I will be popping in to check the beard’s and beers out for myself.

Colour: Pours a bright, marmalade orange toppled with a dusting of foam. As this drink is bottle conditioned, some yeast also dropped into the glass. Naturally, this caused the drink to become cloudy like a Belgian Wit beer, so it’s best to pour this drink slowly.

Aroma: Big, bold notes of bitter orange peel present themselves straight away. This dances playfully with peppery coriander, to fool you into thinking that it’s Christmas day all over again.  When these sensations die down, a very subtle sweetness will start to revel its self, which helps to take the edge off of the orange. A very well hopped beer in my opinion.

Body: Very Light and spritzy like a good pale ale should be. The zesty orange flavouring cleanses your palate on every sip, leaving a fresh, dry sensation in the mouth.  

Taste: During the boil, fresh oranges and star anise are added to the brew kettle, which helps to both perfume and flavour the beer. For the aroma, it works very well. However, for the taste, it misses the target slightly. Granted, there is a bitter orange taste, but it feels slightly watered down or manufactured. The use of star anise helps to create a warming spiciness which compliments the dry crisp finish. Although not without its faults, it’s a perfect refresher after a Christmas dinner  and makes a welcome change to the dull, brown ales normally drank at this time of year. With a little refinement, it would fit my palate perfectly. 

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/moa-brewery-blanc.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/flying-dog-gonzo-porter.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

Tiny Rebel The Full Nelson

Tiny Rebel The Full Nelson
Style: Maori Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 4.8%

From: Newport, Wales, United Kingdom

Purchased From: Real Ale Shop, Richmond-Upon-Thames

http://www.tinyrebel.co.uk/

If you watch Game of Throne, you will be familiar with the phase, “Winter is Coming”. Whilst, the bitter winter has yet to reach Westeros (in the TV show at least), cold polar air is currently lashing the UK.  It’s times like these that I turn my thoughts to next year and holidays in warmer climates. It seems only fitting that I look in the beer cupboard and try to locate something fruity and bright, just so I can bring some sunshine to my life. After a couple of minutes I stumbled across Tiny Rebel's, The Full Nelson. A Maori Pale Ale named after a wrestling move (although I'm not sure that they meant this). So let’s crack it open and get tropical.

The Tiny Rebel Brewing Company is based in Newport, South Wales. It is currently the only microbrewery in the area employing six people and produces the equivalent of 640 casks of beer per calendar year. Set up in 2010, the brewery has gone from strength to strength exporting bottles and kegs to Denmark, Norway, Italy and Australia. However, the company fell fowl of Swedish consumer guidelines on alcohol when they tried to launch their Fubar beer in the country. The label consist of a grenade and several bullet holes (guess that’s not allowed in the land of Abba and Sanuas). Oh well their loss is our gain.

Colour: Pours a light hazy copper with a bubbly white head which lingers in the glass for the duration. As the drink warms, it gets slightly darker.

Aroma: This drink has an almost wine like aroma profile. Heady hints of grape and apricot cut with fresh limes present themselves instantly. These aroma’s come from the use of Nelson Sauvin hops, which indecently is named after the Sauvignon grape.  The aromas unfortunately disappear after a couple of minutes in the glass (or it could be my Man Flu blocking them out).

Body: A light spritzy body ensures a pleasurable drinking experience. The soft carbonation will tickle you tongue and throat with every sip. 

Taste: Big bold notes of sour grapefruit, tangerines and passion fruit present themselves on the tongue. The Nelson Sauvin hop imparts a very smooth bitterness due to its low cohumulone content. The use of Munich malt helps to create a crisp but slight metallic after-taste which actually helps to add to the flavour of the beer. So far, this is one of the best Pacific pale ales I have tried. Much taster than the Bad Seed's attempt I reviewed late last month and I certainly will be coming back for more.    

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/bad-seed-brewery-south-pacific-pale-ale.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/meantime-raspberry-wheat.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

Oakham Ales Citra

Oakham Ales Citra
Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 4.6%

From: Peterborough, England, United Kingdom

Purchased From: Real Ale Shop, Richmond-Upon-Thames

http://www.oakhamales.com/home.html

Producing quality cask beers since 1993, Oakham Ales originally opened in Oakham, Rutland before moving production to Peterborough in 1998. In the subsequent 14 years they have dramatically increased production and opened Europe’s biggest brewpub. To keep up with demand in 2006, Oakham pulled open the shutters on a 75 barrel brew house.  The  padlock and chain was cut by John Wood, the original owner and brewer, who left Oakham Ales back in 1995. Oakham currently brew a range of five permanent ales but also produce seasonal ales such as Endless Summer.  

They have a rich pedigree, and picked up the 2009 CAMRA Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain for Attila! And they’re not one to shy away from innovation either. Oakham were the first brewer in the UK to use the Citra hop back in 2009. This drink is the result of that innovation. Last year, Citra was awarded a Gold at the International Beer Challenge. So having tried the Marks and Spencer’s version of this beer (brewed at Oakham, but badged and labelled for Marks and Spencer), I am foaming at the mouth with excitement to taste the original.

Little Green Monster?

Colour: This drinks pours a pale copper which is very reminiscent of a mass market lager. No head was present on the pour other than an extremely light dusting of foam in the glass. So far the signs are not looking good and I’m reminded of the Bad Seed South Pacific Pale Ale I reviewed two weeks ago which looked equally limp.

Aroma: Luckily, my fears are abated straight away. The nose on this beer is like fruit from the Garden of Eden. Tart gooseberry and floral elderflower notes present themselves straight away and will linger in your nostrils. As you would expect from a beer hopped with Citra, zesty lemon and lime notes are also present.

Body: There is an extremely low level of carbonation in the bottle which leads to flat drink in the glass. This makes the beer very easy to drink and tremendously refreshing. In fact, it went own far to ease in my case.

Taste: Upfront, you will get a mouth-watering sourness of gooseberries which have been steeped in sugar. These sweet and sour notes playful dance around your mouth and leave you with a mild bitter finish. As the drink warms, the beer takes on wine like qualities by introducing acidic pink grapefruit to the party. Luckily, this is not to sharp and actually enhances the flavours but diluting the sweetness. Oakham also brew this beer for Marks and Spencer’s in the UK. Having tried both, I personally prefer the Marks and Spencer's version but this one is still worth a try if you want a fresh fruity beer.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/bad-seed-brewery-south-pacific-pale-ale.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/alken-maes-judas.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

Bad Seed Brewery South Pacific Pale Ale

Bad Seed Brewery South Pacific Pale Ale

Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 5.8%

From: Malton, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Purchased From: Purchased from: Real Ale Shop, Richmond-Upon-Thames
http://badseedbrewery.com/

Bad Seed Brewery is based in Malton, North Yorkshire.Their motto is the following; "All great adventures start with a Bad Seed of an idea. Plant Bad Seeds. Go on an adventure. Drink good beer." Well lets see.

A few weeks ago, i convinced my friend Jon that we should pop down to the Real Ale Shop to stock up for the Christmas period. When we arrived we were certainly spoilt for choice and i did not know where to start. After previously buying a number of American beers, i decided that this time i would get a few more home grown, UK based brews. With its bright blue label, i was instantly drawn to Bad Seed Brewery's South Pacific Ale. After not have anything from this brewery before and the need for a pale ale, i pulled one off the shelf with a great sense of joy. So lets see what this has in store for me. 

Is this a bad Idea?

Colour: From the bottle, this beer looks like a flat, clear apple juice with barely a head to speak of. That being said, a light snow dusting will stay with you throughout the lifetime of this drink.

Aroma: Even without a sizeable head, you can pick up quite a fruity nose from this drink. Exotic Passion fruit and dragon fruit rise from the glass. These are mixed playfully with zesty lemon and lime notes to produce quite a pleasant bouquet. Unfortunately, these aroma die away extremely quick due to the lack of carbonation needed to refresh the head.

Body: As mention previously, this drink is almost flat with only a few bubbles rising to the surface. The drink goes down like a cold glass of Apple juice and due to the bitterness, this drink clings to the back of the throat. It would appear that I may have a bad bottle on my hands as it just does not seem right to me. It's lacking the zing that I expect from a South Pacific Pale ale.

Taste: There is an upfront bitterness which can be rather shocking at first, but once you get use to it, you will be able to taste what this drink has to offer. Hints of sweet lavender honey cut though with a slight sour lemon edge. The aftertaste is one of pure raw bitterness which you would normally associate with strong English bitter like Fullers' HSB. As the drink warms, the honey flavour gets deeper and you will begin to faintly taste oranges mixed with slight earthy notes. I must admit, I had high hopes for this beer but it appears that I picked up a bad bottle down at the shop. A real shame!

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/williams-bros-fraoch-heather-ale.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/einstok-icelandic-white-ale.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

Little Creatures Pale Ale

Little Creatures Pale Ale

Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 5.2%

From: Fremantle, Western Australia

Purchased From: Wine Rack, Weybridge
https://littlecreatures.com.au

Little Creatures is an Australian brewing company based in Fremantle, Western Australia, originally established in 2000 by the original brewers of the Matilda Bay Brewing Company. The name "Little Creatures" is inspired by a song lyric from the Talking Heads Little Creatures album and refers to the live yeast cells that turn the sugars in malt wort into alcohol.

Little Creatures Pty Ltd is owned by Little World Beverages, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lion Nathan (which is itself a wholly owned subsidiary of Kirin).

Little Creatures Brewery was founded by Howard Cearns (marketing specialist), Nic Trimboli (restaurateur) and Phil Sexton (master brewer), all of whom previously worked with the Matilda Bay Brewing Company. In 1997 Cearns, Trimboli and Sexton discussed the possibility of brewing an American style India Pale Ale. Sexton having worked in the United States and was involved in the development of the BridgePort IPA.Cearns came up with the name after reading about little creatures wandering from ale house to alehouse in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and at the time thinking that it sounded like yeast fermentation. The brewery released its first beer, Little Creatures Pale Ale, in 2000. The Company sponsors the Fremantle Print Award. In 2008 the company established a second brewery in Healesville, Victoria

I sat down to drink this beer just a few mere hours before the start of the Ashes cricket series. As I began watching sky sports news' coverage I began thinking that England where going to walk all over Australia and cause a whitewash. How wrong was I!! Australia destroyed England in just a few days. It appeared to stress Jonathan Trott out so much he had to go home. So as this pommie hangs his head in shame please find below a review of one of Australia's finest beer, Little Creatures Pale Ale.

Ahh my little angel

Colour: This drink pours a light copper, almost apricot with a light fluffy foam head. This foam dissipates to a light dusting in the glass after five minutes.

Aroma: Hints of summer fruits (strawberries, raspberries) mixed with light peppery undertones. On the second sip you will also be able to pick up notes of rich tropical fruits such as lychees and passion fruit. The exotic mix of fruits comes from three hops used in the making of this beer. These are East Kent Goldings, Cascade and Galaxy.

Body: This drink is very light and easy to drink due to the extremely low level of carbonation. There is however an ever so slightly creamy note to the body of this beer. This causes a slight level of clogging on the back of the throat but it is not unpleasant.

Taste: On you first sip, you will be presented with flavours of sweet caramel cut through with zesty citrus fruits. On the second sip you will also be able to pick out notes of mouth watering gooseberries and passion fruits. This drink would go perfectly with Stilton cheese and fruity desserts.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/partizan-brewing-ipa-bobek-amarillo.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/ellezelloise-hercule-stout.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

Magic Hat Brewing Number 9 Not Quite Pale Ale

Magic Hat Brewing Number 9 Not Quite Pale Ale

Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 5.1%

From: Burlington, Vermont, United States 

Purchased from: Rays Wines, Ashford
http://www.magichat.net/

Magic Hat Brewing Company was formed in 1994 in Burlington, Vermont. It moved to its current South Burlington location in 1997. By 2005 it had 64 employees. In 2008 the company purchased Pyramid Breweries, makers of the Pyramid and MacTarnahan's brands, expanding to 129 employees. In 2010 Magic Hat (including Pyramid) was acquired by North American Breweries of Rochester, New York. In December 2012, the parent company was purchased by Cerveceria Costa Rica, a unit of the Costa Rican company Florida Ice & Farm Co.

Magic hat describes this beer in the following way; "A beer cloaked in secrecy. An ale whose mysterious and usual palate will swirl across your tongue and ask more questions than it answers". Has this brewery come over all Harry Potter on us or is this beer a hidden gem? Well let's find out. Expelliarmus!!!!

The Hypnotic Label of Number 9

Colour: Once in the glass, you will notice that this beer does not look like the typical pale ale. It has a light copper colour with a reddish hue. It remind me of a lighter Meantime Yakima Red. The head is very small and it literally disappears in seconds after it's poured.

Aroma: Full of crunchy biscuits, pine needles and apricot notes. The aromas from this beer are quite faint and feel rather watered down and restrained (which is a shame).

Body: Quite light and extremely refreshing due to the taste (you will read about that below). A little thin in the mouth due to the low level of carbonation and the it's slightly watery consistency. The pale and crystal malts used to create this brew unfortunately do not add to much to the body.

Taste: This is where this drink comes into its own. It is completely different from any pale ale that you will ever try. Big ballsy raspberry or strawberry notes present themselves on the first sip. The drink is also quite sweet and there are no hints of tartness from the berries. As the drink warms, rich pumpkin and tangerine notes begin to present themselves. These fruity notes are juxtaposed by a mild bitter finish which holds the drink together perfectly.

Truly Magically

Similar To: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/meantime-raspberry-wheat.html
Different To: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/partizan-brewing-ipa-bobek-amarillo.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

Camden Brewery Pale Ale

Camden Brewery Pale Ale

Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 4%

From: Camden Town, London, England

Purchased from: Hog's Back Brew Shop

http://www.camdentownbrewery.com/

Now i am no stranger to this beer. Almost a year ago to the day i was drinking one of these beauties in the Old Red Cow in central London. I remember talking to my good friend Jon about writing this blog whilst sipping on this brew. You could say, that this was the beer that started it all. However as time past, the drink faded from my memory. Whilst touring the Hog's Back brewery, a bright green object caught my eye. As i drew nearer, the familiar font drew crisper in my eyeline. Yes!!, I screamed. I had managed to find a bottle of Camden Town Brewery Pale Ale outside of London. Naturally, i whisked the bottle off of the shelf and into my shopping basket. I now had in my hand one of the beers that gave me the inspiration for this blog you are now reading today. So enjoy this post as much as i enjoyed drinking this fine pale ale.

Firstly, a little bit of the back story behind the brewery.Jasper Cuppaidge is the grandson of Laurie McLaughlin, who ran the McLaughlin’s Brewery (Mac’s) in Rockhampton, Australia between 1910 to 1960. When Laurie past away he past on all his recipes to his daughter Patricia, who in turn then passed them onto Jasper. On Patricia's 50th birthday, Jasper decided to try and recreate one of Laurie's beers in the cellar of Horseshoe and that’s when it all started… Eventually the brewery moved from the cellar into several converted railway arches in Camden town and they opened for business in the summer of 2010.

Bright and refreshing label just like the beer

Colour: This beer pours a light copper brown with a juicy, thick white head. This beer looks like the quintessential pale ale. The head stays around for the duration of the drink.

Aroma: When you first smell this beer, you will be presented with sharp citrus notes mixed with fresh pine needles. As the drink warms, the aroma profile of this drink changes slightly. Notes of tropical fruits such as mango and sweet kiwi come to the fore. There is also a every slight note of rich molasses holding the aroma together like a bow on a present.

Body: This drink is very light in the mouth at first. Once consumed, a sticky honey like resin will coat the back of your mouth. This intensifies as the beer warms, leading to the beer feeling a lot thicker than before.

Taste: Now for the important bit; the tasting. What sets this beer out from the rest is that in my opinion, this drink actually has two different flavour profiles. One fresh the fridge and another as the beer warms. Once opened, a sweet lemon flavour is presented to your taste buds. The sweetness helps to dull the lemon tones slightly to make the beer very refreshing. On the second sip, you can pick out notes of freshly cut grass mixed with pine needles. One of my favour parts of this beer is the ginger-nut biscuit after taste. As the drink warms the lemon crispness dies down to relieve a slightly bitter lemon taste with notes of caramel biscuits. All theses different flavours can be contributed to the varied hops used to make this beer. In fact, no less than seven are blended into this beer. Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial and Citra provided the citrus flavours while Columbus and Simcoe provide the pine notes (I know that's only six but I cannot find the flavour profile for Calypso hop). A lovely beer indeed.

Similar to:http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/flying-dog-doggie-style-pale-ale.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/moa-brewery-blanc.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery

Brewdog Dead Pony Club

Brewdog Dead Pony Club

Style: Californian Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 3.8%

From: Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK

Purchased From: Sainsburys

Brewdog was founded in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie. The brewery at the Kessock Industrial Estate in Fraserburgh produced its first brew in April 2007. It claims to be Scotland's largest independently owned brewery producing about 120,000 bottles per month for export all over the world. The company moved premises to nearby Ellon in the Autumn of 2012, however it as been announced that the Fraserburgh site will be used as a brewing laboratory for experimental beers.

Brewdog's provocative marketing has been a key aspect of the business, and has gained them substantial international coverage.

In 2008 Brewdog were challenged by UK drinks industry watchdog the Portman Group. Portman had claimed Brewdog to be in breach of their Code of Practice. Brewdog denied these allegations and countered that Portman was impeding the development of smaller brewing companies. After an 8 month long dispute and a preliminary adjudication which had ruled against the company, in December 2008 Brewdog were cleared of all breaches of the Code of Practice and were permitted to continue marketing their brands without making any changes to the packaging. In protest to their targeting, Brewdog introduced "Speed-ball", saying "...we thought we would give them something worth banning us for..." . Speed-ball was promptly banned by Portman before being renamed as Dogma.

Brewdog were also described as "...one of the prime movers..."behind the campaign which changed the law in 2011 to allow new beer measures in Britain.

Colour: On the pour, you are rewarded with a beer that is a glorious pale brown with an orange hue. There is little foam in the glass but this will stay with you throughout the drink. There is a low level of carbonation in the bottle which makes this beer looks very, very inviting.

Aroma: One of the amazing points of note about this beer, is its nose. Once poured into the glass, you are slapped around the chops with notes of lemongrass, fresh lemons, pine and grapefruit. Imagine you are in Sorrento, Italy on a hot summers day, walking though the lemon trees. That is exactly what this aroma is like.

Body: This beer looks extremely light but when you have a sip you are really knocked off your feet by the hops. This sensation makes the beer a lot heavier in the mouth. My old man commented, "Stone the crows, that beer is so hoppy I can not even think straight. I'm not sure that I like this beer very much. It's so heavily hopped that it's so heavy in my mouth. It's almost as if I'm drinking a amber ale".

Taste: As eluded to above this beer is extremely hoppy. In fact this brew uses three different types of hops. These are Simcoe, Citra and HBC. To be honest, it's a bit to heavily hopped for my tastes and that of my father. The Brewdog website suggests that "Being shot from a Hoppy Howitzer beats the hell out of trotting round a submissive paddock." Well in this case the howitzer has decimated all my taste buds. You can pick up notes of lemons, orange peel grapes and thyme. There is a very bitter after taste to this beer which will stay with you sip after sip.

Follow me on Twitter for the latest news on reviews @BeefsBrewery

Thornbridge Wild Swan

Thornbridge Wild Swan

Style: White Gold Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 3.5%

From: Bakewell, Derbyshire, England, UK

Purchased from: Waitrose

The Thornbridge Brewery is an independent brewery formerly situated in the grounds of Thornbridge Hall near Bakewell, Derbyshire, England. Its first beers went on sale in February 2005. Thornbridge's beers were originally brewed by Martin Dickie, a graduate of the International Center for Distilling and Brewing at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, and Stefano Cossi, a graduate in Food Science and Technology at Udine University, Italy. In 2007, Dickie left to start Brew Dog however the brewery has not suffered from this loss.

More than 130 awards have been won by Thornbridge's brews since its opening, including the Silver Medal (Strong Ales) at the Great British Beer Festival (August 2006) for Jaipur IPA (and for Kipling in August 2009), the Gold Medal in August 2008 in the same category, and a Bronze Medal in the Bitters category in August 2009 also. As of July 2010, Jaipur held 70 industry awards after only 5 years of production. 2010 also saw a prestigious World Beer Cup medal added to the cabinet for the limited release Chestnut Honey ale, Bracia. High praise indeed. For this review i will be looking at their White Gold Pale Ale called Wild Swan.

Colour: Very pale in colour so much so It's almost transparent. Like the name of this beer, the colour is almost like gold. As the drink warms, the colour will darken slightly adding a slight brown hue to the beer. On the pour you get a lovely thick white head and you will also notice that this beer is very heavily carbonated. After a minute or two in the glass this will die down and the brew becomes almost flat.

Aroma: On the nose, you will be bombarded with beautifully ripe citrus notes. It's almost like a glass of cloudy lemonade with hints of freshly cut grass. If you get close enough you can also pick out hints of grapefruit. Like all beers of high quality, the smell will stay with you though out the pint.

Body: This beer is extremely light and refreshing. Like the smell, the body is like a glass of cloudy lemonade. Once the carbonation dies down, the flat beer really hits the spot. Its a lovely easy drinking beer that can be enjoyed in a beer garden. I can just imagine myself enjoying this beer with my friends in Kingston upon Thames on a long hot summers day. Ah bliss! Now this next statement may be a bit controversial but I really believe that this beer as the potential to covert those pesky flavored cider drinkers over to the craft revolution.

Taste: On my first sip, this beer reminds me of a gin and tonic. You get heavy notes of Juniper berries and bitter lemon. It is almost like a adult lemonade with a hint of bitterness. Think hooch with a twist. As the beer warms, the flavors dull slightly. Now I'm not sure if this is because I was getting use to the beer or that the flavors where not to intense, but either way the flavors were not smacking me in the chops like before. It's a shame really as its the only negative part of this beer.

I Heard you where a Wild One!

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Flying Dog Doggie Style Pale Ale

Flying Dog Doggie Style Pale Ale

Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol content: 5%

From: Frederick, Maryland, USA

Purchased from: Beers Of Europe

So this is the second beer that i have tried from my order from Beer's of Europe. As i had read a lot about this beer, i naturally added this to my shopping cart first. I could not wait to get this beer home and give it a try.

The Flying Dog brewery is currently located in Frederick, Maryland, USA. Originally opening in Aspen, Colorado in 1990 as a brewpub, it became the first brewery to open in Aspen in over 100 years, and one of the first brewpubs in the Rocky Mountain region. Flying Dog Brewery is noted for using the unusual art of Ralph Steadman, best known as the illustrator of the works of Hunter S. Thompson, on its labels. In 2005, the brewery created a new beer in Thompson’s honor, Gonzo Imperial Porter. Initially in limited-release in 750 ml bottles, the Gonzo Imperial Porter is now one of the regular offerings of the brewery. I must admit, that i love the label designs and it makes the beer more appealing. I can not wait to taste this beer. Oh I'm excited! 

Love the Gonzo Style Lable

Colour: When poured from the bottle, the beer turns a vivid ruby red. This is very strange for a pale ale, as you would normally associate a straw yellow colour with this style. After a couple of minutes in the glass the beer settles down. The beer then transforms into into a rich semi opaque golden brown. 

Smell: This drink is very playful on the nose. You are hit with lemon and lime notes with a dry grass undertones. Its a bit like walking though a lemon garden in Italy on a hot summer's day. Not that i have actually experienced this for myself it's just my imagination of it. I believe that this smells come from the dry hopping of the Northern Brewer and cascade hops used to make this beer.

Body: Very light and refreshing. Just what you would expect from a good pale ale.You get quite a nice head on the pour and surprisingly, this beer is not very gassy due to the low levels of carbonation. This is a lovely summer beer. 

Taste: Once you have your first sip you notice the citrus, pine and caramel tastes from the malts and hops. Its quite pleasant but i feel a bit underwhelmed by this beer. I have read a lot about this brew and i was quite excited to of ordered it from Beer's of Europe. Maybe i was expecting big things from this beer but for me unfortunately it has fallen a bit flat. Would i try it again? Yes i would. Everything deserves a second chance.

Follow me on Twitter for the latest news on reviews @BeefsBrewery