Kernel Brewery London 1890 Export Stout

Kernel Brewery London 1890 Export Stout

Style: Stout

Alcohol Content: 7%

From: London Bridge, London, England, UK

Purchased From: Real Ale Shop, Richmond Upon Thames
http://www.thekernelbrewery.com/

Stout! Stout! Let it all out!! (my personalised version Tears for Fears classic, Shout).

Stout originated in London in the early 1720s. The style quickly became popular in the city: it had a strong flavour, took longer to spoil than other beers, increased in alcohol content with age, was significantly cheaper than other beers, and was not easily affected by heat. London was a very different city back then. As the commercial centre of the world, most of the imports from the empire would enter the city via the London docklands. Thirsty dockyard workers would often refresh themselves with a stout after a hard days work. You can see from the picture below what the docks used to look like compared to sprawling metropolis it is today. The Kernel brewery hope to replicate the type of stout drank during the docklands hayday, by using a recipe written in 1890. Lets see how they got on.

Docklands:  Now and Then

Since the brewery was founded in 2009 by Evin O'Riordain, word has gradually spread of the remarkable beers the 36-year-old Irishman and his colleagues Chrigl Luthy and Toby Munn are making in their tiny brewery tucked away under a railway arch just outside London Bridge. Restaurants such as the Michelin-starred Chez Bruce, Hawksmoor and Pied à Terre now stock his products, and beer bars such as Shoreditch's Mason and Taylor have made The Kernel the beer of choice for the capital's younger beer-lovers.

Colour: Pours a thick black with a dark tan head (certainly the darkest I have ever seen). After awhile, this will dissipate to a light dusting of brown foam that lingers for the duration of this beer.

Aroma: The rich dark malts produce chocolate and coffee aromas mixed with a yeasty marmite/vegemite notes.

Body: This drink looks as looks as thick as oil and has a mouthfeel to match. It will take you a long time to drink this beer as it's so vicious, so enjoy every sip. It took me an hour to drink this stout and I savoured every single drop. Very satisfying! The mild hopping coupled with the high alcohol content ensures that your throat does not get clogged.

Taste: You will get an upfront taste of sticky marmite enriched with bitter dark chocolate and freshly ground coffee. Loads of rich dried fruit and alcohol warmth ­rather like a rum and raisin ice cream.The sweetness of the malts combined well with A mild bitter finish rounds this beer off perfectly. Had I been working in the East India Dock back in 1890, there is no doubt that I would rush to the pub to order one of these. This is the perfect stout. It clearly helps to represent a bygone era of British history and is very true to the original style. Well done Kernel, well done indeed.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/anderson-valley-barney-flats-oatmeal.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/oakham-ales-citra.html

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

Urthel Hop-It

Urthel Hop-It
Style: Blonde Belgian Style India Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 9.5%

From: Ruiselede, West Flanders, Belguim

Purchased From: Bruges, Belguim

http://www.urthel.com/en/home.htm

Hildegard (Odette) Overmeire began brewing in 2000 alongside her husband Bas van Ostaden. The cheeky chap that appears on their bottles is called Urthel and his adventures in the fantasized world of the Erthel legends.  Urthel beers are brewed in the Koningshoeven brewery in Ruiselede, West Flanders. Whilst in Bruges this October, I saw a number of Urthel beers on sale. Seeing as I could not bring them all back, I decided to go for Hop-It, a blonde Belgian Style India Pale Ale with a whopping 9.5% ABV. From memory, this will be the second strongest beer I have ever tried. Let’s hope that I survive to tell the tale.

Colour: This drink pours a bright, straw yellow topped with a bubbly white head. Be careful not to pour this drink too quickly, as the foam will rise out of the glass.

Aroma: Big upfront notes of freshly cut straw will present themselves straight away. These playfully mix with warming coriander notes, that will sting your nostrils with every sip. Rather unfortunately, these aroma completely die away after just a few minutes in the glass.

Body: Very similar to the Duvel and the Alken-Maes Judas i reviewed earlier this year, this is a drink of two halves. The first, is a light, heavily carbonated drink that has a similar mouthfeel to Champagne. The second could not be any more different. A sticky, almost BBQ sauce like sensation will coat your throat on every sip. A very strange sensation that's for sure.

Taste: Wooo! The alcohol will hit you straight away and can be extremely overpowering to the uninitiated. After picking myself off the floor, i braved another sip. Strong notes of crisp hay and grass are present on the palate. If you swill the drink around your mouth, a sticky, sweet lavender honey porridge can be tasted. Perfect for those cold winter nights! As the drink naturally warms, the ale will assume these sticky characteristics in the glass. For me, it needs a little bit more to make it not just another heavily hopped Belgian IPA. Alken-Maes' Judas, is a much better example of this style.

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

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/ommegang-hennepin.html

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

Titanic Plum Porter

Titanic Plum Porter

Style: Porter

Alcohol Content: 4.9%

From: Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, UK

Purchased From: Utobeer, London Borough Market, UK

http://www.titanicbrewery.co.uk/

As its still dark, wet and windy in the UK, I like nothing more than putting on the fire (well central heating) and curling up with a fine porter. There is something about this style that just oozes winter. The dark malts provide comforting chocolate notes and the high alcohol content warms you up after being outside. And it also seems that you guys like them too, as my review of Meantime’s Chocolate Porter currently holds the accolade of being my most viewed post. So let’s take a look at  Titanic’s Plum Porter. Will it sink or swim?

The brewery was founded in Burslem Stoke-on-Trent in 1985 by Brothers Dave and Keith Bott and takes its name from the ill-fated steam liner Titanic. The brothers decided to name the brewery in honour of its captain Edward Smith who lived just down the road in a town called Etruria. The brewery also owns seven pubs around their area, including the flagship The Bulls Head. See what i did there?

A simply beautiful label

Colour: This beer pours an intriguing black with a slight purple hue. This is topped with a light tan head that dissipates after a few minutes in the glass to leave a minimal dusting of foam.

Aroma: I'm always skeptical of drinks that have been flavoured with fruit. For me, they can be really hit and miss. However, I a extremely pleased to say that this beer does not disappoint. This drink is stacked full of juicy, autumn sweet plums on the nose. It's almost like you are walking the orchard during the harvest. Lovely stuff!

Body: The fruity plums help to create the illusion of a lighter body when compared to most porters. The fruity almost juice like body coupled with ultra low carbonation, easily makes this one of the most enjoyable porters I have drank in a while.

Taste: If you are new to the porter style, then you should try this as your first port of call. It is quite frankly amazing! Juicy plum notes play with roasted malts to create an extremely smooth beer, that is expertly finished with a mild bitterness from the late addition of Goldings hops. One of this beers key features is that the taste will linger in your mouth in-between sips. It's freshness will draw you and keep you wanting more. How I have never drunk this before I will know. It forces it's way into my top ten list and it will certainly be served at my upcoming craft beer night.

You can just see the purple hue in this picture

As a modern history buff, I was slightly shocked to read that an Australian business man plans to build a life size replica of the Titanic and name it (rather ably) Titanic 2. Let’s hope it’s dedicated to the memories of those who lost their lives back on that fateful day, rather than being a lucrative money spinner. Here is the link if you want to read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanic_II

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/meantime-chocolate-porter.html

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

Siren Craft Brewing Liquid Mistress Red IPA

Siren Craft Brewing Liquid Mistress Red IPA
Style: Red IPA

Alcohol Content: 5.8%

From: Finchampstead, Wokingham, UK

Purchased From: Utobeer, London Borough Market, UK

http://www.sirencraftbrew.com/

Siren Craft Brewery is a relatively new comer to the beer industry. Set up in 2012 and named after characters in Homer’s (not Simpson) Odyssey, the brewery currently produces four core beers alongside seasonal specials. Based out of Finchampstead near Reading, the brewery is already planning for the future by brewing an Anniversary beer (barrel aged in 7 different oak barrels)  and a stout involving meal worms (not sure how much I enjoy that idea). Since Siren’s launch, there has been a great deal of buzz amongst the beer blogging community due to the quality of their output. After reading several articles, I was rather pleased to find my girlfriend had brought me Siren’s Liquid Mistress for Christmas.  With great excitement, I transferred the bottle straight to the fridge to have it later that night. So let’s see if I have found my next mistress.

Looking very tempting

Colour: Like a witches potion, this beer pours a murky dark red with a dusting of fizzy foam. The yeast from the bottle conditioning helps to add lighter red swirls to this thick, magical brew. It’s almost like the liquid mistress is beckoning  me into her lair of sin.  Could this be the Jessica Rabbit of craft beer?

Aroma: Big bold tropical notes of passion fruit mixed with subtle hints of peach. These are playfully mixed with a heady blend of sweet sugary caramel and dry German rye bread.

Body: Medium body with a slight clogging on the back of the throat on each gulp. The carbonation is very soft and reminds me of a fine champagne.

Taste: A delightful blend of invigorating pink grapefruit and lychee with after notes of biscuit and rum soaked raisins. These distinct flavour profiles juxtapose each other brilliantly. The citrus fruit will cleanse your palate before the malty depth of the biscuits comes into play.  All these flavours mellow as the beer warms, causing a sensation of honey tinted bitterness to reveal itself from the depths of the glass. Quite frankly, this drink is magical and could topple Meantime’s Yakima Red as my favourite beer. Well done Siren, Well done indeed.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/stone-brewing-company-levitation-ale.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/goose-island-honkers-ale.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

Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout

Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout
Style: Oatmeal Stout

Alcohol Content: 5.8%

From: Boonville, California, United States of America

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

https://avbc.com/

Whenever I drink a stout, I am always reminded that we are currently in the depths of winter.  If you live in the UK, I am sure you can see and hear the wind lashing down outside, effecting everyone’s journey home for Christmas (Emma’s included). I however, am tucked up nicely in the flat, drinking craft beer. Hopefully, the alcohol will warm me up whilst I dream about my upcoming holiday to Cuba and another Christmas jumper from my auntie Christine. Oh it’s a hard life!!

Anderson Valley Brewing Company was founded in 1987 by David Norfleet and Kim and Ken Allen. At the time, it was one of just 20 craft breweries in the United States. The original 10-barrel brew-house was designed and installed by owner and original brewer David Norfleet (and the 10 barrel brewery is still used for R&D brewing today). The original brewery was located in the lower level of the brew pub, The Buckhorn Saloon.

In 1996 when the demand for the award winning beers exceeded the capacity of the 10-barrel brewery below the pub, a 30-barrel facility was installed just a mile from down-town Boonville at the corner of Highways 128 and 253. This brewery saw them through a dramatic period of growth, which included the introduction of a 12 ounce bottling line. By 1998 production had reached 15,000 barrels annually and construction began on a three-story Bavarian-style brew-house. The new brew-house went on-line and started producing beer once again in August 2000.

Colour: On the pour you will be presented with a thick, dark, ink black liquid topped with a luscious leather coloured head. This beer looks extremely thick and the head will stay around for the duration of the beer.

Aroma: As soon as you pop the cap, rich milky chocolate notes will swam over you. Also present are subtle notes of coffee which develop as the drink warms in the glass. That being said, the nose on this beer is not overly pronounced which is a real shame.

Body: Very smooth and thick as a good stout should be to start with but once brought up to room temperature, the beer seems to become thinner taking on a more watery complexion.  Each sip will coat the mouth nicely which in turn leads to an extremely enjoyable drinking experience.

Taste: Your first sip of this beer will be one you will remember. Rich, silky milk chocolate juxtaposed with bitter coffee grinds dominate this beer. The sweetness delivered from the oats helps to add a real sense of depth and richness to this beer. The slight burnt, mild bitter espresso finish provides a sumptuous end to each sip. This all helps to mask the strength of the beer .To be honest, this drink reminds me of a lighter version of Glastonbury Ales Thriller Cappuccino Porter, which I reviewed earlier in this blog. 

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/glastonbury-ales-thriller-rare.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/moor-beer-company-merlin-magic.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

Nogne O Blonde

Nogne O Blonde

Style: Blonde

Alcohol Content: 4.5%

From: Grimstad, Norway

Purchased from: UtoBeer, Borough Market, London, United Kingdom
http://www.nogne-o.com/ 

Nøgne Ø is an independent brewery, founded in 2002 by Gunnar Wiig and Kjetil Jikiun in Grimstad, Norway. Nøgne Ø was founded late in 2002 by Gunnar Wiig and Kjetil Jikiun. The brewery name, Nøgne Ø, is old Danish for "Naked Isle". It was selected from a well-known 19th century Norwegian poem called Terje Vigen by Henrik Ibsen, who worked for a time as an apprentice pharmacist in Grimstad.

The brewery does a range of beers, including an amber ale, which is a 6% abv semi-dark ale using Chinook hops, and a 4.5% abv bitter using East Kent Golding hops. In all, 32 varieties are made as of January 2009. In 2009, about 50% of the production was exported to Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, USA, Canada, Australia and Japan.

Perhaps the most sought after beer from this brewery is called Dark Horizon 1st Edition, which was a Gold winner at the World Beer Cup 2008 in San Diego, California for the category of "Other Strong Ales." It is a Russian Imperial Stout with an abv of 16%. Nøgne Ø's Porter got a silver in the category "Robust Porter".

O this is going to be interesting!

Colour: Pours a bright, fizzy yellow. It reminds me of my girlfriends hair in some ways. A big, bushy, foam head is created once first poured into the a glass. This dissipates very quickly and leaves no foam in the glass. Another feature of this beer is that the liquid is actually completely clear.

Aroma: As soon as you pop the cap, you will be presented with hints of spicy cloves mixed with notes of freshly cut straw. Once settled in the glass, fruity notes of mandarin, apricots and peaches rise from the glass. These are held together by a sweet lavender honey perfume.

Body: For a blonde beer, this drink actually feels quite heavy in the mouth. The body is very malty and it will not feel very sticky in your mouth. For me, this beer feels more like a saison rather than a blonde. Very easy to drink which makes it a great beer to compliment salads or fish dishes.

Taste: On my first sip, I actually thought that I was drinking a Weiss beer. Hints of cloves and banana swam over your taste buds. The second sip is where the beers true character lies. Coriander and citrus notes will being to reveal themselves. Also, like a Weiss beer you can pick out the notes of the fresh yeast used to create this beer. The aftertaste is something to be desired however. It is quite acidic or metallic, like a corked wine. For me, this unfortunately spoils my experience.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/adnams-southwold-spindrift.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/magic-hat-brewing-number-9-not-quite.html

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

SKA Brewing Steel Toe Milk Stout

SKA Brewing Steel Toe Milk Stout

Style: Milk Stout

Alcohol Content: 5.4%

From: Durango, Colorado, United States 

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

http://www.skabrewing.com/main.html

Ska Brewing Company is an American microbrewery founded in 1995 by Bill Graham and Dave Thibodeau in Durango, Colorado. Since 2008, the brewery has been located in its current Bodo Industrial Park location. This new brewery is eco-friendly as it runs completely on wind power and insulated by old pairs of jeans. Although Ska also uses bottles, it is known for being one of the few microbreweries that utilizes cans liberally. Now the subject of this review is thier Steel Toe Milk Stout, so lets get on with the tasting.

Just for the working Class?

Colour: This drink pours a thick ink black with a light tan coloured head. It looks a lot like an americano with a beautiful creme head. This head stays around rather briefly, which is quite unfortunate.

Aroma: Notes of coffee and liquorice rise from the glass to greet you. The smell reminds me of breakfast in Chicago, where a waitress would pour fresh percolated coffee into my cup. Sweet sugary notes then remind me of adding cream to my said coffee. Not to everyone's taste I'm sure but for me, a coffee is always welcome first thing in the morning.

Body: The mouthfeel is like that of a pint of milk, quite thick and clingy to the back of the throat. It will really cover all corners of your mouth.

Taste: Full of powerful coffee and chocolate notes to start with. There is definitely a sweetness that comes from the lactose (milk sugar). This, mixed with the dark roasted malts help to produce drink which does not feel very alcoholic at all. The flavours will mellow as the drink warms and the profile of this beer begins to remind me of the coffee and cream I mentioned earlier. Overall, for me this drink lacks the magic sparkle I desire from my milk stout (my favourite is the Bristol beer factory Milk Stout). However, it is very smooth and very easy to drink.

Perfect after a hard days work

During the time its taken for me to create this post, Ska have completely revamped their website. I have to say it does look very impressive. Check out this link above to see what all the fuss is about.

Simliar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/meantime-chocolate-porter.html

Different to:http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/beavertown-8-ball-rye-ipa.html

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

Bruges By Beers

Bruges By Beers

So a slight change from the norm here at Beefsbrewery. Earlier in October me and my girlfriend Emma visited the gorgeous city of Bruges. As im sure most you are aware, Belgium is famous for its amazing selection of beers. Ranging from Blonde to Saison, Bruges had it all. So sit back, relax and have a butchers at my beer photos of Bruges.

Cambrinus Beer Tasting

Kwack nights

Tour Around The Half Man Brewery

Tour Around the Half Man Brewery Part 2

Tour Around the Half Man Brewery Part Three

The Infamous Beer Wall and my Favourite Beer of the Trip Kasteel Bruin

Beer Bat And Champagne Beer in the Red Rose 

Trying A Hopus for the First Time. Think My Face Tell it All

Back to the Cambrinus for a Final Saison Dupont Before Home Time

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

Moor Beer Company Old Freddy Walker

Moor Beer Company Old Freddy Walker

Style: Old Ale

Alcohol content: 7.4%

From: Pitney, Somerset, England

Purchased from: Cost cutters, Somerton
http://moorbeer.co.uk/

As you may be aware from reading my previous blogs, i am a big fan of the West county. My father grew up not far from Yeovil, so the culture and history of the glorious west has always been in my blood. So any time i get a chance to review a beer from there, i literally jump at the chance!

The Moor Beer Company was formed in 1996 on a small dairy farm in Somerset. They originality started brewing beers that matched the local heritage of Somerset, but soon branched out upon the arrival of Justin and Maryann Hawke. Justin is a Californian native, and brought with him a tendency of fusing real ales with more more aggressively flavored beers from the United States. This has lead to an amazingly diverse range of mind boggling creations. As i always say, change is a good thing and i can not wait to try this brew. Perhaps their most famous beer is Old Freddy Walker which won Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2004. And thats the subject of this review, will Freddy live up to these high standards, let see!

Moor Magic?

Colour: I was not sure what to expect from a drink classed as an old ale. I wrongly assumed it would be a dark brown beer. To my surprise, the drink pours a thick black with a tan leather colour head. The colour helps to remind me that here in the UK, the nights are drawing in. Could this be the beer that I need long winter nights? The head dissipates to a light dusting of foam after a few minutes. 

Aroma: The aromas of this drink oozes out of the glass. There are notes of dark treacle mixed with dried fruit (sultanas, raisins, cherries and apricots). It's almost like a cake in a glass. This is going to be very interesting.

Body: This beer pours like a stout or porter. Very thick on both the pour, and in the mouth. However, it leaves no sticky residue in the mouth or on the back of your throat. This sensation is rather surprising to me, as I was expecting a rich coating on my throat after each sip. 

Taste: The first thing that will hit you about this drink will be the alcohol. If you are not prepared for it (like me), it will feel like a slap around face. Once I get past that initial shock, this ale really comes into its own. This ale is like a rich rum soaked fruit cake that you may get around Christmas time. There are also hints of dark chocolate covered cherries. The chocolate helps to create a slight bitter aftertaste rolled into a crisp bread finish. It took me almost and hour to drink this beer as it comes in a rather sizeable 660ml bottle. This ale is a real treat, which I would highly recommend to my dad for his ever growing Christmas beer list.

Christmas Pudding in A Glass!

Simliar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/batemans-rosey-nosey.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/gaffel-kolsch.html

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Meantime Raspberry Wheat

Meantime Raspberry Wheat

Style: Flavoured Wheat Ale

Alcohol Content: 4%

From: Greenwich, London, England

Purchased from: Hog's Back Brew Shop
http://www.meantimebrewing.com

Meantime Brewery was founded by Alastair Hook in 2000. The originally Greenwich brewery was originally located 0° 2' 12" east of the Greenwich Meridian, moving to a site on nearby Blackwall Lane in 2010. This mission driven company aims to help the consumer rediscover their cultural and culinary beer heritage, which it believes has, in the UK at least, largely been lost as beer manufacture has been concentrated in the hands of a smaller number of ever bigger brewers, who do not wish the consumer to have any great understanding or appreciation of beer. Since opening the brewery has gone from strength to strength and their Coffee Porter won a gold medal at the world beer cup in 2008.

I will be honest with you, i am a big fan of the Meantime Brewery. I have already reviewed two of their beers on this site; the Chocolate Porter and their London Stout. Both of these drink are amazing and are among my most popular posts so far. So as a semi Londoner, i am pleased that to see that a number of Youngs pubs in Greater london and Surrey, now carry Meantime beer on draft. These are normally their crisp London Lager and their mildly hoppy London Pale Ale. However, the focus of this post will be something completely different; their Raspberry Wheat beer.

Colour: Once poured, you are presented with a drink that looks like cloudy cranberry juice. This cloudy colour comes from the style of beer (wheat beer). A nice bubbly white head is also present but this dissipates very quickly and leaves nothing in the glass.

Aroma: As you would assume, there are very strong notes of Raspberry smothered in sugar which ooze out of the glass like a waterfall down a cliff face. You can also pick out notes of creamed wheat mixed with slight hints of banana and cloves. These latter aromas are very reminiscent of the style, but seem a little out of place against the raspberry back drop.

Body: Seeing as this is a wheat beer, the drink is quite heavy in the mouth. This is not a drink that you can rush. There is a slight acidic/metallic after taste which clings to the back of your mouth after every sip. This drink has a very low level of carbonation and is almost flat after 5 minutes in the glass.

Taste: As you expect from a raspberry beer, the predominant flavour are raspberries. These are a little tart and slightly overpowering for my palate. There are faint hints of banana and cloves but these are subtly hidden by the raspberries. The more you accustom yourself with this beer, the more the raspberry flavour dissipates. It's becomes rather jam like as the beer warms. The aftertaste has a mineral water finish to it. It's as almost as if you can taste the fluoride in the London water. I must admit that this is not my favourite Meantime beer I've tried, but its always good to try something different. One thing i know for sure is that my girlfriend would love this.

I really love the champagne style bottles 

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

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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

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Goose Island Honkers Ale

Goose Island Honkers Ale

Style: Bitter

Alcohol Content: 4.3%

From: Chicago, USA

Purchased from: Ray Wines
http://www.gooseisland.com/

OK first thing I should tell you before you read is that I love Chicago. I went there way back in 2005 and I have always wanted to go back since. Personally, I think that Chicago is much better destination to visit than New York. It has the hustle and bustle of the East coast but has the laid back charms of the West coast. When I started reading more about beer, I was excited to learn that in Chicago, the craft beer movement is flourishing. I just wish I had been 21 at the time so I could actually enjoy all they had to offer. Must go back for a taste at some point!

The brewer Goose Island was first opened by John Hall in 1988. John had be travelling around Europe for a number of years and found that there was an amazing range of beers on offer. He found difficultly finding some of these beers in the United States, so he took matters into his own hands and created Goose Island. The company now has an amazingly diverse range of ales on offer including some seasonal beers. On March 28, 2011, Goose Island announced that it will sell its 58% stake in Fulton Street Brewery LLC (the legal name of Goose Island Brewing) to distribution partner Anheuser-Busch. The remaining 42% stake, owned by Craft Brewers Alliance LLC, is also to be purchased by Anheuser-Busch.

Honkers not Yonkers!

Colour: Once poured you are presented with a rich copper ale with a very minimal head. After the head dies down there is a small amount of foam left in the glass which clings to the side of the glass like a baby clings to their mother. This drink is also bottled conditioned so due to slight hint of yeast being present the ale is slightly cloudy.  

Aroma: As a rule of thumb, for me i find bitters often lack in smell. So i am pleasantly surprised to find aromas of sweet Elderflowers and lime or lemon notes. These aromas come from the blend of super Stryian and Styrian Goldings hops used in the making of this brew. If you get your nose right in there you will also be able to pick up notes of sweet, slightly burnt caramel.

Body: Traditionally, bitters tend to on the more heavier side of the beer spectrum. However to my amazement, this beer is a hell of a lot lighter than a standard bitter. For me the mouth feel reminds me more of an English  IPA. Traditionally English IPA's are know to be more fruity than there heavily hopped counter parts so this beer sips down a treat. There is no clingy after taste and it will continue to refresh you with every drop.



Taste: Now for the important bit; the tasting.On your first sip you will notice how fruity this beer is. There are no hints of bitterness at all. The predominate flavors are those of Elderflower and big hints of lime and lemon. There are also very suttee notes of bread and earth.To be honest, why this is labeled as a bitter i do not know. However, if this is Goose Islands take on a quintessential British classic then give me more.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/brakspear-bitter.html
Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/adnams-southwold-spindrift.html

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Flying Dog Gonzo Porter

Flying Dog Gonzo Porter

Style: Porter

Alcohol content: 9.2%

From: Frederick, Maryland, USA

Purchased from: Rays Wine
http://flyingdogales.com/

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!

But what is an imperial Porter i hear you ask? These are stronger versions of the traditional porters which where first sold in London. These porters were sold successfully in markets such as Scandinavia and the Baltic states. These porters then inherited their current title due to their strength and their favoritism in the royal courts. History lesson over, lets get on with the review.

Really love the art work on every bottle

Colour: Jet black with a brown/tan head. The head is very thick and stays around thought out the life of this drink. So far this is shaping up to be the perfect porter.

Aroma: This beer is very interesting on the nose. From the hops used in the making of this brew (Warrior, Northern Brewer and Cascade), you get smell a mix of oranges and elderflower. Smelling deeper you can also pick up notes of chocolate and coffee. These smells come from the crystal and black chocolate malts used. The smells are not overly powerful and rather surprisingly for an imperial porter, you can not smell the alcohol.  

Body: As with many drinks of this style, the body is quite thick, but unlike a Guinness, this beer is not very creamy.  The drink will cling to the back of your throat with every sip that you take. This is actually rather pleasant session as it forces you to take your time over this beer.

Taste: On your first sip you are slapped around the chops by rich hints of coffee and dark chocolate.These will dance around on your tongue then unleash the faintest hints of liquorice. As the drink warms up, you will notice that there is a sweetening to the dark chocolate notes. Its almost as if the chocolate is getting milker and milker the warmer the glass gets. There is a sharp acidic and some what bitter after taste. This comes from the strength of the alcohol.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/dark-star-espresso-beer.html
Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/st-austell-proper-job.html

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Brewdog International Arms Race

Brewdog International Arms Race

Style: Zero IBU IPA Or Gruit

Alcohol Content: 

From: Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK

Purchased From: Rays Wines, Ashford

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.

Last year Flying Dog issued a challenge to Brewdog for battle collaboration entitled International Arms Race - Both beers are dubbed 'Zero IBU IPA' and the challenge was to brew an IPA style beer using no hops: the hops are replaced with berries, herbs and roots. Now, I have tried Flying Dogs version and it reminds me a lot of scrumpy cider from Somerset. I was not to keen on that but lets see how Brewdog's version measures up.

Colour: On the pour, you a presented with a bright red ale that reminds me of a very old school beamish that my old man used to drink. As the beer settles, a sheen of copper appears in the glass. The head starts off a brilliant white colour and slowly dissipates down to a small amount of foam. 

Aroma: To be honest this has to be the strangest beer I have ever smelt so far. There are so many new and interesting smells rising from the glass, its actually quite hard to know where to start from. Here goes. The first thing you will notice is that this beer smells quite sour. This can be a sign that the beer is off so I had a look at the expiration date on the bottle. To my surprise I had been sold a kipper. The beer had an expiration date of May. However, I decided to pull up my socks and carry on regardless. You are instantly bombarded with notes of cherry, blackberry and mint. There is also a few herbal notes such as thyme and rosemary. Something tells me that this is going to taste funky.

Body: There is a very low/ if any carbonation in this beer. This gives the body the feel of cherry juice that you can buy from the supermarket. This body helps to mask the ABV of this beer making this an extremely dangerous beer to enjoy on a session. 

Taste: On your first sip you will notice hints of gin and tonic mixed with pine and grassy notes. This is undercut with gritty earth notes. Upon the second sip, you can start to pick our herbal notes like rosemary and thyme and a orange peel. To be honest, this drink tastes a bit like a Ricola cough drop. These flavours make sense given that there is no hops in this beer and the herbs have been added to this brew to add flavour and aroma. I have to say I personally did not enjoy this beer very much. It’s an interesting concept by I will not be going back for more.

Similar to: Umm Nothing I've ever tasted or reviewed.
Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/erdinger-uriweisser.html

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