Weird Beard And Electric Nurse Bearded Nurse

Weird Beard And Electric Nurse Bearded Nurse
Style: Barley Wine

Alcohol Content: 10.2%

From: Hanwell, London, United Kingdom

Purchased From: Purchased from: Real Ale Shop, Twickenham, United Kingdom

http://www.weirdbeardbrewco.com/

Barley wine is my favourite style of beer- it's rich, dark and nicely full-bodied. So when I was having a hunt around the Real Ale shop in Twickenham, I was dead chuffed to find this Barley Wine by a brewery I already know and love; Plus, I love the label with the little skull face and nurses' hat (such a girlish thing to say!).

Weird Beard hail from Hanwell in West London which makes them a local-ish Brewery- it was formed by two chaps with a passion for both beer and beards! The craft brewery is known for their experimental style and this Bearded Nurse is no exception. It is a collaboration with their friends at Electric Nurse, who had in their words "a malt bill for a killer Barley Wine" and then they threw in their favourite hops to boot; Pacific Gem and Amarillo. I like the sound of that! This is the kind of drink you know has to be sipped slowly at 10.2% volume, so i'll leave it out the fridge to warm up, and help myself to a slice of homemade Courgette cake.

Colour: This drink pours a reddish-brown, like that of a peach skin. When held up to the light you can see through it. Actually, it looks like I've just poured myself a massive glass of whiskey (especially as the head dissipates as quick as flash).

Aroma: Potent notes of whiskey, caramel and smoky peat dominate the nose. However on the second whiff, out come the smells of a gorgeous banoffee pie with a delicious buttery, biscuit base. Yum! My mouth is salivating!!

Body: I would describe this beer as medium to full bodied, as it coats the back of the tongue nicely. Due to the lack of carbonation, this slips down far too easy (need to watch out for that!). However, with each and every sip, the alcohol is becoming more and more overpowering.

Taste: To start with, it's like a boozy Banoffee pie - it's absolutely gorgeous. All the flavours come through at different times so that you can really appreciate them on the tongue. The flavours are bold and beautiful with a warming, spicy depth to them. The biscuity, malty favours then subside and as I keep sipping, the alcoholic content becomes slowly overwhelming. Towards the end of the bottle, I feel as though I am drinking a short and my tongue has gone dry. It's a real shame as the other flavours of this beer are not strong enough to hold up against its alcoholic volume. Quite frankly I'm struggling to finish it so I'll have to see if Kev fancies a sip!

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/sambrooks-brewery-no5-barleywine.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/dark-star-espresso-beer.html

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Redchurch Brewery Soreditch Blonde

Redchurch Brewery Soreditch Blonde
Style: Blonde

Alcohol Content: 4.2%

From: Bethnal Green, London, United Kingdom

Purchased From: Beer Boutique, Putney

https://theredchurchbrewery.com/

Everyone loves a good blonde. Both literally and figuratively.

Redchurch brewery started life back in August 2011 after being founded by ex solicitor Gary Wood (I'm starting to see a rising trend of ex legal employees entering the brewing trade here). Based in Bethnal Green, East London, this small brewery currently brews three times a week and spends the other two hand bottling. Like many London based breweries, red church have a small tap room which opens every Thursday evening at 6.30pm.

Colour: Pours a bright sun bright yellow complimented with a brilliant white head. This head will fizz down to a light dusting after five minutes but it will linger in your glass for the entire duration of the beer. If you hold the beer to the light, you will notice that there is a slight hazing as the yeast slowly settles in the glass.

Aroma: I generally find that blondes are very delicately scented, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that Soreditch Blonde bucks this trend by launching a full frontal assault on your nostrils. A light infantry of grassy notes land early on the palate to help capture the key taste buds. Soon after, the howitzers of oranges and lemons open up to pummel the beaches until the earthy GI notes storm forward to relieve the bridgeheads. Top stuff!

Body: Just like a game of  football; this is a beer of two halves. Firstly this beer is extremely light and refreshing due to the soft carbonation that tickles the back of your throat on every sip. However, as the drink rises to room temperature, the body begins to develop into something slightly creamy, almost akin to a Weiss beer. This morphing causes the drink to clog slightly on the tongue and eventually leaves your mouth feeling as dry as the Sahara desert.

Taste: Full of fresh lemon which are perfectly complimented by soft delicate elderflower. The lemon flavouring adds a tart, sour edge to the after taste which dries your mouth out. As I eluded to above, the characteristics of this beer change as the drink warms. Hints of creamy cereal and spicy coriander begin to reveal themselves encouraging you to drink more. What I find most remarkable about this beer is that all of these complex flavours come from the use of Warminster maltings paired with the Classic European Saaz hop and the US Chinook hop. Sometimes it's simple ingredients that can provide remarkable flavours. A real surprise (just like Everton signing Romelu Lukaku for £28 million. Chelsea, what are you thinking!!!)

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/nogne-o-blonde.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/sambrooks-brewery-no5-barleywine.html

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

Oakham Ales JHB

Oakham Ales JHB
Style: Bitter

Alcohol Content: 4.2%

From: Peterborough, England, United Kingdom

Purchased From: Beer Boutique, Putney

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

In the words of the immortal Eminem; "Guess Who's back, back again!"

So after a amazing two week holiday to Croatia, I'm back blogging again. As some of you maybe aware, the World Cup has finally started and already England have been knocked out of the completion. Whilst most people will be crying into their pints of Fosters over Gerard's "back pass", I am using this opportunity to abuse the fantastic beer deals on offer in most major supermarkets. So far I have picked up a bottle of the brilliant DNA (a delightful collaboration between Wells and Dogfish head), the potent Boilermaker by Brains and the subject of this review; the intriguing Oakham JHB.

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.

Who is Jeffrey Hudson?

Colour: If my girlfriend saw me pouring this beer, I have no doubt she would scream "Blimey o'Reilly!". Having drunk numerous pints of bitter during my lifetime, the colour of this beer was not what I was expecting. Pouring a straw yellow with a thin white head, this has to be one of the palest bitter I have ever seen. Perhaps this drink is a wolf in sheep's clothing (much like Costa Rica World Cup performances). The thin white head laces the glass perfectly pulling you further under the spell of this intriguing drink.

Aroma: A bouquet of zesty lemon and delicately soft elderflower rise to greet you from the glass. These aromas do die away quite quickly after just a few minutes in the glass. Personally, I would of preferred the nose to linger longer as I love a good smelling ale.

Body: Perhaps one the lightest bitters to grace the planet, the soft carbonation playfully tickles your throat leaving you feeling refreshed and gagging for more. This beer is so delicate that you could quite easily pair this with grilled sea bass or plaice.

Taste: From your first sip, you could be forgiven in thinking that you are drinking a thirst quenching pale ale. Your palate is instantly bombarded with heady notes of sharp citrus fruits promptly followed by a crisp, dry bitterness that cleanses your palate after every sip. As the drink warms, a slight sour edge appears in the aftertaste which, in my opinion, rounds the drink out perfectly. As I mentioned previously, this is totally not what I was expecting from this style. An absolutely glorious beer that that makes a refreshing change to the established norm. Now pass me another one before Luis Suarez bites another Italian!

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/east-london-brewing-foundation-bitter.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/wild-beer-company-scarlet-fever.html

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

Durham Brewery White Stout

Durham Brewery White Stout

Style: White Stout

Alcohol Content: 7.2%

From: Durham, County Durham, England 

Purchased from: Beer Boutique, Putney, London, England

http://www.durhambrewery.co.uk/

The Durham Brewery was launched in August 1994 by two former teachers, Christine and Steve Gibbs.Thier initial brews came under the guise of the "White Range", a series of playful experiments using different hop varieties over a pale malt base. So successful were these experiments, that in 1999 the brewery upgraded to a 10 barrel production line and launched a range of bottle conditioned beers a year later. Thier adventurous bottle range is now available from the lightest 3.8% to the darkest 10%. By the end of the decade the brewery had outgrown their current premises and the brewery purchased some additional space to house their offices and a hospitality area.

A White Stout i hear you cry? Just like you, I was so intrigued when i saw the label, i just had to buy it. But what does the term White Stout actually mean? Well two hundred years ago, before the Porter brewers of London commandeered the term "Stout" to refer to a Stout Porter, the term used referred to a strong beer. It didn't have to be black in colour, just stronger than 5% ABV. Here is Durham's attempt at this traditional style, their White Stout.

Old School Celtic label

Colour: Pours a light copper or pale orange. A beautiful, thick white head is also present. It's so thick, it actually reminds me of a Mr Whippy ice cream I eat every time the sun comes out.

Aroma: This beer has such a beautiful nose that you could almost say its very similar to a German Weiss beer. Notes of spicy cardamom, cumin and sweet juicy mango will fill your nostrils and make you believe you are sitting on a beach in Goa. Personally, I think that this beer would work very well with spicy Asian food such as Kung Po Chicken or prawn Pad Thai.

Body: Even though this drink is clear, it actually feels rather heavy in the mouth due to the strength of the alcohol. This sensation mixed with the use of Columbus hops, causes a slight clogging on the back of your throat which can be a little unpleasant at first but this soon dies down to reveal a pleasurable drinking experience.

Taste: Notes of juicy blackberries and sweet mango dominate the palate on the first sip. This eventually gives way to hints of spicy cardamom and warming alcohol, followed a long, dry mildly bitter finish. Everything about this drink screams to me IPA! The strength and the sweetness of this brew remind me of the Kernel Brewery Columbus IPA I reviewed earlier in this blog. A drink of varying characteristics, that will add a spicy kick to any drinking session.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/kernel-brewery-ipa-columbus.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/east-london-brewing-foundation-bitter.html

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

Thwaites Crafty Dan Big Ben

Thwaites Crafty Dan Big Ben

Style: Brown Ale

Alcohol Content: 5.8%

From: Blackburn, England, United Kingdom

Purchased from: Wine Rack,Weybridge, UK

http://www.thwaites.co.uk/

This Sunday i headed into Putney to visit the gents at the Beer Boutique bottle shops. I was rather impressed by the variety of beers on offer and how the beers were arranged by style rather brewery. For a reviewer, this helps you balance out what you purchase ensuring that you can cover an array of styles. Needless to say, my wallet took a major hit as i came away with a staggering fifteen beers. Highlights include: Durham Brewery White Stout, Thornbridge Halcyon and Sharp's Quadruple Ale. Naturally all of these will appear on my blog at some point. So stayed tuned!

Thwaites Brewery is a regional brewery founded in 1807 by Daniel Thwaites in Blackburn, Lancashire, England. The firm still operates from its original town centre site. A variety of cask ales, draught beers, lagers and ciders are produced in Blackburn or imported from Europe by Thwaites. In 2011 the brewery opened a small Micro brewery called Crafty Dan and since 2013 they have been bottling three of their favorites. One of them is the subject of this review, Crafty Dan's Big Ben. 

That's really big!

Colour: Pours a dark brown with a light tan head. You could be mistaken in thinking you are about to sample a porter or an old school beamish given the slight red hue. The head does not stay around very long but a dusting of foam will follow you throughout the duration of this beer.

Aroma: Strong, spicy hops follow straight out of the bottle. This is promptly followed by citrus and freshly cut grass, wrapped in a sweet maltiness. Excellent stuff. The blending of six unique hops help to create this exciting bouquet. These are Fuggles, Goldings, Challenger, Citra, Chinook and Summit. How on earth did they fit all of that into the hopper?

Body: A lot lighter in your mouth than you would expect. This comes from the sweetness of the malt, which when combined with the six hops, creates a velvety smooth drink that does not clog your throat. Lovely stuff!

Taste: Notes of sweet toffee nut, which leads to a creamy bitter finish. It reminds me of a quality street chocolate called The Purple One (a hazelnut with caramel). The hops create a very long, bitter finish. I wasn't expecting too much from this beer but I was pleasantly surprised. It's certainly a beer that I would revisit and even recommend to my mum (see always raids the quality street tin for the Purple One at Christmas).

Porter in disguise?

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/founders-backwoods-bastard.html

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

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

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

Meantime Coffee Porter

Meantime Coffee Porter

Style: Coffee Porter

Alcohol Content: 6%

From: Greenwich, London, England

Purchased from: Meantime Brew Shop, Greenwich

http://www.meantimebrewing.com

After months and months of badgering my girlfriend, she finally relented and agreed to accompany me on a tour of the Meantime brewery. When we arrived, I was quickly accosted by a proper London cockney known only a Big Al. This lemon squeezer (geezer) was certainly loud and proud of his East end roots. He dropped beautifully crafted one liners followed by ever so charming compliments. Quite frankly this man was a stand up comedian with a passion for craft beer and well worth the entrance fee alone! After a hour of his routine and several samples of beer (including my favourite Yakima Red), we embarked on a tour around the brewery escorted by the extremely knowledgeable Jack. It was certainly the most entertaining brewery tour I have ever attended and is well worth a repeat visit. Emma enjoyed it especially due the fact that Big Al asked her for some fashion advice. Turns out they are both big fans of Aquascutum (what ever that is?).

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. Does the 2014 version hold its own? Let's find out.

Colour: Pours a thick, sticky jet black with a light tan head. The foamy head will stay around for the duration (always a good sign in my book).

Aroma: As you would expect for a beer with the word coffee in the label, the dominate aroma is bitter coffee. This aroma is underpinned with notes of dark chocolate from the blend of chocolate and roasted malts. Sublime stuff! 

Body: Slightly lighter than Meantime's original London Porter, but this could be due to the fact I drank this rather promptly after removing it from the fridge. A noticeable thickening effect takes place after fifteen minutes in the glass. Note to self, always serve you drinks at the correct temperature.

Taste: Full of very heavy americano notes which linger longer due to the bitterness of the hops. An extra coffee kick is provided by the addition of freshly ground coffee during the mashing process. These beans help to add the essence of dark fruit whilst the roasted malts provide sweet chocolate notes on the dry finish. Each sip will have you gasping for more. Meantime really know how to make great beer and make me proud to say I'm a Londoner.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/dark-star-espresso-beer.html

Different to:http://beefsbrewery.blogspot. co.uk/2013/07/hogs-back-hop-garden-gold.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

Lovibonds Dark Porter

Lovibonds Dark
Style: Porter
Alcohol content: 4.8%
From: Henley Upon Thames, England, UK
Purchased from: Waitrose, Windsor
http://www.lovibonds.co.uk/

The brewing bug bit Jeff Rosenmeier in 1994 after tasting a friend's home made stout. Jeff couldn't believe the result and bought brewing equipment, soon discovering a hidden passion. Jeff moved to Henley-on-Thames in 1996 and fell in love with the beauty of the area. He continued to develop his brewing skills while taking a keen interest in the town's rich brewing tradition and the up and coming craft brewing movement.

In June 2005, Jeff decided to make his passion his day job, leaving behind a successful career in software engineering. He set up a small brew plant on his property and began piloting his flagship beers on a small scale. Jeff said, "I started delivering beer in small quantities to a few free houses in Henley and Reading and I was really encouraged by the response of our first customers".

The inspiration for the Lovibonds name came when Jeff was viewing a site in Henley for the brewery, which had previously been home to John Lovibond and Sons, Brewers and Merchants. Jeff said, "We were discussing the uses of the building through its history and the existing tenant handed me a lovely antique Lovibonds bottle. I loved the name and was impressed by the respect that the brand had locally, and so Lovibonds Brewery was formed."

Colour: Dark as the night sky with a thick white or slightly tanned head on the pour. Like all good porters, this head stays with you thought out the life time of this beer.

Aroma: On the nose you are all most over whelmed by notes of rich Arabica coffee mixed with rich hints of dark chocolate. If you really get your nose in the glass you can pick out very faint hints of liquorice. Personally I really dislike liquorice as it reminds me of the black jack sweets I used to get given at school. Oh those painful memories! Hopefully the beer won't taste lie them otherwise its going straight down the sink.

Body: As with most porters, this drink is quite heavy and thick. It certainly is a very slow sipper. Rather oddly, this beer leaves no stickiness as on the that after its drunk.

Taste: Due to the heavy use of dark malts in the making of this beer, rich smoky coffee flavours are abundant. It is almost like some one has lit a fire and the smoke has permeated into the drink itself. This has produced a very robust taste which may put off someone who is new to this style of drink. There are also faint hints of dark chocolate with a slight acidic or mineral aftertaste. This mineral quality comes from the hard water that can be found in the area around Henley upon Thames. This beer would be the perfect accompaniment to a rich creamy British Stilton. Lordy my mouth is watering already.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/left-hand-brewery-black-jack-porter.html
Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/brewdog-dead-pony-club.html

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

Hogs Back HOP Garden Gold

Hogs Back HOP Garden Gold

Style: English Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 4.4%

From: Tongham, Surrey, England, UK

Purchased From: Waitrose
http://www.hogsback.co.uk/

Hogs Back Brewery is a brewery in Tongham, Surrey, England, and named after the nearby Hog's Back ridge. The brewery started in 1992 as a joint venture between two friends, Martin Zillwood-Hunt and Anthony Stanton-Precious. Growing rapidly since then, it now produces 40,000 pints per week and supplies over 500 outlets.

A couple of weeks ago me and my old man paid a visit to the Hogs back brewery. We where the first to arrive so popped into the shop. Walking up the stairs I said to my dad, "oh we should pick up a case of their beers". I was left to eat my words as not only did they sell there own stock, but a truly amazing selection of world beers. I quickly made a list and then headed on the tour. The brewery is located in some old farm house so all the equipment has been packed into a relatively small area. The tour takes around an hour and a half and at a mere 12 pounds was well worth the money. We also got to sample (and I use this term very loosely as I think I drank around four pints worth) some of there beers. We tried their new Summer Ale, their stable TEA, HBB (hogs back bitter) and the subject of this review HOP Garden Gold.

Colour: When you pour this beer into a glass, you are presented with a pale brown liquid with no head. Now I always enjoy a nice head on a beer due to the fact that this is where the aromas are stored. So I'm quite disappointed that there is not one present in my glass. The beer is slightly hazy in the glass but you can still see though it.

Aroma: As there is no head, it's actually quite hard to work out what this drink smells of. You really have to get your head fully in the glass to work out what's in there. Sniffing deeply you can pick up notes of sweet molasses cut though with sharp lemon zest. There are also very, very faint floral notes.


Body: Being as the UK is experiencing temperatures of 32 degrees at the moment, this beer will slip down a treat after a stick day in the office. Very light and extremely refreshing which makes it a perfect drink for the summer time. There is a slight sticky mouth feel after each gulp.

Taste: Fresh from the fridge you are bombarded with fresh lemonade and lime notes. As the beer warms, these settle down to reveal deep rich sticky caramel notes mixed with crushed hob nobs. I'm always amazed as to how flavours develop as beer warms. There is also a slight acidic after taste which helps cleanse the palate after each sip.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/robinsons-dizzy-blonde.html
Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/skinners-heligan-honey.html

 

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

Kernel Brewery IPA Columbus

Kernel Brewery IPA Columbus

Style: IPA

Alcohol Content: 7.2%

From: London Bridge, London, England, UK

Purchased From: Utobeer, Borough Market
http://www.thekernelbrewery.com/

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.

Now I will admit that I have heard a hell of a lot of good things about this brewery. It seems that everything they touch turns to gold. So seeing as this is the first time that I have tried anything of theirs. I'm very excited to bring you my review of the Kernel IPA Columbus.

Colour: On the pour you are presented with a lovely light chestnut brown beer. Holding the beer closer to the light you can see a slight yellow hue. There is a beautiful white head in the glass which takes along time to dissipate.

Aroma: Lord oh mighty, this beer a pleasure on the nostrils. On your first sniff, you will be bombarded with scents of Elderflower, grass and tropical fruits like mango's and kiwi's. Smelling deeper you will start to pick out zesty citrus fruits such as lemons, limes and grapefruit. Honestly if this beer tastes as good as it smells then we are onto a winner! Boom!

Body: Compared to a lot of IPA's this beer is quite light due to the light hopping of this beer. This mixed with the low levels of carbonation create a truly refreshing and crisp drinking experience. The beer is very soft in the mouth and leaves no sticky residue on the palate. The softness of the beer helps to mask the high alcohol content of the beer.

Taste: There is a pleasant grassy/elderflower tone to the beer at first. Once settled in the mouth there is a dramatic unveiling of mango's with sweet limes mixed with pine and wild gooseberries. There is a slight bitter orange peel after taste. This beer tastes very fruity for an IPA. That being said this is a truly amazing beer that I would quite happily drink over and over again. Top marks kernel, you are as good as others say you are.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/williams-brothers-joker-ipa.html
Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/left-hand-brewery-black-jack-porter.html

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St. Austell Proper Job

St. Austell Proper Job

Style: Indian Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 5%

From:St Austell, Cornwall, England, UK
Purachsed From: Tesco

St Austell Brewery is a brewery founded in 1851 by Walter Hicks in St Austell, Cornwall, England. The brewery's flagship beer is Tribute Ale, which accounts for around 80% of sales. Tribute was created to commemorate the 1999 solar eclipse, and has won several awards around the UK since. This includes becoming the Winner of the SIBA South West awards in 2007. Other popular ales include Proper Job, Tinner's Ale and Duchy Bitter. Personally, I am a massive fan of Tribute. Ever since I first tried it down in Somerset, it will always be my go to pint in my work local, the Jolly farmer. So with that in mind; I am looking forward to trying this beer.

The next couple of reviews will be slightly different to my previous posts. Last Sunday, I took four bottles of craft beer over to my parents house. Myself and my dad would have half a bottle each and review them together. Since i have been writing my blog, my dad has been very supportive and curious about the craft beer world. Below is a picture of the four beers i took over to my parents. This should be interesting!

 

 

Colour: A glorious light amber. It looks almost like heaven it's self. Once poured, you will notice that this beer is heavily carbonated. Upon looking at my dad's glass, I noticed that his vessel was slightly flatter. After closer inspection (and reading the bottle), we decided that my glass had some of the yeast from the bottle conditioning in it. This caused a secondary carbonation in the glass. The head is a brilliant white that will linger throughout you drinking experience.

Aroma: As soon as you open the bottle you are blasted with notes of sweet grapefruit and oranges. You can tell my old man was impressed, as he did not describe the aroma as "malty" as he seem to say about all beers. Instead he suggested oranges, lemons and kiwi. Maybe my influence is starting to rub off on him.

Body: After a few sips, I think my dad is rather taken with this beer. After carefully placing his beer on a coaster, he declares; "You know what? I wish I had knew about this beer ages ago. It's my perfect summer beer. How many did you buy of these?" There is a lovely crisp feel to this beer. Refreshing and delicate on the palate, this ale is getting a thumbs up from the Parsons boys. Just have to try and convert my little brother now.

Taste: Now for the tasting. Taking my first sip, I pick up notes of juicy citrus fruit such as oranges, lemons and kiwi. There is a slight sweet honey quality to the finish which is cut though by a bitter hop blast. This leaves you wanting another more. The old man suggested, "The lemony flavour makes this beer refreshing and extremely drinkable." High praise indeed from the big man.

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Adnams Southwold Spindrift

Adnams Southwold Spindrift

Style: Golden Ale

Alcohol Content: 5%

From: Southwold, Suffolk, England, UK

                                                                Purchased from: Tesco

Adnams PLC is a British regional brewery company founded in 1872 in Southwold, Suffolk, England, by George and Ernest Adnams. The company produces cask ale and pasteurized bottled beers. Annual production is around 85,000 barrels. The Sole Bay Brewery in Southwold was purchased in 1872 by George and Ernest Adnams. The company was incorporated in 1890, and has remained independent since then, producing a range of beers for distribution mainly in East Anglia. The Adnams family was joined in 1902 by Pierse Loftus and his brother Jack, and Adnams still has members of each family on the board, with Jonathan Adnams as chairman and Simon Loftus as a non-executive director.

In 1993, Adnams Extra won the Champion Beer of Britain, an award presented by the Campaign for Real Ale at the annual Great British Beer Festival. Adnams remains committed to brewing cask ale and operating non-themed pubs.Cask ale is available in all its 70 pubs, and it supplies more than 1000 other outlets direct. New fermenting vessels were installed in 2001-3 to cope with demand, and the brew house was completely re-equipped in 2006-7, making it one of the most energy efficient in Europe.At the beginning of 2004, Adnams purchased land in neighboring village of Reydon to expand its business with a new distribution center designed by architect Jeremy Blake, which was nominated for the 2007 RICS East of England Award for Sustainability. Adnams was awarded a Queen's Award for Enterprise in the sustainable development category in 2005.

For his review we will be delving into the world of Spindrift. One of the unique characters about this beer, is that it comes in a dark blue bottle. It is certainly the only beer that I'm aware of that comes packaged like this (let me know if anyone knows any more). The Spindrift is also heavily themed to show of the East Anglia Swash. So lets dive right into the sea and pull out a review!

I Can See the Sea Dad!

Colour: Very pale brown colour very similar to good quality Czech lagers such as Staropramen or Kozel. On the pour you get a small white head which stays for about two minutes and then leaves the joint. You are left its a small amount of foam to enjoy. The delicate foam reminds me a lot of the wash off the sea on a Weymouth beach in summer. Ah I reliving my youth just by looking at the beer.

Aroma: On your first sniff you will be blasted with sensuous pineapple and kiwi notes. It really invites you into this beer but unfortunately these fresh fruity smells die away after some exposure to the atmosphere. Smelling the beer again you will pick up sweet hop and hobnob biscuit notes. This beer has many delicate layers to it, that subtly interplay to give you a beautiful aroma sensation.

Body: I'm starting to think that every beer I seem to review is light and refreshing, so I'm going to try an expand my vocabulary. When you have your first sip you will notice that this beer is quite robust. It's actually a little bit heavier than it looks. The mouth feel is not clingy but you will notice that takes a little longer than say a lager to leave you.

Taste: This beer is mildly sweet on the tongue with a refreshing crisp finish which cuts though the sweetness leaving your thirst quenched. Whilst drinking this beer I could taste hints of white grape or kiwi mixed with cashew nuts. Odd mix I hear you cry, but it really works an the flavors compliment each other very well. You are also left with a slightly mineral notes at the end which really help cleanse you palate. I first tried this beer a couple of years ago in a a cocktail bar in Richmond called B@1. After drinking far to many Tennessee Iced Teas, I elected for a beer. Thinking I would be served some standard lager, I was extremely pleased to be offered a Spindrift. It was a great break from the overly sweet drinks. If you are new to craft beer, give this drink a go and you will be sailing the seven seas in no time.

Message In The Bottle?

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Bath Ale's Gem

Bath Ale's Gem

Style: Amber Ale

Alcohol Content: 4.8%

From: Warmley, Bristol, UK

                                                           Purchased from: Cost Cutter

Bath Ales is a brewery located in the town of Warmley, Bristol, north-west of Bath, England. The brewery was established in 1995 by former employees of Smiles Brewery in Bristol. Since that time, it has experienced steady growth, which included opening a new bottling plant in 2007. The brewery uses simple label artwork, featuring a dashing hare. It brews eight beers, which are sold in both the cask and the bottle.

The seasonal ales are Festivity (5.0% abv), a seasonal rum porter; Rare Hare (5.2% abv), a seasonal premium bitter and Dark Hare (4.0% abv), a seasonal stout. Regular beers include Gem (4.1% abv), a best bitter; Barnstormer (4.5% abv), a dark bitter; SPA (3.7% abv), a golden pale ale; Wild Hare (5.0% abv), an organic golden pale ale and Golden Hare (4.4% abv), a light ale. Natural Blonde (5.0% abv) is an organic pilsener lager, which is brewed at Budelse Brouwerij, Budel, Netherlands.

A Rare Gem!

Colour: A dark chestnut brown which seems a bit strange given that his is an amber ale. For some reason i was expecting a light amber colour rather than the chestnut i was presented with. I can remember sampling this beer at one of bath ales pubs in oxford called The Grapes and I remember it being paler or maybe it was sample size. That being said, it looks like a bitter in the glass. On the pour you get a very inviting and thick white head. The head will linger for awhile reducing to a small bit of foam.

Aroma: Just like the colour, you can really smell warm chestnuts covered in sticky brown molasses or sugar. It smells so Christmassy, that I wanted to put the decorations back up. On the Christmas theme, you can also pick up notes of cinnamon and pepper the deeper you smell. I can just imagine myself having a couple of these with my old man down a pub down in Somerset. Ah bliss! What more do you want from life?

Body: This beer is a little heavier than it looks so enjoy it slowly. The mouth feel feels like a bitter as its velvety smooth, rich and satisfying. Full and temping this beer just keeps inviting you to have another sip. So get involved and try some.

Taste: Now we come to the most important part of the review. The tasting. On your first sip, you will receive notes of sweet treacle with a refreshing dry finish. It's almost as if you are eating a sticky toffee pudding (unfortunately minus the custard, and I love custard). On the second sip, you should be able to pick out notes of the chestnuts I mentioned earlier and hints of brown bread. For me, everything about this beer screams that its a bitter. For those that know me I love my bitters. Yum yum!

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St. Peters Indian Pale Ale

St. Peter's Indian Pale Ale

Style: IPA

Alcohol Content: 5.5%

From: Bungay, Suffolk, UK
Purchased from: Waitrose

St. Peter's is an independent brewery founded in 1996 by John Murphy in former agricultural buildings adjacent to St. Peter’s Hall in Bungay, Suffolk, England. The brewery produces cask ales, though are better known for their cold filtered bottled beers. The distinctive oval shape of the bottle is based on an 18th century gin bottle, which had been originally made for an innkeeper on the Delaware River. John Murphy, the owner, founded Interbrand - the marketing consultants, and is a professor of marketing at a British university. He has said, "I know about international branding and marketing. That is the vision behind St Peter's." The brewery also owns a pub in Clerkenwell, London, The Jerusalem Tavern.

The brewery produces around twelve regular beers plus another six seasonal. St Peter's is well known for its Organic beers. In November 2007, the Independent newspaper conducted a blind tasting by a panel of judges of bottled beers and lagers to create a 'Top 50 beers' list and St. Peter's India Pale Ale was voted overall winner. A new gluten free beer, G-Free TM was launched late in 2007 and is approved and licensed by Coeliac UK.

Colour: This beer is a light chestnut brown which on the pour has a rich and luxurious white head. This leaves quicker that you can say speedy Gonzalez but it does leave behind a slight layer of foam. This beer is inviting me in with its come to bed eyes so to speak. I am very excited about this beer.

Aroma: As soon as you open the bottle the aroma over powers you like a waterfall. Wave after wave of sweet hop bombard you almost into submission. This beer seriously has to be the most aromatic beer I have ever drunk or reviewed so far. If you can get you nose close enough to the brew, you will also pick up lovely honey notes. Now this is a smell that you would not normally associate with this style but its certainly a welcome change to the norm. Variety is the spice of life after all.

Body: This beer is a lot richer than other IPA's I have reviewed. It's almost like a hybrid between a Brewdog Punk IPA and a Greene King IPA. Now this richness could from the sticky honey notes that I referred to earlier. Personally, I quite like this blend of styles but it may not be to every bodies tastes.

Taste: Once you have your first sip you will notice how hopped this beer is. It actually says on the label that this beer is now more hoppier. The first time I tried his beer, it almost blew my socks off as I was not prepared for the hoppy sensation delivered to my taste buds. This time the flavors seemed to of matured and mellowed. The sweet honey on the nose, also translate to the taste. In short this IPA is everything you would expect and more. Crisp and hopped, with a lovely sweetness to finish.

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Meantime London Stout

Meantime London Stout

Style: Stout

Alcohol content: 4.5%

From: Greenwich, London, England

Purchased from: Waitrose

Normally i would begin each blog by writing about the brewery. However, as i have review Meantime's Chocolate Porter earlier in this blog, i thought i would write a bit about the origin of the stout (I promise i will keep this brief).

If you lived and worked in the London Docklands during the 18th and 19th centuries, you would of most likely of known a porter. A porter (much like today) would help move your bags between the ship and your hotel. Eventually (and simply due to the sheer volume that they consumed), Porters would lend their name to a strong dark ale. Before 1700, London brewers sent out their beer very young and any ageing was either performed by the publican or a dealer. Porter was the first beer to be aged at the brewery and dispatched in a condition fit to be drunk immediately. The stout first appeared in the 1730's. Stout where first classed as strong Porters, but as time evolved, they became there own unique style. For example, Guinness Extra Stout was originally called "Extra Superior Porter" and was only given the name Extra Stout in 1840. Stout is now enjoyed the world and Guinness has become one of the biggest players in the commercial beer market.

Brief history lesson over. Now onto the tasting.

Colour: Dark as the knight or jet black like all good stouts should be. On the pour you notice a large head is formed. The head takes on a whitish brown colouration that is rather bubbly (not like the creamy head that normally accompanies a Guinness). 

Smell: From the bottle, you are hit with scent of toasted biscuits with a hints of vanilla and milk chocolate. These aromas come from the mix of dark malts and hard water used to brew this beer. This beer is very inviting. 

Body: Very similar to that of a Guinness but without the creamy edge. This beer has a velvet/silk mouth-feel.  It definitly feels a bit heavier than the chocolate porter that i reviewed earlier in this blog. However, that being said you would be able to have a couple of these before you would noticed how full you where.  

Taste: This beer is full of earthly complex flavors. On your first sip, you are greeted with a mild filter coffee taste. You also get some sweetness which will make you think someone has slipped a sugar into your coffee, i mean beer. Also on the palate, you get notes of hazelnut with a slight mineral finish. I can imagine that this finish comes from the hard water that is used to brew this beer. London has traditionally been know as a hard water area. Hard water, is water that is high mineral content as opposed to soft water which has a low mineral content. Good examples of soft water style beers would be Pilsner. One thing i will note is that the hops used are not overly powerful creating a very mellow flavor  This is a sipper beer which would be best enjoyed by the fire on a rainy winters day.

Hello Guvnor !

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Meantime Chocolate Porter

 Meantime Chocolate Porter

Style: Porter

Alcohol content: 6.5%

From: Greenwich, London, England

Purchased from: Waitrose

Last week i was due to go to a craft beer pub in Richmond called the Pig's Ears with my good friend Mala. Now i had not seen Mala for quite some time so i was very excited about the evening. Whilst on the train i heard that a signal had failed in Barnes and that no trains where running to Richmond. I hopped of the train at Twickenham, crest fallen. Firstly i was not going to see my friend but secondly i was not going to have any tasty beers that evening. After talking to the staff at south west trains, i worked out that i had a one hour wait ahead of me. Gasping for a beer i decided to head to a near by Waitrose to see what they had in stock. Lucky they had the Meantime Chocolate Porter in stock, so i picked up a bottle and headed back to the station to wait for my train.

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.

Now i will admit that i have tried this beer before but i drank it very chilled and it spotlit the taste some what. Make sure you serve your beer at the correct temperature people. Now onto the tasting.

Sexy Boy!

Colour: This brew is a dark as the night (like all good porters should be). On the pour you notice a white/brown head a bit like a latte. The head is not very thick and disappears after a couple of minutes.

Smell: As soon as you pour the drink you, get hit with a smell that is similar to a chocolate hobnob. This comes from the four roasted dark malts and the real dark chocolate that they add during the maturation process. Now you may think that as they have used real chocolate that the smell might be quite bitter but its actually very sweet on the nose.  

Body: Light and actually quite refreshing. Normally, i would associate porters to be quite heavy so it was a pleasant surprise that this beer was not like that at all.There is low level of carbonation and pours very smoothly. Here, i will also mention the body of the glass that the Meantime Chocolate porter is served in. It looks very sexy indeed and helps it to stand out from the crowd.

Taste: Just like the smell you get a taste of chocolate hobnob on your first sip. As you enjoy your first sip, you get an aftertaste of an espresso or black americano with a slightly mineral finish. This finish actually helps to cleanse you palate by removing the bitterness of the coffee taste. Now i actually drank my Porter with a Chili Con Carne. The sweetness of the beer helped to balance out the spicy of chili. Very good match indeed!

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