Beavertown Bloody 'Ell Blood Orange IPA

Beavertown Bloody 'Ell Blood Orange IPA

Style: IPA

Alcohol Content: 7.2%

From: Hackney, London, England

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

Beavertown was set up in December 2011 by Logan Plant and Byron Knight in the kitchen of Duke's Brew and Que, in De Beauvoir, Hackney, London. The brew house, situated opposite the two Smokers of the BBQ restaurant, runs at 4 BBL per brew (650 litres - 1150 pints). In March of 2013 they moved out of their home at Duke's Brew & Que and into their new brew site at Unit 4 Stour Road, Fish Island, London E3 2NT. Now with a little bit more space they can push the boundaries of brewing and get more amazing beers out to the thirsty masses. So, after a few long months of searching through bottle shop after bottle shop, i finally manage to obtain a bottle of Beavertown Bloody 'Ell Blood Orange IPA. I'm so excited to try it, that i think a small bit of wee may of come out. So with no delay it's onto the tasting!

Colour: Pours a dark orange with a slightly hazy reddish hue. This colour clearly comes from the use of fresh blood orange which are squeezed and zested into every boil. A brilliant white head is also present and lingers in your glass for the duration of the beer.

Aroma: Notes of juicy citrus fruits mixed with a subtle blend of pine, grass and mango. The aromas will slowly dissipate after a few moments in the glass so catch them while you can. To me this is quite disappointing as it smelt amazing when I popped the cap off the bottle and I would of loved the smells to of linger longer.

Body: The addition of blood orange to this brew really helps to add a juice like quality to the body. It seriously feels like you are drinking a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice with just a hint of carbonation. Weird I know, but it helps to make this IPA very easy to drink and potentially very dangerous given the relatively high ABV.

Taste: Über juicy. Notes of sweet blood orange and slightly sour lemons dominate the palate. The flavour soon mellows to become more vinous and reveals base notes of sweet caramel and crunchy biscuits. The finish is mildly bitter (partly from the hops and partly from the additional orange zest) and feels slightly juxtaposed against the juicy start. This is a perfect beer to enjoy with a spicy pepperoni pizza as it cools and cleanses the palate on every sip. Juicy, Juicy!

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/beavertown-gamma-ray-pale-ale.html

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

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

Beavertown Gamma Ray Pale Ale

Beavertown Gamma Ray Pale Ale

Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 5.4%

From: Hackney, London, England

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

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

Really love their label designs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Founders Backwoods Bastard

Founders Backwoods Bastard

Style: Oak Aged Ale

Alcohol Content: 10.2%

From: Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States

Purchased from: Real Ale Shop, Richmond Upon Thames
http://foundersbrewing.com/

Mid week blues. Ever had them? The first couple of days back after a week off is always intense. First, you log onto you computer to find you have 200 unread emails to trawl through, then every Tom, Dick and Harry wants to ask you questions about your holiday. Before you know it, Wednesday is here and you're already dreaming of the weekend. Luckily, I have a few tasty beers in the fridge for a little pick me up. After much debate, I plump for a beer with real strength and mystical character (at least I think it's Gandalf on the label). The subject of this review is Founders Backwoods Bastard.

Canal Street Brewing Co. was founded in Grand Rapids in 1997 by Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers, home brewing enthusiasts who had recently graduated from college. The company was named after a Grand Rapids area where in 1800s several breweries were located on Canal Street, now Monroe Avenue. The beer bottle's labels originally included an old black and white photo of the original Canal Street breweries with the word "Founders" above it. Thus the company became known as Founders Brewing Company.

Since the mid-2000s, it has become one of the most prominent breweries in Michigan, expanding its market to 25 states and its production capacity to 340,000 barrels per year. Founders was the 30th largest US craft brewery by sales volume in 2012 and 41st largest US brewery by sales volume in 2012.

Colour: Pours a dark ruby red that is almost opaque when held up to the light. A bubbly tan coloured head which slowly dissipates to a light dusting of foam after a few minutes.

Aroma: Instantly you will able to smell the old oak bourbon casks used to mature this ale. Hints of peat like smokiness and a warming sweetness will rise from the glass. The smell is very reminiscent of another one of America's greatest gifts to the world; the infamous Jack Daniels.

Body: Very smooth and velvety due to the low level of carbonation. The drink will tickle your throat and warm your belly due to the high alcohol content. The sensation is very similar to that of a good whiskey; warm and satisfying.

Taste: Smoky peat from the oak bourbon casks present themselves from the off. This builds up to a crescendo of sweet sticky molasses, vinous fruit and warming pepper. The finish is long and complex, offering warming alcohol alongside liqueur, toffee, vanilla and spicy hop notes. For such a high ABV, the alcohol is extremely well hidden under the depths of flavours this beer provides. A great sipping beer to share with you dad or Gandalf the Grey as the bottle suggests.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/gordon-finest-scotch-ale.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/victory-prima-pils.html

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

Stone and Wood Pacific Ale

Stone and Wood Pacific Ale

Style: Pacific Ale

Alcohol Content: 4.4%

From: Byron Bay, Australia 

Purchased From: Utobeer, London Borough Market, London

http://stoneandwood.com.au/

So wind and rain is still pounding daily against window. Whilst everyone else is busy complaining about the gloomy weather, I reach for the fridge to gain a little drop of Australian sunshine. Here is my review of Stone and Wood Pacific Pale ale. Now this is actually the second time I have sampled this little drop of sunshine. The first was just over a year ago in the Old Red Cow in London after a hard days SAS training. After hours upon hours of regression analyst, this ditty really brighten up my day. Let's see if she still got it.

Brad Rogers and his business partner established Stone and Wood during the recession of 2008. After many years of working in the brewing industry, they decided to shed the corporate garbage and get back to basis. After setting up their brewery in Bryon Bay, the partners in crime have continued to go from strength to strength whilst still enjoying the beautiful beaches and surf. 

Colour: Pours almost like a pilsner, a brilliant bright yellow with an ever so slight clouding. A light dusting of foam will linger throughout the duration of the beer.

Aroma: Full of summer ripened mangoes cut through with zesty citrus notes from the galaxy hops. What I really like about this beer is you can as smell very fait traits of vanilla. This helps to add a sweetness which really sets it apart from some pale ales on the market today.

Body: Extremely light and unbelievably refreshing. The very soft carbonation helps to create an almost juice like beer that will not clog your throat. Whether you are in Byron Bay or Skegness this drink is perfect for the beach.

Taste: A heady mix of sweet mango and pineapple dominate the palate. The use of pale malts help to add a real depth of sweetness, whilst the blending of galaxy hops provide sweet citrus notes to cover the mild bitter finish. As the drink warms, a slight grape acidity reveals itself. What a little ripper!!

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

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/skinners-heligan-honey.html

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

Wild Beer Company Scarlet Fever

Wild Beer Company Scarlet Fever
Style: Amber Ale

Alcohol Content: 4.8%

From: Westcombe, Somerset, United Kingdom

Purchased From: Real Ale Shop, Richmond Upon Thames

http://wildbeerco.com/

So for Christmas my girlfriend went above and beyond to get me the perfect gift. Firstly was a trip to the Duck and Waffle. If you are not familiar with this establishment, it is a 24 hour restaurant located on the 40^th floor of Heron Tower, London. Whilst there, we enjoyed a slap up meal and a cocktails to boot. The second gift meant even more to me. After talking on and on about taking my first official steps into becoming a qualified beer sommelier, Emma paid for me to attend the foundation course at London’s prestigious Beer Academy. To say I am excited is an understatement and I cannot wait to get started on the 18^th of March.  In the meantime, I will be continuing to write these blogs as a “novice”.

The idea for Wild Beer came to the founders Andrew and Brett during the Great British Beer festival. Disappointed by the lack of breweries producing ales with natural flavourings, the duo approached Arbor Ales to help them realise their vision. A few months later, a dark, barrel-aged beer cultivated with wild yeasts appeared under the name Modus Operandi (a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "method of operation"). Due to the beers success, they moved to their own brewery based on Lower Westcombe Farm in Somerset to continue their metamorphic rise. And it’s paid off, with the brewery winning the New Business of the Year Award at the Somerset Business Awards. Well done guys! The subject of this review is Wild Beer Company’s Scarlet Fever.

Got the Fever??

Colour: This drink pours a thick, rich, ruby red with a slightly tan coloured foam. Now, it took me almost five minutes to fully pour this beer as the head just kept coming and coming.  Don't be fooled into thinking that its due to heavy carbonation, as it was certainly due to multiple opening and closing of my fridge door during the festive season. The thick layer of foam will linger around for duration of the beer.  

Aroma: Although this is not the most potent smelling beer, citrus notes mixed with grass or a bouquet of freshly cut flowers are present in the nose. Sometimes it pays to have a little instead of a lot.

Body: This beer has a very refined, polished body which makes it easily accessible to all comers. The medium mouth-feel helps to create a  slight clogging effect on the back of your throat with every sip.

Taste: Tangy citrus and floral notes, slowly melt into a smooth caramel and a bready sweetness due to the use of English malts, slight reminiscent of a robust, earthy English Porter. The end is very crisp and dry, with a mild bitterness provided by the floral hops. Whilst not being the most flavoursome beer on the market, it would certainly go very nicely with the Sunday roast due to its perfect balancing of flavours. I will certainly be going back to this beer next time I visit my parents. 

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/brakspear-bitter.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/samuel-adams-noble-pils.html

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