London Fields Brewery Love Not War

London Fields Brewery Love Not War

Style: Red Ale

Alcohol Content: 4.2%

From: Hackney, London, United Kingdom

Purchased from: Nobel Green Wines, Hampton Hill, United Kingdom

http://londonfieldsbrewery.co.uk/

London Fields brewery is a brewery based in the London Fields area of Hackney East London. The brewery was founded by Julian de Vere Whiteway Wilkinson (longest name ever!) and Ian Burgess around the same time of the devastating London Riots of 2011. Like most London based craft breweries, they set up home in some railway arches (either these arches are extremely cheap to rent or the brewers are secret train spotters I can't tell). The brewery has flourished during the past four years thanks to the success of their six core beers and array of seasonal offerings. However, clouds seem to be gathering on the horizon as in late 2014, co-owner Julian was arrested for suspected tax evasion. Fingers crossed this all gets straighten out and the brewery can look forward to a bright future. 

Here I will review one of London Fields Core beers called Love Not War. This beverage has an interesting story behind it as it was initially first brewed whilst the brewers where barricaded in due to the London riots. With those steamy, danger driven days behind them, the team at London Fields emerged with a peace offering to the people of Hackney. A hoppy red ale which they aptly named Love Not War. Let's see if it will calm my nerves after a difficult day at work shall we?

Colour: Pours a warming reddish brown topped off with a off white head. The head soon dies down to a generous dusting of foam that lingers for the duration of this beer. 

Aroma: As soon as you pop the cap your nostrils will be bombarded with heady notes of pine and sweet caramel toast. As the aromas settle, hints of summer fruits and crush hob nob biscuit begin to shine though. All smells very tempting I must admit.

Body: This beer is surprisingly deceptive. The level of sweetness provided by the taste should translate to a relatively thick mouthfeel. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Love Not War feels rather thin in the mouth and is more thirst quenching rather than full bodied. Perfect, after a long summers day at work, but not one for those short, cold nights in January. 

Taste: As soon as this beer hits your tongue, the upfront notes of caramel malts will provide a moorish sweetness which begs you to drink more. As the beer slides towards the back of your palate, hints of pine, grass and pineapple begin to shine though eventually leaving you with a finish that is oily on the tongue and mildly bitter. As a fan of Meantime's Yakima Red, I was hoping this beer would match the perfect blend of malts and hops that Yakima Red provides. Sadly, this beer does not quite meet these standards as I personally feel it's a little to thin on mouthfeel. However, that being said the low ABV allows Love Not War to fall into the category of a session beer which I would certainly return to before the next Arsenal game. 

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

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

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

Magic Hat Brewing Number 9 Not Quite Pale Ale

Magic Hat Brewing Number 9 Not Quite Pale Ale

Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 5.1%

From: Burlington, Vermont, United States 

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

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

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

The Hypnotic Label of Number 9

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

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

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

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

Truly Magically

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

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