Brooklyn Brewery Summer Ale

Brooklyn Brewery Summer Ale
Style: Summer Ale
Alcohol Content: 5%
From: Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York USA
Purchased From: Ray's Wine, Ashford, United Kingdom

http://brooklynbrewery.com/

Recently, the weather has been unseasonably warm and my mind can't help but wonder back to those sunny warm days of August past spent relaxing at Hampton Lido, and coming home to a refreshing Pale Ale. With this in mind, and after a beautiful stroll around hampton court palace grounds, a portion of beer battered fish and chips, and a little touch of sunburn, I am really up for this Brooklyn summer ale this evening!

Brooklyn Brewery was started in 1987 by Steve Hindy and Tom Potter. Hindy learned to brew beer during a six-year stay in various Middle Eastern nations such as Saudi Arabia and Syria. Upon his return to his home in Brooklyn in 1984, he and Potter, his downstairs neighbour from Park Slope, quit their jobs and founded the brewery. The pair hired graphic designer Milton Glaser, best known as the creator of the logo for the I Love New York campaign, to create the company logo and identity.

Originally all their beer was brewed by contract by Matt Brewing Company, and the pair started their own distribution company and personally transported and marketed their beer to bars and retailers around New York City. In 1996, they acquired a former matzo factory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and converted it into a functional brewery.

Although the brewery looked to expand its brewing capacity in the City, originally most of the production, including all Brooklyn Lager and all bottled products, were brewed by contract in the upstate New York city of Utica, due to the limited ability to meet demand at the Williamsburg brewery, its lack of a bottling line, and the cost benefits of contract brewing. The company later sought to expand its facilities in Brooklyn, but had difficulty finding a suitable site within the borough. However, an economic recession allowed them to remain in Williamsburg and undertake a $6.5 million expansion of the brewery in 2009.

Colour: Pours a bright sun yellow and with a head that fades quickly. Once settled this beer is crystal clear and reminds me of marbles I played with as a kid. Beautiful!

Aroma: Smells like summer, or is it that it smells like the memories of summer? I don't know but I like it! Citrus and watermelon notes steam out of the glass. This is promptly followed by undertones of wet freshly cut grass. Definitely has an outdoorsy vibe to it minus the sunscreen.

Body: Similar to a common lager (though I won't hold it against it) and is rather watery and thin. Doesn't really linger on the tongue but it washes back very quickly. Definitely easy to drink!

Taste: As somebody who is still learning about beer, the first taste reminds me of a Corona.Very refreshing! However, it does have a lot more depth and I can definitely taste a doughy, bread like quality - rather stodgy.  To counter this, the beer has a very clean refreshing edge to it, not too dissimilar to watermelon. It would cut through a smoky BBQ Burger very well! As this beers warms, the flavours get rather more roasted and bread like but the light carbonation and hints of lime promptly clear this away with ease. This is not the kind of beer that I usually go for, but I am really enjoying it. The clean freshness really appeals to me and I would really recommend it as an 'easy' beer.

Summertime in a Glass

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/gambrinus-excellent-11.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/weird-beard-and-electric-nurse-bearded.html

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East London Brewing Foundation Bitter

East London Brewing Foundation Bitter

Style: Bitter

Alcohol Content: 4.2%

From: Leyton, London, England, United Kingdom

Purchased from: Beer Boutique, Putney 

http://eastlondonbrewing.com/

So it would appear that spring is here again. Kids in shorts and flip flops are now multiplying by the day and the clocks have finally “sprung” forward to herald the start of yet another great British summer. This spring is however different. This spring, brings the birth of the first baby among my close friends. Whilst I am over the moon about the upcoming arrive, I can’t help but think I'm getting older and moving into another stage in my life. Talk nappies and houses have replaced talk of ladies and shots. Our hair continues to thin and waists grow ever larger (no matter what products/diets we use to try and fight it). As my hairline recedes, one thing that has improved with age is our appreciation of good beer.

So whilst visiting a beer garden on Saturday, I took great joy in speaking to my oldest friend about the various beer styles and how they are created. He was shocked to hear that Budweiser actually use rice in their recipe. So as we washed down our splendid lunches with a few pints of Fuller’s ESB, I thought to myself how lucky we are to have such an amazing choice of beers right on our doorstep. With this in fresh in my mind, I decided to open a bottle of East London Brewing Foundation Bitter and reflect on my disappearing youth and look forward to all the changes ahead of me.

East London is a small independent brewery based in Leyton, London. After both deciding to give up their day jobs, Stuart Lascelles and Claire Ashbridge-Thomlinson set up their 10-barrel plant in February 2011. While for most people juggling a young family and an embryonic brewery would prove to be insurmountable task, the dynamic duo rose to the occasion and produced their  first batch of ELB pale ale six months later. Due to their tenacity the brewery was able to stay open and eventual expand into the unit opposite in May 2013. Its well documented that good things come in small  packages so let’s see how their Foundation Bitter tastes shall we.  

Colour: Pours a deep, rich chestnut brown with a small white head which will lace the glass beautifully on every sip. Personally I would prefer a larger head on my bitter but that could be down to my dodgy pouring.

Aroma: As soon as you pop the cap, you will feel like you have walked into a bakery just as the loaves are removed from the oven. A baker’s dozen of aromas will rise to meet your nostrils. Fresh baked brown bread and yeast are present from the outset. After a few minutes in the glass, slight hints of sweet citrus can be detected which helps to round out the aroma profile perfectly.

Body: This drink is remarkably light/thin for a bitter, which actually makes it very thirst quenching. However as soon as you swallow this beer you will notice a high amount of clogging on the back of your throat. Although this sensation is not unpleasant, it will certainly force you to slow down and enjoy your pint. For me this is a hallmark of how a good bitter should be drunk; slow and with great company.  

Taste: I always find the Bitter style very interesting. Although the name suggests the drink should be so overall bitter that you won't enjoy it , I personally find that most bitters have a relatively low IBU (International Bittering Units). So I was pleasantly surprised to find that my bottle of Foundation was actually rather bitter in the mouth.  Upfront notes of brown roasted malts provided a taste similar to that of brown bread or roasted hazelnuts. The finish of this beer is very intriguing, with a large amount of bitterness which is underpinned by a slight, sour lemon edge. I was rather taken aback by this a first and it did take quite some time to get used to. That being said, this sourness helps to create the “thirst quenching” edge which sets this bitter apart from the crowd.

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

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/urthel-hop-it.html

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Oakham Ales Citra

Oakham Ales Citra
Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 4.6%

From: Peterborough, England, United Kingdom

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

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

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

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

Little Green Monster?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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