Beer - #482 - Golden Eagle - The Bitter End

British Beer,  Discovered genius , Imperial Numbers, and Bragging

Our English Bitter has been referred to as the most authentic English Bitter in New Zealand. 

This is a new beer, leastways I've not seen it in bottles before, from the Golden Eagle people this the is  The Bitter End. They contacted me by email to heads-up on some new bees they have, I like that.

Brewed by Golden Eagle Brewery in the style that is a Bitter and they are based in Christchurch, New Zealand

[caption id="attachment_9718" align="alignleft" width="300"] It really is....[/caption]

This is a 500ml bottle, and it's at 4.4% ABV, which seems authentic, at 30 IBU and 132 calories a serve,  this makes all up 1.74 standard drink units in the bottle.

True to style a Special English Bitter brewed with Bramling Cross here in NZ.

Full bodied with a great malt backbone to support the superb blackcurrant flavours from this wonderful hop variety

What could possibly go wrong?

English beer pub aroma, musty hops.

Did my best but this does not pour with a head, and almost seemed a bit flat, but it wasn't, a head of sorts more a film appears. I really did try I wanted a foam moustache.

Aroma in the glass is really un-missable English bitter.

Nicely bitter, felt like a nice caramel malt middle and finish that was dry/musty. There is a tartness at the back of this though, that's not something I remember well though. Doesn't sit so well either in the scheme of things.

But the upside of this outweighs the downside as it really is quite the refreshing beer.  And it's from New Zealand.

Now, the problem, and of course there is one. The price. I can wander down my local English importer store, or Supermarket, and pick up a variety of English beers from ol' blighty. Some of them quite good, some of them cheaper than this locally produced version.

It is a problem, because some English bitters are good, some very good and well regarded. I accept that this is crafted locally and all that, but I'm not getting a premium over something that is from the source, as it were.

I think that this is good as beer is. but it's a thing that I'd probably argue against in a board meeting, sure I'd probably lose, but this brewer has other beers that are a head above this, and for me I'm not going to go all 'craft' and 'batch' for English Bitter. I'm just not.

Said though this might fit a gap in the craft market, IPA are 10 a dozen, stouts galore, the odd barley wine, some Saisons, some Pilsners and lagers, the 'Bitter' market does not appear to be over addressed, I've had something like 14 English bitters, from England and this is the first New Zealand one in that list.

You see how I lost my own argument there, in a sense, but I'm going to be stubborn and stand my grand on the 'why?' question.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 a of its things from the thing. In this instance though as much as I like this it isn't a beer that it going to be finding a home in the fridge on a regular basis. There are other English Bitters that I'd rather go to, because English.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? I am, it's rather tasty and enjoyable.


2. Would I have another? There is a case for me having another, this available on tap, so might provide the full English Bitter session experience.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I would because it's a bit of a wildcard in a well established and crowded field, brave stuff.

Joining me in this is brilliant yet under appreciated Sixto Rodriguez - this track is "I Wonder". An American gem that got somehow overlooked and lost for too many years. If you like raw and poet like, say, Dylan, you should like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMHdq4jm0oQ

"I wonder how many times you've been had
And I wonder how many plans have gone bad"

BITTER

A gold to copper color, low carbonation and medium to high bitterness. Hop flavor and aroma may be non-existent to mild. Great to drink with steak and lobster.

Beer - #464 - St. Austell - Admirals Ale

In this post: Beer from St. Austell  in the form that is Admirals Ale, Music from Snow Patrol, Random Numbers and double dipping. "I see no ships..."

"This beer contains barley malt and is suitable for Vegetarian"

Another, the last, fathers day gift, St. Austell Admirals Ale, again a supermarket beer, so not difficult to get or particularly rare.

500ml bottle that is 5% ABV, making it 150 calories a serve, and 1.97 standard drink units.

Brewed by St. Austell this is in the style that is  Premium Bitter/ESB and they are in, weirdly, St. Austell, England

Originally brewed as a special to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Nelson’s victory at

[caption id="attachment_9498" align="alignright" width="300"] Ships... I see no ships....[/caption]

Trafalgar in 1805. However, production of the bottled version and, occasionally, the cask has continued.

This premium bottle-conditioned ale has been uniquely brewed using our own Cornish Gold malt. Locally grown barley is traditionally malted using a special kilning process which develops a deeper intensity of colour and flavour than ordinary barley malt.

Blended with both Styrian Golding and Cascade hops, the result is a deep bronze ale with a delicious rich biscuit flavour and a wonderful spicy aroma.

This is a Bottle Conditioned beer.

This uses Celeia hops for citrus and Cascade for spice, it is truly the Christmas pudding of beers.. they say, its September - what could go wrong?

Beer - #463 - Badger - Hopping Hare

This episode: I have an expectation: Crispy, Zesty, Grapefruit, Hoppy. I have a beer, Badger Hopping Hare, some music: Dashboard Confessional, the double dip and a random number.

This was a gift for Fathers day, much appreciated, as is any gift, and available in supermarkets so not difficult to get, or particularly rare or crafty

"Bound to satisfy"

500ml bottle of beer, that is 4.4% ABV and that means 135 calories a serve, this is 1.74 standard dink units in NZ.

Brewed by Badger (Hall & Woodhouse) in the style that is a Bitter and they are in Blandford Forum, England

Light and crisp with a wonderful hoppy aroma and bite, it is an ale that is 'bound to satisfy'.

[caption id="attachment_9490" align="alignright" width="300"] Man with after run glow, meets cold beer[/caption]

To give the Hare its distinctive and characteristic hoppy aroma and taste our talented team of brewers use Super Styrian hops (added twice to the Copper) and Styrian Goldings Dry Hop added to cask for extra aroma. 

Triple hopped - Super Styrian hops added twice to the coppers then Styrian Goldings added. Hopping Hare is thrice hopped with three types of hop used during the brewing process. Aromatic Goldings and Cascade combine to provide an uplifting citrus-grapefruit and floral aroma, whilst First Gold carries the bitterness. The effect is a refreshing ale with a unique hoppy aroma and well-balanced bitterness that is bound to satisfy! It is a terrific match with roast lamb and spicy Thai dishes!

I see. Well I've been out exercising and so this will fill up the space left.

Beer - #453 - Badger - Fursty Ferret *A redux*

MrsPdubyah has been buying me random beer at the supermarket, this time Badger Fursty Ferret, which was beer #6 on the list of beers that I've been writing about so far, it seems so long ago. I rated it then a 7 on my newly made up and arbitrary scale of things.

Brewed by Badger (Hall & Woodhouse)  in the style that is  Bitter and they are in Blandford Forum, England

A 500ml bottle of beer that contains 4.4% ABV of beer, making it about 132 calories a serve, and 1.74 standard drink units n NZ.

Bottle: Pasteurised.

[caption id="attachment_9398" align="alignleft" width="300"] Nice looking beer in the bottle there[/caption]

Named in honour of the inquisitive and extremely “fursty” ferrets of the Gribble Inn, a celebrated golden brown ale, full of character.
At the heart of many a countryside village can be found an inn. A place where locals go to relax after a long day. At one such inn, rumour has it that inquisitive ferrets would sneak to the back door to cheekily sample the local brew.

A sweet nutty palate, hoppy aroma and a hint of Seville oranges, give this tawny amber ale its distinctive personality. Recommended with smooth and creamy West Country Cheddar or indulgent pork pies and mustard.

I wonder what it's like so many beers and tastes later?

Beer - #438 - Hop Federation - American Brown Ale

Dial it back a notch, or up a notch with a Hop Federation American Brown Ale, possibly the oldest beer in the fridge that's not on the save to a really rainy day list

Brewed by Hop Federation Brewery in that style is of  Brown Ale and they are in the romantically named Riwaka, New Zealand

500ml bottle of a beer that is 4.5% ABV making it 1.78 standard drinks in NZ, (Although it says 1.6 on the label), and 135 calories a serving.  32 IBU things which is sort of entry level English bitter or Stout (A Pilsner might be 25 for instance)

Our American Brown Ale is rich and dark with a delicious chocolate caramel aroma. Subtle chocolate and citrus flavours on the palate follow through to a moderate bitterness on the finish.

Dark in colour but lighter in style and with modest alcohol, our American Brown Ale is brimming with comforting aromas and flavours.

At first, it’s redolent with chocolate and coffee, following through with a full malty flavor that’s derived from a carefully managed combination of six varieties of Gladfield Canterbury malts. An edge of dark-cocoa bitterness is nicely balanced by a hint of cherries, giving it the warmth and richness of a dark beer in a light to medium body.

Based on a style of ale that grew from English roots to flourish in America in the late twentieth century, our American Brown Ale takes the tradition a step further with an Antipodean touch.

Got to be good for you.

Beer - #435 - Timothy Taylor - Landlord *Redux*

I'm going again, even though this was only about 30 beers ago, so once more into the breech with  -  Timothy Taylor Landlord  - English beer.

I really didn't like it first time up, and was contacted by the importer and he offered me a new bottle of new stock. Humbled that anyone reads me I accepted.

Brewed by Timothy Taylor in the gold old style that is a Bitter or it might be  of course a real old English Pale Ale and they are in Keighley, England

A 500ml bottle of a beer of 4.1% ABV, all of  123 calories, this makes 1.66 standard drinks in NZ. IBU could be be expected in the 30-40 range

First brewed in 1952 as a bottled beer called Competition Ale. Changed name to Landlord in 1953.

Lets go.

Beer - #401 - Timothy Taylor - Landlord

Run away from the edge -- which I'm doing by drinking this -  Timothy Taylor Landlord  - English beer.  I've seen this around and though I should.

Brewed by Timothy Taylor in the gold old style that is a Bitter or it might be  of course a real old English Pale Ale and they are in Keighley, England

[caption id="attachment_8631" align="alignleft" width="300"] Ye Olde Selfie[/caption]

A 500ml bottle of a beer of 4.1% ABV, all of  123 calories, this makes 1.66 standard drinks in NZ. IBU could be be expected in the 30-40 range

First brewed in 1952 as a bottled beer called Competition Ale. Changed name to Landlord in 1953.

For a beer that is championship winning there is not a lot about it to be found. Like iI mentioned though this is in a number of places so is being sourced in quantity in NZ, I wonder if it's worth it.

Beer - #339 - St. Austell - Tribute (Bottle)

Going the double then - St. Austell Tribute - obviously brewed by St. Austell this one however in the Style of a : Bitter and they are in the romantically named St. Austell, England.

500 ml bottle of a 4.2$ ABV beer - 120 calories in the bottle -  in NZ this is 1.66 standard drinks.

Of course being Tribute I did my own tribute and  Googled it - St Austell named for  Austol - a  6th-century Cornish holy man who lived for much of his life in Brittany.

He was a companion of Saint Méen in the foundation of the Saint-Méen Abbey in Brittany. Meven is said to have been his godfather. The parish and town of St Austell in Cornwall is named in his honour. He is regarded as a saint, with a Breton feast day of 28 June and a Cornish one of the Thursday of Whitsun.

St. Austell’s most sought after ale is available as a 500ml bottled beer. It’s perfectly balanced flavour retains much of the cask versions unique hoppy palate and citrusy nose. An ale to savour and a real Cornish ambassador. Rapidly becoming “the” Cornish Premium Ale, this great beer can now be enjoyed outside of the county of Cornwall. Many supermarkets take Tribute, enabling those who enjoy drinking at home to enjoy the true taste of Cornwall.

This has a strong bready note on opening,  Pours more orange yellow and not what was I expecting which was perhaps a dark beer (dark label therefore.... )  Head fades away quickly.

Aroma just british bitter yeasty bread.

Underwhelmed is what I am, aside from this having more malt in the backbone there isn't anything that you'd tip your hat to.

The pdubyah-o-meter says again 5. Average.  But that this makes commercial sense must mean that they know their market.

I wish I'd picked something else in my fridge to be honest.

• Am I enjoying it? Not at all


• Would I have another?  No.


• Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights?  No, not even for it's inoffensiveness.

BITTER

A gold to copper color, low carbonation and medium to high bitterness. Hop flavor and aroma may be non-existent to mild. Great to drink with steak and lobster.

Related articles

• St Austells dominates Beer of Britain festival


• St Austell Ales brewery and museum visit.


• Dish of the Day: A visit to St Austell brewery


• Things to do in Cornwall - Pubs

Beer - #252- Faversham - Whitstable Bay Organic Ale

Ok, So I was at the English Corner Shoppe and was enticed by this, well not really, I was drawn buy the pretty average but huge selling Iron Maiden beer. But this then the bottle of a Shepherd Neame Whitstable Bay Organic Ale.

Stewart in a straight line this is pretty close amirght?

Brewed by Shepherd Neame or the more romantic Faversham Steam Brewery Company as a Bitter in a place I used to know, Faversham, England

A Pint, 500ml, (near as close) of a 4.5% ABV beer , in NZ thats 1.78 drinks , the Uk 2.3! A 135 Calorie intake,

Ingredients: Organic English barley malt; New Zealand Gem and Hallertau hops. 
"Pure water from our own artesian well combined with over 300 years of brewing expertise create a clean, refreshing ale with a full-bodied flavour."Whitstable Bay Organic Ale is a light coloured ale that is brewed using only organic ingredients, and the brewery’s own chalk-filtered mineral water. It combines delicate hints of fresh hops with the softer, buttery richness of pale and crystal malts to produce a delightful ale.

Stand by then for : A well-defined golden ale that blends citrusy hops with nutty malt flavours to create a fresh drink with additional notes of ripe fruit giving a unique finish

This has that low bitter aroma of English beers, but pure that nice golden brown colour and almost with a head of foam, which is persistent if nothing else.

And as you can tell not a Pint, which would be 560ml, but close enough is close.

This is so so different to other beers that I've been drinking, there is so much more immediate noise in the profile. the Aroma is muted and flat to a note of just malt, the bitter is a ding on a piano scale not a crash.

It's a bit odd to drink a beer like this after so many really nice beers and not frown a bit about how point note this is and how there is no profile or journey. No Citrus, no malts, unless I don't understand those concepts this is devoid. Or perhaps those words do not mean what I think the mean.

his is a crash of bitter tang, with not a lot of carry and a sharp finish. It's a quintessential English Bitter. All immediate and delivered. You don't enjoy this beer you drink it.

Enlightened to realise that this has NZ Hallertau and Gem hops in it, doesn't make a difference. The Hallertau brewery uses these hops more effectively, well they don't but then they don't travel them half a world away to make nothing of them. Not all the Hallertau beers, hush me, the Stuntman is a to-die-for.

Calming myself, because now I'm just imagining me in a snug with this, playing dominos or some other game of skill, unrewarded.

Recapping and to get back on track then, this is a bitter beer in the English sense of bitter, bitter not through the actions of the hops as a piece of the profile but as a result of something. It's just a beer of plainness and averageness. Organic or not what' s the justification of the NZ Hallertau or Gem things? Doesn't Kent have a hop thing going on a bit closer?

The pdubyah-o-meter shuns the brit-beer thing with a 5 - average all the way mark for this. If this is your thing, you're upbringing then you might get it, if you're learned at all and drink more than "pint of heavy" or a regular domestic, then this can't be surprising or entertaining for you.

Again for me, not the thing that is going to make me want to dash back home and indulge myself to a liver transplant.  I'm being harsh because this does stack up against many local NZ beers and would not be called out.  But if you're going to call yourself out as "Organic", then make something else of it not just a thing that appeals to the unshed hippy.

I think.

Related articles

• Tasting - Kent Goldings Bitter (halffullpint.wordpress.com)


• The Swan Teynham Beer Festival Fri 29th Nov - Sun 1st Dec (akentishhophead.wordpress.com)


• Whitstable Castle.... (mapsworldwideblog.com)

 

Beer - #189 - Robinsons - Build a rocket boys!

I found this  - Robinsons - Elbow -  build a rocket boys! a beer in the style of a Style: Bitter that's Brewed by Robinsons in Stockport , England.

1. It's and English Bitter


2. It's a beer that the band Elbow helped to create.

FTW

Multi-platinum selling Manchester band elbow designed their ‘build a rocket boys!’ beer after a series of tastings at Robinsons Brewery in Stockport, a stone’s throw from elbow’s Manchester heartland.
Band members sampled a range of Robinsons’ ales to shortlist their preferred style of beer, taste and colour before deciding on a golden ale with a rich rounded body, smooth bitterness, subtle tang of malt and fruity aroma. elbow’s ale is a premium session bitter at 4.0% ABV, available in cask and bottle.

500Ml bottle, (a Pint) of 4% ABV beer, making it about 2 standard drinks. Confusion perhaps between a golden and a bitter beer. but I'm looking forward to it.

Aroma seems "thin", but pours a lovely golden colour, with a fluffy head.  Aroma is confusing me, something metallic, I hope not, perhaps it'll come to me later.

And thin is a way to describe the body on this, although there is a nice finish of bittery. The metallic might be hops I'm not familiar with, like I know a hop from a skip or jump.

There's also some caramel sweetness in this, which you could confuse with "fruits" but it's not, and overall I'd have to confess that in my opinion that it's not an accomplished beer, it's possibly not even a good beer.

Certainly not compared to some beers of the same genre. Again it's thin in body, short in length and doesn't hit any note at all. The bitterness, what there is of it, if a side note.

The pdubyah-o-meter mopes to a 4 , making this a below average beer. There isn't much redemption and if you were a hardcore fan of the band Elbow, and this was comparable to their music then you'd soon switch to something else.  Sadly though they've associated themselves with this disaster, but they probably made a few compromises and as a collaboration it just not work.

Stick to the music, praise the beer,  you'd  never invite a  brewer near your music, I'm sure on reflection that you're probably thinking you should have avoided a foray into brewing.

Or horrendous as it sounds, perhaps you think you did a good job of defining yourselves in a brew, in which case you need to get out more. You'd have to drink a bucket of this to get squiffy, and that's no way to begin to wax lyrical about anything.

p.s. seems Robinson are quick to hitch their name to rock bands, which leads me to think they have no confidence in themselves, and are sharp at the co-marketing.

http://youtu.be/doBsblSJMHE?t=2m25s

Related articles

• Robinsons' Iron Maiden is brewing with success (manchestereveningnews.co.uk)

Beer - #131 - Badger - First Gold

Change of innings at the cricket and Im into a Badger- First Gold. 500ml of a 4% ABV beer (2 standard drinks). This, then, is Brewed by Badger (Hall & Woodhouse) and it's in the style of a  Bitter and they create this in Blandford Forum, England.

"It has taken us over two years to develop this golden brown country ale. Badger First Gold is a country ale from Dorset using a single English hop for purity and character."

And as I write Cook makes a pigs ear and get's himself out. Oh well hopefully the beer is going to make up a bit for that.

I was surprised that this is only a 4% ale, that's really at the bottom end of the scale of things.

Wet cereal aroma, small but persistent head, chestnut brown in colour. The wet cereal aroma fades to bring through a bittery hop, which is altogether better, but it's neither strong or able to put aside the other aromas.

Plenty of carbonation, I don't think I'm a big fan of fizzy, which gives aside to a pretty disappointingly disappointing flavour combination. There's precious little maltiness in this, and the hops are a passenger.

Thin, inoffensive, and masquerading as something it's not. Ha! but it does say "Single English Hop" which accounts for the lack of taste in this, he said jokingly.

This is as bad as is gets for something I thought was going to deliver, not the first time I've been disappointed with a beer, but the first time since I've been disappointed with  one from the UK, in a long time.

At about 4 on the pdubyah-o-meter you'd be well advised to avoid this, I'd be more scathing but it is a 4% beer and suitable for a session of beer, but not a beer you'd like a session with, if that makes sense. I

It's not improving either with sitting, and I'm rather hoping to get to the end rather quickly so that I can get on with something more in line with making me smile. I live in hope.

Beer - #69 - Shepherd Neame - Spitfire

Shepherd Neame Spitfire, this has been in the beer fridge for an indecent amount of time, mostly because of the amazing amount of  beer that's not available in the  stores. Of course its brewed by Shepherd Neame it's Styled as a a Bitter, and it's a visitor from Faversham, England

Originally produced in 1990 as a bottle conditioned 4.7% premium bitter as part of the 50th anniversary of the Battle Of Britain. Pint of 4.5% ABV beer, with a dinky cap that reminds you of a roundel that you see on Spitfires et al from the war movies.

Your starter for 10 on this that you'd expect it be of a quality and therefore deliver something a bit special.

hes said.

I brought this in my English beer moment, and I've had a few beers since then, it's nice to go back to the old country and your roots, because that's always a good baseline.

Pours like a pint, couple fingers of good white foamy head, yusss! The aroma is instantly a throwback to pubs from my past, the sweet malt smell, ah public bar  '79........

wow, as a change of pace this is a full flavoured beer, it's englishness is apparent. Sweet malts, toffee, caramel, and an understated hop. It's a nice english beer coloured beer, when you go back to one from the previous trip around the world it becomes clear that the English have their own thing going on.

This isn't drop dead shut up! beer, it's just beer. It's English beer, it is beer that you get in he pub, and sit in the snug or in the garden and drink, a few times. There's not moment of 'wow' or do they sell it in bigger than a pint sized serving, it's just a beer. A Fine English beer. Alright!

Because I've got a bit more "picky" at beer, this however does end up as "thin", let's be fair though, this is from a billlion gallon container and a mass market, which it does in aces.

The pudubyah-o-meter has to have a duel purpose. 6-10 arbitrary things as is, the rating of all things arbitrary. but picking a beer for someone, and you want to have a bit of old blighty this would be 8-10, and not much by way of disappointment, middle of the road, unprepossessing and a bit mild mannered, a great supermarket beer where nothing is offensive or challenging.

There  are so many better beers than this, but you know what? Like a blankie this is something that you know at some point you want to have a hand on, you could easily get drunk on this, play some darts and tell some stories, and then go and do it all again the next day.

which reminds me I have another in the fridge... stand by....

Related articles

• Beers of Europe: England (familynomadic.wordpress.com)


• Shepherd Neame profits soars thanks to Asahi and Spitfire sales (standard.co.uk)

Beer – #44 – Black Sheep Ale

 

 

The Black Sheep Brewery is based in Masham, North Yorkshire, and it's a Bitter. By 'ek as like.



I've found myself abandoned by friends to a night at home, a Friday, can you believe it! But that's okay because I was looking forward to this, and as a starter for whatever comes next this might work a treat.

In a 500ml bottle (Pint as near as not) of 4.4% ABV beer, Black Sheep Bitter smells yeasty like, is well carbonated, but again headless, I might make a career out of headless beer, but tastes a charm.

It's decently fizzy and is bitter enough to taste, to linger but not to hang around like an unwanted guest. But like an unwanted guest it then doesn't bring much else to the game.

I'm not mad about this, but I'm not mad that I brought it. Inoffensive, and enough of a companion to keep you in chat at a pub if it was this or something more commercial. at 4.4% it's brewed then as a session beer, it's not a special or a champion.

Arbitrarily then I'd be thinking 6 from 10 for this on the equally as arbitrary pdubuyah-o-meter. I don't think I'd get this in if friends were coming round. It's nice and coppery, looks like it could be better than it is, but ultimately it's not that and a bag of crisps.

He said.

Related articles

• Beer Friends Nation Review #1!!! Stone Ruination 10th Anniv. (thebeerfriends.com)


• The Beer Nut: Making beer deep in the heart of the Bay State (milforddailynews.com)

 

Beer – #18 in a series – Marston Pedigree

Wow, it's been like drink a beer a night week. Tonight I have a pleasurable guest in the name of Marston Pedigree, a 500ml sized bottle of Classic English Pale Ale.

This is a spectacularly nice beer, and I'm as happy as my picture looks, well that's not true because I look a bit of weirdo in the picture but let me tell you I am smiling away like a smily thing.

It's rich and Golden, and has a taste that really hits the spot for me. With an ABV of 5% this is  something that I would be happy to hanker down over a game of dominos with, or more correctly over Game of thrones with. This really works for me unless you hadn't worked it out already.

We only use natural Burton spring water and traditional varieties of barley and hops (Maris Otter Barley, Fuggles and Goldings hops), rather than less expensive, commercially grown, modern hybrids. Unique in this world, it is still brewed in the oak casks of the Burton Union to preserve its unique character, consistent quality and taste. 

Needless to say this is at 9.5 Arbitrary stars on the equally as arbitrary Pdubyah-o-meter, which is just as well since I have a fridge full of more exotic things left to drink, and they're going to have to be good to beat this and get a 10.

In and of itself a fine beer, and thanks to the fine people at WineCircle in Huapai who keep me on the straight and narrow. Twitter them @winecircle

Related articles

• Beer - #17 in a series - Oh wait it's a Cider - Rekorderlig (pdubyah.com)


• Beer - #15 in a series - Stoke Bomber- Bohemian Ale (pdubyah.com)


• Beer - #16 in a series - Emerson's Weissbier. (pdubyah.com)


• Beer - #13 in a series - Banana Bread Beer (pdubyah.com)


• Beer - #9 in a series - Badger Blandford Flyer (pdubyah.com)

Beer – #14 in a series – Lancaster Bomber

Tonight I shall be tippling the Thwaits Lancaster Bomber

yeah, they say :

This chestnut-coloured beer is brewed using pale ale and crystal malt, which gives it a full-bodied flavour. A finely balanced hop character is enriched by the late addition of Styrian Goldings as a dry hop in each cask to give a prominent floral hop aroma and warming aftertaste.

Styrian Goldings, well that could be Pork Scratchings to the ill informed.

IT is a hoppy full aroma beer with a wonderful olde English beer taste. IT's a less strong beer at 4.4 Alc/Vol and it comes as always in the pinty sized bottle. Poured with a nice head too I might add, always pleasant.

It is pleasing and pleasant and would be nice to have with company and around a file, it's that kind of beer, sipping beer not quaffing beer (for my taste)

On the arbitrary stars-o-meter this is 7 our of 10. but is pushing the 8. Score!

Related articles

• Little Creatures Pale Ale (therobotmusteat.com)


• 10 delightfully wicked brews (thegraveyardpress.wordpress.com)

Beer – #6 in a series – Fursty Ferret

I had some of this. Badger's Fursty Ferret It comes in hand pint-sized bottle, so it's just like being in a pub when you're drinking it from a sleeve (As opposed a handle, you see what I did there with a term for a pint glass flash eh!) , it's enjoyable but it's not quite at my personal mark. I looked at the label and the interwebtubes, it says this;



Fursty Ferret has a sweet nutty palate, hoppy aroma and a hint of Seville oranges, give this tawny amber ale its distinctive personality. Recommended with smooth and creamy West Country Cheddar or indulgent pork pies and mustard.

Well what can I tell you it's on the lower end of taste scale, for me,  but it is a pretty beer and no effort to enjoy.

It's an accompaniment beer, not something to hunker down with for a long evening.

So for me it 7 arbitrary stars out of 10 arbitrary stars.

Thanks to the fine people at the Wine Circle Huapai for being my main men.