Dead Men Brew No Ales

First week back and I am so bushed. I can't complain, got a fair bit done and everything seems far rosier now than it did later. However, I was surprised, pleasantly, by a parcel yesterday that contained not one but two (no, count 'em, two!) beers from someone I know up in Cumbria. Cheers! It would be rude not to drink them quickly and so it is that tonight I fell upon Dead Men Brew No Ales from Renegade like a starving man in the desert falls upon the sand. No... wait, that didn't sound right.

Ah, nevertheless, this is a black IPA, which is always a plus point as far as I am concerned, and I'm looking forward to telling you what I think - which is what I assume you clicked the link to come here for. Would you like to know more?

Ragnar Raspberry

A good friend of mine from Oop North was round a while back in the holidays for a trip round the locality and some decent hostelries, long overdue, but he brought with him a few things that he'd picked up when he was having some time off in Gloucester, because why not. One of them I was very excited to see given the reception it had garnered over on the Twitter-sphere. Being a proper beer-bore I pay attention to these things. Naturally I waited for a day when it wasn't so warm and ventured into the garden.

It is, of course, Ragnar Rsaspberry Wheat Beer from Eden River Brewing Company, much championed by some people I know. And it has been a lovely day for lazing around the garden after taking a tiny child for a long wander. Would you like to know more?

Bucket and Spade

Despite a heatwave of epic proportions and oodles of time to myself, I haven't made it to the beach this summer beyond a small sandpit in the middle of some odd shopping centre. It is, therefore, quite fitting that I find myself with the last real day of the holidays sampling a rather holiday-centric ale brewed for charity from the rather nice folks at Urban Chicken and the Crafty One in Ilson by the name of Bucket and Spade.

I was rather pleased to net some of this, being away last weekend when it was being served for the first time in a local beer festival that I was sad to miss, and I felt I needed more of an occasion than "I fancy a beer" at lunchtime to justify having an ale at... uh... lunchtime. So I mowed the lawn. Productivity! Effort! Beer! And, yes, job was a good'un. Would you like to know more?

Chocolate Orange Porter

Back last Sunday when I was at the Crafty One I was in... shall we shay, rather late. As I was leaving Stuart, for twas he, passed on a bottle brewed by a customer and asked me to have a try and see what I thought. Obviously I drank it stra- no, I did a me and left it in the fridge, fully intending to drink it but still had not by Wednesday when I met the guy that actually brewed it. One Tony Start. Having met him I promised that I would have it on Thursday but... well, I was out on Wednesday and so... well, I didn't.

Now I finally get round to it! Hurrah!

So, I have some Chocolate Orange Porter, would you like to know how it tastes this fine Easter and my thoughts on drinking it? Would you like to know more?

Brazilian Breakfast Coffee Stout

This has been sitting on the shelf in the beer cupboard for nearly a year and, well, it has been sitting there long enough. As the springtime sort of becomes a thing again and the snow begins to recede in terms of threatened falls and the chances of snow-days disappear again for the year it seemed like the time to wake up from hibernation. After spending so much time curled up like some small woodland mammal in the burrow I, like Bill Bailey, have a shock of unruly hair and a need for some coffee. But this is a blog that mainly documents beers rather than coffee and so it comes to pass that I shall be trying some coffee stout.

Of course it's a coffee stout. Today I am mostly reviewing the powerful Brazilian Breakfast Coffee Stout from the rather amazing little Southsea Brewery that was picked up for me by my wife nearly a year ago, well, okay, in the summer, but still a while back. Following on from some pretty big names and big hitters lately I'm not sure what to expect but even if it holds its own it will have been a big one!

The Crafty One

I don't think I've actually reviewed my local bottle shop, which is something of an oversight as it has become something of a fixture for me these days. I went when it was just starting up and assumed I would spend about a fiver a week. Of course I ended up at a tenner, but then he started getting in the good stuff and announcing it on Facebook and so I had to come along and, well, long story short: I remember what it was like to have a bit of spare cash of a month, nowadays I seem to spend it all on beer.

I refer, of course, to the establishment that is The Crafty One Bar and Bottle Shop what is rather amazing and always has some decent stuff in stock or on the craft board. This visit was had because it was announced over Faceparts that there was some Macchiato and Limoncello IPA on tap, so obviously I had to pop along. Would you like to know more?

Burnt Pig

It has become something of a habit that if I have to travel a long distance to the supermarket beyond the roundabout then I tend to drop by my local and get me a half of something nice and lovely. This habit has been rather hidden from this blog since I started it in September and I haven't been posting here that much, nevertheless, as I attempt to breathe life back into this husk of a place and get me writing again it seemed like a good point to start talking of my favourite local haunts.

I refer, this time, to the excellent Burnt Pig Ale 'Ouse that has been something of a feature on here for a while now. Today I want to talk about the board of offerings that they ad on this Saturday and the stout that I was lucky enough to snag with a game of shut the box again, not as good as the collaboration with Urban Chicken but still a decent catch.

Urban Pig

These days I don't get out to pubs very often because I am so busy (woe is me) and so it is something when I get out to try something brewed locally. Basically, when a tweet (yes, I know) crosses your way telling you that there's some chocolate stout brewed exclusively for your favourite ale house now being served you drop the baby duties, which I was involved in, and you get yourself out to sample the brew. Then, as if you needed further encouragement, you accidentally drop into the place again whilst out shopping.

I refer, of course, to the rather nicely named Urban Pig Chocolate Snout from Urban Chicken that was brewed specially for my local boozer. Would you like to know more?