Beer Review: 1643 Leveller Bitter

Fresh from my trip this one. I picked it up in the lovely beer shop at Hog's Back Brewery after seeing them there the last two times I was down - a bunch of ales with feathers in the label and in good strong looking deep brown bottles and with a good range. Mindful of the fact that other people that drink ale have been having ales that can be aged and are a bit special I thought I would splash out and buy a couple of these. I am saving the stout, but the weather was clear and sunny enough for me to try the 1643 Leveller Bitter in the garden.

This is from Two Cocks Brewery in Berkshire which, as the bottle proudly proclaims, was featured on Grand Designs and was set up as a sustainable farm with a brewery side by a couple from London seeking countryside idyll. From a quick trawl on the intertubes they seem to have done a good job business wise and I shall certainly be looking into visiting in person to see if I can nab any of their smaller batch brews in person next year. Would you like to know more?

Gold!

Company was over! Huzzah! I had hoped to play a game or two of Settlers of Catan and get the ales in whilst that was ongoing, but instead we were besieged by our children and so the time came to get in food, that Chinese again, and we eschewed gaming in favour of chatting and sharing youtube videos. Anyone would think that I'm set in my ways or something. Anyway, the point is that we did not really get to the ales until after the first two visitors had left. My Sherwood Forest dwelling friend and I then got down to some serious golden ales.

Which, of course, meant that I had Spandau Ballet in my head after the evening rather than a hangover. Alas, such was the lateness of the hour and the tension in the youtube videos, I failed to take pictures on the night and had to take them in the morning. You may recall some of these ales from previous frolics and so they were to be.

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Beer Review: Premier Bitter

Not the first choice for the beginning of winter, I know, but I thought an interesting one and, you know, the fact that the brewery is in Lancashire will mean that it always holds a place close to my heart. Tonight, I am reviewing the rather straight-forwardly named Premier Bitter from Moorhouse's who were introduced to me by my wife a long time ago around a birthday without me quite realising what they were about and then featured heavily at Hallowe'en (here), because reasons. This is now, in part, rectified.

So, yet another jaunt begins into the world of a man who can wax far too lyrical about ales but who, nevertheless, does not care and does it anyway. When I die, this will no doubt make as good an epitaph as any. In the meantime, dare you follow beyond the link?

Festival Beer: A review of some JDW Ales

So, it appears as though JD Wetherspoon's is hosting a beer festival, of sorts, and has been for the whole of October. I noticed this on a meal out with family late into their festival. At the time I assumed I would be driving and so I singularly failed to try a single ale. Tonight, though, I intended to rectify this and went to our local Wetherspoon's to sample what they had. I noted that they had a 1/3 pint offer, that is sample three ales for the price of one, and so I sampled two such triads of ale. Of course I did.

This is by no means the entire range of what was on offer (one need only check out the posts from another blogger to verify this) and so I know I fall short. Still, in service of you, my limited readers, I am but prostrate and eager to share. Would you like to know more of my fact-finding mission?

Beer with a Belgian

It's another multiple beer review which, despite the title, will focus on beers brewed locally and picked up at the local farm with a shop that sells beer. It includes the Nutbrook stable from which I have enjoyed rather a few brews of late (Perfect Fifth linky, Mild Side linkity, and Black Beauty link) and another apparently local brewery by the name of Brampton Brewery. The title, instead, comes from the fact that one of Anna's friends, our Boy's goblin, is over from Belgium and enthusiastically agreed to join in some beer tasting. Yay! She also brought me some Duvel which I shall have to review later (along with the rather delectable Westmaller that I drank after we moved and then didn't review because, well, moving and drinking...). Aaaanyway.

Yes, this could be interesting, only two brews in this but with a tripartite review in full swing they will get a rather good seeing to.

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Beer Tasting: An Introduction

Not quite a cultural exchange as I supplied all the ale, but it did serve as my drinking partner's first foray into beer reviews. I have to say that I am becoming very enamoured of tasting beers in the company of others and, preferably, trying the same ales at the same time so as to compare notes. We must do this again some time!


First: Slightly Shitty Slow-Brewed Summer Stag, Pete's Piss Brewery. ~4.3% ABV. Summer Ale.

It smelled sweet, fruity and light but lacked the citrus-y tang one associates with hops. None of the spiciness of yeast or the mustiness of malt, more mulled than sharp. It poured ginger and auburn with a depth to that colour suggestive of wood but without a head, some froth, with a light and eminently acceptable carbonation by dint of being bottle conditioned rather than added under pressure. In tasting there was a subtle hint of limited yeast that was instantly replaced by a summery light malt, filling the space in the taste, before fading to the bittering hops to finish it off. After-taste was agreed to be acceptable, mainly hops. Overall, this was a surprisingly standard, uncomplicated ale that worked well to explain the rudiments of beer tasting to my companion.

Second: Wild Raven, Thornbridge Brewery. 6.6% ABV. Black IPA.

Smelt very much of chocolate fondue (in the words of Sierra). Oranges and berries were present but wrapped in light milk chocolate melting over a naked flame. Poured very dark, living up to the title of black ale without masquerading as Guinness or Murphy's. As advertised, there was a beige head that filled quickly without fuss. Plenty of carbonation but this seemed less added and more conditioned from the bottle (at least if my own ale is anything to go by). Tasting revealed a hoppy start with a definite tang of exotic fruits before an edge of chocolate malt, surrounded by more citrus hops (the bottle suggested pineapple and that seemed pretty close) that was not a little unlike Um Bongo. Then there was a hops explosion that changed character so many times it was impossible to nail anything at all down. So... the 1980s in a glass? Willow found it "too full of flavours for a beer" and my drinking partner agreed that it was almost impossible to separate out all of the flavours. Everyone agreed that it was "intense" and buddy and I were glad we were on halves or trying to track the different influences would have driven us mad.

Third: Wainwright, Thwaites. 4.1% ABV. Pale Golden Ale.

Opening allowed a yeasty spice mingling with dank musk to escape, a hint of citrus working its way through and hanging around nonchalantly, but the dominant sense was one of the yeast. Poured very much a ligher coloured ale, dark straw, with almost walnut-like tone and warmth to it. Everyone agreed that the taste was "nice" without further elucidation at first. It had the banner across the bottle and Willow announced that it very much lived up to it: "It is exquisitely lovely golden ale!" Definite yeast opening with the initial carbonation as it wallows around the tongue that slowly gives way to the malt that has the barest hint of caramel. the after-taste was telling in that it was a clear indication that this was our first mass-produced ale of the session. Not a bad thing, but, in the company of the evening, it wasn't doing the ale any favours.

Fourth: Black Sheep Ale, Black Sheep Brewery. 4.4% ABV. Bitter.
Crisp and musty vie for control on opening with heavy and yeasty tones shot through. However, the sad fact is that the aroma is very much a reminder that the ale is mass produced in a way that was simply less obvious with the Wainwright and missing altogether from either my ale or the Thornbridge addition. Why? It is dominated by the added CO2. Taste was rapidly adjudged as being "not as much of an adventure" as Wild Raven by my companion and "not bland, but samey enough to be in the background" by Willow, adding: "sharper than the Wainwright". Our newb added that it was "less yeasty". It was definitely the fizziest of the evening and the taste was weak enough that it was murdered by the mere memory of Wild Raven. I was disappointed as I do love this brewery and really rate their ales, but on the evening this just faded and reminded us that it was totally manufactured with a forgettable after-taste that borders on being 'generic'. It's dark and nutty colour with fine head, alas, promised far more than it could deliver.

Fifth: Business As Usual, Derby Brewing Company. 4.4% ABV. Amber Ale.
This had a smell that was dominated by a mellow malt that almost left us with the sense of Horlicks (helpfully suggested by my companion's wife). The bottle claimed a toffee aroma and there was certainly an edge of that involved. Suffice to say that it wasn't so much a hoppy ale as it was a malty one. It poured with a minimal, almost white cell like, fizz and a businesslike head. From the first sip it was clear that this lacked the industrial level of carbonation seen in Wainwright or Black Sheep Ale and that lemon and lime citrus hops would play a large role. My drinking partner announced it "one of his favourites so far" and joined Willow in pronouncing that the taste was 'fresh' and clear (as one would expect with such sharp hops). Indeed, the hops very much forced the malt into hiding for much of the experience but there was enough to prevent an overpowering souring of the taste. A very strong showing for the last ale of the evening.






In the event, my drinking partner and Willow were unanimous in their praise and choice of Business As Usual as their preferred ale of the evening. For me, I thought it was very good but paled against the Black power of the Wild Raven. We all agreed, with varying degrees of sadness, that the weakest showing was Black Sheep Ale. It was simply up against some of the better ales I have tasted of late and thus out-classed by all but the Wainwright, that had the advantage of being light and spicy.

My happiest moment of this evening was the fact that all present agreed that my ale was good enough to edge into third place. In such august company I think I can safely call my first brewing attempt a success!

Beer Review: Shambles Bitter

Now that my own brew has been tasted and reviewed by others, albeit not on this blog, I don't feel so bad about branching out and trying some others that have been stacking up waiting for my treatment of them. Tonight's effort goes to Potton Brewery's Shambles Bitter as I have been marking and fancied something alcoholic to ease the evening.

The bottle is one of those simple ones that I seem to like and brown glass, another plus. Obviously artificially carbonated rather than bottle conditioned upon opening and it poured well with a lot of activity but a fizzy and fast head that didn't hang around. Tawny colour, darkening to walnut, with the definite scent of bitter hops hanging around but nothing obvious enough for me to pin a flavour to it. At 4.3% ABV this was shaping  up to be a comfortable ale that would fit nicely into a relaxed evening.

First sip was not too heartening. A brief hint of malt gave way to some bittering hops but these lacked punch or nose. Then it was gone. After-taste was watery, of all things, and whilst not awful was not really in the same range of quality I have come to expect. After my night out in Leeds and Fuller's 1845 I think I am coming to expect a little more from my tipples of an evening. Carbonation is very much artificial but hardly enough to fill the gap left by the taste. It's hard to adequately describe my disappointment with this bitter. It has all the right component parts - bitter hops, light malt, good colour - but they never really combine. The best I can do is say that it feels as though the overall taste has shrunk, and now the space is taken over with the water in which the brew was made. If it were a cordial I would say it had been made too weak, the sort of tea where the water is introduced to the teabag briefly and then left to mull on the milk.

Willow tried it too and pronounced it 'nondescript'. She also, interestingly, concurred with my statement that my own homebrew tasted better than this. I mean, that's not a good sign for this ale. Given I bought it over-priced, I feel, from my local supermarket before Christmas I am very disappointed with the result. I had been saving this as something that would be clever and crafted and... well, it was from the Home Counties. I expected refinement. I got cowardice. This is the Cadman of ale, for those that remember Victor comics and annuals in the late 1980s. Likely to see the enemy and then spend too long trying to find a cowardly way out rather than beat a retreat. Insidiousness that causes routs, I fear, rather than decisive actions that lose or win battles.

It'll do for the evening, it's not that bad (it's not Tod's Blonde after all) but it pales rather badly compared to my latest ales and tastings. Here's hoping the next selections won't fare so badly!

Beer Review: Yule Love It

Christmassy beer time of the year! Yes, for Christmas I was bought a whole selection of Christmas themed beers and so it stands to reason that I should review them as and when I get round to them. Bear in mind the fact that I have brewed my own this year as well and so I have been drinking considerably less professionally brewed stuff, this could take me a while.

Tonight it is the turn of an effort by Thwaites called Yule Love It (I see what they did there) and I confess that I was looking forward to this one because of my love of Thwaites as a brewery and the efforts of theirs that I have enjoyed in the past.

None too clever bottle though. I mean, the design lacked the gravity that I like to associate with a brewery from Lancashire whose older symbol was two plough horses. The bottle was reassuringly dark and brooding however and the love I have for them outweighed my disquiet at the almost too cheery and simple packaging. On opening one is immediately taken to task by the odour, in a nice way. It is very Christmas spice. It was very much what I associate with rich Christmas cake and brandy butter and the taste of a Christmas tea I had a few years ago (I don't really drink tea, but I could tell that difference). So full marks for getting the right kind of perfume for the Holiday period. On pouring one is struck, or I was anyway, by the tawny and oaky colouration to the beer. Not too much carbonation but more than I have had with my own, slightly sparkling I suppose.

The first sip revealed a hint of fuggles in the bittering hops with an underlying light malt that seemed almost at odds with the generally darker colour of the beer. There was a big head, not too vigorous but still making it's presence felt, that was creamier than I have come to expect from bottled beers. Having an actual walk to pubs where we now live means that I can actually partake more often of cask ales and I have realised that they have creamy heads as a rule (even Black Sheep!) so I was a little surprised by the creaminess of the head. There was a richness of flavour that gave way rapidly to some string bitter hops. A lasting aftertaste follows, fading slowly to a memory of smooth malt at the back of the throat, in the nicest possible way.

After mulling it over (ah yes! Mulled wine! That's what this smelled of!) I believe that this ale smells much nicer than it tasted, but I don't mean that as a criticism, for it tasted pretty good. Had this beer tasted as the smell suggested it ought then we would be looking at the kind of ale that would make you stand back in fear and wonder after taking a sip. Indeed, truly awesome ale. As it is, we're looking at merely good ale. The kind of 4.5% ABV middle-of-the-road ale. The kind that would session well and play a keen role in any evening in which it was a part but not one that would have you writing home or seeking out immediately.

Enjoy around the festive season, accompanied by a proper meal of turkey with all the trimmings (maybe get an extra bottle to add to the gravy, you won't be disappointed), or late on a winter evening. It's not, strictly, a winter ale (it lacks the weight) but it will serve you nicely if you don't expect too much from it and take it as it comes.

Beer Review: Lancaster Bomber

Time to enjoy something that a friend of mine likes. This friend from University was drinking proper ale before I even knew the difference between beer and lager and so it was about time that I trusted their judgement and tried it for myself.

It is, of course, Lancaster Bomber from Thwaites and so is something from my own youth and past that somehow passed me by. Part of that may well be because I was rubbish and more interested in not drinking a drop of alcohol in my youth.

On opening there is an a hoppy and malty aroma that is pleasant and not a little dissimilar to that of Wainwright that I tried a while ago. However, the carbonation really takes a hit of that nose and makes it difficult to judge from the bottle alone. At 4.4% ABV there's not a huge kick to this but when pouring it out there is a definite pungence of alcohol about the whiff that is actually rather pleasing, reminding you that are dealing with a mature ale rather than some natty energy drink.

In the glass I was surprised to see that it actually has a ruby undertone to the nutty brown that it colours. Darker than chestnut, it reminds me of the sheen one gets on conkers in the autumn, and also there's a vinegar like hue there too. But the similarity ends there, thank goodness! There's a froth to begin with but the head doesn't hang around for long, reminding me of the ale I had in the Norfolk Broads by accident, and the fizz seems to have disappeared after a minute or two. Still there on the tongue but not in evidence in the glass. Of course, I haven't chilled it and am tasting at room temperature so that may have something to do with it.

Fruity tones on the nose in the first taste, followed by a pleasant low spicy feel to it as it swirls around the tongue. Not too strong, the hops leave a lasting impression before being briefly overtaken by the barest hint of malt. It's not anything that will have fireworks going off in its name or that will make you want to sing its praises but nor is it tasteless or bland. It is a very sessionable ale, one that will stand repetition and being drunk with strong flavours at a meal. I reckon it would go well with steak or, if you are a vegetarian, with a good nut roast: I would suggest that cashews would work well, but ladle on the mushrooms to really complement the taste and spice of the hops. The bottle tells me that they are late hops, whatever that means, but I don't really know how that changes anything. There is a passing resemblance to Late Red so I suppose that's your late hops right there. Not as strongly hoppy as Thoroughbred Gold nor as smooth as Banks's Bitter but I like it.

Overall, this is not one that does well out of being drunk singly. It would be best as part of a session on an evening or as part of a proper meal. It is neither thirst quenching nor so dry that it requires water on hand but, rather, works well and holds its own. Enjoy this after a day at work or on a long evening, it probably wouldn't do so well out in the sunshine or with a curry for example. Let it breathe a bit, give it some room, and hang fire on the bar snacks. Would do well from the pump rather than from the bottle, though from a bottle is still very serviceable. Another sharing beer methinks, rather than a drinking alone tipple.

Beer Review: Best Bitter

Another night of me drinking ale and another beer bought for me by my students. Tonight it is the turn of St Peter's Best Bitter in a specially created bottle that is modelled on one presented to some fella as he crossed the Delaware in the War of Independence and was produced in Suffolk. I confess to being a little bemused by that particular reference, but there it is.

First impressions of this were good, there was minimal carbonation and the bottle was in fact pleasing to hold and pour from. The colour was pleasant and chestnut with a frothy head that soon disappeared after pouring. It is a warm colour with a good aroma to it of spices and citrus from the hops. At 3.7% ABV it is on the weaker end of the spectrum of ales that I review but it is not harmed by that. First taste is an assault by hops and very bitter but with a fresh aftertaste that means you feel ready for a second sip rather quickly. Not a downing beer by any stretch of the imagination, this is one to be savoured and enjoyed. Little malt to this, though enough to stop it being thin and cruddy, and it is dominated by those bitter hops. Not sure of variety but they are less smoky than I would expect of Fuggles, perhaps close to Cascade or Pearl. Very enjoyable on the tongue and weak enough that I don't have to be too wary with it.

This was had after my evening meal and so doesn't have to compete with my food for flavour, but I get the impression that it would work well with salad or summery foods generally. Probably not going to work with fish or strong red meat in gravy but a friend of anything vegetarian methinks. I wouldn't pit it against a curry or a chinese but that's not a criticism as I really like this ale. It's simple, uncomplicated and gets straight to the point at a level of strength that means I don't fall asleep or fall over.

Enjoy this on a bright evening or a dark winter night with either a fine summery meal outside or the crackling fire of a campsite. Get a few in if you can because you'll want to repeat the experience a few times!

Beer Review: Flying Scotsman

This is something I'd seen ages back at the National Railway Museum in York and decided that I must try. Luckily for me I managed to wait and buy it elsewhere. The bottle was not changed but the price was much better for my wallet and for that I am grateful. However much I like an ale I do prefer paying my usual for it and this came in an offer. By all means buy it if you are ever at the NRM but bear in mind that they have an additional mark up over supermarkets.

What is it? Why, it's Caledonian Flying Scotsman that is as much based on a train as you can get with some yeast, some hops and some water brewed and then bottled for your drinking pleasure. I had it alone, with no food accompaniment, and unchilled.

There is a distinctive, and not unpleasant, smell when you open the bottle; a snick of carbonation, but that just carries the malt and the hops to the nose. The first sip proved it to be a proper Scottish bitter, on a par with Black Sheep rather than the creamy Cumberland brewery. It was sharp, tangy and with an underlying maltiness that gave it a weight befitting something with 4% ABV. It let you know what you were drinking and there is no way that it could sneak up on you and leave you drunker than you realised. In many ways it really is based on a train. Let me explain: once you start drinking this it is clear that each sip will increase the speed, so to speak, of the taste getting to you and you build up quite a head of steam by the end of the bottle. That's not to say that it demands to be drunk in groups, but at the same time I was disappointed to reach the end of the bottle and thus the experience.

If you're a fan of malty tangs, as I appear to be, then you will enjoy this very singular taste. I haven't had anything else from this brewery yet but if this was anything to go by then perhaps I ought to be having more of them and soon to sample just what can be done by these guys. It is properly Scottish too, soft on the tastebuds whilst also packing a nice punch that will leave you warmed and glad to have taken the time to listen to what it had to say. Easily holds it own, and I suspect would make a good partner to any strongly flavoured food because it has such a distinctive taste of its own, it wouldn't back down in favour of anything less than a particularly strong curry I'd imagine.

Drink with a meal, maybe something by the Pogues playing in the background and reminisce on the inter-sectionality of the Celtic world, their trials and tribulations and the evils of bloody Cromwell. Imagine a steam train whistling and barrelling through a darkened landscape, snorting its way up a hill and drawing an express sleeper behind. And then, when relaxed and happy, nod sagely to your drinking companions and begin that game of dominoes that you've promised to do for such a long time and never got round to. A good, strong ale with plenty to recommend it.

Beer Review: 1698

Tonight I have been mostly drinking 1698, a heavily fortified beer from Shepherd Neame brewery, who appear to be fast approaching being the one I drink the most from. Certainly my last sojourn to Black Sheep left me feeling that it was no longer my beer. This one is in a stout little bottle and makes few or no claims for itself.

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Beer Review: Cumberland Ale

Tonight is the turn of a beer that was brewed close to where we went on holiday and is a reminder of my life in Carlisle - specifically attending a friend's birthday on the way to Workington - Jenning's Cumberland Ale.

Cumberland doesn't exist any more, of course, it's part of Cumbria now and the label carries views of the Lake District - as if that makes any difference. Still, its heritage is apparent in the taste - very much reliant on the yeast and the hops than the malt. There's Golding in there, I think, and it shows through more than the yeast. A citrus tang pervades both after-taste and aroma, which is not unpleasant, and there is a fire to it - something I like in an ale. I have memories of this as the first beer I ever tasted at a mate's eighteenth birthday do and I remember it being creamy. It is not creamy at all. Fuzzy little head, like Ruddles, and a finish to that as it fizzes away like you see on streams running over rocks. It is very carbonated too, close in fizz to Veuve Clicquot champagne actually, and this has the double effect of making the alcohol go to your head faster and masking the taste a little. Both are not positive parts of the experience - they aren't bad, they just aren't positive.

It weighs in at a pretty strong 4.7% ABV and it is slow in letting you know about this. Sovereign sort of announces its strength by beating you over the head, in a good way, but Cumberland sort of creeps up on you after several sips and tastes beforehand. As a bottled ale it does not do as well as it ought, it is much better on tap from the cask at a bar. It is a 'cold' beer, in that it is not a warming taste even when served at room temperature. It is a summer drink.

Drink this in the garden from the bottle or, better yet, in a pub watching the cricket. Best in a breezy, and thus not too hot, summer day on wooden benches and tables. Eat proper pub grub, for this is a table ale, like steak and chips with a French mustard. It is a slow drinker and can stand to go a bit flat from the bottle or simply drunk over time from tap. Don't expect too much and this will serve you well. A perfect companion ale, to be had in the background rather than taking centre stage like a good understudy. Never a first choice but, equally, should never be left til last either. Choose above Square Ale (Black Sheep) but eschew in favour of Thoroughbred Gold.

Beer Review: Iceberg

Following on from a hard slog at work I decided to get a beer for the evening.  Imagine my happy surprise when I saw that there was some Titanic Iceberg there, fondly remembered from the Cultural Exchange a while ago.  Of course, I bought it, and so it seemed wise to review it too.

Opening the bottle reminded me of the heady hoppy smell that it had and the pleasing feeling it brought with it.  Reminiscent of evenings off and time spent doing enjoyable things rather than work.  There was nothing really in the way of citrus to it, or to the taste of the beer itself.  Lovely and golden when poured out into a glass and with the hint of pubs of my youth.  Indeed, it put me in mind of some rather nice Thwaites stuff in the way that it went down.  A strong hoppy and spicy taste begins matters, followed by a mellowing and then a nice warm feeling as it passes down to the throat.  There's autumn in this beer, something like crisp leaves underfoot and a musty smell of burnt wood hanging in the air - it sounds hoity toity but it's the best I've got to fully describe the taste.  It performed well and I like it.

I imagine this is one of those beers that tastes better on tap in a bar, the carbonation was at a low enough level that it didn't smoke as I opened it but fizzy enough to be seen and tasted.  I get the idea that there is more of a creamy texture to be had from the beer that is lacking in the bottled variety.  Not sure what to make of that, I'm not generally a fan of creamy ales, but I think this one, for all that I enjoy it and will probably have it again, would benefit from a creamy texture to augment the overall mellow-ness of the taste.

At 4.1% ABV it around the mid-point of my tipples as they are developing and thus would probably be able to be repeated - something that would be a good thing.  Drink this around the dog-days of summer through the beginning of winter and you won't go wrong.  Drink in company of friends and people with whom you want to strike up a friendship.  It can be repeated, it can be shared and it probably won't be the most expensive pint on offer.  You won't be disappointed.

Beer Review: Cultural Exchange

This was a multiple beer night, so I can't do full reviews of any of them.  It was a 'cultural exchange' in that the three people involved in tasting the beers brought beers that were local to them.  I think it was a great success and look forward to doing it again and posting the results here.  On a Thursday, of course, as has become (kinda) a tradition.

The guests were, in the order of being drunk: Colley's Dog from Tring Brewery; Old Leg Over from Daleside in Yorkshire; Iceberg from Titanic breweries and Side Pocket on a Toad from Tring again.

The first of these, Colley's Dog was a ruby beer that claimed to have a nutty walnut flavour to the aftertaste and also that it was "not overstrong".  I found it to be a heavier drink than my usual tipple but too dissimilar from Riggwelter for me to make the link.  Certainly there was a fruity aroma to it and the fizz was surprisingly delicate after seeing the bubbles and the amount of head that was produced.  I detected some liquorice in the flavour and it had a tendency to stick around in the mouth, almost as though it were viscous.  Alas, I didn't think to take notes so I haven't got the ABV.  I enjoyed it, but it would not really have been something I'd have had outside the exchange.  I think it needs to be drunk with a meal that involves meat and is much more suited to the wintertide than the warm evening that it was drunk on.

Old Leg Over was essentially a standard bitter with a silly name.  It had nothing special in the aroma, apart from a definite tang of yeast that was clear after Colley's Dog.  However, thankfully, the yeast was not overpowering and there was a definite taste of hop.  Lord knows what hop but there was some, that fiery spicey sort of feeling one gets from having a good beer.  My company, far better versed in this game than I, suggested Goldings in a mock deprecation, and I suspect he may have been correct.  Certainly it was not fuggles or Crystal.  It was a warm beer and, strangely, I think would go well with a strongly spiced meal such as a curry or Mexican dish.  Actually, better the latter, a dry heat to a meal would suit the slightly 'wet' aftertaste and the extra heat would compliment the smoother feel to the beer.  Again, no ABV this time.

Iceberg was the offering from the locality and by far the best of the bunch.  A lovely smell with citrus tangs about it and a lovely golden colour.  It put me in mind of summer ales and honey beers, though this didn't have the same sweetness or heavy flavour of a proper honeyed ale.  It had a fizz to it and may even have been good chilled, though I confess to enjoying it warm.  There was a good blend of hop and yeast to this one so that the two combined well to create a fuller and more satisfying flavour.  There was another claim of nuttiness but I didn't detect it, I got the extra barley though and there was a much more wheaty texture to it, if that is the right word.  This one stood well on its own and would do well before a meal.  Indeed, the warm evening and the pressure of the coming thunderstorm meant that this ale was best suited to the environment.  Well chosen and easily drinkable.

Finally there was Side Pocket on a Toad.  I think this suffered a great deal by being the last one to be tried and so I shall fall short of describing it fully, it deserves another chance all on its own.

Beer Review: Banks's Bitter

Time for a beer.

Tonight's offering is Bank's Bitter.

First of all, I love the bottle for this one, it's dark and brooding and the label is nice and understated, background if you will. It doesn't shout itself to the world and, instead, lurks in the forgotten corners of the discount beers in Morrison's. This is why I have bought it, it was cheap, and I am glad that I did.

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