Raising Purgatory

I take the title from my friend's comment on our activities this weekend on a Saturday in Ilson town. I think it most appropriate! Two blokes out for a beer or two with the hope of curry are hardly the sort of combination to cause trouble or raise the roof particularly. So it was that my friend from FE and I descended on the southern part of Ilkeston in the evening to sample ales and discuss matters of import - setting the world to rights - and nary a sporting anecdote to be seen.

There was very little in the way of planning, as one might expect, and a rumble of thunder (that caused a comic dash from me to unplug the EV before setting off) preceded a big fall of rain that pretty much obliterated chances of getting exterior shots of the pubs we visited whilst the joy of catching up pretty much obviated the collection of pictures from within. Luckily my beer bore settings were high so I managed to gain pictorial proof of the ales consumed.

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Exploring

It has been a while since I went around pubbing and Willow had said that I ought to go to my local, so it seemed like as good a time as any. The observant will have noted, however, that my usual notation for just heading down the Burnt Pig Ale 'Ouse is missing: that is because I didn't stay put. A hot day, a warm night in the offing and the feeling that I wanted to be moving all contributed to me not sitting still. That and the fact that the Burnt Pig continues to attract large crowds of friendly people (and I am not very good at being alone in friendly crowds) - no criticism of the place, but it did mean that I got to see some parts of where I live that I have not seen before and have, well, a bit of an explore of an evening.

Also, there was the small matter of the lovely sunset-thing that I saw and think I even managed to capture on my new phone camera. There's a function that messes with the brightness that allows me to take some shots I would simply have been unable to capture in the past.

Now that I have thoroughly bored all five of my readers, would you like to know more about the important parts of my trip: the beers?

Beer Review: Titanic Stout

Back on the stout as it's been a while. Well, okay, not that long but long enough methinks to try another. Also, because I am capricious and strange, I thought I'd have it out in the garden. See, look, you can see the carrots flowering in the background of the picture. Also for a windy day, it was lovely and warm. So there.

Yes, today in my garden I have been mostly drinking Stout. But, wait a minute, I hear you say, you called it Titanic Stout in the title. Why, yes, I did you observant person, you; but it lacks some distinction to call it just Stout so I added the brewery name as well. Makers of the rather nice Iceberg (link).

Okay, now that introductions are out of the way it's time to get to know one another better, don't you think?

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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.