Beer of the Week (w/e 2nd June 2013)

[ROBCamra]

ROBCamra: Cruzcampo or San Miguel or if I'm really lucky Menorca Brewery Illa
london calling: Ilkley Wit Marie
Bucking Fastard: Fyne Life of Ryely
Aqualung: Brodie's Big Mofo Stout
aleandhearty: Five Towns Monster Mash
oldboots: Saltaire Amarillo Gold
Real ALe Ray: Great Western Brewing Co Meerkat Mild
hondo: Oates Summit
Thuck Phat: M & S Citra IPA (bottled)
Oggwyn Trench: Rowton Atlas
Mobyduck: Portabello Pale
Wittenden: Langham Best Bitter

[london calling]

I did like Ilkley -wit marie last night in a Nicholsons pub in Islington.

[Bucking Fastard]

A week of top quality ale.

Mallinsons - Epicurion
Fyne - Life of Ryely
Red Willow - Directionless
Oakham - Scarlet McCaw
Orkney - Dark Munro
Triple fff - Moondance
Oakham - Sock Monkey
Red Squirrel - London Porter
Dark Star - Hophead
Dark Star - 1910 Porter

Trying to pick a BOTW out of that lot is quite a challenge,both porters were top drawer and the Oakhams delicious.But BOTW goes to Fyne Brewery Life of Ryely,an unusual brew,very quaffable and another winner from this very fine;) Scottish outfit.Supped in The Euston Tap in celebration.

[Aqualung]

A Fairly quiet week :-

Brodie's Mild 3.6%
East London Brewing Co Pale Ale 4.0%
Adnam's Kristal White 4.2%
Brentwood Gold 4.3%
Twickenham Naked Ladies 4.4%
Exe Valley Devon Glory 4.7%
Portobello American Pale Ale 5.0%
Brodie's Old Street Pale 5.0%
Brodie's Oyster Tea Stout (Keykeg) 7.0%
Brodie's Big Mofo Stout (Keykeg) 10.5%

It's high time that this year's Big Mofo Stout got the nod. The 2013 brew is said to be made with Blueberries rather than Cranberries, but to be honest I'm not sure I noticed a difference. This dark, rich, high octane colossus of a beer is dangerously drinkable as it is no way overly sweet like other beers this strength.

I just hope he does another brew for the Autumn Birthday Beer Festival!!


BOTW Brodie's Big Mofo Stout (Keykeg)

[aleandhearty]

Plenty of variety this week, but unfortunately some really dull beers and a fair few not quite at their best.

Rat - Red Rat.
First Chop - Hop.
Kirkstall - Three Swords.
James & Kirkman - Star Gazer.
Brew Co - Hop Ripper IPA.
Phoenix - Black Shadow MILD.
Five Towns - Scouting for Girls.
White Rose - IPA.
Five Towns - Monster Mash.
Brew Co - Cascade.
Goose Eye - Sauvin Blonde.
Oakham - Sock Monkey.
Fulstow - Village Life.
Rat - Light MILD.
Fernandes - Malt Shovel MILD.
Fernandes - Swift One.
Fernandes - Sunshine IPA.

Enjoyed both the Five Town brews, but the Monster Mash just shaded it. Both the Brew Co beers were disappointing. Quite a surprise, as this has been a brewery I've raved about in the past. I'm even going to have to cross swords with BF, as I thought the Sock Monkey had a real lemon washing up liquid quality. I think it's the first Oakham beer I've not really liked.

[oldboots]

Quite a good selection this week:

Marble Manchester Bitter
Hop Studio Blonde
Kirkstall Dissolution IPA
Thornbridge Kipling
Rudgate York Chocolate Stout
Saltaire South Island Pale
Junction Blonde
Oakham JHB
Saltaire Pride
Saltaire Blonde
Saltaire Amarillo Gold
Saltaire Throat
Rudgate Laguz
Leeds Pale
Atomic Atomic Power
Hop Studio Obsidian Black
Ossett Yorkshire Blonde
Rat White Rat
Oakham Inferno
Thornbridge Jaipur


The Obsidian Black was a wonderful Black IPA but the Saltaire Amarillo Gold drunk at the brewery was outstanding (and the brewer recommended it:D)

[Real Ale Ray]

Great Western Brewing Co - Meerkat Mild

[hondo]

Oates Brewing Co - Summit

[Bucking Fastard]

. I'm even going to have to cross swords with BF, as I thought the Sock Monkey had a real lemon washing up liquid quality. I think it's the first Oakham beer I've not really liked.

Mine in The Harp tasted fine and it was the first of a lengthy session.Thought I would check out ratebeer.com to get a third opinion and I found this rather worrying description of the beer.....


Cask, The Slug and Lettuce, Leicester, 18/05/13. Bright lacing gold with a slim white collar. Huge waft of guava, blackcurrant and rabbit fur nose. Earthy, creamy monkey nut base dominated by Rubicon, lemon zest and grapefruit hop. Oakham at their finest.

Rabbit fur:eek:

[Thuck Phat]

A very quiet week for me with only an unusually below par Oakham Bishops Farewell and BOTW M & S Citra IPA (bottled) also by Oakham to choose from. No shame in following lc's call last week though.

[Oggwyn Trench]

Mine in The Harp tasted fine and it was the first of a lengthy session.Thought I would check out ratebeer.com to get a third opinion and I found this rather worrying description of the beer.....


Cask, The Slug and Lettuce, Leicester, 18/05/13. Bright lacing gold with a slim white collar. Huge waft of guava, blackcurrant and rabbit fur nose. Earthy, creamy monkey nut base dominated by Rubicon, lemon zest and grapefruit hop. Oakham at their finest

Rabbit fur:eek:

Sock Monkey was my BOTW last week , and it had some good competition !

[Oggwyn Trench]

Only a solitary Sunday evening session this week :(

Rowton - Atlas
Siren - Soundwave
Woods - Shropshire Lass
Art Brew - Monkey IPA
Six Bells - Zodia
Little Valley - Blonde
Slaters - Monkey Magic Mild

BOTW Rowton - Atlas

[aleandhearty]

Mine in The Harp tasted fine and it was the first of a lengthy session.Thought I would check out ratebeer.com to get a third opinion and I found this rather worrying description of the beer.....


Cask, The Slug and Lettuce, Leicester, 18/05/13. Bright lacing gold with a slim white collar. Huge waft of guava, blackcurrant and rabbit fur nose. Earthy, creamy monkey nut base dominated by Rubicon, lemon zest and grapefruit hop. Oakham at their finest.

Rabbit fur:eek:

Ah, ratebeer! The last resort of the truly sad, the pretentious and the clueless.


Sock Monkey was my BOTW last week , and it had some good competition !

I shall of course give it another try. I like Oakham beers too much not to. Sometimes you're just not in the mood for a certain beer.

[Mobyduck]

Mine in The Harp tasted fine and it was the first of a lengthy session.Thought I would check out ratebeer.com to get a third opinion and I found this rather worrying description of the beer.....


Cask, The Slug and Lettuce, Leicester, 18/05/13. Bright lacing gold with a slim white collar. Huge waft of guava, blackcurrant and rabbit fur nose. Earthy, creamy monkey nut base dominated by Rubicon, lemon zest and grapefruit hop. Oakham at their finest.

Rabbit fur:eek:
Yuk!

[Mobyduck]

Another Quiet week variety wise but all were good,
Darkstar- American Pale Ale
Darkstar- Hophead
Vale Black- Swan Mild
Batemans -Dark Lord
Portabello -Portabello Pale

This week BOTW is the Portabello Pale

[Wittenden]

Beer tent in West Sussex

Langham-Best Bitter4.5%ABV. Malt driven upstanding mid brown best bitter.Reassuring.
Langham-Hip Hop 4%. Pale 'n' nettley. Refreshing but not sensational.
My BOTW- Langham Best Bitter.There were other beers from Langham, as well as some from Sambrooks.Unfortunately they had sold out.