Beer of the Week (w/e 6th October 2013)

[ROBCamra]

Aqualung: Dark Star Green Hopped IPA
Bucking Fastard: Roosters Anniversary IPA
Mobyduck: Oakham Citra
oldboots: Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby
Pubsignman: Kirkstall Dissolution IPA
Real Ale Ray: Ramsbury Chalk Stream
hondo: Knops Beer Company India Pale Ale
Thuck Phat: Derby Quintessential
aleandhearty: Shiny Interface IPA
Oggwyn Trench: Tiny Rebel Full Nelson
Wittenden: Shepherd Neame Talleyman's Special
london calling: Dark Star Hylder Blonde
Soup Dragon: Wye Valley Dorothy Goodbody Autumn Delight
ROBCamra: Dark Star Indian Summer IPA

[Aqualung]

Some interesting ones this week :-

Sambrook's Wandle 3.6%
Nelson Pieces Of Eight 3.8%
Banks's Black Diamond 4.0%
Butcombe Bitter 4.0%
Three Castles Autumn Daze 4.4%
Dorking Brewery Red India Ale 5.0%
Wharfebank Wispa IPA 5.1%
Howling Hops Wit Beer 5.2%
Oakham Black Hole Porter 5.5%
Adnams / Sixpoint Bengali Tiger 6.4%
Dark Star Green Hopped IPA 6.5%
O' Hanlons Brewers Special Reserve 12.9%


Four good ones from that lot, the Nelson Pieces of Eight was a very good darkish bitter even though the brewery describe it as a light session ale.
The Black Diamond was a revelation. The pump clip had no brewery ID on it at all, so it wasn't until I could look it up at home that I discovered it was Banks's. If the Marston stable can come up with a genuine low ABV Black IPA, then there is hope for us all. The tasting notes don't use the phrase "Black IPA" nor is the word "Craft" anywhere to be seen.

The Special Reserve was something else but as I think I've nominated it before, the award goes to the Green Hopped IPA, a classic strong hop bomb for £2.80 at the George in Croydon.


BOTW Dark Star Green Hopped IPA

[Bucking Fastard]

A decent week including a bit of boating.

Stonehouse -- Station House Bitter
Allgates -- Ostara
Stonehouse -- Off the Rails
Purple Moose -- Snowdonia Ale
Robinsons collaboration with Elbow -- Build a Rocket,Boys. (My advise,don't give up the music day job,boys )
Allgates -- Havanna
Abbeydale -- Absolution
Tickety Brew -- Bitter Twist
Big Hand -- Atramentos
Roosters -- Anniversary IPA
Mc Mullens -- Country Bitter
Timothy Taylor -- Landlord

Thanks to the alert from last weeks BOTW by oldboots as soons as Roosters Anniversary IPA was spotted in The Black Lion ,Nantwich from the first sips it became clear this would be BOTW.Lots going on,a very fine IPA in a very fine pub.

Going due south on the Shropshire Union next week with hopefully visits to Market Drayton and Brewood with the aim to get south of a long stoppage at Atherstone starting Nov 4th.Not the greatest place to be stuck in for two months.

[Mobyduck]

A top week-
Darkstar Hophead
Darkstar American Pale Ale
Darkstar Art of Darkness
Darkstar Greenhopped IPA
Oakham Inferno
Oakham JHB
Oakham Bishops Farewell
Oakham Scarlet Macaw
Oakham Citra
Cropton Yorkshire Warrior
Sharps Cornish Coaster
Ilkley Pale
Art Brew Baby Anarchist
St Peters Fruit Beer
Harveys Mild
Youngs Bitter
Moncada Brewery Notting Hill Summer
Moncada Brewery Porter

As good as all the Oakham beers were, along with the Green Hopped IPA and a splendid St Peters Fruit Beer ,Best of the week is a spectacularly good
Oakham Citra really top stuff.

[oldboots]

944

[Pubsignman]

My BOTW goes to my highly anticipated first experience of Kirkstall Dissolution IPA (with thanks to all those who recommended it on these pages in weeks gone by).

[Real Ale Ray]

Two excellent beers from a brewery new to me - Ramsbury, Wiltshire. Hard to choose between the 4% Deer Stalker or the 5% Chalk Stream, so here goes.

Ramsbury - Chalk Stream

[hondo]

Knops Beer Company - India Pale Ale

[Thuck Phat]

A decent week with a spot of boating in the company of Mr Fastard:

Stonehouse Station Bitter and Off The Rails
Monty's Maple
Purple Moose Snowdonia Ale
Robinsons Elbow
Abbeydale Absolution
Derby Quintessential
Big Hand Zeta and Atramentos
Roosters Anniversary IPA
Blue Monkey BG Sips
Oakham Bishops Farewell

Some good beers there and I enjoyed the Snowdonia, Absolution, Anniversary IPA and BG Sips especially. BOTW though was Derby Brewing Company - Quintessential. I've had a few of their beers and never been overly impressed but they've got it right with this one. It's a fruity 5.8% number with plenty of bitterness to keep you going back for more, it's like a high quality alcoholic marmalade - dangerous!

[aleandhearty]

Much better week, this week, with a fair few beers tasted.

Five Towns - Gale Force. *
Tigertops - Off the Wall.
Acorn - Autumn Red.
Slightly Foxed - Bengal Fox.
Faversham Steam (Shepherd Neame) - Whitsable Bay Pale Ale.
Bristol - Acer.
Blakemere - Gold.
Shiny - Interface IPA.
Acorn - Old Moor Porter. *
Roosters - Fort Smith. *
Green Jack - Lurcher Stout.
Townhouse - Audley Gold.
Darkstar - APA.
Bristol - Independence.*
Derventio - Augustus.
Fernandes - Double Six.
Rat - White Rat.

Particularly enjoyed those that are asterisked, but the marmalade tinged Interface was my favourite this week. Special mention for the Whitstable Pale Ale, the dullest beer I've drunk in ages.

[Oggwyn Trench]

Quiet week for me

Lytham - Gold
Black Jack - Honey Trap
Salamander - Mindbender
Rowton - Galaxy
Tiny Rebel - Full Nelson
Jennings - Cocker Hoop
Salopian - Shropshire Gold

BOTW Tiny Rebel - Full Nelson

[Mobyduck]

BOTW though was Derby Brewing Company - Quintessential. I've had a few of their beers and never been overly impressed but they've got it right with this one. It's a fruity 5.8% number with plenty of bitterness to keep you going back for more, it's like a high quality alcoholic marmalade - dangerous!
Sounds right up my street.

[Wittenden]

Quiet:two beers.

Old Dairy- Red Top 3.8% abv.Good depth to this best bitter.
Shepherd Neame- Talleyman's Special.4.5%abv. Sheps' Green hop offering. At first I thought it was just another dullish beer from Sheps, but persistance paid off, and I found it fresh and full of flavour. Have yet to try any other gha, though. My Botw.

[london calling]

Plenty of hoppy beers this week and very nice they were but 2 old favourites stood out
Brodies - London Fields at the Cross keys Covent Garden was sure to win on Sat but
Darkstar-hylder blonde was unbeatable at the Magpie and Crown Brentford on Sun

[london calling]

Some interesting ones this week :-

Sambrook's Wandle 3.6%
Nelson Pieces Of Eight 3.8%
Banks's Black Diamond 4.0%
Butcombe Bitter 4.0%
Three Castles Autumn Daze 4.4%
Dorking Brewery Red India Ale 5.0%
Wharfebank Wispa IPA 5.1%
Howling Hops Wit Beer 5.2%
Oakham Black Hole Porter 5.5%
Adnams / Sixpoint Bengali Tiger 6.4%
Dark Star Green Hopped IPA 6.5%
O' Hanlons Brewers Special Reserve 12.9%


Four good ones from that lot, the Nelson Pieces of Eight was a very good darkish bitter even though the brewery describe it as a light session ale.
The Black Diamond was a revelation. The pump clip had no brewery ID on it at all, so it wasn't until I could look it up at home that I discovered it was Banks's. If the Marston stable can come up with a genuine low ABV Black IPA, then there is hope for us all. The tasting notes don't use the phrase "Black IPA" nor is the word "Craft" anywhere to be seen.

The Special Reserve was something else but as I think I've nominated it before, the award goes to the Green Hopped IPA, a classic strong hop bomb for £2.80 at the George in Croydon.


BOTW Dark Star Green Hopped IPA

I had the Banks -Black Diamond on Sunday.They say its a black bitter.Agree with you its a very good beer.

[Aqualung]

I had the Banks -Black Diamond on Sunday.They say its a black bitter.Agree with you its a very good beer.

Do you agree that it's a genuine low ABV Black IPA? It had all the aroma and taste of the style in my book. I thought the brewery tasting notes were very vague, as though they didn't want to admit to jumping on the "craft" bandwagon.
I still can't believe it was brewed by Banks's, although I have never had an issue with their cooking bitter and mild.
The perverse thing is that if the clip had mentioned Banks's I would probably have gone for the Adnam's Old!

[Soup Dragon]

Being in Banks's country, I have had the Black Diamond a few times - i just find it an OK drink. My new beer of the week has to be Dorothy Goodbody Autumn Delight.

[london calling]

Do you agree that it's a genuine low ABV Black IPA? It had all the aroma and taste of the style in my book. I thought the brewery tasting notes were very vague, as though they didn't want to admit to jumping on the "craft" bandwagon.
I still can't believe it was brewed by Banks's, although I have never had an issue with their cooking bitter and mild.
The perverse thing is that if the clip had mentioned Banks's I would probably have gone for the Adnam's Old!

Agree its like a black ipa.Banks name in very small letters was at the bottom of the pumpclip.Banks have a great beer called Sunbeam which seems to be brewed regularly now as well.

[ROBCamra]

Hard work picking this week with none of the beers I tried having the full WOW factor, although several were min the good category.

BOTW is Dark Star Indian Summer IPA. Passed the 2 pint test, but I didn't want a third, just too strong and hoppy/bitter. :cheers: