Beer of the Week (w/e 8th December 2013)

[ROBCamra]

Bucking Fastard: Oakham Green Devil IPA
Real Ale Ray: Ludlow Gold
Aqualung: Hopcraft Discotti Porter
Mobyduck: Siren Craft Gordons Strong
oldboots: Magic Rock Rapture
london calling: Arbor Pirates Badger Attack
Wittenden: Pig and Porter Ashburnham Pale Ale
hondo: Orkney Brewery Clootie Dumpling
Thuck Phat: Purity Saddle Black
aleandhearty: Okells Manx Pale Ale
ROBCamra: Loch Lomond Silkie Stout

[Bucking Fastard]

Drinking pre and post match on two occasions led to most of the consumption.


Dark Star --- Six Grain
Dark Star --- American Pale Ale
Dark Star --- Revelation
Mc Mullens -- Country Bitter
Dark Star --- Coconut Porter
Oakham --- Green Devil IPA
Kissing Gate --- Chennai IPA
Harviestoun --- Sleigh Rider

A good pop at a variety of Dark Star beers but they were topped to BOTW by Oakham Green Devil IPA on top form in The George,Croydon. Resinous nose,nettles and deep bitterness and far too drinkable for a 6%.


Next week a bit of boating down to Braunston,so a mini tour of Rugby is on the cards which is a very reliable real ale town these days.

[Real Ale Ray]

Ludlow - Gold

[Aqualung]

Only a small selection this week :-

Titanic Deck The Halls 4.2%
Adnam's Ghost Ship 4.5%
Clouded Minds Hazelnut Porter 4.5%
Hopcraft Iron Red 4.6%
Hopcraft Discotti Porter 4.8%
Clarence & Frederick's Strong Mild 4.8%
Belleville Common Side Pale 5.0%
WJ King IPA 5.2%
Hook Norton Twelve Days 5.3%
Triple fff I Can't Remember Porter 6.0%
Elland / Thwaite's Celebration Porter 6.5%

Some of these were average and nothing truly outstanding. The Celebration Porter is a Spoon's Xmas guest ale and appears to be the Elland 1872 Porter but brewed by Thwaites. This and the Triple fff porter were good but pipped by the Hopcraft Discotti Porter (£2.60 in the Leyton King William). It's a coffee porter with a big coffee hit to it. There was only two bog standard Brodie's beers on in the William this week, apparently they are struggling to keep up with demand. The Hopcraft beers are a good substitute.

BOTW Hopcraft Discotti Porter

[Mobyduck]

Darkstar- Hophead
Castle Rock -Harvest Pale
Longdog- Bunny Chaser
Hawkshead- Pale
Springhead- Drop O The Black Stuff
Buxton Dark Nights
Marble Best
Siren Craft Liquid Mistress
Siren Craft- Gordons Strong
Cheshire Brewhouse -Lindow Black Lake
Westerham -Gods Wallop
London Fields- Black Frost Stout
London Fields- Black Path Porter
Bull And Last/ELB Collaboration- So Solid Brew
Crate-IPA
Howling Hops -Chocolate Stout
Clarkshaws -Phoenix Rising

Some interesting beers in my list and some strong competition this week courtesy of The Nags Head in Reading on Friday followed up by a trip around Kentish Town and Gospel Oak yesterday.

BOTW is Siren Craft Gordons Strong 8.5%, a seriously good brewery.

[oldboots]

A few interesting beers and close at the top but Magic Rock Rapture is the one.

Theakstons Best Bitter
York Guzzler
Pennine Bitter
Copper Dragon Golden Pippin
Brecon Brewing Gold Beacon
Ossett Yorkshire Blonde
Ossett Treacle Stout
Salamander Golden Salamander
Salamander Dogs of War Stout
Wells A Good Stuffing
Copper Dragon North Star
Wharfebank Camfell Flame
First Chop Doc
Roosters Baby Faced Assassin
Theakstons XB
Magic Rock Rapture
Knaresborough Smoked Milk Stout
Pennine Natural Gold
Gt Newsome Holderness Dark Mild

[london calling]

Just a few sampled this week
arbor -pirates badger attack
highland -Amarillo
milestone -harry porter
yates -ysd
Bristol beer -upa
nottinghill -porter
wj kings -warrior
downton -wheat stout
dunham massey -landlady
buxton -Jacobs ladder
weihenstephaner -weisse
fullers -black cab
brains -stout
coors -blue moon
goose island -312 wheat
Caledonian -champion no1 ale
purity -saddle black
Portobello -white
broughtons -dark dunter
3 friends -amber
magic rock -chipotle punchline
hawkshead -great white
roosters -high treason
acorn -bishops ipa
head in a hat -topper
head in a hat -toppee
c+fredricks -smoked red
redwell -ipa
and the best was the keg Arbor -pirates badger attack at the new Brewdog Shepherds Bush.
cheers john

[Wittenden]

Two pales equals one bucket?
Pig and Porter-Ashburnham Pale Ale 3.9%abv:a commanding straight and narrow pale ale with spicy English hops.
Goody Ales-Bleangate Brewery-Good Life 3.9%abv :another pale ale masquerading as a golden. Complex, with end taste of candied blackcurrants.Not as cloying as my description might imply.
Very close between them, my nomination going to Pig and Porter, as I'd found the PA equally good earlier in the year. The cuckoo brewery has landed in the former royal Tunbridge Wells Brewery.Pig and Porter Ashburnham Pale Ale-my BOTW

[hondo]

Orkney Brewery - Clootie Dumpling

[Thuck Phat]

From the following:

Purity Saddle Black
Marble Manchester
Oakham Citra, Bishops Farewell
Titanic Plum Porter
Blackwater Holly Bush

It's between the Saddle Black, Purity's first black beer and the Holly Bush, brewed by Salopian's Blackwater. Similar in style with both being black, malty to start but with bitter enough finishes to make you want more. Judged to be porters by those who tried them but that may reflect more on the paunchy middle aged judges rather than the beers.
BOTW Purity Saddle Black, just few more hops than the Holly Bush and flew the 3 pint test at 5.1%.

[london calling]

From the following:

Purity Saddle Black
Marble Manchester
Oakham Citra, Bishops Farewell
Titanic Plum Porter
Blackwater Holly Bush

It's between the Saddle Black, Purity's first black beer and the Holly Bush, brewed by Salopian's Blackwater. Similar in style with both being black, malty to start but with bitter enough finishes to make you want more. Judged to be porters by those who tried them but that may reflect more on the paunchy middle aged judges rather than the beers.
BOTW Purity Saddle Black, just few more hops than the Holly Bush and flew the 3 pint test at 5.1%.

Hi TP, in the last few weeks I have had Purity Warlord black 5.1 and Saddle Black 5.1 both very similar flavour but excellent. I wonder if its the same beer.I have also had Warlord ipa 5.0 another good beer from what is usually a boring brewer. cheers john

[aleandhearty]

A quick visit to Ilkley, to take in the newly opened Flying Duck, before a more sedate wander round Skipton's finest, was the basis for this week's bibbing.

Tring - Tea Kettle.
Okells - Manx Pale Ale.
Ilkley - Crescent Ale.
Nelson - Magnum.
Wharfedale - Blonde.
Dark Horse - Hetton Pale Ale.
Great Heck - Treasure IPA.
Holts - Two Hoots.
Theakstons - Old Peculier.
Thwaites - Yule love It.
Dent - Porter.
Thwaites - Benny and Hop. :eek: One for BABOTW.
Saltaire - Pride.
Moorhouses - Black Cat.
Timothy Taylor - Dark Mild.

Some old favourites in there, but was really taken with the MPA. A lovely hoppy session beer, brewed with Galaxy and Citra. Great flavour for 3.6%.

[Thuck Phat]

, before a more sedate wander round Skipton's finest

Any particular recommendations in Skipton A&H? The last time I visited was around 18 months ago and we didn't venture much beyond the Royal Shepherd but I may be in the area around New Year.

[aleandhearty]

Any particular recommendations in Skipton A&H? The last time I visited was around 18 months ago and we didn't venture much beyond the Royal Shepherd but I may be in the area around New Year.

Hi TP. I was actually very impressed with the pubs we visited in Skipton. Not all of them were great on the beer front, but at least there was something on hand pull in each of them. The seven we tried were The Red Lion, Albion, Castle, Royal Shepherd, Narrow Boat, Cock & Bottle and the Woolly Sheep. If I had to pick just one, it would be the Narrow Boat - owned by the same people as Veritas in Leeds. However, the Red Lion was surprisingly good for a Greedy King house, having four guest ales in good nick, plus the Cock had some decent choices. The Woolly Sheep had the full range of Timothy Taylors. As it was three Saturdays before Christmas and market day, most were absolutely rammed, so it's hard to be too objective. However, if you take a punt on those mentioned I think you'll find something you like.

[Thuck Phat]

Thank you A&H, that's very useful especially as I am now definitely visiting the real ale haven that is Yorkshire.
One of the highlights is a visit to the TT brewery followed by an attempt to drink my own body weight in Landlord at The Boltmakers.
Thank you again, you've ensured that the festive season won't be marred by sub-standard pubs or ale.
All the best, TP.

[ROBCamra]

Loch Lomond Silkie Stout tried in The Baum of course.

A beautifully smooth stout, which at 5% was dangerously drinkable.