Beer of the Week (w/e 16th March 2014)

[ROBCamra]

london calling: Itchen Valley Blackcurrent Mild
Bucking Fastard: McMullens Country Bitter
Mobyduck: Siren Craft Broken Dream
Real Ale Ray: Hawkshead Lakeland Gold
Aqualung: Five Points Hook Island Red
hondo: Magic Rock Ringmaster
oldboots: Hop Studio Porter
Thuck Phat: Hart Green Hop
aleandhearty: Siren Flying Dutchman
ROBCamra: Oates OMT

[london calling]

Nicolsons have a new range of beers for Spring and this one will be tried a few times before Spring has gone.
itchen valley -blackcurrent mild 3.7

[Bucking Fastard]

Very quiet week,been saving myself for Worcester.


McMullens -- Country Bitter
Shepherd Neame -- Spitfire


BOTW goes to the McMullens Country Bitter from The Jolly Fisherman,Stanstead Abbotts on quiz night,just about the best ale from this modest brewer.


See you all in Worcester,I'm warming up during the week in Long Itchington,Warwick and Leamington Spa.

[Mobyduck]

Darkstar Hophead 3.8%
Darkstar American Pale Ale 4.7%
Moorhouse's Premier Bitter 3.7%
Charles Wells/Dogfish Head DNA 4.5%
Burning Sky Plateau 3.5%
Windsor And Eaton Zinzans Drop 4.0%
Butcombe Mathews Pale Ale 3.8%
Siren Craft Brew Aramid 3.8%
Siren Craft Brew Broken Dream 6.5%

Nothing really bad here, although the Butcombe was nothing particularly special, the two siren beers were outstanding and the Broken Dream, tagged as a breakfast stout (some breakfast :notworthy:) was sensational and worthy of BOTW if not beer of the year,this brewery can do no wrong at the moment.

[Bucking Fastard]

this brewery can do no wrong at the moment.

Noted. I've seen others also keen on Siren Craft,just wondering where you may find their ales on regularly ,in London possibly ?

[Real Ale Ray]

Hawkshead - Lakeland Gold

[Aqualung]

Only a small list this week with the only disappointing ones being Sambrook's Junction and the pointless themed Sweet Chariot.

Saltaire Blonde 4.0%
Hopcraft Chorister's Gold 4.2%
Hopstuff Fusilier 4.3%
Sambrook's Junction 4.5%
Lancaster Black 4.6%
Everard's Sir Ryan 4.7%
Marston's Sweet Chariot 4.8%
Brodie's American Brown 4.8%
Hopcraft Going To Australia 4.9%
Hackney Nelson Sauvin 5.0%
Adnams / Sixpoint Make It Rain 5.0%
Five Points Hook Island Red 6.0%

I thought the Adnams / Sixpoint Make It Rain was going to be a certainty for the gong until I tried the Hook Island Red in the Old fountain. I've a feeling this may be the second time I've chosen it.

BOTW Five Points Hook Island Red

[Mobyduck]

Noted. I've seen others also keen on Siren Craft,just wondering where you may find their ales on regularly ,in London possibly ?
We found two pubs serving them after you left us in the Well and Bucket last month, two beers in the Fox (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/25060/) and one in The Taproom (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/80223/), closer to home for me in Reading (Quinno's manor) they are regularly on in the Nags Head (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/1691/)and the newly opened Greyfriar. (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/1685/)
The Brewery (http://www.sirencraftbrew.com/) is actually about a 15 minute drive from me, I am not a big home drinker but I think their shop needs a visit.

[Bucking Fastard]

We found two pubs serving them after you left us in the Well and Bucket last month, two beers in the Fox (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/25060/) and one in The Taproom (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/80223/), closer to home for me in Reading (Quinno's manor) they are regularly on in the Nags Head (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/1691/)and the newly opened Greyfriar. (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/1685/)
The Brewery (http://www.sirencraftbrew.com/) is actually about a 15 minute drive from me, I am not a big home drinker but I think their shop needs a visit.


Thanks for that Moby,will try hard to catch up with this brewery when next in London

[hondo]

Magic Rock Brewing - Ringmaster

[oldboots]

Quite an interesting week

Windsor & Eton - Parklife
Great Heck - Citra
Great Heck - Amish Mash
Great Heck - Shanker IPA
Great Heck - Yakima IPA
Great Heck - Black Jesus
Leeds - Pale
York - Guzzler
Adnams - Broadside
Taylors - Ram Tam
Saltaire - Cascade
Hop Studio - Porter
Ilkley - Mary Jane
Theakston - Best Bitter
John Smiths - Cask
Black Sheep - Bitter
Marstons - Old Empire
Great Newsome - Pricky Back Otchan

I'm tempted by the Adnams Broadside which was the first pint after a long day and absolutely superb in spite of being classed by some as a BBB, however the Hop Studio Porter was better.

[Thuck Phat]

A very quiet week with just the ever excellent Oakham Bishops Farewell on cask.

A couple of decent bottle conditioned beers though: Marble Dobber and BOTW Hart - Green Hop. Does exactly as it says, 5% and made with green hops - excellent.

[aleandhearty]

Most of the week was spent in London, helping my daughter with a college project. Fortunately, at beer o' clock, it enabled me to try lots of new beers from largely unfamiliar breweries.

Brains / Caledonian - Rev James Golden XPA.
Salamander - Black and Blue.
Siren - Flying Dutchman.
Redemption - Fellowship.
London Fields - Love Not War.*
London Fields - Black Frost.
Animal Brewing Co - Elephant.
Sharps - Doom Bar.
Salamander - Resistance is Futile.
Dark Star / Saltaire - Bock.
Kite - Try Time.
Hackney - APA.
Triple fff - Moondance.*
Adnams - Topaz Gold.*
Twickenham - Sundancer.
By the Horns - Stiff Upper Lip.
Twickenham - Naked Ladies.
Hop Studio - Obsidian.
Leeds - NZ REd.

Easy winner was the Flying Dutchman, a very drinkable APA, weighing in at 5.7%. Lovely stuff.

[aleandhearty]

...the two siren beers were outstanding...this brewery can do no wrong at the moment.


Noted. I've seen others also keen on Siren Craft,just wondering where you may find their ales on regularly ,in London possibly ?

This brewery seems to have the same buzz about it as when Magic Rock first started. On the basis of the Flying Dutchman, my BOTW, they are definitely one to watch. I tried it in the Cask Pub & Kitchen, Pimlico SW1

[london calling]

This brewery seems to have the same buzz about it as when Magic Rock first started. On the basis of the Flying Dutchman, my BOTW, they are definitely one to watch. I tried it in the Cask Pub & Kitchen, Pimlico SW1
It was on cask and keg at craftbeer co sw4 and keg at Brixton on Monday. superb.

[ROBCamra]

BOTW is Oates OMT tried twice in the last 2 weeks.

Once at their brewery tap The Booth Wood Inn (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/41194/) then again in the Baum last week after the beer we'd ordered from them arrived. :cheers: