Beer of the Week (w/e 24th August 2014)

[ROBCamra]

hondo: Palm Specialebelge
oldboots: Augustiner Edelstoff
Mobyduck: Dark Star Hylder Blonde
Aqualung: Redemption Big Chief
Pubsignman: Upstairs Brewing Arabian Nights
Real Ale Ray: Ossett Unity Ale
london calling: Pilot Ice Tea Ale
aleandhearty: Marstons Pedigree New World Pale
Bucking Fastard: Tillingborne Hop Troll IPA
Thuck Phat: Blue Monkey Ape Ale
ROBCamra: Dorking Gold

[hondo]

Palm - specialebelge keg

[oldboots]

My list warts and all:
Stella Artois - Lager
Jarrow - Rivet Catcher
Taylors - Landlord
Kronenberg - 1664
Hambleton - Doo lally
Caledonian / Eli Dickison & Tyler Brown - Barley Browns Black IPA
Eden - Gold
Coniston - Blue Bird Bitter
Hawkshead - Red
Bootleg Brewery - Urban Fox
Theakston - Best Bitter
Hook Norton - Lion
Hook Norton - Hooky Bitter
Adnams (The Alchenmist of Vermont) - Enraptured
Wells & Young - Courage Directors
Hambleton Village - White Boar
Roosters - Yankee
St Bernadus - Prior 8
Roosters - Fort Smith
Fyne Ales - Jarl
Stringers - Yellow Lorry
Durham - White Stout
Oakham - Citra
Augustiner - Edelstoff


I have to say although the Barley Browns was a nice beer as was the Hook Norton Lion, the one that satisfied the most was the chilled bottle of Augustiner Edelstoff

[Mobyduck]

A couple of warts in my list as well.
Darkstar Hophead
Darkstar American Pale Ale
Darkstar Hylder Blonde
Oakham Infirno
Oakham Citra
Binghams Twyford Tipple
Sharps Ice Ale
Surrey Hills Shere Drop
Surrey Hills Greensand IPA
Greene King IPA
Carling Lager
Andwells Red Mist
Fullers Summer Ale
BOTW is Darkstar Hylder Blonde.

[Aqualung]

A small list this week as for one reason or another I've been in "anti ticking mode" and having several of the same beer.

Sambrook's Pumphouse Pale 4.2%
Cronx Nektar 4.5%
Bishop Nick Martyr 5.0%
Wild Card Queen Of Diamonds IPA 5.0%*
Caledonian Barley Brown's Black IPA 5.2%*
Grainstore Rutland Beast 5.3%
Upstairs Arabian Knights 5.4%*
Redemption Big Chief 5.5%*

There are four contenders (starred). The local Queen of Diamonds tasted like a different beer having much more of a New World hop taste and aroma. I asked the brewer if they had changed the recipe and she said they hadn't!
The Upstairs Brewery are using Clarence and Frederick's kit in Croydon and the Arabian Nights is described as a Milk Stout that includes rye malts and black cardamoms. However, the winner is Redemption's classic Big Chief given a thorough testing at the Waltham Forest Sports and Social Club for £3.00 a pint.

BOTW Redemption Big Chief

[Pubsignman]

The local Queen of Diamonds tasted like a different beer having much more of a New World hop taste and aroma. I asked the brewer if they had changed the recipe and she said they hadn't!
The Upstairs Brewery are using Clarence and Frederick's kit in Croydon and the Arabian Nights is described as a Milk Stout that includes rye malts and black cardamoms.

Tried both of these on Friday night at the Wild Card Brewery's Bank Holiday beer festival and thought they were both outstanding. I've had lots of good beer this week and think the Upstairs Brewing Arabian Nights just pips the Queen of Diamonds and Cambridge Brew House Kitchen Ale to BOTW.

[london calling]

Tried both of these on Friday night at the Wild Card Brewery's Bank Holiday beer festival and thought they were both outstanding. I've had lots of good beer this week and think the Upstairs Brewing Arabian Nights just pips the Queen of Diamonds and Cambridge Brew House Kitchen Ale to BOTW.
Had the Upstairs beer about a month ago.Very strong taste of cardoman.Touch less and this could have been a very good beer.

[Real Ale Ray]

Ossett - Unity Ale 4.3

[london calling]

A week in Devon produced nothing to write home about other than a good pint of Proper Job.But The Tap East fest produced 8 consecutive very good beers.
tap east -pomegranate porter
marble -howgate and kemp
totally brewed-slap in the face
hanging bat-epa
tempest -unforgiven
hanging bat/fine -bat fynk
six degrees north-hopocrisy
and BOTW
Pilot-ice tea ale
best beer fest for quality beers I have been to.

[Aqualung]

Tried both of these on Friday night at the Wild Card Brewery's Bank Holiday beer festival and thought they were both outstanding. I've had lots of good beer this week and think the Upstairs Brewing Arabian Nights just pips the Queen of Diamonds and Cambridge Brew House Kitchen Ale to BOTW.


Had the Upstairs beer about a month ago.Very strong taste of cardoman.Touch less and this could have been a very good beer.

If any further proof were needed that there is no accounting for taste then here it is. While I was drinking a pint of the Arabian Nights on Friday afternoon (I was at a table of shambolic reprobates that they were probably still tutting about when you got there) it went through my mind that it HAD to be the BOTW but got trumped by the Big Chief as it was in immaculate nick at the WFSSC and I had an "extended" session on it.

[aleandhearty]

Average sort of week for me.

Empire - Moonraker MILD.*
Acorn - Forester.
Marstons - Pedigree New World Pale.*
Wychwood - Piledriver.
Banks - Sunbeam.
Prescott - Chequered Flag.
Roosters - Wild Mule.*
Tigertops - Orange Sun.
Oakleaf - Texas Red.*
Youngs - Hummingbird.
Woodfordes - Royal Norfolks.

With an honorable mention for the Texas Red, the easy winner was the Pedigree. I was expecting another dull but worthy beer from the Marstons stable, but was blown away by the flavour from the Topaz and Galaxy hops.You could have knocked me down with a feather. Excellent stuff.

[Bucking Fastard]

Not much of a week,but did shuffle a bit further along the Trent and Mersey to keep the right side of the mooring police :whistle:

Mc Mullens -- Cask
Surrey Hills -- Shere Drop
Tillingborne -- Hop Troll IPA
Hydes -- Original Bitter
Weetwood -- Best Bitter


BOTW goes to Tillingborne Hop Troll IPA in The George,Croydon with a lot of hop action going on.

Next week should be more substantial with two end-month events,one featuring some pubs around Hoxton which could result in some exciting new wave ale.

[Wittenden]

No pub this week, though I was very tempted to lookin here http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/58977/yesterday, but I didn't, as I was on the tractor at the time.

[Mobyduck]

No pub this week, though I was very tempted to lookin here http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/58977/yesterday, but I didn't, as I was on the tractor at the time.
Surely there are tractor parking spaces ? :D

[Thuck Phat]

This week:
Oakham Bishops Farewell
Ringwood Fortyniner
Blue Monkey Ape Ale

BOTW goes to the ever excellent Blue Monkey Ape Ale.

[ROBCamra]

Went to the beer festival at the Velodrome in Manchester this week, not good.

Only 4 beers out of 60 that I hadn't had and none of them came close to being BOTW.

So the award is going to Dorking Gold, a pleasant 3.8% quaffing bitter.

Just what I needed after 2 weeks of fizz in Italy. :cheers: