Beer of the Week (w/e 31st May 2015)

[ROBCamra]

Mobyduck: Lagunitas IPA
Aqualung: Signature Brew Backstage IPA
Bucking Fastard: Hopcraft Sharks Against Surfers
hondo: Anarchy Sorachi Ace
oldboots: Titanic Plum Porter
aleandhearty: Rat Rat in me Kitchen
Thuck Phat: Downton Chimera IPA
Real Ale Ray: George Wright Juicy Rooster
london calling: Binghams Royal Ascent Mild
ROBCamra: Otley 04 Columbo

[Mobyduck]

A fair week,
Darkstar Hophead
Darkstar APA
Surrey Hills Shere Drop
Joseph Holts Two Hoots
Cloudwater Pale
Twickenham Red Head
Salopian Darwins Origin
ELB Quadrant Oatmeal Stout
Five Point Railway Porter
Hopcraft Sharks Against Surfers
Sambrooks Pumphouse Pale
Lagunitas IPA
Gypsy Hill Southpaw
Kent KGB
Sambrooks Archer

Some nice beers this week but the best was a craft keg offering enjoyed very much in the excellent Tapping The Admiral (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/72375/)in Kentish Town,
Lagunitas IPA weighing at a fairly hefty 6.2%, so very good and BOTW.

[Aqualung]

A good week for me with a day in Staffordshire and a visit to three Greene King pubs in Stevenage two of which had proper guest beers.

Red Squirrel Red Dawn Mild 3.7%
Offbeat Kooky Gold 4.1%
Joule's Pale Ale 4.2%
Portobello Northern Line Stout 4.4%*
Hook Norton San Diego Pale Ale 4.5%*
Joule's Slumbering Monk 4.5%
Titanic White Star 4.5%
Mighty Oak Marmalade Skies 4.8%
Robinson's Trooper 4.8%
Titanic Plum Porter 4.8%*
Slater's Western American IPA 4.9%
Greene King Magna Carta 5.0%
West Berkshire Dr Hexter's Healer 5.0%*
Brodie's Old Street Pale 5,0%*
Rudgate IPA 5.2%*
Slater's Haka 5.2%
Titanic Captain Smith 5.2%
Whim Flower Power 5.3%*
Lymestone Stone The Crows 5.4%*
Signature Brew Backstage IPA 5.6%*
Maxim Maximus 6.0%

Once again there is at least a month's worth of BOTWs in there making it a difficult choice. I'm going for the Backstage IPA before I change my mind. I've never seen this in London but I bet it would cost more than the £3.30 I paid for it at the Roebuck Hotel in Leek. The Whim Flower Power, Rudgate IPA, Old Street Pale and Dr Hexter's run it very close.

BOTW Signature Brew Backstage IPA

[Bucking Fastard]

Some quality ale this week

Brewsters -- Decadence
Red Squirrel -- London Porter *
Sadlers -- Worcester Sorceror
Haresfoot -- Totem American IPA *
Shefford -- Dark Mild *
Purity -- Pure Gold
London Fields -- 3 Weiss Monkeys *
Hopcraft -- Sharks Against Surfers * (3PT)
Tarka ??? (scribbled note) -- London Porter *


BOTW goes to Hopcraft Sharks Against Surfers from The Southampton Arms.A really unusual brew,heavy nose of seville marmalade but well balanced bitterness and I found that the further the pint went down,the faster it got consumed.Described on their website as an APA.

Next week boating into Stratford on Avon ,in hope rather than expectation.

[hondo]

Anarchy Brew Co - Sorachi Ace cask lager

[oldboots]

Quiet week

Irving - Frigate
Ilkley - Joshua Jane
Moorhouses - Black Cat
Ilkley - Rosa Ostara
Pheonix - Tennis Elbow
Green Mill - Pot Black
Titanic - Plum Porter
Abbeydale - Black Mass (from the wood)
Acorn - Gorlovka

Titanic Plum Porter (just)

[aleandhearty]

Decent week for me.

Marstons - Pedigree Brave New World.*
Oakham - Inferno.*
Hawkshead - Red.
Raw - Anubis Porter.*
Raw - Baby Ghost IPA.*
Leeds - Best.
Tigertops - Ready Mix.*
Harthill - Dark Hart.*
Two Roses - Locke Ale.
Two Roses - Cascade.
Phoenix - Black Bee.
Sunny Republic - Dorset Cross.
Sunny Republic - Temperance Mild.
Great Heck - Mosaic.*
Five Towns - St George's Ale.
Great Heck - Treasure IPA.
Yorkshire Heart - Silverheart IPA.
Rat - Rat in me Kitchen.*
Fernandes - GACY.
Fernandes - Mulberry Bush Mild.*

Several strong contenders in there, but the Rat in me Kitchen was a beautifully mellow APA and just shaded it from the Mulberry Bush Mild.

[Thuck Phat]

Not a bad week:

Flack Manor Flack Catcher
TT Landlord
Plain Ales Inn the Sun*
Hop Back Mosaic
Irving Iron Duke IPA*
Downton Chimera IPA*
Hop Back Summer Lightening*
Purity Mad Goose
Blue Monkey Monkey Puzzle
Oakham Bishops Farewell*

BOTW Downton Chimera IPA. A proper IPA at 6.8%. Excellent.

[Real Ale Ray]

George Wright - Juicy Rooster 5.1%

[london calling]

BOTW could have been any of these 3
darkstar -apa
marble -earl grey ipa
oakham -citra
but 2 milds were very good
flipside -farthing mild and this weeks winner
binghams -royal ascent mild.

[ROBCamra]

After a week spent in sunny Ciutadella drinking Estrella , San Miguel and Moritz I only had a short session on Saturday night in The Baum to choose from.

It probably wouldn't have won in another week, but Otley 04 Columbo was the best on the bar for me. :cheers:

How can Moritz brew a beer that has no taste whatsoever and yet be 5.4%?

Doesn't look good for us in Sitges & Barcleona later this year as that's where they're based.

Their bottled Epidor at 7.2% is excellent though. Maybe less volume more alchohol should be the call.