Beer of the Week (w/e 22nd January 2017)

[ROBCamra]

Mobyduck: Three Castles Thunder
Bucking Fastard: Oakham Black Hole Porter
london calling: Brockley IPA
Aqualung: Dukeries Farmers Branch
Thuck Phat: Blue Monkey Infinity
Spinko: Brewsmith NZ Pale
Real Ale Ray: Rock the Boat Fab Four Liverpool IPA
Komakino: Adnams Ghost Ship
oldboots: Goose Eye Pommies Revenge
Wittenden: Bingham's Twford Tipple
ROBCamra: Twisted Barrel God's Twisted Sister

[Mobyduck]

Been layed up with the lurgy most of the week, but managed to squeeze a few in....
Greene King IPA
Ilkley Mary Jane
Bingham's Macchiato Stout
Bingham's Space Hoppy IPA*
Red Cat Scratch
Sherfield Village TBA
Three Castles Thunder*

The Stout would be my normal choice from this list but was on the little flat side, having only just remembering the last two Three Castles Thunder takes first place,I could easily drink three pints of it whereas I would struggle with the sweetness of the previously nominated Space Hoppy.

[Bucking Fastard]

Enjoyable week ,Croydon,Liverpool Street and Leighton Buzzard,very high quality ale.

Burning Sky -- Aurora *
Oakham -- Oblivion
Mc Mullens -- AK
Oakham -- Scarlet Macaw *
Oakham -- Black Hole Porter *
Dark Star -- Hophead
Oakham -- Bishops Farewell *
Twickenham -- Redhead *
Brewsters -- Decadence *
Dark Star -- Revelation *

Difficult choice but BOTW goes to Oakham Black Hole Porter on great form in The Bald Buzzard ,Leighton Buzzard....one of the best micro pubs I've ever visited with a top guv'nor.

Next week long overdue revisit to Cask Pub & Kitchen among others.

[trainman]

Next week long overdue revisit to Cask Pub & Kitchen among others.
When's that then Nev?

[london calling]

A brewery whose beers I find lack something provided BOTW
Brockley -ipa 5.2

[Aqualung]

A rampage through the West side of Lancashire (what have Lancastrians done to deserve that??) has provided an extensive list.


Peerless Pale 3.8%
Moorhouse C & S Ale 4.0%
RAT White Rat 4.0%
Cross Bay Sunshine 4.0%
Fernandes Polaris 4.1%
Hawkshead Red 4.2%
Cross Bay Sunset 4.2%
Rooster's Yankee 4.3%
Fuzzy Duck Cunning Stunt 4.3%
Darkwave Odyssey 4.4%
Vog Dark Matter 4.4%
Cross Bay Dusk 4.5%
Old School Headmaster 4.5%
Flack Manor Black Jack Porter 4.6%
Lytham Baileys Blinder 4.6%
Phoenix West Coast IPA 4.6%
Tiny rebel Juicy 4.8%
Hawkshead Brodie's Prime 4.9%
Cross Bay Zenith 5.0%
Dukeries Farmers Branch 5.0%
Dunscar Bridge Blissful Blonde 5.0%
Hawkshead Lakeland Lager 5.0%
Chapel Street Winter Ale 5.0%
Coach House Blueberry 5.0%
Cairngorm Wildcat 5.1%
Howard Town Shining Clough 5.3%
Coach House Blunderbuss 5.3%
RAT Mother Rat 5.5%
Marston's Old Empire 5.7%
Thornbridge Jaipur IPA 5.9%
Dark Star Creme Brulee 5.9%
Thornbridge Wild Raven 6.6%

I think there was some merit in just about all of these but I'm going for a surprise winner. I've never got excited about Dukeries beers but also never been offended. I thought this one was excellent at £2.35 in the Leyland JDW. It's on the national guest list which runs until the end of March so hope to see it again.


BOTW Dukeries Farmers Branch

[Bucking Fastard]

When's that then Nev?

I'll be in there from 6pm on Friday until quite late,do pop in if you are in the area.:cheers:

[Thuck Phat]

Interesting week:

Fullers ESB*
LBB Restoration
Oakham Scarlet Macaw*
Oakham Black Hole Porter*
Blue Monkey Infinity*
Phipps NBC IPA
St Austell Proper Job

I'm with Mr BF on the Black Hole Porter, it was excellent. BOTW Blue Monkey Infinity, an old favourite.

[Spinko]

Brewsmith - NZ Pale, at the Grocers in Cadishead.

[Real Ale Ray]

Rock the Boat - Fab Four Liverpool IPA

[Komakino]

Bucks bits and bobs:

Rebellion IPA (3.7%)
Springhead Left Lion (4.0%)
Bingham's Brickworks Bitter (4.2%)*
Exmoor Fox (4.2%)
Rebellion Quantum (4.2%)
Thornbridge Lukas (4.2%) (keg)
Windsor & Eton Guardsman (4.2%)
Goose Island 312 (4.4%) (bottle)
Adnams Ghost Ship (4.5%)*
Exmoor Gold (4.5%)
Magic Rock Inhaler (4.5%) (keg)
Tiny Rebel Juicy (4.8%)*
Wiper & True Winter Rye (5.2%) (keg)
Pig & Porter Love Medicine (6.0%) (keg)
Brew By Numbers 08-03 (6.6%) (keg)
Siren Broken Dream (6.6%)
Weird Beard Safe Stout (7.7%) (keg)*

Plenty of filler and no killer despite the fancy names listed above, and I was surprised to come to the conclusion that my beer of the week is a widely-known brand - Adnams Ghost Ship - enjoyed at Iver's homely Stag & Hounds (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/2336/); a real testament to the cellarmanship (I'm not sure that's even a word) which saw a superbly frothing pint keep its foam cap throughout and each sip maintain the intended hop bitterness. Shame on all those pubs where I've come across and been served this beer merely as a 'token real ale'...

BOTW Adnams Ghost Ship

[oldboots]

Quite adventurous this week,

Copper Dragon - Silver Myst
Taylors - Boltmaker
Roosters - Old Faithful
Sarah Hughes - Dark Rudy
Tapped - S*M*A*S*H
Roosters - Yankee
Fernandes - Half Nelson
Tiny Rebel - Hank
Marstons - Bass
Goose Eye - Pommies Revenge
Darkstar - Creme Brulee
Wilde Child - The Expatriate
Bosuns Brewing Co - Tell no Tales
Roosters - Riwaka
Stancill - Black
Issac Poad - 1863
Franciscan Well - Chieftain IPA (Keg)
Old Spot - Duty Bound
Wild Beer - Bibble
Red Willow - Sleepless
Gun - Milk Stout
Ridgeside - Granary Pale
Rudgate - Viking


Mostly good to excellent and a hard choice but the Goose Eye Pommies Revenge stood out

[Wittenden]

Yorkshire and adjacent counties,ancient and modern.No dark 'uns, unfortunately.

Marston's-Pedigree 4.5% abv. Workmanlike, old school.
Wensleydale-Semer Water 4.1%abv.Very pale,citrus driven pale ale.Good.
Black Sheep-BaaBaa 4%abv A pale ale,nettley hops.
Black Sheep-Best Bitter 3.8% Two iterations of this:1)acorns, and 2)remarkably drinkable.
Yorkshire Dales-Butter Tubs 3.7%abv Reliably pale and hoppy session bitter.
Yorkshire Dales-Muker Silver 4% pale, not as austere as before.Rounded.
Binghams-Twyford Tipple 3.7%abv. Best beer of our week in Yorkshire.Three dimensional amber bitter.Blackcurrant hops, plenty of malt.
Revolutions-EP 3.9% abv.Thin and pale,sweetish finish.
Timothy Taylor-Landlord 4.3%abv Dependable,but not what I would have chosen on the day.
My BOTW-Bingham's Twford Tipple. My first meeting with a beer from this award winningbrewery, and very impressive.Taken at possibly my all time favourite pub:The Cover Bridge Inn (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/58503/)

[ROBCamra]

Twisted Barrel God's Twisted Sister. A cracking smooth stout that finises the night off nicely. In The Baum of course.:cheers: