Beer of the Week (w/e 5th November 2017)

[ROBCamra]

:cheers:

[Bucking Fastard]

Bruges

Chimay -- Blue
Koningshoeven -- La Trappe Quadrupel *
Viven -- Master IPA
Bourgogne de Flandres -- Bruin *
Westvleteren -- Donker *
'T Verzet -- Doktor Rudi
Bruges Bierinstituut -- Basilius *
Bruges Zot -- Blond
Rodenbach -- Roodbruin
Cornet -- Oaked Tripel

BOTW goes to Westvleteren Donker,a beautiful 12% taken slowly in Cafe Red Rose. (http://www.cordoeanier.be/en/rosered.php)It was incredible and cost Euro 15 but I couldn't begrudge paying that for the sheer quality.I had never been to Bruges before and found the local beer scene as something to behold,a vast array of styles in some charming drinking hosteleries but not a place to quaff vast amounts unless you want to end up in a canal.

Next week boating in Atherstone,Coventry (possible PuG crawl venue ?) and Rugby.

[Aqualung]

A very slack effort this week :-


Sambrook's Pumphouse Pale 4.2%
Otter Ale 4.5%
Nethergate Black Shadow 4.7%
Long Man American Pale Ale 4.8%
Trumans Belt & Braces 4.8%
Marston's Old Empire 5.7%
ELB Quadrant Oatmeal Stout 5.8%


The easy winner is the ELB stout at £3.78 (inc CAMRA discount) in the E17 Bell.
Had some Brewdog cans from Tesco at a firework do yesterday, Punk IPA was 8 cans for £9.00 and Elvis Juice 4 cans for £7.00. What's the point of Brewdog bars?


BOTW ELB Quadrant Oatmeal Stout

[Aqualung]

I had never been before and found the Bruges beer scene to be something to behold,a vast array of styles in some charming drinking hosteleries but not a place to quaff vast amounts unless you want to end up in a canal.



I've a mate who's mad on Belgium and always stays in Ghent. I went there around 25 years ago and we went to Bruges and Antwerp. I thought Ghent was better than both, Bruges was very touristy.

[Thuck Phat]

BOTW Abbeydale Destiny

A fairly typical, pale, 4.3% Abbeydale brew but moreish and went down very well.

[hondo]

Truman's - Lazarus

[aleandhearty]

Good week for me, largely based on a nice, lazy Sunday afternoon session.

Goose Island - IPA. (keg)
Jolly Boys - Jolly Autumn Gold.
2 Roses - Sprocket.
Twisted Angel - Tawny Mild.*
Aire Heads - Eau d'Aire.
Great Heck - Amish Mash.*
Doncaster - Speedwell.
Bad Seed - Dalliance.*
Rat - Mother Rat.*
Harveys - Dark Mild.*
North Riding - Citra Pale.*
Five Towns - Baby Blue.
Thornbridge - Rattle Snake.*

Lots of good beers on fine form, so very difficult to choose, but I think the Amish Mash just shades it. Special mention for the Harveys Dark Mild, which is as rare as hen's teeth, in the North. The fact I got something from it, having just had two much stronger beers immediately beforehand, says a lot about it, with it being only 3%.

[Wittenden]

North Yorkshire,County Durham, Lincolnshire.
Timothy Taylor-Dark MILD:3.5%abv-Dark ruby,earthy, blackcurrants.A lovely drop of mild.
Timothy Taylor-Boltmaker :4%abv-From the jug,which suits this Kentish scribe. Well conditioned spicy best bitter.Beyond reproach.
Hambleton-Village Brewer White Boar:3.8% abv.Thin lemon pale ale.
Black Sheep-BaaBaa:4%abv-Easy drinking Northern pale ale.Gentle fruity hops.Moreish.
Jennings-Cumberland Ale:4%abv-Steely and fruity Northern Bitter.Yum.
Banks's-Wainwright Fusion 4:4%abv- OK thinnish Pale Ale.Didn't know where to place this, as pump clip refers to Wainwright, the landlord said Thwaites, and Google pointed me in the general direction of Marston's.Not very exciting however; a me-too Pale.
Thornbridge Hall-Jaipur IPA:5.9%abv- Last out of the cask,still as fresh as a daisy.Serious fruit.
Half Moon-F'hops sake 3.9%abv-A new brewery for me-Juicy session pale ale,approaching Kent Brewery's Session PA. Praise indeed.
Marston's-Saddle Tank:3.8%abv-Thin,sulphurous bitter.Not to my taste.
My BOTW-Half Moon-F'hops sake, taken in the excellent The Cover Bridge Inn (https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/58503/) ,as was the Jaipur.(Not really to be taken at lunchtime.)

[Mobyduck]

A steady week was boosted no end by a visit to the Egham Beer Festival last Friday.
Cellar Head - Pole Dancer 4.5%
Cellar Head - Kiln Basher 5.2%
Dark Revolution - Atomic 3,8%
Dark Revolution - Elevator 7.2%
Dark Star Green - Hopped IPA 6.5%
Kent - New Black 4.8%
Kent - Hot Chocolate 5.5%
Kent - Green Giant 6.0%
New Wharf - Legends 5.8%
Polarity - The Elder 4.5%
Surrey Hills - Collusion V9 5.2%
Castle Rock - Harvest Pale 3.8%
Purity - Pure Gold 3.8%
Timothy Taylor - Golden Best 3.5%
Ringwood - Boondoggle 4.2%
Oakham Citra 4.2%

Dark Star Green Hopped IPA and Oakham Citra are both in my Beer Hall Of Fame, or would be if I had one, and were both tip top this week, but the plaudits have to go to a new beer for me this time, BOTW is Kent Green Giant, Gorgeous .

[Wittenden]

Special mention for the Harveys Dark Mild, which is as rare as hen's teeth, in the North. The fact I got something from it, having just had two much stronger beers immediately beforehand, says a lot about it, with it being only 3%.

Rare as hen's teeth in its home country too-mainly to be seen in Harvey's own pubs, unlike its ubiquitous confrere.Coincidentally,I enjoyed a pint of Timothy Taylor's Dark Mild at the long anticipated The Falcon (https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/55335/) . 'Earthy' and 'Blackcurrant' spring to mind, so I must have liked it.

[aleandhearty]

I enjoyed a pint of Timothy Taylor's Dark Mild...

That reminds me I've not had a pint in ages. I've to go over to Leeds next week, so I might have to squeeze in a sneaky one at the Town Hall Tavern (https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/42976/).

[Real Ale Ray]

Black Iris - Better The Devil You Know absolutely superb in Arcadia (https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/65743/)

[ROBCamra]

Good Chemistry Natural Selection. A 4% session ale, very nice for a few in The Baum. :cheers: