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29-04-2024, 09:20
Visit The Beer Nut site (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2024/04/full-immersion.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3uwCRYblobqkjVOvN_ILksAppeZZ6-KKuMn9cakNaCEOPkJ-us319HBjS6UDAGM0zLkl6unvOXBhVtlcsp-mBjlr_g9R2WmITpd3nMSYK-kQMHjFcxnfdTCWnPyytNkIrHKZQVsCECRn_DFNlJjjiuJopPvj CqKcoIYm9T7w6z0cl7FsvwzRvA/w200-h125/bath_abbey.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3uwCRYblobqkjVOvN_ILksAppeZZ6-KKuMn9cakNaCEOPkJ-us319HBjS6UDAGM0zLkl6unvOXBhVtlcsp-mBjlr_g9R2WmITpd3nMSYK-kQMHjFcxnfdTCWnPyytNkIrHKZQVsCECRn_DFNlJjjiuJopPvj CqKcoIYm9T7w6z0cl7FsvwzRvA/s3606/bath_abbey.jpg)I was back in England for yet more (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2024/04/cask-on-coast.html) family business a couple of weeks ago. This time the destination was the most genteel city of Bath. It's not exactly known for its quality beer offer, but I think I made out OK, and had no trouble finding decent pubs and decent beer. Indeed, I didn't put much effort into it, which is why you don't have to tell me about places I don't mention.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5nmZU1VOhR-k1DdENHH28DyDUhcqTbemEDZX0WmV3O5QXcJBLl1V5NhZOP7CV 5nI-ruZwEwV5sqd-9sAvxO_ylb3xbUdKH6k6xQD2OZR9RWN1mE-lGVYY8tf0u7Q9IZkNqkwFvBQtbHzleVQTZ4htAoP1vCo9BNtgB qzsJ0vdsZF3ihOJiQi8w/w154-h200/camden_town_eazy_ipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5nmZU1VOhR-k1DdENHH28DyDUhcqTbemEDZX0WmV3O5QXcJBLl1V5NhZOP7CV 5nI-ruZwEwV5sqd-9sAvxO_ylb3xbUdKH6k6xQD2OZR9RWN1mE-lGVYY8tf0u7Q9IZkNqkwFvBQtbHzleVQTZ4htAoP1vCo9BNtgB qzsJ0vdsZF3ihOJiQi8w/s2910/camden_town_eazy_ipa.jpg)Stop one was not an Austenesque tearoom but an Indian restaurant: Bikanos, across the river in Widcombe. I had a pint of Cobra, meh, and then noticed they had a draught beer not on the menu, so presumably the illuminated keg font is new. Eazy is a Camden Town beer I'd never seen before. The name appears to be a squirmingly awkward pun on "hazy", because it's a hazy IPA. 5% ABV seems a little on the high side for what England regards as easy drinking. They've more or less got the flavour basics down: an inoffensive blend of ripe mandarin and a rub of garlic, the latter to complement your naan. Its mainstream credentials are shown in the barely-hazy copper colour, fairly typical of hazy IPA made by breweries with no enthusiasm for something they've decided to brew in vast quantities. Where it excels, however, is in the texture. It's beautifully soft and unfizzy, adding to the flavour's richness and suiting the food particularly well. I don't know if restaurants are its main stomping ground, but I can see why they would be. These days, Camden Town tends to make broadly reliable accessible beers, and here's another one. Where next?
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25GgoUt76jCN-qn7brYdRoW5wzmST221ZJID3PO_GsP9mMPPLaHaL-Vyu9DVaBRv0hWsktoShK7VtgrNdbDeuxHEn4fA3xis_LQevufG a25kruaPce8yreg1EchTRkpvx2Yi0Zy6ftHXQeYmFa_zjsVbRh zr3EQdNC0RevosuHIbcxKzVh0C5cQ/w140-h200/electric_bear_its_gonna_be_may_pale_ale.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25GgoUt76jCN-qn7brYdRoW5wzmST221ZJID3PO_GsP9mMPPLaHaL-Vyu9DVaBRv0hWsktoShK7VtgrNdbDeuxHEn4fA3xis_LQevufG a25kruaPce8yreg1EchTRkpvx2Yi0Zy6ftHXQeYmFa_zjsVbRh zr3EQdNC0RevosuHIbcxKzVh0C5cQ/s3210/electric_bear_its_gonna_be_may_pale_ale.jpg)My lodgings were at The Black Fox, a sparsely-furnished, broadly maritime-feeling pub at the edge of the old centre. They like to stick with local beers and I had a cask pint of It's Gonna Be May from Bath's own Electric Bear. This is another hazy one, though properly easy at just 3.8% ABV. The texture is nicely smooth, making for a very sinkable pint. There was something very strange going on with the hopping: a coconut and fruit sweetness that hits hard in the foretaste and lasts all the way through. Turns out it's done using Sabro with Azacca, which makes sense. It works. This is undemanding, like the beer before it, but has bags more character. I don't know how far from Bath Electric Bear gets, but I'll be watching out for them. Modern twists on traditional British brewing don't always work, but on this evidence they seem to know what they're doing.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgnEylK-vmXd8QtbwYXOz1RJhbNj5UBnSh1SLkeEc7_T_DIvbziVxbhM8j gR9VqYy19ztCVMjay3fy6h5YLrKVjXRuuZ3SeRVk1roATZECGv CSq42Vdhyphenhyphen84ZzE6taiePdmv4tWhGlPYwE1k-PSJpvFChwRQiwBR3mybRJ7kRptl4LyAPBCWZ5t5Q/w183-h200/bath_brew_house_valkyrie_kolsch.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgnEylK-vmXd8QtbwYXOz1RJhbNj5UBnSh1SLkeEc7_T_DIvbziVxbhM8j gR9VqYy19ztCVMjay3fy6h5YLrKVjXRuuZ3SeRVk1roATZECGv CSq42Vdhyphenhyphen84ZzE6taiePdmv4tWhGlPYwE1k-PSJpvFChwRQiwBR3mybRJ7kRptl4LyAPBCWZ5t5Q/s2460/bath_brew_house_valkyrie_kolsch.jpg)Not far up the street from here is Bath Brew House, which I visited last time I was in town (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2014/08/traditional-matters.html), almost a decade ago. It hasn't changed much: still a bit of a drinking barn with a roomy beer garden out back. But their heart's in the right place as regards the beer they brew.
Seeking refreshment, I started on Valkyrie, their take on Kölsch, kegged. I wasn't expecting much from this but was wowed, right out of the traps. It's mostly clear and a slightly dark shade of golden, the recipe leaning heavily into Vienna malt, I'm told. While it's perfectly clean (and not all brewpub lagers are) it's not crisp, wearing instead a subtle yet delicious cookie-like sweetness. This matches an almost creamy low-carbonation texture. I found it to be a great session starter, but equally there's enough to keep one interested here for another pint or two straight after. Just watch out for that 5% ABV, English lightweights.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSh4GbYS0TZIrNkjrxHrjX5gGOJF-8U26Qgi_zD2_n-rEUll1YyKw0HCXf7V-7J1rRNm8AqPLcbOGSksmpUeAca3Xy6eYM6XTdNLAosE4Swhp3h JLIKC0KTFf9NsPbrn42dHHL2HV9sNrCREuFh_Z4HHV2hTsxfnd Ktz9yiMM_AXw9xIxGA7qNIQ/w188-h200/bath_brew_house_avena_stout.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSh4GbYS0TZIrNkjrxHrjX5gGOJF-8U26Qgi_zD2_n-rEUll1YyKw0HCXf7V-7J1rRNm8AqPLcbOGSksmpUeAca3Xy6eYM6XTdNLAosE4Swhp3h JLIKC0KTFf9NsPbrn42dHHL2HV9sNrCREuFh_Z4HHV2hTsxfnd Ktz9yiMM_AXw9xIxGA7qNIQ/s2000/bath_brew_house_avena_stout.jpg)After that, I thought I would try my luck with another kegged one: Avena, BBH's stout. This is 6.2% ABV so I opted for a half, and was glad I did. In the glass it's a dirty brown colour, and without nitrogen the head looks quite forlorn. The badge doesn't advertise it as a milk stout, but it appears to be one: intensely sweet with the added tang of salt one gets from milk chocolate, building to an unpleasantly sweaty tang by the end of just the half pint. In its favour, it's not heavy so it doesn't get cloying, but it was still tough drinking for me. A little drying out with some balancing roast would have helped it a lot.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEtQW9CGyJ_HD36eVLZDqOnfMy8gLJ89X6CZyFDEDbu H4pS3XZqUBHPqsFDKIjkixq_VFL5Exm_KSlTrhiWZH8pyP2xyD mhqHwPCDErL380J4pmYYEJUYQloiKSPJ6Kg9mJkFadrSKSnAw9 mpWCv9n8kQMukjDhLM6T-x7UM2BrvHeeNMGxel2g/w118-h200/bath_brew_house_senator_table_beer.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEtQW9CGyJ_HD36eVLZDqOnfMy8gLJ89X6CZyFDEDbu H4pS3XZqUBHPqsFDKIjkixq_VFL5Exm_KSlTrhiWZH8pyP2xyD mhqHwPCDErL380J4pmYYEJUYQloiKSPJ6Kg9mJkFadrSKSnAw9 mpWCv9n8kQMukjDhLM6T-x7UM2BrvHeeNMGxel2g/s3820/bath_brew_house_senator_table_beer.jpg)Over to the cask taps, then. Senator is a table beer, which is not something I've seen on cask before, I think. At 3.2% ABV it's not massively different from several mainstream bitters, I suppose. It's a hazy pale yellow and does have an excellently full body, given that very modest strength. Lemon cookies open the flavour, building in bitterness as it goes, and properly sharp in a stimulating, mouth-watering, way by the end. I got both crispness and chewiness from it, making it an excellent all-rounder: full-flavoured and not at all compromised.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ7Vi711h6vpz39VWV7vqwZnyI82aTGKNFbld3dlRtqW wJMbthv6p69q_3GLkwB1_Auf0boEiunC1JRAx6-_h_ol57MVx80fsnBZvZYzOcMA0s-WPo2ITVbBezcruYlfIKyvvbESzr5UegiBVj_Zho2cdyuAQFyrq dvNVIDMNP9XvOA-zzPQCdSA/w138-h200/bath_brew_house_victory_special_bitter.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ7Vi711h6vpz39VWV7vqwZnyI82aTGKNFbld3dlRtqW wJMbthv6p69q_3GLkwB1_Auf0boEiunC1JRAx6-_h_ol57MVx80fsnBZvZYzOcMA0s-WPo2ITVbBezcruYlfIKyvvbESzr5UegiBVj_Zho2cdyuAQFyrq dvNVIDMNP9XvOA-zzPQCdSA/s3260/bath_brew_house_victory_special_bitter.jpg)Last time I hadn't noticed just how much of a rugby town Bath was, but it very much is. Bath Brew House made a special bitter for the 2024 Six Nations. They called it Victory. LOL. It's 4.3% ABV and amber-coloured. Brown bitter, then? Technically yes, but they've made a great job of it, packing in fresh and leafy green English hops, set on a superbly refreshing dry and tannic base. A tiny bit of peppery spice finishes it with a flourish. It's another very moreish beer, on the plain and unchallenging side, but utterly delicious in that way good bitter does so well.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-4Kgk6ExvSY_EgiUY5QJljeVal1Cr4bcuiUnlP9J7y6d3XxNM69 tSoR00b_4SKrBFDAkXw4mIYt8bQEV2boln5-txtr5sU1o9COJrp3AKZf6rdPo6_4C4oijSoyw-SWwFo60b_uEKNFNjfZHcj_ycyTGbinOQ3tVXfEmfBy7rGaKP2o w_fY9_Q/w187-h200/bath_brew_house_hercules_ipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-4Kgk6ExvSY_EgiUY5QJljeVal1Cr4bcuiUnlP9J7y6d3XxNM69 tSoR00b_4SKrBFDAkXw4mIYt8bQEV2boln5-txtr5sU1o9COJrp3AKZf6rdPo6_4C4oijSoyw-SWwFo60b_uEKNFNjfZHcj_ycyTGbinOQ3tVXfEmfBy7rGaKP2o w_fY9_Q/s2335/bath_brew_house_hercules_ipa.jpg)A big ol' IPA to finish the session here: Hercules, labouring away at 6% ABV. This one doesn't seem to be in the English style, having big and bitter citrus notes up front, leading to harder resin and pine later on. It's a west-coast Hercules then. The zest keeps it drinkable and the malt side is restrained, not bothering with balance, and not really needing to. There's a certain spiciness which I would say is more English, but otherwise it's American all the way, and beautifully done. Here we have yet another fantastic drinking beer, though one with a hint of danger too.
Stout aside, I could have very happily started from the top once more for another round of everything, but it was time to move on.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTRNQ4DTjKfFwbEgsrqXxyR1fbZ7UlkODOU_peDuNfm hiQfGv6i-djGf1gr1iAcMrFng-v1ErrWkikWPLamC3_CudzFnvqwVtycRwwpLXdM5RRADyMYTfWQ D_wp_mu2jyrVKE5swiy2oc32EtYaphYn_FveL_h6arY-wJUy4S-o6e3ydnHhqfJQ/w198-h200/brentwood_falcon_punch_potbelly_captain_pigwash.jp g (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTRNQ4DTjKfFwbEgsrqXxyR1fbZ7UlkODOU_peDuNfm hiQfGv6i-djGf1gr1iAcMrFng-v1ErrWkikWPLamC3_CudzFnvqwVtycRwwpLXdM5RRADyMYTfWQ D_wp_mu2jyrVKE5swiy2oc32EtYaphYn_FveL_h6arY-wJUy4S-o6e3ydnHhqfJQ/s2172/brentwood_falcon_punch_potbelly_captain_pigwash.jp g)That brought us to another pub we'd been in before, Bath's famous The Raven. I chose a porter from the wickets, named Captain Pigwash (yum yum), brewed by Potbelly in Northamptonshire. It's a bit of a sticky affair: a full 5% ABV with loads of roast plus a smoky, rather phenolic, twang. At times it felt like drinking a barbecue marinade more than a beer. I got through my pint in due course, but it's not one you can rush. I think I prefer my cask porters to be more easy-going than this, not that I'm in any position to be fussy about such things.
And in a reverse of the norm, herself went with an IPA of 5.1% ABV, called Falcon Punch, supplied by Essex's Brentwood Brewing. The name is from its use of the Falconer's Flight hop blend, which I haven't seen mentioned in a while, plus Mosaic and Citra. Mosaic has won that particular fight and the beer isn't punchy at all. Instead it's soft and peachy, with dessertish meringue pie overtones. Perhaps the Citra builds into more of a bitterness on drinking more than the taster I had. As a hop-forward cask ale it still did an excellent job. Brentwood has had a couple of beers in the Irish branches of Wetherspoon over the years, but this is the first of theirs that impressed me in any way.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0yjGzLi-dJWciJtaVpP35mG-bdiODasuMnoG1otVaL__P6YiKXGb-mcj4yettpUzSnl9IuvsfdGIcw3gaATwOx8SRYmIlpqFJL7jCv6 IFPFmkvauRJ57ZkrmHkLVwCyQmbAmdRUIzYobvlaxVy77hKQR0 up1G5_02sJKeKhZCYBSzRN2SCzFTw/w129-h200/black_sheep_respire_session_ipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0yjGzLi-dJWciJtaVpP35mG-bdiODasuMnoG1otVaL__P6YiKXGb-mcj4yettpUzSnl9IuvsfdGIcw3gaATwOx8SRYmIlpqFJL7jCv6 IFPFmkvauRJ57ZkrmHkLVwCyQmbAmdRUIzYobvlaxVy77hKQR0 up1G5_02sJKeKhZCYBSzRN2SCzFTw/s3470/black_sheep_respire_session_ipa.jpg)From the outside, I liked the look of Sam Weller's pub, nestled in among the winding streets of central Bath, and inside it's nice too, plush and comfortable with boutique hotel lounge vibes. The beer selection was modest, and I picked one from Black Sheep, perhaps one of the Yorkshire brewer's attempts at cool craft beer which landed them insolvent. It was a 4% ABV session IPA called Respire. It's far from all-American in character, however, the zingy citrus sitting next to a very northern waxy bitterness of the sort I associate with Timothy Taylor Landlord or Marble's Pint. It works well, in a best-of-both-worlds kind of way. If you want to treat it as a modern, hopped up, US-influenced pale ale, you can do so quite validly, but it's equally a clean and clear Yorkshire bitter with plenty of characterful punch.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHg9QVr4l890AGHg3bHCrbseSeEA1zADgOUV3xDuf9Uh 0AefVwcXbo4qOo_oK8cPUNY8eXu0A4Ti-ygTVPmFsGkwieI3q2mXL4Du092qXR-mgCEY3WciVY8i6uSGf2KdHIY4gChnjrx55NWy6ZzLdilZJOnIk ofP6kqXys5AxzJ2rCTrrvEaxPcA/w200-h125/the_star_inn_bath.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHg9QVr4l890AGHg3bHCrbseSeEA1zADgOUV3xDuf9Uh 0AefVwcXbo4qOo_oK8cPUNY8eXu0A4Ti-ygTVPmFsGkwieI3q2mXL4Du092qXR-mgCEY3WciVY8i6uSGf2KdHIY4gChnjrx55NWy6ZzLdilZJOnIk ofP6kqXys5AxzJ2rCTrrvEaxPcA/s3597/the_star_inn_bath.jpg)Finally, The Star. This pub was only on my radar because I wanted to check in again with cask Bass, especially with the looming danger of Carlsberg-Marston's getting rid of it. The Star specialises in jugs of Bass served on gravity, and I had a pint, and it was perfectly pleasant, though I don't really get what all the fuss is about with this beer, other than its history. The pub itself is as traditional as can be: a series of tiny rooms, one with a tiny bar counter, tiny stillage and very large jar of pickled eggs. It's all kinds of charming, and on a sunny Saturday when downtown Bath was thronged, is just far enough out to avoid any undesirable passing trade. What would such types know of cask Bass?
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dvqjv1Vs0Hx9ZmvwijXt3tf7qms5_mCOLoVWbHN7bM BEW1UNLLYaEre6Jap3k_USZP5Jbj0aXGHULr403_nCrhLEHujT OBLkKn-mig7uZsvG8uyqtWH_lu_Ah4PoWNSgQmgXWOdpnMHTvZ_jEkJor MB7Oum26iHFyL4HYLLhDrruup2Fm5D02Q/w121-h200/abbey_ales_bath_bellringer_bitter.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dvqjv1Vs0Hx9ZmvwijXt3tf7qms5_mCOLoVWbHN7bM BEW1UNLLYaEre6Jap3k_USZP5Jbj0aXGHULr403_nCrhLEHujT OBLkKn-mig7uZsvG8uyqtWH_lu_Ah4PoWNSgQmgXWOdpnMHTvZ_jEkJor MB7Oum26iHFyL4HYLLhDrruup2Fm5D02Q/s3670/abbey_ales_bath_bellringer_bitter.jpg)It also seems to be connected to Abbey Ales of Bath, and serves their flagship, Bath Bellringer. This is a golden-coloured bitter, shading to amber, and 4.2% ABV. For all that it's lauded throughout the premises, it's a rather plain affair, offering little more than a simple squeeze of lemon essence -- not quite intense enough to be zest -- plus some waxiness and pale grains which lend it an air of pilsner, to my mind. I was unimpressed, and any patrons looking for a simple and decent bitter would be better served with the Bass. Up your game, Abbey.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJo0wQIF5GuaCTfvFhNaIoXpZp3RgRzGRl8wRzr7QyVN E12hj7Sey3FY-T9RR8QCSGJDWTRKDWvG586ieQ1K4N3kPEsHRxFygMvOzGzoCtx Z4XO-yy0NI1tBcB1KgvYpASIgJN58zc7x51Cj8Z0G5LxMn7RKgzT7UJ _WZzgCjT8qG2GS-Zl2Jh3A/w148-h200/dark_star_revelation_ipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJo0wQIF5GuaCTfvFhNaIoXpZp3RgRzGRl8wRzr7QyVN E12hj7Sey3FY-T9RR8QCSGJDWTRKDWvG586ieQ1K4N3kPEsHRxFygMvOzGzoCtx Z4XO-yy0NI1tBcB1KgvYpASIgJN58zc7x51Cj8Z0G5LxMn7RKgzT7UJ _WZzgCjT8qG2GS-Zl2Jh3A/s3035/dark_star_revelation_ipa.jpg)Before leaving, I had another British take on American IPA, this time from Asahi Fuller's Meantime Dark Star, and called Revelation. It's another goldy-amber one, and a full 5.7% ABV. It needs that to balance out the very heavy and acidic hop resins, sharply bitter at first, then tailing off into a long citric finish. It's a bit of an assault to begin with, but I got used to it quickly, and was fully enjoying the beer by the second mouthful. For all the hefty punch, there's a certain amount of balance on display as well, those hops somewhat calmed by a chewy, golden syrup malt sweetness. It takes skill to make something that's this big but not difficult to drink at the same time. A revelation, you might say, if you wanted to end your blog post on a trite note.
Ahead of this trip I'm not sure I would have considered Bath as a weekend destination by itself, having been quite satisfied with it as a daytrip when based in Bristol. There's lots to explore beyond the famous sights, however. I could have punched in another day or two, having barely scratched the surface of what ciders it has to offer, for example. That's for next time.
More... (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2024/04/full-immersion.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3uwCRYblobqkjVOvN_ILksAppeZZ6-KKuMn9cakNaCEOPkJ-us319HBjS6UDAGM0zLkl6unvOXBhVtlcsp-mBjlr_g9R2WmITpd3nMSYK-kQMHjFcxnfdTCWnPyytNkIrHKZQVsCECRn_DFNlJjjiuJopPvj CqKcoIYm9T7w6z0cl7FsvwzRvA/w200-h125/bath_abbey.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3uwCRYblobqkjVOvN_ILksAppeZZ6-KKuMn9cakNaCEOPkJ-us319HBjS6UDAGM0zLkl6unvOXBhVtlcsp-mBjlr_g9R2WmITpd3nMSYK-kQMHjFcxnfdTCWnPyytNkIrHKZQVsCECRn_DFNlJjjiuJopPvj CqKcoIYm9T7w6z0cl7FsvwzRvA/s3606/bath_abbey.jpg)I was back in England for yet more (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2024/04/cask-on-coast.html) family business a couple of weeks ago. This time the destination was the most genteel city of Bath. It's not exactly known for its quality beer offer, but I think I made out OK, and had no trouble finding decent pubs and decent beer. Indeed, I didn't put much effort into it, which is why you don't have to tell me about places I don't mention.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5nmZU1VOhR-k1DdENHH28DyDUhcqTbemEDZX0WmV3O5QXcJBLl1V5NhZOP7CV 5nI-ruZwEwV5sqd-9sAvxO_ylb3xbUdKH6k6xQD2OZR9RWN1mE-lGVYY8tf0u7Q9IZkNqkwFvBQtbHzleVQTZ4htAoP1vCo9BNtgB qzsJ0vdsZF3ihOJiQi8w/w154-h200/camden_town_eazy_ipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5nmZU1VOhR-k1DdENHH28DyDUhcqTbemEDZX0WmV3O5QXcJBLl1V5NhZOP7CV 5nI-ruZwEwV5sqd-9sAvxO_ylb3xbUdKH6k6xQD2OZR9RWN1mE-lGVYY8tf0u7Q9IZkNqkwFvBQtbHzleVQTZ4htAoP1vCo9BNtgB qzsJ0vdsZF3ihOJiQi8w/s2910/camden_town_eazy_ipa.jpg)Stop one was not an Austenesque tearoom but an Indian restaurant: Bikanos, across the river in Widcombe. I had a pint of Cobra, meh, and then noticed they had a draught beer not on the menu, so presumably the illuminated keg font is new. Eazy is a Camden Town beer I'd never seen before. The name appears to be a squirmingly awkward pun on "hazy", because it's a hazy IPA. 5% ABV seems a little on the high side for what England regards as easy drinking. They've more or less got the flavour basics down: an inoffensive blend of ripe mandarin and a rub of garlic, the latter to complement your naan. Its mainstream credentials are shown in the barely-hazy copper colour, fairly typical of hazy IPA made by breweries with no enthusiasm for something they've decided to brew in vast quantities. Where it excels, however, is in the texture. It's beautifully soft and unfizzy, adding to the flavour's richness and suiting the food particularly well. I don't know if restaurants are its main stomping ground, but I can see why they would be. These days, Camden Town tends to make broadly reliable accessible beers, and here's another one. Where next?
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25GgoUt76jCN-qn7brYdRoW5wzmST221ZJID3PO_GsP9mMPPLaHaL-Vyu9DVaBRv0hWsktoShK7VtgrNdbDeuxHEn4fA3xis_LQevufG a25kruaPce8yreg1EchTRkpvx2Yi0Zy6ftHXQeYmFa_zjsVbRh zr3EQdNC0RevosuHIbcxKzVh0C5cQ/w140-h200/electric_bear_its_gonna_be_may_pale_ale.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25GgoUt76jCN-qn7brYdRoW5wzmST221ZJID3PO_GsP9mMPPLaHaL-Vyu9DVaBRv0hWsktoShK7VtgrNdbDeuxHEn4fA3xis_LQevufG a25kruaPce8yreg1EchTRkpvx2Yi0Zy6ftHXQeYmFa_zjsVbRh zr3EQdNC0RevosuHIbcxKzVh0C5cQ/s3210/electric_bear_its_gonna_be_may_pale_ale.jpg)My lodgings were at The Black Fox, a sparsely-furnished, broadly maritime-feeling pub at the edge of the old centre. They like to stick with local beers and I had a cask pint of It's Gonna Be May from Bath's own Electric Bear. This is another hazy one, though properly easy at just 3.8% ABV. The texture is nicely smooth, making for a very sinkable pint. There was something very strange going on with the hopping: a coconut and fruit sweetness that hits hard in the foretaste and lasts all the way through. Turns out it's done using Sabro with Azacca, which makes sense. It works. This is undemanding, like the beer before it, but has bags more character. I don't know how far from Bath Electric Bear gets, but I'll be watching out for them. Modern twists on traditional British brewing don't always work, but on this evidence they seem to know what they're doing.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgnEylK-vmXd8QtbwYXOz1RJhbNj5UBnSh1SLkeEc7_T_DIvbziVxbhM8j gR9VqYy19ztCVMjay3fy6h5YLrKVjXRuuZ3SeRVk1roATZECGv CSq42Vdhyphenhyphen84ZzE6taiePdmv4tWhGlPYwE1k-PSJpvFChwRQiwBR3mybRJ7kRptl4LyAPBCWZ5t5Q/w183-h200/bath_brew_house_valkyrie_kolsch.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgnEylK-vmXd8QtbwYXOz1RJhbNj5UBnSh1SLkeEc7_T_DIvbziVxbhM8j gR9VqYy19ztCVMjay3fy6h5YLrKVjXRuuZ3SeRVk1roATZECGv CSq42Vdhyphenhyphen84ZzE6taiePdmv4tWhGlPYwE1k-PSJpvFChwRQiwBR3mybRJ7kRptl4LyAPBCWZ5t5Q/s2460/bath_brew_house_valkyrie_kolsch.jpg)Not far up the street from here is Bath Brew House, which I visited last time I was in town (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2014/08/traditional-matters.html), almost a decade ago. It hasn't changed much: still a bit of a drinking barn with a roomy beer garden out back. But their heart's in the right place as regards the beer they brew.
Seeking refreshment, I started on Valkyrie, their take on Kölsch, kegged. I wasn't expecting much from this but was wowed, right out of the traps. It's mostly clear and a slightly dark shade of golden, the recipe leaning heavily into Vienna malt, I'm told. While it's perfectly clean (and not all brewpub lagers are) it's not crisp, wearing instead a subtle yet delicious cookie-like sweetness. This matches an almost creamy low-carbonation texture. I found it to be a great session starter, but equally there's enough to keep one interested here for another pint or two straight after. Just watch out for that 5% ABV, English lightweights.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSh4GbYS0TZIrNkjrxHrjX5gGOJF-8U26Qgi_zD2_n-rEUll1YyKw0HCXf7V-7J1rRNm8AqPLcbOGSksmpUeAca3Xy6eYM6XTdNLAosE4Swhp3h JLIKC0KTFf9NsPbrn42dHHL2HV9sNrCREuFh_Z4HHV2hTsxfnd Ktz9yiMM_AXw9xIxGA7qNIQ/w188-h200/bath_brew_house_avena_stout.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSh4GbYS0TZIrNkjrxHrjX5gGOJF-8U26Qgi_zD2_n-rEUll1YyKw0HCXf7V-7J1rRNm8AqPLcbOGSksmpUeAca3Xy6eYM6XTdNLAosE4Swhp3h JLIKC0KTFf9NsPbrn42dHHL2HV9sNrCREuFh_Z4HHV2hTsxfnd Ktz9yiMM_AXw9xIxGA7qNIQ/s2000/bath_brew_house_avena_stout.jpg)After that, I thought I would try my luck with another kegged one: Avena, BBH's stout. This is 6.2% ABV so I opted for a half, and was glad I did. In the glass it's a dirty brown colour, and without nitrogen the head looks quite forlorn. The badge doesn't advertise it as a milk stout, but it appears to be one: intensely sweet with the added tang of salt one gets from milk chocolate, building to an unpleasantly sweaty tang by the end of just the half pint. In its favour, it's not heavy so it doesn't get cloying, but it was still tough drinking for me. A little drying out with some balancing roast would have helped it a lot.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEtQW9CGyJ_HD36eVLZDqOnfMy8gLJ89X6CZyFDEDbu H4pS3XZqUBHPqsFDKIjkixq_VFL5Exm_KSlTrhiWZH8pyP2xyD mhqHwPCDErL380J4pmYYEJUYQloiKSPJ6Kg9mJkFadrSKSnAw9 mpWCv9n8kQMukjDhLM6T-x7UM2BrvHeeNMGxel2g/w118-h200/bath_brew_house_senator_table_beer.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEtQW9CGyJ_HD36eVLZDqOnfMy8gLJ89X6CZyFDEDbu H4pS3XZqUBHPqsFDKIjkixq_VFL5Exm_KSlTrhiWZH8pyP2xyD mhqHwPCDErL380J4pmYYEJUYQloiKSPJ6Kg9mJkFadrSKSnAw9 mpWCv9n8kQMukjDhLM6T-x7UM2BrvHeeNMGxel2g/s3820/bath_brew_house_senator_table_beer.jpg)Over to the cask taps, then. Senator is a table beer, which is not something I've seen on cask before, I think. At 3.2% ABV it's not massively different from several mainstream bitters, I suppose. It's a hazy pale yellow and does have an excellently full body, given that very modest strength. Lemon cookies open the flavour, building in bitterness as it goes, and properly sharp in a stimulating, mouth-watering, way by the end. I got both crispness and chewiness from it, making it an excellent all-rounder: full-flavoured and not at all compromised.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ7Vi711h6vpz39VWV7vqwZnyI82aTGKNFbld3dlRtqW wJMbthv6p69q_3GLkwB1_Auf0boEiunC1JRAx6-_h_ol57MVx80fsnBZvZYzOcMA0s-WPo2ITVbBezcruYlfIKyvvbESzr5UegiBVj_Zho2cdyuAQFyrq dvNVIDMNP9XvOA-zzPQCdSA/w138-h200/bath_brew_house_victory_special_bitter.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ7Vi711h6vpz39VWV7vqwZnyI82aTGKNFbld3dlRtqW wJMbthv6p69q_3GLkwB1_Auf0boEiunC1JRAx6-_h_ol57MVx80fsnBZvZYzOcMA0s-WPo2ITVbBezcruYlfIKyvvbESzr5UegiBVj_Zho2cdyuAQFyrq dvNVIDMNP9XvOA-zzPQCdSA/s3260/bath_brew_house_victory_special_bitter.jpg)Last time I hadn't noticed just how much of a rugby town Bath was, but it very much is. Bath Brew House made a special bitter for the 2024 Six Nations. They called it Victory. LOL. It's 4.3% ABV and amber-coloured. Brown bitter, then? Technically yes, but they've made a great job of it, packing in fresh and leafy green English hops, set on a superbly refreshing dry and tannic base. A tiny bit of peppery spice finishes it with a flourish. It's another very moreish beer, on the plain and unchallenging side, but utterly delicious in that way good bitter does so well.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-4Kgk6ExvSY_EgiUY5QJljeVal1Cr4bcuiUnlP9J7y6d3XxNM69 tSoR00b_4SKrBFDAkXw4mIYt8bQEV2boln5-txtr5sU1o9COJrp3AKZf6rdPo6_4C4oijSoyw-SWwFo60b_uEKNFNjfZHcj_ycyTGbinOQ3tVXfEmfBy7rGaKP2o w_fY9_Q/w187-h200/bath_brew_house_hercules_ipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-4Kgk6ExvSY_EgiUY5QJljeVal1Cr4bcuiUnlP9J7y6d3XxNM69 tSoR00b_4SKrBFDAkXw4mIYt8bQEV2boln5-txtr5sU1o9COJrp3AKZf6rdPo6_4C4oijSoyw-SWwFo60b_uEKNFNjfZHcj_ycyTGbinOQ3tVXfEmfBy7rGaKP2o w_fY9_Q/s2335/bath_brew_house_hercules_ipa.jpg)A big ol' IPA to finish the session here: Hercules, labouring away at 6% ABV. This one doesn't seem to be in the English style, having big and bitter citrus notes up front, leading to harder resin and pine later on. It's a west-coast Hercules then. The zest keeps it drinkable and the malt side is restrained, not bothering with balance, and not really needing to. There's a certain spiciness which I would say is more English, but otherwise it's American all the way, and beautifully done. Here we have yet another fantastic drinking beer, though one with a hint of danger too.
Stout aside, I could have very happily started from the top once more for another round of everything, but it was time to move on.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTRNQ4DTjKfFwbEgsrqXxyR1fbZ7UlkODOU_peDuNfm hiQfGv6i-djGf1gr1iAcMrFng-v1ErrWkikWPLamC3_CudzFnvqwVtycRwwpLXdM5RRADyMYTfWQ D_wp_mu2jyrVKE5swiy2oc32EtYaphYn_FveL_h6arY-wJUy4S-o6e3ydnHhqfJQ/w198-h200/brentwood_falcon_punch_potbelly_captain_pigwash.jp g (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTRNQ4DTjKfFwbEgsrqXxyR1fbZ7UlkODOU_peDuNfm hiQfGv6i-djGf1gr1iAcMrFng-v1ErrWkikWPLamC3_CudzFnvqwVtycRwwpLXdM5RRADyMYTfWQ D_wp_mu2jyrVKE5swiy2oc32EtYaphYn_FveL_h6arY-wJUy4S-o6e3ydnHhqfJQ/s2172/brentwood_falcon_punch_potbelly_captain_pigwash.jp g)That brought us to another pub we'd been in before, Bath's famous The Raven. I chose a porter from the wickets, named Captain Pigwash (yum yum), brewed by Potbelly in Northamptonshire. It's a bit of a sticky affair: a full 5% ABV with loads of roast plus a smoky, rather phenolic, twang. At times it felt like drinking a barbecue marinade more than a beer. I got through my pint in due course, but it's not one you can rush. I think I prefer my cask porters to be more easy-going than this, not that I'm in any position to be fussy about such things.
And in a reverse of the norm, herself went with an IPA of 5.1% ABV, called Falcon Punch, supplied by Essex's Brentwood Brewing. The name is from its use of the Falconer's Flight hop blend, which I haven't seen mentioned in a while, plus Mosaic and Citra. Mosaic has won that particular fight and the beer isn't punchy at all. Instead it's soft and peachy, with dessertish meringue pie overtones. Perhaps the Citra builds into more of a bitterness on drinking more than the taster I had. As a hop-forward cask ale it still did an excellent job. Brentwood has had a couple of beers in the Irish branches of Wetherspoon over the years, but this is the first of theirs that impressed me in any way.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0yjGzLi-dJWciJtaVpP35mG-bdiODasuMnoG1otVaL__P6YiKXGb-mcj4yettpUzSnl9IuvsfdGIcw3gaATwOx8SRYmIlpqFJL7jCv6 IFPFmkvauRJ57ZkrmHkLVwCyQmbAmdRUIzYobvlaxVy77hKQR0 up1G5_02sJKeKhZCYBSzRN2SCzFTw/w129-h200/black_sheep_respire_session_ipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0yjGzLi-dJWciJtaVpP35mG-bdiODasuMnoG1otVaL__P6YiKXGb-mcj4yettpUzSnl9IuvsfdGIcw3gaATwOx8SRYmIlpqFJL7jCv6 IFPFmkvauRJ57ZkrmHkLVwCyQmbAmdRUIzYobvlaxVy77hKQR0 up1G5_02sJKeKhZCYBSzRN2SCzFTw/s3470/black_sheep_respire_session_ipa.jpg)From the outside, I liked the look of Sam Weller's pub, nestled in among the winding streets of central Bath, and inside it's nice too, plush and comfortable with boutique hotel lounge vibes. The beer selection was modest, and I picked one from Black Sheep, perhaps one of the Yorkshire brewer's attempts at cool craft beer which landed them insolvent. It was a 4% ABV session IPA called Respire. It's far from all-American in character, however, the zingy citrus sitting next to a very northern waxy bitterness of the sort I associate with Timothy Taylor Landlord or Marble's Pint. It works well, in a best-of-both-worlds kind of way. If you want to treat it as a modern, hopped up, US-influenced pale ale, you can do so quite validly, but it's equally a clean and clear Yorkshire bitter with plenty of characterful punch.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHg9QVr4l890AGHg3bHCrbseSeEA1zADgOUV3xDuf9Uh 0AefVwcXbo4qOo_oK8cPUNY8eXu0A4Ti-ygTVPmFsGkwieI3q2mXL4Du092qXR-mgCEY3WciVY8i6uSGf2KdHIY4gChnjrx55NWy6ZzLdilZJOnIk ofP6kqXys5AxzJ2rCTrrvEaxPcA/w200-h125/the_star_inn_bath.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHg9QVr4l890AGHg3bHCrbseSeEA1zADgOUV3xDuf9Uh 0AefVwcXbo4qOo_oK8cPUNY8eXu0A4Ti-ygTVPmFsGkwieI3q2mXL4Du092qXR-mgCEY3WciVY8i6uSGf2KdHIY4gChnjrx55NWy6ZzLdilZJOnIk ofP6kqXys5AxzJ2rCTrrvEaxPcA/s3597/the_star_inn_bath.jpg)Finally, The Star. This pub was only on my radar because I wanted to check in again with cask Bass, especially with the looming danger of Carlsberg-Marston's getting rid of it. The Star specialises in jugs of Bass served on gravity, and I had a pint, and it was perfectly pleasant, though I don't really get what all the fuss is about with this beer, other than its history. The pub itself is as traditional as can be: a series of tiny rooms, one with a tiny bar counter, tiny stillage and very large jar of pickled eggs. It's all kinds of charming, and on a sunny Saturday when downtown Bath was thronged, is just far enough out to avoid any undesirable passing trade. What would such types know of cask Bass?
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dvqjv1Vs0Hx9ZmvwijXt3tf7qms5_mCOLoVWbHN7bM BEW1UNLLYaEre6Jap3k_USZP5Jbj0aXGHULr403_nCrhLEHujT OBLkKn-mig7uZsvG8uyqtWH_lu_Ah4PoWNSgQmgXWOdpnMHTvZ_jEkJor MB7Oum26iHFyL4HYLLhDrruup2Fm5D02Q/w121-h200/abbey_ales_bath_bellringer_bitter.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dvqjv1Vs0Hx9ZmvwijXt3tf7qms5_mCOLoVWbHN7bM BEW1UNLLYaEre6Jap3k_USZP5Jbj0aXGHULr403_nCrhLEHujT OBLkKn-mig7uZsvG8uyqtWH_lu_Ah4PoWNSgQmgXWOdpnMHTvZ_jEkJor MB7Oum26iHFyL4HYLLhDrruup2Fm5D02Q/s3670/abbey_ales_bath_bellringer_bitter.jpg)It also seems to be connected to Abbey Ales of Bath, and serves their flagship, Bath Bellringer. This is a golden-coloured bitter, shading to amber, and 4.2% ABV. For all that it's lauded throughout the premises, it's a rather plain affair, offering little more than a simple squeeze of lemon essence -- not quite intense enough to be zest -- plus some waxiness and pale grains which lend it an air of pilsner, to my mind. I was unimpressed, and any patrons looking for a simple and decent bitter would be better served with the Bass. Up your game, Abbey.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJo0wQIF5GuaCTfvFhNaIoXpZp3RgRzGRl8wRzr7QyVN E12hj7Sey3FY-T9RR8QCSGJDWTRKDWvG586ieQ1K4N3kPEsHRxFygMvOzGzoCtx Z4XO-yy0NI1tBcB1KgvYpASIgJN58zc7x51Cj8Z0G5LxMn7RKgzT7UJ _WZzgCjT8qG2GS-Zl2Jh3A/w148-h200/dark_star_revelation_ipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJo0wQIF5GuaCTfvFhNaIoXpZp3RgRzGRl8wRzr7QyVN E12hj7Sey3FY-T9RR8QCSGJDWTRKDWvG586ieQ1K4N3kPEsHRxFygMvOzGzoCtx Z4XO-yy0NI1tBcB1KgvYpASIgJN58zc7x51Cj8Z0G5LxMn7RKgzT7UJ _WZzgCjT8qG2GS-Zl2Jh3A/s3035/dark_star_revelation_ipa.jpg)Before leaving, I had another British take on American IPA, this time from Asahi Fuller's Meantime Dark Star, and called Revelation. It's another goldy-amber one, and a full 5.7% ABV. It needs that to balance out the very heavy and acidic hop resins, sharply bitter at first, then tailing off into a long citric finish. It's a bit of an assault to begin with, but I got used to it quickly, and was fully enjoying the beer by the second mouthful. For all the hefty punch, there's a certain amount of balance on display as well, those hops somewhat calmed by a chewy, golden syrup malt sweetness. It takes skill to make something that's this big but not difficult to drink at the same time. A revelation, you might say, if you wanted to end your blog post on a trite note.
Ahead of this trip I'm not sure I would have considered Bath as a weekend destination by itself, having been quite satisfied with it as a daytrip when based in Bristol. There's lots to explore beyond the famous sights, however. I could have punched in another day or two, having barely scratched the surface of what ciders it has to offer, for example. That's for next time.
More... (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2024/04/full-immersion.html)