Next Saturday we will commence .Try to get a bottle of Doombar the best selling cask/bottled beer in the country and taste it..We can then give our thoughts on it.
Printable View
Next Saturday we will commence .Try to get a bottle of Doombar the best selling cask/bottled beer in the country and taste it..We can then give our thoughts on it.
We have maybe 3 or more months before we can go in pubs so its worth trying something we all agree is a shit beer.Saw it in Marks and Spencers for £2 a bottle today at that price even Aqualung can try it.I could say we could all try something from Kernal but that'snot possible countrywide so lets try something we can all get.
I am drinking more pints recently than halfs and quite often when getting halfway down the pint and realising this is a struggle go back to the bar and get a half of stout or porter to add to it.Always improves it imo. Black and tans were part of my youth until I got the taste for Scottish heavy.
A couple of so-so beers last night at the Sheffield Hatter's Inn. I bought a few more cans at the Dram Shop last week, one of them was a saison with rye and nettles from Abbeydale. (Click the blurb image for their idea of what I should have been enjoying.) Didn't really do anything for me. So I thought I'd try something more mainstream, Fullers London Porter, which didn't live up to the high opinion that some people have of this beer. Underwhelming would be my one-word description. Certainly drinkable, quaffable even, but not really much to savour. (The glass is a special edition 24oz jug, celebrating the 100 years of Yates & Jackson brewery in 1978. Only six years later the brewery was no more.)
The drought is broken!
Attachment 1984
Turns out I was this local brewery's first ever online buyer, happening to check their part-updated website just as the new 'shop' went live...
Another Abbeydale can, this time Call to Adventure, an 8.2% double IPA, with ekuanot and mosaic hops. I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would, especially after reading the blurb on the can promising "grapefruit and mango". It was a bit too fruit-juicy for my taste, and didn't really pack the alcoholic heft that the abv suggested, but I must admit to a tinge of regret when the last drop left the glass and hit the back of my throat.
Followed up with the first of my Black Sheep Riggwelters, just nine more to go from last week's delivery. It's an old favourite of mine that I haven't had for a while. I'd been classing it along with Theakstons Old Peculier and Dent Th'Owd Tup - strong, dark beers from the Yorkshire Dales, but in fact Riggwelter is a much drier beer than the other two, which have a bit of sweetness about them. I enjoyed this one - I might have another tonight!
You've spotted the main difference between Black Sheep and Theakstons, the difference is particularly noticeable in the Bitters, Theakstons Best is extremely sweet compared to Black Sheep Bitter, that is probably why the locals prefer the Theakstons version.
Most of Theakstons beers were originally matched by a Black Sheep version when Paul T set up the brewery. I see Riggwelter quite often.......in the Brewery Visitors Centre :D
Last nights beers for me were a return to bottles after a load of cans.
Weird Beard; Sweet Child O'Pine - excellent, viciously hopped pale.
Fyne Ales; OC Crush - nasty concoction of orange and cranberry.
Thornbridge; Tzara - disappointing much better in cask form.
Wild Beer; Murmur - another disappointment, fairly ordinary.
Roosters; Yankee (can) - excellent, that's why I bought 24 cans last week
Rochfort 10 - yes
The children's portion containers don't do these beers any favours, a 500ml would be so much better, except for the OC Crush nothing would save that. None (bar the Rochfort) were over 5% so I don't see the point.
I like Old Peculier too, but I'm not impressed with the bottled version. The cask version has a complexity of flavour, whereas in bottle the sweetness dominates. Riggwelter from the bottle is pretty good, though. (Especially with the loose head that I got from glugging it into my old Y&J glass.)
I've given up on Theakstons Best. In recent years I've had so many dire attempts by useless licensees that I won't waste my money on it. I would only drink it now (if only the pubs were open) mixed with OP to make XB. (Two parts best with one OP.)
I used to have a stash of Riggwelters,must replenish in due course. Rigg was frequently found and enjoyed on my Autumnal forages around the Dales, but seemed to be less available of late.. Can't say that I came across.T'Old Tup, but I recall making Dent Aviator my BOTW a few years back.
Try here, next time you're up north. Lovely pub in a very nice village and a beautiful valley. If things ever go back to normal.
On my list,having walked past it ,having already eaten and drank at The Old Hill Inn where I experienced Aviator.
Evening all,so who's drinking what ?
Just had a back of the cupboard bottle conditioned Marston Pedigree.Attachment 2007
There was no Burton Snatch,just a malty nose and there was a distinct tinny taste on drinking.Indestinct bitterness and overall just bland despite decent carbonation and a good head.I took a look at the dregs and could see no sign of any bottle conditioning .Although the label mentioned the Burton Union system,there was nothing special here 4/10.
Just had a Doombar.Slightly skunked taste.Good head on pouring but gone within a minute.Surprised its in a clear bottle.A no-no for beer.Quite liked it .Brewed in Burton.7/10
There's a bottle of Adnams Ghost Ship and a bottle of TT Landlord available in the cupboard.
Why is the Landlord only 4.1% in bottle? Hadn't noticed that before. It's 4.3% on cask.
Vocation Pride & Joy & Life and Death in cans also likely to be on the list. :cheers:
Then had a Two Tribes -session ipa 3.8 lots of flavour for the strength but a bit harsh.Only one on PG to have visited the brewery tap.Where you can find better beers but keg and card only.
Started a couple of hours ago, with a bottle of Jaipur,them Knocked the abv average down a bit with a tin of Magic Rock Saucerer then upped it again with a can of Vocation Life & Death, now a brief interlude but I can hear Elvis Juice calling from the Fridge.
I went a bit mainstream yesterday, with some beers picked up on a shopping expedition to the Co-op. These four were among a number of their beers on a 4 for £7 offer, making them £1.75 each.
Last night I tackled the Lagunitas IPA 6.2% and Beardo IPA 6%, the latter brewed by Robinsons (in very small letters on the back of the label). The Lagunitas went down fairly well, though it was perhaps a little unsubtle and one-dimensional; the Beardo was simply unmemorable.
Tonight I'll have a go at Black Sheep's own weird beard effort, Pathmaker 5.6%, plus Brooklyn Defender IPA 5.5%. I hope to round off the evening with another Riggwelter.
Next one Weird Beard Sweet Child O'PineAttachment 2009
Poor pouring technique and a bit lively but decent bitterness .Quite punchy taste for 4%,and not one I've come across on cask.7/10
Just had a Tiny Rebel -shake down mango ipa. .No great shakes 7.5/10
I've been joining in on one of the other threads you've started, John.
I've just downed Tiny Rebel Clwb Tropica Attachment 2010
Lots of peach,some balancing bitterness but slightly harsh 6/10
Drinking Marks and Spencer -Cambridgeshire citra ipa. this is Oakham green devil ipa but is not a patch on the cask I drank at the Antelope recently or the keg in Wetherspoons Kingston.Still decent 7.5/10