Beer of the Week (w/e 30th June 2013)

Bucking Fastard: Moor Nor' Hop
Aqualung: Marston's Old Empire
Mobyduck: Dark Star Hophead
Real Ale Ray: Waveney Lightweight
Wittenden: Adnam's Fat Sprat
Thuck Phat: Mallinsons Jade Gem
aleandhearty: Oakham Citra
hondo: St Austell Korev Cornish Lager
Oggwyn Trench: Salamander Turn Turtle
london calling: Tillingbourne Source
ROBCamra: Ossett Mellow Yellow

Excellent week of ale consumption.

Marston's - Pedigree
Slaters - Citrus
Blindmans - Golden Spring
Derventio - Cleopatra (interesting apple hints)
TT - Landlord
Mallinsons - Jade Gem
Roosters - Last Stand
Church End - Fallen Angel
Hopback - Summer Lightening
St Austell - Tribute
Magic Rock - Curious
Fyne - Avalanche (The opposite I suppose of a Hop Bomb .... a Malt Monster but with a very fine dry finish ,runner up in BOTW)
Hardknott - Cool Fusion (Lots of ginger)
Moor - Nor' Hop
Harbour - Pale Ale
Dark Star - Hophead

Hard to pick a BOTW from that lot but for shere flavour and quaffability Moor Nor' Hop gets the nod,in great nick in The Euston Tap

Only the coachlines and bitumous blacking on the hull needs doing ,so last visit to Lichfield coming up,hoping The Malt can supply an excellent BOTW

Here's this week's selection :-

Great Western Meerkat Mild 3.9%
Brodie's Shoreditch Sunshine 3.9%
Brodie's Bethnal Green Bitter 4.0%
Wood's Shropshire Lass 4.1%
Wild Card Jack Of Clubs 4.5%
Portobello Market Porter 4.6%
Brodie's American Wheat 4.8%
Brentwood Lions IPA 5.0%
Marston's Old Empire 5.7%
Nethergate Essex Beast 6.2%
Brodie's Hoxton Special IPA 6.6%

The winner might come as a surprise as it's Marston's Old Empire, although the Bethnal Green was chasing hard. I've had a few pints of this over the last few years and it has always been unimpressive, especially compared to the first time I tried it. This week I had a pint of it in the Chingford King's Ford (£2.45) and it was spot on, despite the new-fangled system that they use so that a cask clears in five nanoseconds. It was clear, cool, in good condition and really tasty. The Wild Card Jack Of Clubs was a decent drop, it's a new local brew and is a red beer.


BOTW Marston's Old Empire

Not to much variety this week,
Surrey Hills Greensand IPA (past it's best)
Butcombe Bitter
Potobello Star (good but not really my style)
Hook Norton Lion
Darkstar Hophead the easy winner.

Waveney Brewing Co - Lightweight

Better week (for me)
Adnams Fat Sprat 3.8abv.On gravity at The Three Chimneys. A modern style amber session beer. A commentator on another site said it needed more hops, but it's pretty good in my book.
Kent KGB 4.1abv. Getting to the end of the barrel.Malt to the fore, unusually for this brewery.
Ripple SteamBest Bitter4.1 abv. Saloon bar stawlwart from a brewery new to me.not outstanding but pleasant.
Goacher'sGold Star5.1abv A strong golden ale, amiable english hops, great.
My BOTW-Adnam's Fat Sprat, again.

Choices:
Oakham Bishops Farewell
Pedigree
Cotleigh - Osprey
Derventio - Cleopatra
TT Landlord
Mallinsons - Jade Gem

The Cleopatra was interesting. Appley but whilst being distinctly beery without verging on cider. BOTW though was Mallinsons Jade Gem, pale, refreshing and not overly hoppy it flew down on a warm evening.

Good week for me, with a handful of old favourites in fine form, plus a few new ones.

Fernandes - Best MILD.
4Ts - Keep Calm.
Oakham - Bishop's Farewell.
Foxfield - Fleur de Lys.
Five Towns - Davy Jones Locker.
Abbeydale - Congregation.
Oakham - Citra.
Goose Eye - Over and Stout.
Great Yorkshire Brewery - Yorkshire Classic.
Rat - Rat Fink.
Arbor - Beech Blonde.
Fernandes - Wakefield Pride.

Normally when I'm doing my Sunday afternoon crawl I drink halves, but the Bishops Farewell was so good in the Black Rock I had to have two pints before moving on! A very agreeable £2.50 a pint as well. I was convinced I'd peaked rather early, but the Citra, in The Hop was even better, absolutely fresh as a daisy. Honorable mentions for the Congregation and Beech Blonde.

St Austell Brewery - Korev Cornish Lager

Only a few this Week

Salamander - Turn Turtle
Mr Grundys - Pip Squeek and Wilfred
Blue Monkey - Infinity
Oakham - Citra
Ironbridge - Kiwi 48 Special
Ludlow - Stairway

BOTW Salamander - Turn Turtle

Rather good pint of Tillingbourne-source at the George in Croyden. Only 3.3 avb but very hoppy.

Ossett Mellow Yellow 4.5% of sheer light, hoppy loveliness tried several times in The Baum. :cheers: