Beer of the Week (w/e 7th October 2012)

hondo: Tyne Bank Southern Star
Mobyduck: Darkstar Greenhopped IPA
Aqualung: White Horse Horse Rustler
PaulOfHorsham: Red Willow Sleepless
Thuck Phat: Byatts Urban Red
Oggwyn Trench: Sarah Hughes Old Ruby Mild
trainman: Marble Dobber
Bucking Fastard: Bathams Bitter
Spinko: Purple Moose Cwrw Glaslyn Ale
oldboots: Sarah Hughes Old Ruby Mild
rpadam: Bathams Mild
aleandhearty: Jarrow Bitter
Pubsignman: Marble Dobber
Real Ale Ray: Bathams Mild
hopwas: Elgood's Black Dog
Wittenden: Tonbridge Coppernob
london calling: Ilkley Green Goddess
ROBCamra: Banks's Howling Wolf

Tyne Bank Brewery - Southern Star

As predicted in last weeks BOTW my mind has been made up, beers to this point (still two days to go) have been-
Darkstar American pale Ale
Darkstar Hophead
Titanic Iceberg
Palmers Dorset Gold
Skinners Betty Stogs
All good apart from the Palmers,I just dont like their beers.
But tonight I had my first pint of the year of Darkstar Greenhopped IPA.
O.M.G. What a beer, not only my BOTW but in all seriousness possibly my BOALTTD (Beer Of A Life Time To Date) It is simply out of this world,fantastic. I will update on further beers this week but nothing will come near to BOTW Darkstar Greenhopped IPA

I feel compelled to nominate a beer this week and it is White Horse Brewery Horse Rustler (5.4%). It is what I would describe as a dark strong bitter, but Some Might Say that it's an Old Ale, well Whatever. I must admit it was quite reminiscent of Old Peculier.

In my second pub there was a beer called (I think) Dognapper (4.8%) by the Growler Brewery, apparently a rebadge of Nethergate, so What's The Story here? According to my Googling Nethergate are now the Growler Brewery, a decision made apparently by some marketing muppet who has been on a US style Management and Marketing course, D'You Know What I Mean? As far as I'm concerned he can just Slide Away and take his Masterplan with him. The beer was another dark bitter but not in the same league as the Horse Rustler.

Inevitably I had to Acquiesce to the temptation of the King William (Brodie's brewery tap) and there were two completely new beers on, Topaz (5%) and Stepney Green Steam (4.5%).
I tried the Topaz and it was a typical Brodie's beer, very pale with masses of hops. Over the last few months he has produced a whole collection of these single hop 5% beers using hops from All Around The World. Topaz is no exception as it is apparently a hop from Half The World Away in Australia. It did come close to edging out the Horse Rustler as it was a briliant pale bitter brew.

Anyway, to sum up my BOTW is White Horse's Horse Rustler, truly Supersonic.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Aqualung

I feel compelled to nominate a beer this week and it is White Horse Brewery Horse Rustler (5.4%). It is what I would describe as a dark strong bitter, but Some Might Say that it's an Old Ale, well Whatever. I must admit it was quite reminiscent of Old Peculier.

In my second pub there was a beer called (I think) Dognapper (4.8%) by the Growler Brewery, apparently a rebadge of Nethergate, so What's The Story here? According to my Googling Nethergate are now the Growler Brewery, a decision made apparently by some marketing muppet who has been on a US style Management and Marketing course, D'You Know What I Mean? As far as I'm concerned he can just Slide Away and take his Masterplan with him. The beer was another dark bitter but not in the same league as the Horse Rustler.

Inevitably I had to Acquiesce to the temptation of the King William (Brodie's brewery tap) and there were two completely new beers on, Topaz (5%) and Stepney Green Steam (4.5%).
I tried the Topaz and it was a typical Brodie's beer, very pale with masses of hops. Over the last few months he has produced a whole collection of these single hop 5% beers using hops from All Around The World. Topaz is no exception as it is apparently a hop from Half The World Away in Australia. It did come close to edging out the Horse Rustler as it was a briliant pale bitter brew.

Anyway, to sum up my BOTW is White Horse's Horse Rustler, truly Supersonic.

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Whatever.

;)

Has to be Red Willow's Sleepless at the Snowdrop's excellent Beer Expo yesterday - once again, some great beers on offer, but this surpassed them all for flavour.

Three to go at and all slipped down very easily and were enjoyed by the assembled:
Oakham Bishops Farewell
Byatts Urban Red
Church End Vicars Ruin

BOTW Byatts Urban Red, 4.5% and similar in style to Blue Monkeys 99 Red Baboons. Can't say fairer than that.

A very good week for me including the PUG Black Country tour :nishelypished::D

Ironbridge - Blond
Castle Rock - Harvest Pale
Wye Valley - Butty Bach
Salopian - Shropshire Gold
Wye Valley - HPA
Kinver - Half Centurian
Burton Bridge - Porter
Purple Moose - Myrica Ale
Mallinsons - Lindley Pale
Salamander - Leap of Faith
Purity - Mad Goose
Wood Farm - No 8
Bathams - Bitter
Bathams - Mild
Sadlers - Red House
Sarah Hughes - Old Ruby
Ma Pardoes - Bumblehole
Ma Pardoes - Dark Swan
Darkstar - Sunburst
RCH - Pitchfork
Little Valley - Withens Pale Ale
Abbeydale - Concussion
Dr Mortons - Clown Poison
Titanic - Chocolate , Vanilla Stout
Oakham - Harvest Spirit
I did try a few others but notes seem to be written in Russian:moremad::nishelypished::nishelypished:

A tough decision but BOTW Sarah Hughes - Old Ruby Mild , a stand out beer in a day of stand out beers :notworthy:

I'll second Paul's mention of great beers on offer at the Snowdrop; mostly pretty strong, so things are a little hazy but I'm going for Marble Dobber.
Tasting notes (theirs, not mine) say "A clash of English IPA style headed up with loads of NZ hops, hazy amber in colour with loads of body - toffee & caramel sweetness backed with strong bitterness and a shed load of juicy hop resins, citrus, passion fruit & gooseberry aromas"

Whilst I have the Expo notes at hand, PoH's Sleepless is described thus: "Amber ale in the American craft tradition, a lovely rich toffee malt flavour gives over to big juicyhop flavours. Finish is clean yet complex, bitter & satisfying"

My day started at Black Horse where the Doncaster guv was again on fine form, down to Brewers for next 50mins of match, plus Lotus IPA (5.6%).
Then Snowdrop where some other beers tried were Darkstar Green Hop 6.5%, Magic Rock Cannonball 7.4%, Thornbridge/Darkstar Puja 6.7%.
Gardeners & Croydon George followed. May explain why the dogs are still waiting for a walk, but maybe that'll help.

The unexpected find of Blue Monkey Ape Ale in the Great Western would have topped my list on any other week,but the tour around some iconic Black Country pubs tipped the balance for BOTW to good old Bathams Bitter sampled in The Waterfall,The Bull and Bladder and a final quick half in The Great Western to finish off a memorable day.

Purple Moose - Cwrw Glaslyn Ale

Well there can only be one: Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby MILD

Quote:

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Originally Posted by oldboots

Well there can only be one: Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby MILD

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At the other end of the spectrum, if closely related geographically, Bathams MILD (all 3.5% of it!).

Another fairly subdued week for me, with only five beers tried:

Jarrow - Jarrow Bitter.
Jarrow - Isis.
Salamander - Blind Spot.
Salamander - Leap of Faith.
Ossett - Silver King.

Easy winner was the Jarrow Bitter, drunk in The Hop, Wakefield.

An excellent week, with many contenders.

Stonehenge Danish Dynamite, Burton Bridge Damson Porter (very drinkable), Theakston's Old Peculiar, Summer Wine Rouge Hop, Redemption Fellowship Porter and the excellent Buxton Moor Top were all in contention but for BOTW I am following trainman's lead and nominating Marble Dobber - another cracking beer from a brewery who seem to be at the very top of their game right now.

BOTW - Bathams Mild

Ill go for Elgood's Black Dog.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Real Ale Ray

BOTW - Bathams Mild

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Thought you would have gone for Bumblehole:whistle::D

Sunday lunch:
Tonbridge-Coppernob:an amber session beer.Hedge fruit and a long bitter finish. I could get used to this one.My BOTW
Beer Rocks-Scary: an ok-ish pale 'n' hoppy.Rather wish I'd stayed with Goachers or Westerham.

ilkley -green goddess was a stand out beer amongst lots of hoppy beers this week

Quite a quiet week for me last week, mind you I've made up for it this week already.

BOTW is going to be Banks's Howling Wolf. A 3.8% dark MILD that is packed with flavour unlike some other Banks's beers I could name. :cheers: