Beer of the Week (w/e 23rd September 2012)

[ROBCamra]

hondo: Castle Rock Harvest Pale
Aqualung: Brodie's Big Mofo Stout
Spinko: Red Willow Headless
Thuck Phat: Marble Lagonda
MobyDuck: Darkstar Kiwi
Bucking Fastard: Marble Lagonda
london calling: Fyne Cloud Burst
Wittenden: Crouch Vale Brewers Gold
Oggwyn Trench: Cannon Royall Fruiterers Mild
Alesonly: Belhaven Scottish Stout
aleandhearty: Great Heck Yakima IPA
Real Ale Ray: George Wright Brambling Cross
ROBCamra: Arkwrights Inspired
Pubsignman: Oakham Bishop's Farewell
oldboots: Knaresborough Chocolate Cherry Milk Stout

[hondo]

Castle Rock - Harvest Pale

[Aqualung]

It's close to the end of September and I suddenly realised I had four Spoons CAMRA vouchers left, so for my Friday afternoon soiree I visited three of the East London Spoons ending up in Brodie's HQ in Leyton.
Perversely, the best selections and brews tasted were in the New Fairlop Oak and the Wanstead George rather than the GBG 2013 listed Walnut Tree in Leytonstone.

Here are my results:-

Welton's Old Harry (5.2%) A lovely orange coloured beer, sweetish but with a bitterness as well.
Kelham Island Pale Rider (5.2%) Magnificent! Crystal clear and sparkling, very drinkable.
Itchen Valley Pure Gold (4.8%) Nothing wrong with it, but a let down compared to the previous two.
Brodie's Saison (8%) Rank, I know the brewer likes to experiment but this one didn't work.
Brodie's Big Mofo Stout (10.5%) Magnificent!!


After the superb Kelham Island Pale Rider I thought that this must be the BOTW, but the Big Mofo beat it by a short head. I am going to create a controversy here by revealing that it was Keykeg not handpulled. Having said that it was NOT gassy at all and the chill on it was not really a problem with such a strong beer with massive flavours. At £3.20 in a lined goblet (no short measure here!) for a 10% beer you could hardly call it a rip off.

BOTW Brodie's Big Mofo Stout on Keykeg.

[Spinko]

It's close to the end of September and I suddenly realised I had four Spoons CAMRA vouchers left, so for my Friday afternoon soiree I visited three of the East London Spoons ending up in Brodie's HQ in Leyton.
Perversely, the best selections and brews tasted were in the New Fairlop Oak and the Wanstead George rather than the GBG 2013 listed Walnut Tree in Leytonstone.

Here are my results:-

Welton's Old Harry (5.2%) A lovely orange coloured beer, sweetish but with a bitterness as well.
Kelham Island Pale Rider (5.2%) Magnificent! Crystal clear and sparkling, very drinkable.
Itchen Valley Pure Gold (4.8%) Nothing wrong with it, but a let down compared to the previous two.
Brodie's Saison (8%) Rank, I know the brewer likes to experiment but this one didn't work.
Brodie's Big Mofo Stout (10.5%) Magnificent!!


After the superb Kelham Island Pale Rider I thought that this must be the BOTW, but the Big Mofo beat it by a short head. I am going to create a controversy here by revealing that it was Keykeg not handpulled. Having said that it was NOT gassy at all and the chill on it was not really a problem with such a strong beer with massive flavours. At £3.20 in a lined goblet (no short measure here!) for a 10% beer you could hardly call it a rip off.

BOTW Brodie's Big Mofo Stout on Keykeg.

No controversy with me. Good beer is good beer. Unfortunately some in Camra think good beer is bad beer dependent on how it is served.

Red Willow - Headless

Amazing session beer, lovely hoppy fruit and bitter. I had this in 3 different places and all were spot on. Th Mark Addy and 2 Wetherpoons in Manchester.

The Waterhouse (JD Wetherspoon)
The Paramount (JD Wetherspoon)
The Mark Addy

[Thuck Phat]

Good week aided by some boating in Manchester with Mr Fastard:
Vale VPA
Cross Bay Zenith IPA
Pheonix Hopsack
Tod's Blonde
Marble Lagonda IPA
Marble Chocolate Reserve
Oakham Bishops Farewell
Oakham Carioca
Purity Mad Goose
Hook Norton Double Stout

The VPA and Zenith IPA were good, the Double Stout and Mad Goose very good, the Bishops and Carioca excellent and the Lagonda IPA and Chocolate Reserve outstanding. BOTW was the incomparable Marble Lagonda IPA which also gets my Beer of a Lifetime award.

[Mobyduck]

After a poor mid-week,
Sheps Spitfire
Wells and Young's Bombardier
Courage Best and
Sambrooks Wandle,
The weekend was all Darkstar,
American Pale Ale,
Kiwi and
Hophead,
all worthy but purely on a rotation basis BOTW is-
Darkstar Kiwi