Beer of the Week (w/e 21st October 2012)

[ROBCamra]

Aqualung: Brodie's Dalston Black IPA
london calling: Magic Rock Craft Magic
Bucking Fastard: Dark Star Green Hopped IPA
Mobyduck: Dark Star Green Hopped IPA
Oggwyn Trench: Green Duck Duck Dastardly
Wittenden: Goacher's Silver Star
aleandhearty: Acorn Yorkshire Pride
Real Ale Ray: Bowland Hen Harrier
hondo: Oakham Ales Endless Summer
oldboots: Roosters Wild Mule
Alesonly: Colchester Red Diesel
Thuck Phat: Shugborough Jasper
Pubsignman: Buxton Dark Nights
sheffield hatter: B&T Shefford Bitter
ROBCamra: Fernandes Green Gold

[Spinko]

Trip to Blackpool this weekend so not expecting too much..maybe I can go via Preston and Wigan on the way back to salvage something.

[Aqualung]

On a thoroughly miserable Friday Afternoon I was cheered and warmed by the following :-

Brentwood Weald Porter 5.0%
Marston's Old Empire 5.7%
Old Bear Goldilocks 4.5%
Brodies's White IPA 5.0%
Brodie's Ice Saison 8.0%
Brodie's Dalston Black IPA 7.0%
Brodie's Big Mofo Stout 10.5%

The last two were Keykeg but none the worse for that. The White IPA is a cloudy wheat beer but with the usual big hop flavour you expect from Brodie's. The Ice Saison is an attempt at one of those sour Belgium beers. Sour it was, it tasted like a very rough scrumpy to me. The three non Brodie beers were unexceptional but all well kept so the three contenders are White IPA, Dalston Black and Big Mofo.

BOTW Brodie's Dalston Black IPA

[london calling]

lots of good hoppy beers again this week in central London inc
mallinsons -topaz
mallinsons -eye pea ay
bristol -bitter kiwi
darkstar -belgian ipa
harbour -double ipa
but it doesnt have to be strong or overloaded with hops so
magic rock-craft magic 3.2
was very drinkable and my beer of the week

[Bucking Fastard]

A few decent pints in Staffordshire but eclipsed by Dark Star Green Hopped IPA for BOTW.Moby pointed the way,so when I spotted the pump clip in The George,Croydon I just had to give it a go.The initial hit let you know that you were drinking a 6.5%er ,the rich complex taste and strong hop character sustained,but it got easier to drink as the pint went down,a very good sign.I had to wash it down with two quick Hopheads but the IPA taste still lingered on the train ride home.Excellent.

Annual pilgrimage to The Harp next week,should produce another winner.

[Mobyduck]

Not to many different beers to choose from this week,
Skinner's Betty Stogs
White Horse Brewery Bitter
Darkstar Hophead
Darkstar American Pale Ale
Darkstar Greenhopped IPA

At the risk of being predictable,BOTW is for the third week running(the last time this year ,I promise) Darkstar Greenhopped IPA

[oldboots]

Roosters Wild Mule

[Alesonly]

Loads of good Ales this week for a change as I was on a weeks leave so Top Five only.

1) Colchester Brewery Red Diesel
2) Mauldons Brewery Silver Adder
3) Moles Brewery Rucking Moles
4) Summerskills Bunker Hill Bitter
5) Blindmans Brewery Blindmans Icarus

All so good its a hard call But I will go for the Red Diesel Colchester Brewery as Ale of the week.

[Thuck Phat]

A few tried whilst boating with Mr Fastard:
Oakham Bishops Farewell
Shugborough Jasper
Theakstons Olde Peculiar
Holdens Golden Glow
Pedigree
Ossett Big Red
TT Landlord

Tricky to call but BOTW was the Shugborough Jasper which was then taken off due to being hazy. A fair call but the pint I had was an excellent 4.5% amber ale with all the bitterness you'd expect from a beer which Titanic have had a hand in brewing.

[Pubsignman]

Had a quiet week - just two real contenders:

Whitstable Oyster Stout and Buxton Dark Nights, with the latter sneaking it. It's described as a US style Winter Porter, but I thought it was a straightforward winter warmer.