A pub is for life not just for Christmas
Stewart Brewing - Edinburgh Gold
"Do I know where hell is? hell is in hello"
Kinnegar - Limeburner (in bottle).
As I was over in Ireland for Christmas, I found beers from this brewery in the local off licence - very nice they were too. From a new brewery in Donegal. Highly recommended.
A bit lacking in action this week
Milk strreet winter Spice
Upham winters T'ale
Courage Best
West Berks Swift Pale
Darkstar Hophead
Darkstar American Pale Ale
Shepherd Neame Bishops Finger (bottle)
To be honest by far the best was the APA but because its been a long while since Iv'e drunk this and it was very nice BOTW goes to the Bishops Finger,it went perfectly with my Christmas dinner.
"Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
-W.C.Fields
One on Top:
Old Dairy-Gold Top 4.3%abv.Golden,stewed fruit, citrus.Taken in the excellent Woodcock Inn
Old Dairy-Red Top 3.8%abv.A beer of great depth:luscious, reassuring malt and plenty hops. Taken at the old familiar The Chequers Inn
My BOTW-Old Dairy Red Top.
"At that moment I would have given a kingdom, not for champagne or hock and soda, or hot coffee but for a glass of beer" Marquess Curzon of Kedlestone, Viceroy of India.
A selection dominated by boring sweet Xmas ales but with a real gem amongst the seasonal dross:-
Moorhouse Elves Bells 4.0%
London Fields Black Path Porter 4.2%
Caledonian Gift Wrapped 4.4%
ELB Nightwatchman 4.5%
Brentwood Winter Warmer 4.7%
Growler Essex Border 4.8%
O' Hanlon's Goodwill 5.0%
Itchen Valley Father Christmas 5.0%
Bath Festivity 5.0%
Celt Experience Divine Yule Saison 5.3%
Milestone Donner Blitzed 5.4%
Hopcraft Monky Business 5.6%
Adnam's / Sixpoint Righteous Ale 6.3%
Greene King Abbot Reserve 6.5%
Thwaites / Elland Celebration Porter 6.5%
Hopcraft The Beast 6.5%
The winner by a mile is Hopcraft's The Beast served in immaculate condition at the Leyton King William IV at £2.60.
Unlike similarily named products by Exmoor and Growler breweries this is not a sweet dark beer but a very pale hop grenade. To me this one is in the same league as Dark Star Green Hopped IPA or Windsor & Eton Conqueror. It doesn't have an IPA or APA tag but is definitely in the style. Of the five hops used four are American and one called Herkules that I've never heard of is German. It is dangerously drinkable and sailed through the three pint test. Sadly the same brewer's Monky business which is an attempt at a Belgian Double did not excite me at all.
BOTW Hopcraft The Beast
Last edited by Aqualung; 31-12-2013 at 20:49.
A lot of travelling around,some beer variety.
Wadsworth -- Bishops Tipple
Ringwood -- Fortyniner
Goddards -- Scrumdiggety
Goddards -- Fuggle-Dee-Dum
Goddards -- Winter Warmer
Adnams -- Southwold Bitter
Brodies -- London Fields Pale Ale
Brodies -- Kiwi
Everards -- Tiger
Everards -- Original
BOTW goes to Brodies London Fields Pale Ale perfect session ale for a big session at The Cross Keys.Passed the three pint test and several more besides.
Next week avoiding pubs on New Years Eve ,so pinning my hopes for BOTW on a pre match quaff on the 1st.
"Good people drink good beer" Hunter S Thompson
Mainly bottled beers this week but the draught runners:
Everards - Devils Backbone IPA
Thornbridge - Jaipur
Theakstons - Best Bitter
Hambleton - Festive Folly
Harrogate - Tewit Well Ale
Long Man - Long Blonde
Bristol Brewing - Bitter Kiwi
Kirkstall - Generous George
Magic Rock - Punchline
Hambleton - Rudolph's Revenge
Hop Studio - Gold
Sarah Hughes - Dark Ruby Mild
In spite of Sarah Hughes and Generous George being in there, I'm going to agree with beer Bloggers/Tweeters Boak & Bailey and have as BOTW Bristol Brewing - Bitter Kiwi
The bottled beers worked very well with Christmas lunch so hats off to Marble Lagonda IPA, Titanic Plum Porter and Hart 1833 IPA.
On the draught front:
Dark Star Revalation
Salters Original
Atomic Half Life
TT Boltmakers
Oakham Bishops Farewell
BOTW DARK STAR REVELATION.
A reasonable selection over the Christmas period, but not quite as many sessions as I'd hoped.
Shiny Brewing Co - Rat Trap.
Arbor - Triple Hop #15.
Elland - HBR Milk Stout.
Wickwar - Cotswold Way.
Ilkley - Mary Christmas.
Two Roses - Black Beauty Stout.
Brown Cow - Thriller in VAnilla.
Great Heck - Citra.
Wood Farm - 1823 MILD.
Fullers/Steel City - Steel Blonde.
Ossett - Nervous Turkey.
Arbor - Blue Sky Drinking.
Dawkins - Antipodes.
Fernandes - Sunshine IPA.
Rat - Rat Attack.
Kernel - Pale Ale (bottle).
Several previous BOTWs in that lot, but I was really taken with the Rat Trap. This is the second beer from Shiny that I've nominated. Based at the Furnace Inn, Derby, they definitely seem like one to watch.
'And where he supped the past lived still. And where he sipped the glass brimmed full' John Barleycorn, Carol Ann Duffy.