Beer of the Week (w/e 19th January 2014)

[ROBCamra]

Mobyduck: Dark Star Hophead Simcoe
london calling: J.W. Lees Manchester Star
Aqualung: Brodie's Hoxton Special IPA
Bucking Fastard: London Fields Shoreditch Triangle IPA
Real Ale Ray: Cross Bay Halo
Thuck Phat: Elland Nettle Thrasher
hondo: Williams Brothers New Beginnings
aleandhearty: Burton Bridge Thomas Sykes Old Ale
Wittenden: Old Dairy Black Bull Porter
oldboots: Orkney IPA
ROBCamra: Holden's Into The Dragon

[Mobyduck]

My choice is already made up, only three different beers this week
Triple fff Pressed Rat And Warthog
Triple fff Altons Pride
Darkstar Hophead Simcoe

The first two were decent enough ,but the Hophead variation was and still is excellent, will be drinking more of this tomorrow .
BOTW Darkstar Hophead Simcoe

[london calling]

Had some great beers this week
jw lees -Manchester star (bottle)
meantime -black ipa(bottle)
millis -Gravesend guzzler (great use of English hops)
adnams -righteous ale (great use of malt and American hops)
arbor-Tasmanian devil (wow aussie/newzealand hops)
it was going to be Arbor but the W J Lees (not a brewery I rate highly ) absolutely nailed it with this beer

[Aqualung]

There are plenty of contenders this week marked * :-

Brodie's Mild 3.6%*
The Cronx Standard 3.8%
Conwy Infusion 3.9%*
Truman's Runner 4.0%
Moorhouse Pride of Pendle 4.1%
London Fields Black Path Porter 4.2%*
Long Man Sussex Pride 4.4%*
Clarence & Frederick's Special 4.6%
Laine's Porter 4.6%
Truman's Attaboy 4.6%*
Belleville Battersea Brownstone 4.8%
Tap East Sixpence Stout 5.0%*
By The Horns The Captain 5.0%
Hopcraft Citra Plus 5.4%*
Brodie's Chinook Black Coffee 6.0%
Brodie's Kentish Town Brown 6.2%*
Adnam's / Sixpoint Righteous Ale 6.3%
Brodie's Hoxton Special IPA 6.6%*
Portobello Apache IPA 7.0%*
Titanic Wreckage 7.2%

To be fair ALL of the above were good but the two really outstanding ones were the Hoxton Special and Hopcraft Citra Plus. The Hoxton Special making a rare appearance on cask wins it (£2.50 in the Leyton King William IV). The best value pint was the Portobello Apache which was on sale for £1.99 in the Brockley Barge!

BOTW Brodie's Hoxton Special IPA

[Bucking Fastard]

Not much drinking this week


Adnams -- Southwold Bitter
London Fields -- Shoreditch Triangle IPA
Dark Star -- Hophead.


BOTW goes to London Fields Shoreditch Triangle IPA,a wonderful 6% rich and complex IPA,subtle and not overhopped .It just disappeared despite the poke in The George,Croydon at the tail end of the 'spoons London brewery festival.Thanks Aqualung for the steer towards this brewery,plans now underway for a visit to their Tap Room.

Next week looks just as quiet

[Real Ale Ray]

Cross Bay - Halo

[oldboots]

oops late on parade, lots to sort out after two visits to Scotland this week and an 'orrible cold caused by a sneezing Kilmarnock barman .

Strathaven - Clydesdale
McEwans - 60/-
Deuchars - IPA
Belhaven - IPA
Belhaven - Best
Tennants - Lager
Stella Artois - Lager
Exmoor - Gold
Oakham - Scarlett Macaw
Rudgate - Brew 1 Vanilla Mild
Thornbridge - Black Harry
Dark Star - APA
Kelburn - Dark Moor
Scottish Borders - Gold Dust IPA
Caledonian - Flying Scotsman
Alchemy - Rapsody Extra Pale Ale
Highland Brewing Co - Rock Allryse
Stewart - 80/-
Wold Top - Anglers Revenge
Arbor - Blue Sky Drinking
Fyne Ales - Hurricane Jack
Kelburn - Red Smiddy
Allendale - Golden Plover
Orkney - IPA
Stewart - Advent
Magic Rock - Curious
Belhaven - Stout
Kelburn - Unco Hoppy
Cairncorm - Trade Winds
Huston - Killeen
Out There Brewing Co - Sofia
Unknown (Belhaven 80/- ?) - The Mile Ale
Orkney - Dark Island
Broughton - Dark Dunter
Alchemy - 10 Storey Malt Bomb
Belhaven - 80/-
Taylors - Landlord

Toss up between Arbor and Orkney but BOTW Orkney IPA

[ROBCamra]

Holden's Into The Dragon tried in The Baum of course.

The best of a not particularly enthralling week although Kelham Island Blondie Beer deserves a mention.