Beer of the Week (w/e 23rd February 2014)

[ROBCamra]

london calling: Revolutions Kids in America
Mobyduck: Dark Star Revelation
Thuck Phat: Fullers ESB
Real Ale Ray: Brimstage Scarecrow
Bucking Fastard: Titanic Plum Porter
Aqualung: Hopcraft Simcoe Plus
hondo: Loch Lomond Bonnie n Blonde
oldboots: Elland Maximum Darkness
aleandhearty: Magic Rock High Wire
ROBCamra: Mantle Rock Steady
PaulOfHorsham: Brodies Amarilla

[london calling]

Up London last night but no great beer was encountered.All decent but I somehow felt disappointed. Did get a beer from the in-house nano brewery at Hops and Glory Essex Rd so that made the trip well wicked.
best 3 were pale hoppy ones
Kings Evolution-northern lights
Tiny Rebel -billabong
and the best was
Revolution-Kids in America
cheers john

[Mobyduck]

Quiet in the week but some decent beer found in Reading on Saturday.
Hook Norton -Hooky 3.5%
Darkstar - Hophead 3.8%
XT - 2 4.2%
Courage Best 4%
Hopcraft - Permanent Revolution 3.8%
Hopcraft - Cruxshadow 4.9%
Hopcraft-The Black Nag 5.5% (specially brewed for the Nags Head 7th anniversary,and apparently the only cask in existence. A smoked black IPA)
Steel City - Unholy Trinity 6.6%
Binghams - Coffee Stout 5%
Siren Craft - Undercurrent 4.5%
Darkstar - RevalationBOTW.

[Thuck Phat]

A reasonable week:

Hop Back - Back Row
Oakham - Citra
Oakham - Bishops Farewell
XT - XT 5
Titanic - Plum Porter
Fullers - ESB

Every one of those is a contender but BOTW goes to Fullers ESB due to the speed with which it passed the 3 pint test. Not bad for 5.5%.

[Real Ale Ray]

Brimstage - Scarecrow

[Bucking Fastard]

Good week for me,with some fine brews.

Fullers -- ESB (3PT)
Oakham -- Citra
XT -- XT5
Titanic -- Plum Porter
Portobello -- American Pale Ale
Portobello -- VPA
Dark Star -- American Pale Ale


BOTW goes to Titanic Plum Porter in the terrific Black Lion.I never thought I would utter the words excellent ale and Leighton Buzzard in the same sentence.


Next week end of month drinking including a trip down Leather Lane to Craft Beer Co.Could be awesome,more likely messy.

[Wittenden]

Could do better:
Three beers, none scoring more than 3.5, though no stinkers, so no award given.
Rother Valley-Level Best 4% abv. Tired, slightly hazy
Harveys-Sussex Best Bitter 4%abv.Best of the bunch,not so unimpeacheable this time.
Shepherd Neame Whitstable Bay Pale Ale-3.9%abv. Pleasantly hoppy,but followed by metallic tang.

[oldboots]

Theakstons - XB
Pennine - Amber Necker
Black Sheep - Big Horn
Kelham Island - Tin Can Avenger
Rebel Brewing - Penryn Pale Ale
Bristol Beer Co - Bitter Kiwi
Naylors - Magnum
Ilkley - Gold
Elland - Maximum Darkness
Roosters - Yankee
Ridgeside - Desert Aire
Rudgate - Ruby Mild
Kirkstall - Dissolution IPA
Draught Bass
Revolutions - Pretender Blonde

Easy choice this week Elland - Maximum Darkness, tasted like a de-tuned Elland 1872 porter from "Saint" Dave Sanders.

[aleandhearty]

Another decent week for me, largely based on a mini crawl round Huddersfield, on Saturday.

Rat - White Rat.
Boggart - Rum Porter.
Concrete Cow - Cloven Hoof.
Roosters - Cream.
Five Towns - POTY.
Ilkley - Lotus IPA.
Hand Drawn Monkey - IPA (2.8%)
Hand Drawn Monkey / Rat - Sumatran Coffee Stout. (7.2%)
Magic Rock - Ringmaster.
Magic Rock - High Wire.
Alechemy - Citra Burst.
Oakham - Monpessoms Gold.
Rat - Ratty Belafonte.
Rat - Anti- Rats.
Mallinsons - Brewers Gold.
Fernandes - Malt Shovel Mild.
Golcar - Guthlacs Porter.

Very hard to choose between the Lotus, Ringmaster and High Wire, but as I hadn't had a pint of the latter in well over a year, it was like welcoming back an old friend.

[ROBCamra]

Mantle Rock Steady tried in The Baum several times last weekend.

A golden session ale at 3.8% from a new brewery to me.

Went down perfectly on a Saturday night when a few peaceful pints were needed rather than a couple of strong ones.

Some good competition from Geeves Clear Cut though. Another great brew from the ex Tango Man.