Beer of the Week (w/e 13 March 2011)

[Conrad]

Oggwyn Trench: Hobsons Twisted Spire
Thuck Phat: Oakham Black Hole Porter
Bucking Fastard: Exmoor Beast
ROBCamra: Wentworth Chilli Stout
aleandhearty: Elland Nocturne
pubsignman: Ringwood Fortyniner
Alesonly: Three B's Brewery Shuttle Ale
Wittenden: Harveys Sussex xxxx Old Ale
rpadam: Shepherd Neame Amber Ale
TogerB: Milton Dionysus

[an_ecumenical_matter]

The first Monday of every month at the Seven Stars Bristol http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/635/ there's a beer festival,this months offerings were all from Yorkshire.

The list was-
Abbeydale:
Daily Bread – 3.8% - Traditional light best bitter.
Moonshine – 4.3% - Straw coloured hoppy ale.
Smoked Porter – 4.8% - Rich smokey porter.

Acorn:
Old Moor Porter – 4.4% - Rich Victorian style porter
Gorlovka Imperial Stout – 6% - Very rich, strong stout.

Beer Works:
Duck Baffler – 4.1% - Very pale and hoppy.

Brew Company:
Hop Ripper – 4.3% - hoppy smooth IPA.

Bradfield:
Farmers Blonde - 4% - very pale citrus ale.
Farmers Pale – 5% - Strong floral hopped golden beer.

Crown:
Bitter – 4% - Deep amber, malty bitter.
Samuel Berry’s IPA – 5.1% - Strong floral hopped IPA.

Kelham Island:
Kelham Best – 3.8% - Light, session best bitter.
Into The Groove – 4% - Well hopped pale ale.
Bette Noire – 5.5% - Thick dark chocolate ale.

Sheffield:
Crucible Best – 3.8% - Well-balanced malty session bitter.
Porter – 4.4% - Smooth chocolate malty stout.

Toad:
Tadpole – 3.8% - Dry hopped pale ale.
Malted In Black – 4.3% - Malty, smooth dark ale.

White Rose:
Hop On The Band Wagon – 4.3% - Deep golden hoppy ale.
Raven – 4.8% - Smooth nutty mild.

Hard to choose between,Hop on the Bandwagon,Farmers Pale and Duck Baffler but the latter wins.

[aleandhearty]

A course I was on in Leeds yesterday finished unexpectedly early, so what's a man to do? A pretty good start to the week:

Ilkley - Mary Jane.
Roosters - YPA.
Ridgeside - Southern Cross.
Elland - Nocturne.
Marston Moor - Matchlock Mild.
Elland - Skydog.
Durham - White Magic.
Thwaites' - Hit The North.
Exmoor - Beast.

Some lovely beers there, but the Nocturne was a fabulous rich stout. It's going to take some beating.

[Oggwyn Trench]

Good night last night

Hobsons - Twisted Spire
Dr Mortons - Duck Baffler
Milton - Sparta
Brown Cow - Pegasus
Shardlow - Mayfly
Titanic - Nine Tenths Below
Brains Bread of Heaven

BOTW Hobsons Twisted Spire at a bargain £2 a pint at the Compasses

[Thuck Phat]

Another quiet week but a day or two boating next week may see some much needed variety introduced. BOTW goes to Oakham Black Hole Porter, no apologies for Oakham getting my BOTW for the 4th week in a row, they seem to be on top form. Black Hole Porter at 5.5% is as you'd expect but for one seriously dangerous and quality trait. I tend to find one or two pints of porter style beers is enough especially if they're 5.5% as this one is. Not so here, BHP positively begs you to have another pint. Dangerously and enjoyably drinkable.

[Bucking Fastard]

I know a lot of other posters have waxed lyrical about Exmoor Beast ,I tried it for the first time in The George,Croydon and just have to award it BOTW,although Dark Star American IPA pushed it very hard once a few pints of it had been pulled off,well I was drinking in a 'spoons afterall.
Being a little wary of the Beast's 6.6% ABV ,I gave it a sniff and got a distict reminder of Mr Bruce's Dogbolter.Now that was a pint where you never knew which way it would go.Stay down,or come straight back up? Glad to report that The Beast caused no such angst,it really is a very finely crafted brew.

Got the boat moving,so will be navigating through London and up the Colne valley in search of decent ale next week,just hope that fortune favours the brave.

[rpadam]

Farewell to the Shepherd Neame - but strangely not badged as such - Amber Ale which went very well in the village club - my BOTW for w/e 30 January 2011 when it arrived and again this week as it leaves (with a good few barrels dispensed in between)...

[RogerB]

Yes the SN Amber Ale threw me a bit at first, especially since I think it was a different style pump clip when I had it last year (and it didn't have a brewery name on it then either - I had to ask).

Not the biggest beer session last week (I am consciouslytrying to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels at the moment so am a bit picky on my intake) but my first and probably last visit to the Oakfield Arms in Haringey threw up an excellent pairing of Milton Dionysus and Blindmans Mine Beer. Tough call between them but the Milton Dionysus just shades it for having a surprisingly full flavour for such a weak beer (3.6%).