A pub is for life not just for Christmas
No trips anywhere in the past week apart from my local.
Flowerpots Perridge Pale
Hop Back GFB
Langhams Hip Hop
Langhams Sundowner
Langhams Triple XXX
The Triple XXX was very good but I'm going with the Hip Hop as BOTW, Its a beer I've been indifferent about in the past but once I'd got past the first pint it seemed to get better and better, the fourth pint was extremely nice indeed.
Planned trips to London and Southampton in the coming week should throw up some more variety.
"Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
-W.C.Fields
A quiet week for me with only two days out :-
Brockley Pale Ale 4.1%
Truman's Zephyr 4.4%
Reunion Bloomer 4.5%
Westerham Single Hop Olicana 4.5%
ELB Cowcatcher 4.8%
360 Degrees American Pale Ale 5.0%
Marston's Old Empire 5.7%
To my surprise the winner is Westerham Single Hop Olicana. I had Westerham down as a rather staid brewery producing mostly dull old school beers. I'd never heard of Olicana but apparently it's a British hop. I thought it had a more New World character than the usual UK suspects but is more bitter than aromatic and floral than the better known New World hops. It sailed though thr 3 pint test in the George JDW at Wansted (£2.19). I have to say that the ELB Cowcatcher did so also and the difference between a true hop bomb and something a bit more subtle was striking. I also got through my last Summer JDW vouchers!
BOTW Westerham Single Hop Olicana
Kent
Kent-Session Pale: 3.7% abv. Topnotch,excellently floral and herbal.My BOTW (frequently).
"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.
Cairngorm - Wildcat. Had three in Stockton Wethers.
Decent week for me.
North Riding - Mosaic Pale.*
Oakham - Hawse Buckler.*
Mallinsons - Huell Melon.
Empire - Moonraker Mild.
Five Towns - Unfined and Somewhat Slightly Hazed.
Fernandes - Octohop.*
Fernandes - Black Voodoo.
Fernandes - New World IPA.*
Rat - Rat Bag.
Beartown - Bear Pips.
Millstone - Rich Ruby.*
Fernandes - Double Three.*
Fernandes - Cascade.
Quite a while since I've had a full evening in the Fernandes Brewery Tap, so it was quite nice to work my way across the pumps, enjoying several old favourites in the process. The Double Three and New World IPA were both very good, but the Octohop pipped them at the post. A very drinkable blonde ale, which, as the name implies, is made with eight different hops.
'And where he supped the past lived still. And where he sipped the glass brimmed full' John Barleycorn, Carol Ann Duffy.
Croydon,Harlow,Bethnal Green,Ham and Sheen.Some very decent pints.
Burning Sky -- Aurora * (3PT)
Thornbridge -- Peverel *
Mc Mullens -- Rivertown Brewing Midas *
Purity -- Bunny Hop *
Watneys -- Ray of Sunshine
Twickenham -- Naked Ladies
BOTW goes to an old favourite Burning Sky Aurora on top form in The George,back bar.
Next week end month sessions including The Southampton Arms and footie so expecting some decent options.
"Good people drink good beer" Hunter S Thompson
Late entry due to a Norfolk visit as seen below:
Woodfordes Nelsons Revenge*
Jo C’s Knot Just Another IPA
Adnams Ghost Ship*
Panter American Pale Ale
Brancaster Oystercatcher*
Thoroughly enjoyed BOTW Brancaster Oystercatcher as ever at a very sessionable 4.4%.
"Beer is food." Morse, Colin Dexter