It has been several months since my last confession!!

A pause in transmission, a busy life, and a lost password, all add up to about a year since my last blog entry.

I can't believe it.

Normal service is about to resume ..... there's a backlog of beer experiences to catch up on ...... as you can see .......

and that's only the bottled tip of the ice berg .........

Super sour session: Lambic and the like Flemish night

Location: My house and your house with a box of beer on the kitchen table

Moodmusic: Looking at the springtime sunshine ............

Todays memories and soundbites
Well it was a journey of discovery that leads to this blog journal entry.  My heritage is part Flemish and my favourite beer from early days in fantastic pubs such as In den oude Vogelstruys, De Vagaant, and the Tapuit  was always a Kriek.  I was in the mood to have one again, but on the way to finding one, I discovered Kriek is not the only kind of Lambic beer, and then I kind of got sidetracked by tempting looking alternatives and a whole host of other Flemish brews. A Lambic beer has a particular brewing style and originates in a specific area of Belgium, around, and to the south and west, of Brussels, with a limited number of producers recognised by the EU and trade body.  Lambics are essentially wheat beers. Key to the production of a Lambics is the harnessing of wild yeasts in the fermentation process, the wort is kept open to the air to allow "wild" rather than cultivated yeast strains (and bacteria) to lead the fermentation process.   This really appeals to me because my homebrew elderflower champagne works on the same natural yeast principle (you don't add any but rely on the yeast/bacteria sat on the flower petals), and the results are always exciting because each brew is slightly different but totally yummy.  The wild yeasts and wheats are the main flavour ingredients along with added fruits, where hops are used, stale hops are added for preservative rather than flavour qualities. Lambics that come in a number of different varieties:

• Lambic - straight or unblended. Vary in character from barrel to barrel. May be different ages. Little carbonation. Cloudy. Rarely bottled.
• Geuze - blended. Old and young lambics mixed to manage flavour and character. Complex. Refermentation ensues on mixing, so normally carbonated. Bottled.
• Kriek - lambic refermented with sour cherries. Sweet, sour, dry. Carbonated.
• Fruit - lambic refermented with other fruits. Raspberry (framboise) and strawberry common. Carbonated.
• Faro - blended with added sugar. The sweetness may come from sugar, brown sugar or molasses, so many dark in colour. Sometimes addition of spice. Well carbonated.

Drinks

1. Brouwerij De Troch, Chapeau Banana (3.5%)
Reactions
Emotional: OMG!  Shock value! It’s in a small bottle for a reason!
Critical: This is a real lambic, not an entry level beer for the uninitiated! Will be appreciated by those adventurous sorts with an open mind and an understanding of what the Lambic style offers. Low carbonation. Fantastic banana, hay and beef pie aroma. Sour and banana flavours, with a slight bubblegum then sour ending. Feels more like a cider than a beer. The teenagers loved this!!

2. Brouwerij de Molen, Lief and Leed (6.2%)
Reactions
Emotional: Eyes tight closed wincing sherbert pain!
Critical: Described as "wild sour ale" rather than Lambic, it is a Lambic made outside the recognised region in the Netherlands. Aroma hard to discern. Flavour sour fruit, and Lambic funky. Taste of cherries comes through in the end. Sharp ending. Interesting and obviously a good quality example of this style, but not sure if I would drink it again.

3. Lieffman, Framboise (3.5%)
THIS IS NOT A REAL LAMBIC! This recipe uses a brown ale base rather than a sour Lambic base. It snuck in because I didn't know any better at the time of ordering!
Reactions
Emotional: Summer beer of choice
Critical: Yummy summer fruits, no sweetness, no over powered sourness, just fruitful mellowness. Great strawberry/raspberry flavours. Not for everybody these fruit beers but I like this one, it's far less controversial and far easier to drink than a real Lambic.

4. Oud Beersel, Oude Kriek (6.5%)
Reactions
Emotional: Oooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Loooooooooovvvvvvvvvvveerrrllllleeeeeeeee!!!
Critical: Aroma of funky cherry and almonds. Sour and dry but rich cherry middle. Not too tart. Spritzy grainy body. Taste of mis-spent youth!

5. Oud Beersel, Oude Geuze (6%)
Reactions
Emotional: Show stopping!
Critical: Active head. Aroma horse sweat? Tastes of funky green hops, spring woods after rain, and a bit of a metallic ending.  Dry. More like a wine than a cider in overall character?

Spring view

Drink beer and lose weight. It is possible!!

Location: Home

Moodmusic: Maybe beer is an excellent breakfast drink after all???!!!

Todays memories and soundbites
I'm happy to say that, contrary to many opinions, I have managed to loose nearly two stone WITHOUT having to give up beer.  Do you know what ... I am very surprised to say .... that it hasn't been that hard to achieve either.  I have changed my diet a little bit. I followed the principle that the metabolism needs to be stimulated to burn food rather than to lay it down to fat.  That means having breakfast and getting the system going in the morning (argh). The other principle is making sure that the balance of carbs over protein is thought about a bit, so that the carbs in the diet are reduced and the protein increased, and the carbs are eaten at a time of day that the energy they provide is likely to be used up.  The other change was exercising for 45 minutes, 3 times a week, and doing a little routine at home of simple squats, press ups and crunches or 10-15 minutes every other day.  I think the diet makes most difference to the weight loss, but the exercise speeds up the metabolism increasing the pace of change.  Exercise obviously tones so my beer belly has now disappeared and is nice and flat again!

Drinks

My rules of thumb for a BEER INCLUSIVE calorie aware weight loss diet

1. Understand the calories consumed, clock them up 
Don't consume beer without thinking about it. Be aware of the calories consumed, understand the higher the ABV the higher the calorie count.  An average:

• 500ml bottle of 4.5% beer = 130-150 calories
• pint of 4.5 % beer = 180-200 calories
• 330 ml bottle of 8% beer = 240-260 calories

2. Buy the more expensive quality beers
This is likely to hit your pocket and has helped me to reduce my overall consumption whilst increasing my level of enjoyment.

3. Share the beer and make it a special! 
I have tasted over 100 beers during my weight loss and fitness campaign, and had many of them more than once.  The thing is that not every bottle or pint was consumed by me alone.  The majority of these were tasted with friends, as a fun occasion when we sat round the fire and exchanged tasting notes and reactions  providing cheap but meaningful entertainment.  Consumption reduced, appreciation increased, beer savoured, drunkenness averted!

4. Use the walk to the pub or bottle shop as an opportunity for a calorie burning powerwalk
Power walking helps burn fat and calories.  Alternate the pace of the walk so that you walk at ordinary pace for 1-2 minutes then a medium pace for 2-3 minutes then really march for 5 minutes, keep the repetitions going through the walk.  Any walk over 20 minutes or 1 mile burns about 130 calories - brilliant - the same as a bottle of beer!!

5. Sort out alternate low carb/high carb food and drink days
Don't drink beer everyday.  Have 2 low carb days (no bread, beer, potatoes, pasta) followed by one higher carb day, as well as one "don't worry but don't go mad" day each week.  Have beer as a thought through accounted for component of the high carb or "don't worry" days.

MON    TUES    WED      THUR      FRI      SAT     SUN
low         low           higher         low          low        higher       free (either)

6. Think about WHEN you drink - daytime is better than night time
Consumption of carbs seems to work best, i.e. not pile on the pounds, if imbibed at a time of the day when the calories are going to be consumed.  And of course I had to think about not exceeding the total calorie count for the day at the end of the day either!  Eat, or indeed drink carbs, in the later evening then I really had to ask myself if I was going to be doing the exercise to burn off the energy?  Or did I do enough exercise in the afternoon to account for evening drinking?  Would I be walking home from the pub?  Not an easy one to juggle this, and perhaps the hardest principle of all.  Maybe beer is an excellent breakfast drink after all???!!!

Pondering peculiar British place names: Beer, Auchenshuggle, Curry Mallet, Kingston Bagpuize

Location: Oxfordshire, Kingston Bagpiuze

Moodmusic: It's a new day with a fresh direction just dawning

Today's soundbites and memories
This time in Oxfordshire, playing about in the woods again, has led me to another settlement with an interesting name.  I've been just outside Kingston Bagpuize.  What kind of name is that?  Well it seems a village name inherited from the family name of a Norman nobleman Ralph de Bachepuz.  Fine.  That set me musing on all the other places I have drunk beer in, or near to, this past year that have notable names.  There was of course Beer which I wrote about in my Jurassic coast blog, other places worth a mention because I think they are odd or just amazing words are:

• Ampney Crucis - Located near Ampney Brook and close to the church of the Holy Cross (Crucis)
• Chimney - Old English meaning "Island of a man named Ceomma"
• Curry Mallet - Cury and Malet families of the ruling manors
• Auchenshuggle - "the rye field" in Gaelic
• Gowkthrapple - ????? who knows .... I couldn't find out
• Turner's Puddle - from Tonerespydele meaning an "estate on the river Piddle held by the Toner family"
• Piddletrenthide - listed in Doomesday as meaning an "estate of thirty hides on the river Piddle"
• Felldownhead - a good one for a beer blog! Nobody has any idea otherwise
• Bovey Tracey - town on the river Bovey taking the Tracey from a Norman noble family
• Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant - meaning "Parish of the waterfall in the valley of the pigs"
• Wigwig - "Wyga's settlement" in Olde English
• Homer - squatter's settlement grown on "Honemor" common land
• Quat - ??

Then my thoughts diverted to something else, and led to wondering about the English civil war once again.  Last year in my beer drinking travels I kept on bumping into references and traces of Cromwell as he fought his way through England and Scotland.  This part of Oxfordshire was of course a Royalist stronghold. But  I still wondered if Cromwell had been active at all roundabouts. Hey .... guess what ..... there was some connection ..... Besselsleigh just a few miles up the road turns out to be the home of William Lenthall. He represented Woodstock in the Short Parliament (April 1640) and Long Parliament (November 1640), for which latter Parliament he was chosen by King Charles I to be Speaker. Later, on the outbreak of war, he remained a Parliamentarian and was supported by the new army, even though he remained biased towards the King. Well he was almost a round head then ...... 'ish.  Not quite Cromwell though.  I digress. What was the beer like in this part of the world?  Well it was a motley selection as follows:

Drinks

The Dog House, Frilford Heath, near Abingdon
1. ??, Dog House (4.6%),
Reactions
Emotional: right pint at the right time .... can't find any reference anywhere to the brewer ... not even the pump clip told me ... it just said specially brewed for the Dog House .... staff didn't know either
Critical: Nice meaty decent bitter with a good hoppy strength and medium bitter biscuit finish.

2. Moorland, Old Speckled Hen (4.6%)
Reactions
Emotional
Critical: It's ages since I had this, and even longer since I had it on draft. It tasted good! Great standard British bitter. Light hop and light bitterness. Very easy to drink and get into a session

3. Greene King, IPA (3.6%)
Reactions
Emotional
Critical: Lovely amber colour. Smooth and medium bodied. Quite a fresh flavour with some haylage and grassy notes to finish. Not bad.

The Red Lion, Aston, Bampton, Oxfordshire
4. Sharps, Doom Bar (4%)
Reactions
Emotional: nought more than .... quaffable
Critical: Not bad but not brilliant either. It’s a bit on the ordinary side. Easy introduction to bitter? Great golden colour. Some fruity citrus hop flavours and slight resin aftertaste.

The Trout at Tadpole Bridge, Faringdon, on the Thames
5. Robinsons, Tom and Berry (4.6%)
Reactions
Emotional: WOW! Like drinking a very, very upmarket chocolate bar. Luciousness
Critical: Nice and chocolatey with really strong delicious berry fruits.  I thought this was great but others may find the fruit too much.  Not sure this is a session beer, could end up being too cloying.  Great for the one pint.

6. Whitehorse, Wayland Smithy (4.4%)
Reactions
Emotional: Aaaaaaghhhh a standard bitter at last. Relief
Critical: Good quality bitter with a medium body and good balance of floral, fruity and bitter hop flavours. Far too easy to drink.

7. Steam Box Brewery, Funnel Blower (4.5%)
Reactions
Emotional: Fantastic!!
Critical: Pours to give a deep head, and a bit of treacley aroma. Carbonation medium to give an easy to drink pint. Flavors begin with toasted rye bread, and break into bourbon vanilla and smooth chocolate. Ends with clean bitterness.

 Oxfordshire view

Not too sure how Gandalf would feel about this?

I literally bumped into this walking up the road from the pubs to
the woods .... hard to see in sleet ... pic from Tollhouse Alan's photostream on Flickr 

Stouts, porters and dark seasonals. What's the difference? How do they taste?

Location: Snow bound and able at last to catch up with blog writing!

Moodmusic: Dressing an Orkney crab having tasted porters and seasonals aplenty

Todays memories and soundbites

Christmas came and went and thanks to friends, family and the seasonal beer trend in local pubs, there was a mighty haul of the darker ales which are my favourite style of all.  But, I tend to get confused about what the differences are between a stout, a porter and a dark winter ale.  I just know how to drink them and enjoy them! So what makes them different?  Well it seems that there is plenty of discussion about whether or not stouts and porters are actually any different from each other.  As Wikipedia puts it "their history is intertwined".  The difference between stouts and porters also seems to be one of the most often asked beer related questions typed into Google, and there are plenty of answers.  The most comprehensive and well researched accessible story probably comes from the beer writer Martyn Cornell's blog. Basically, back in brewing history, stout began life as a stronger variety of porter, with porter being considered of better quality and being the generic brew.  But, over the centuries, stout has became the most widely brewed and enduring recipe, particularly as it went on to be mass produced (e.g. Guinness), and changed to become sweeter and meet modern tastes.  So by the post war period, roles were reversed such that stout was considered to be the generic brew and porter now looked upon as a type of stout.  The Whitbread recipe books (some of these old formulas are still available) show that recipes were very similar at one point in time, with a divergence coming during the mid-nineteenth century.  The main difference between stout and porter, as the table below shows, relates to the amount of wort drawn off a given quantity of malt: less water was used for mashing stouts so they would be stronger.

Source: from Ron Pattison's blog - http://barclayperkins.blogspot.co.uk 

So coming along to the position today, we see that the traditional distinctions between the brews which originated in the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries are no longer in keeping with what is being produced by contemporary breweries   Porters and stouts today don't really differ in terms of ABV and both can be weaker or stronger. Perhaps there is a more general difference in the pattern of flavours and tastes.  By and large, and critics still argue of course about whether it is legitimate or relevant to characterise things this way, stouts are sweeter to taste, a bit more bitter/dry to finish, with porters being slightly more complex, and more roasted.  One thing is for certain though, and that is both stouts and porters are coming back by popular demand, and more are available now than have been for a long time.

So, how then, having bottomed out the mystery of stouts and porters, do winter dark ales fit into the picture .... if at all??  Sometimes, for me and my palate at least, there seems to be some overlap. Most winter ales are "ruby" in nature, but some are even darker and more porter-like in style.  Winter ales are also called 'old ales' and 'strong ales' because they too generally have a higher alcohol content as a stout might have.  As I explained in my Christmas beer blog, winter ales have a long tradition in Britain, some recipes going back a few hundred years, they are seasonal beers which are higher in alcohol (typically 6-10%), sweeter, and more strongly flavoured with perhaps more dark and black barleys above the base of pale and amber malts.  They are a traditional answer to manage the cold, wet short days of winter and revel in the various winter festivals of December.

Differences between stouts, porters and winter ales

I suppose the next topic to raise is the ever growing variety of stouts and porters, just as confusing! There are hybrid styles coming onto the market now too, with different brewing traditions in different countries using different approaches and ingredients for products being labelled with the same style.

Popular varieties of stout and porter

So here's my list of those stouts, porters and winter ales I've tried so far this winter. They range in flavour and ABV strength, and in ease of availability.  I can only comment that I didn't ever meet a darker ale I didn't like!

Drinks ....... it's a long list this one ....

STOUTS

1. Wye Valley, Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout (4.6%)
Reactions
Emotional: A straight yummy yummy mummy
Critical: Full bodied warming and rich stout with smokey chocolate and coffee flavours all rolled up together. Full texture too. Very enjoyable.

2. Brains, Jack Black, Oatmeal Stout (4.3%)
Reactions
Emotional:
Critical: Light and easy to drink. Lots of chocolate malt. Carbonation lifting everything. Nice warm toasted malt aftertaste.

3. Marstons, Oyster Stout (4.5%)
Reactions
Emotional: Not an oyster in sight!
Critical: A great easy drinking stout, fairly well carbonated, with a medium degree of flavour treacle hints. I like to drink this with lavabread, mackerel, or kippers! Nothing better in my world this beer and food combination.

4. Whittingtons, Stray Cat Stout (4.4%)
Reactions
Emotional: I liked this. Plain but good.
Critical: I’m not sure if I am allowed think it tastes very much like Guinness  There is a very strong toasted malt flavour that finishes in a bitter roundness. The texture is velvety when you allow the strong carbonation to settle and produce a thick head.

5. Yeovil, Stout Hearted (4.3%)
Reactions
Emotional:
Critical: Mild textures and flavours, although somehow makes me think Porter rather than Stout in overall character.  Rounded, small malt, vague taste of milky chocolate at the finish.  Pretty refined.

6. Desnoes and Geddes, Dragon Stout (7.5%)
Reactions
Emotional: Better than imagined ....
Critical: A light and carbonated stout which is a little bit on the sweet side for me. Easy drinking for a beginner of dark beers.

7. Whitstable, Oyster Stout (4.5%)
Reactions
Emotional: I'm a fan.  Give me more!
Critical: Smokey toasted mocha coffee flavours. Lovely texture smooth and satisfying. Medium bodied with just the right amount of carbonation. Made me crave some smokey seafood alongside.

8. Rhymney, Dark (4%)
Reactions
Emotional: Surprising!
Critical: This is really quaffable and very enjoyable. Medium bodied, light carbonation, very chocolate malt as the predominant flavour with hints of vanilla and coal smoke. Nice one!

9. Belhaven Black (4.2%)
Reactions
Emotional:
Critical: Thin off white head. Rounded flavour and medium body producing a mild stout which is easy to drink but perhaps a little low on complexity or strength of taste.

10. TSA, Glencoe Wild Oat Stout (4.5%)
Reactions
Emotional: Smoooooooth
Critical: It has a lovely smooth and velvety texture. A gentle flavour, slightly toasty and smokey, but a little more doughy, with slight vanilla.

11. Hunters, Black Jack (6%)
Reactions
Emotional: Crikey!!  and Good Grief!!
Critical: Goodness this stout has pineapple juice in it!  The juice makes it light and very drinkable with an elderflower flavour - no hint of pineapple to taste. Stout style malts and vague coffee build up with every mouthful.

12. Brains, Original Stout (4.1%)
Reactions
Emotional: Sturdy, steady stout. I know where I am with this.
Critical: Lots of chocolate and vanilla, with medium roast.  Light malts.  Easy drinking.

13. Williams Brothers, March of the Penguins (4.9%)
Reactions
Emotional: OK .... more of that thanks
Critical: Medium bodied, smooth texture, head thinnish. Tastes of toasted roasted malts, chocolate and liquorice. Interesting and worth getting again.

14. Cairngorm, Black Gold (4.4%)
Reactions
Emotional: Yummy ..... we love winter!

Critical: Sweet and comforting malts breaking into stronger molasses and then finishing with a hint of chocolate.

PORTERS

15. Samuel Smith, Taddy Porter (5%)
Reactions
Emotional: Not bad!
Critical: Dark and moody. Toast and roasted coffee. Thick liquorice, after hints of chocolate. Smokey dry bitter finish. Very interesting.

16. Wickwar, Station Porter (6.1%)
Reactions
Emotional: Nice one!
Critical: This was a light and airy porter, lively carbonation, with a host of flavours starting with slightly smoky chocolate vanilla malts and finishing with a dry shortbread biscuit.

17. Tomos Watkins, Cwrw Gaeaf (4.7%)
Reactions
Emotional: I think this is a Porter even though its not listed as such
Critical: Great colour, ruby red, nice head, and an immediate grainy, doughy, malty warmth and depth.

18. Box Steam Brewery, Funnel Blower (4.5%)
Reactions
Emotional: Fantastic!!
Critical: Pours to give a deep head, and a bit of treacley aroma. Carbonation medium to give an easy to drink pint. Flavors begin with toasted rye bread, and break into bourbon vanilla and smooth chocolate. Ends with clean bitterness.

19. Celtic Experience, Celtic Dark Age (4%)
Reactions

Emotional: Described as a mild in style I thought this more of a Porter which is why I place it here.

Critical: Not bad at all! Lots of velvet texture, loads and loads of chocolate malt (yumyum) which has hints of vanilla, and then toasty caramel and hints of strong coffee on the finish.

20. Williams Brothers, Midnight Sun (5.6%)
Reactions
Emotional: Fantastic!!
Critical: Great beer. I love this smooth texture, rich flavours including a hint of spice and gingerbread. Clean finish with a bit of roasted cereal to end.

WINTER, DARK and OLD ALES



21. Brains, Dark (3.5%)
Reactions
Emotional:I liked this.

Critical: Lovely dark colour with smooth cream head. Medium bodied, toasted malts with hints of chocolate and hazelnut. Short crisp finish.

22. Hunter's, Full Bore (8%)
Reactions
Emotional: NICE! VERY NICE!
Critical: High alcohol content, but neither too sweet nor too heavy. Had this with Christmas dinner, so went well with rich meat and heavy fruit pudding! Echoed the raisins, slight hints of treacle, but also a nice bitter edge and clean bitter finish.

23. Robinsons, Old Tom (8.5%)
Reactions
Emotional:
Critical: Hailed as a great ale, this is very enjoyable. Rich and mellow with hints of fudge and barley wine. Clean ending.

24. Robinsons, Tom and Berry (4.6%)
Reactions
Emotional: Like drinking a very upmarket chocolate bar
Critical: Nice and chocolatey with really strong delicious berry fruits.  I thought this was great but others may find the fruit too much.  Not sure this is a session beer, could end up being too cloying.

25. Old Diary, Snow Top (6%)
Reactions
Emotional: Bloody fantastic!!
Critical: Rich, complex flavours, very full bodied with deep plum fruitiness hidden below barley wine richness, finishes with bitter citrus hops, and the tiniest hint of chocolate.

26. Traquair, Bear Ale (5%)
Reactions

Emotional: Surprising!

Critical: The aroma is really inviting of warm kitchens and bread making. The flavour is rich and surprisingly dry and bitter to finish. A solid bitter ale. Likely to sneak up and thump if used as a session.

27. Otter, Otter Head (5.8%)

Reactions

Emotional: Close your eyes and hum mmmmmmmmm

Critical: It has to be the quality of the water filtered down through sandstone that gives this beer such a great crystal clean flavour. Chocolate bitter sweetness and barley wine warmth and depth. Quite a sharp green hop citrus ending that lingers on the palate. Quick to make you squiffy!

28. Orkney Brewery, Dark Island (4.6%)

Reactions

Emotional: Worthwhile

Critical: Lovely smooth texture, velvety and comforting. Lots of doughy yeast and malt with a feint flavour of Horlicks. Finishes with plumby fruit.

29. Whittingtons, A Winter's Tail (5.1%)

Reactions

Emotional:  I liked this.

Critical:It’s not the most amazing old ale style beer, but it can pack a punch because it is easy to drink as a session beer. A little bit hazelnutty, little bit of bitter chocolate.

Kentish pub crawl: Batts, balls and bowls

Location: Holidays in south, north and west Kent

Moodmusic:  ..................... 

Today's memories and soundbites
HooHum .... back to work after time away.  It's hard.  I'm dreaming of beers drunk. I'm not too sure why I noticed this really, but whilst away I seemed to have been surrounded by pubs that somehow had names related to cricket.  Sporting related pub names and signs have always been popular and obviously Kent has a famous county cricket team, firmly connected with Canterbury, so the Bat and Ball opposite the cricket ground there was expected, similarly the Cricketers in the center of the city, the Kent Cricketers in Hawkhurst, the Cricketers Inn at Meopham.  But what about the Timber Batts? What's that mean then .... lumps of lumber .... wooden insulation supports .... or cricket batts?  And what about the Bowl at Hastingleigh, punch bowl or bowl the ball?  The beer was good in any event and I managed to benefit from the upwelling of micro-breweries in Kent which has seen a revival of old breweries in the heart of the ancient hop belt and the old English beer producing landscapes.

Window of the Cricketers, Canterbury

Drinks

The Compasses, Crundale
1. Sunny Republic, Beach Blonde (3.7%)
Reactions
Emotional: Maybe I am drinking this at the wrong time of year?
Critical: A more and more popular style of light blonde/gold beer. Very gentle flavours.  Vague pineapple bubblegum?  Some wash of hops.  Will try this again in the sunshine.

2. Shepherd and Neame, Cobb Tree Old Ale (4%)
Reactions
Emotional: Already forgotten
Critical: I can't find any reference to this on the Shep's site or elsewhere, other than the YouTube video.  It was a non-controversial bitter, of medium body and flavour, that left little lasting impression.

The Rising Sun, Kingsdown
3. Youngs, London Gold (4%)
Reactions
Emotional: Easy 
Critical: This is a plain and easy to drink, very, very quaffable session brew.  There is a very light flavour of hops with a little bit of lemony lemonade citrus.  A beer for the new beer drinker or non-regular beer drinker, or somebody wishing to consume lots on a sunny day!

The Bowl, Hastingleigh
4. The Old Diary, Snowtop (6%)
Reactions
Emotional: Bloody fantastic!! 
Critical: A porter in waiting.  Rich, complex flavours, very full bodied with deep plum fruityness hidden below barley wine richness, finishes with bitter citrus hops, and the tiniest hint of chocolate.

5. Gadds Ramsgate Brewery, Little Cracker (5%)
Reactions
Emotional: Not bad.   
Critical: Great colour.  Medium bodied.  Easy to drink.  Light spice.  Small hint of fruit. Sour cherries at the end?  They sell this in bottles so I'll get some more.

6. Hop Deamon, Skrimshander IPA (4.5%)
Reactions
Emotional:  Yummy ... Kentish
Critical: Could be a session beer by taste which belies the medium strength, so a little bit on the dangerous side maybe?  Makes me think of Kent when I drink it, just like the brewers description, so I guess the flavours of traditional hop varieties are coming through in crisp profusion.  It has that sharp citrus clean hoppy aftertase on the finish.  Really really nice.

The Barn, Crundale
7. Whitstable, Oyster Stout (4.5%)
Reactions
Emotional: I'm a fan!
Critical: Somkey toasted mocha coffee flavours.  Lovely texture smooth and satisfying. Medium bodied with just the right amount of carbonation. Made me crave some smokey seafood alongside.

Kentish trip London view
quick diversion into town

The Shard.  Loving the old, with the new and the newest ....

Wierd and wonderful: Glow-worm wine cures drunkeness

Location:  A Dictionary of Sussex Folk Medicine

Drink: Glow-worm wine.
Although I know of many British folk remedies involving plants, those which involve animals are a suprise. Glow-worms, the little beetles that shine a faint greenish light in wet and marshy places, habitats where the larvae can find and feed on slugs and snails, feature as a key ingredient in a 16th and 17th Sussex cure for drunkenness and lust!  Brilliant! The green glow from the "firefly" or glow worm not only acts to attract mates, but also serves as a warning to predators that it tastes bitter and horrid.  What better ingredient to use to create a brew likely enough to dampen your ardour and put you off wine for life!

Recipe 1:
Gather your glow worms.  Macerate.  Add to wine.

Recipe 2:
Gather your glow worms.  Add to wine. Distill.

Supply to "those unclean lechers" to spare wife, widow and maid "from lust not fit to be mentioned".  Leonard Mascall 1627.

Some Scott's stuff. Stewart, Broughton, Duechars and the like.

Location: Borderland

Moodmusic: ............ no inspiration at all this time

Today's memories and soundbites
Like a rubber band I boing from one end of the UK to the other with diametrically opposed locations …. looking around Scotland again now in and out of this killfudoch and the next, and finding out more fascinating facts and figures about towns and villages one might describe as driech in current times, but were something other in their own epoch’s.  The church at Shotts (Kirk O’Shotts) was an imposing and beautiful building visible from the M8, but Salsburgh that it served, is home to a pub with no windows, and a feeling of lost and lonely. Penicuik is interesting.  It was developed as a planned village by Sir James Clerk 3rd Baronet of the Penicuik estate, it has a history of paper making from 1704, it's own Shotts town (Shotts from Anglo Saxon sceots meaning steep slopes), and a churchyard full of interesting headstones. There are two places serving real ale.  I went for the Craigbieldy House which is starting to experiment with real ale and is slowly testing out different choices to see what sells.

In the churchyard at Penicuik.  Carpe Diem ... tempus fugit
 From Frieda's blog 

1. Caledonian, Deuchars IPA (3.8%)

Reactions

Emotional: No bad .... not really good.... but not really bad

Critical:  This is a nice draft ale, non-controversial. Plain honest bitter. Hops, fruity hops, a bit of apple?? Easy to quaff through ..... Do we care it is brewed by Heineken?  

2. Stewart, Hollyrood (5%)

Reactions

Emotional: Mmmmmmm .... liking this one

Critical: Worlds Best Beer winner for a pale ale.  This is very fruity and full of citrus, with some hints of grapefruit in the aftertaste.  Sharp bitterness which rounds off the medium to full bodied flavours.

3. Stewart, Edinburgh Gold (4.8%)

Reactions

Emotional: OMG!!!!!

Critical: This is really, really nice.  So full of flavour.  It reminds me of Brewdog ales.  It takes the depth of Hollyrood ale one step further along, and turns it up to absolutely full bodied.

4. Broughton, Black Douglas (5.2%)

Reactions

Emotional: Not bad

Critical:  A dark ruby ale rather than any thing else.  It has a good head and a medium bodied flavour. Quite toasted, a little bit of smokiness. Medium soft carbonation. Malt and toffee.

Jurassic coast, a place called Beer and a sea of ale!

Location: back to woods and vales in the coastal SW

Moodmusic: Every love story is a ghost story .........

Today's memories and soundbites
Pouring rain, freezing fog, floods, storms, a broken down car, norovirus, woods full of squeltsh and H&S hazards ......... but it's still beautiful, the woods still loverly, and for a special bonus the sea was bright pink!!!  Then what do you know, I end up just near a place called Beer, famous for lace making and smuggling brandy. Beer is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word "Bearu" which means grove or small wooded area, indicating the bay and village were once surrounded by woodland.  Shame ... a brewing history would have been something to write about.  However, whilst the Jurassic coast has become famous and earned it's World Heritage status for the amazing rock formations, hanging valleys and fossils [click here for more info] as well as the Undercliff and the French Lieutenant's woman, it is also true that there are a very large number of micro-breweries in this part of the world, 30 in the South Devon area, including Branscombe Vale, O'Hanlons, Otter, Isca, and the Mighty Hop ..... look at my haul from the local Grocer's shop all local or from next door counties .... (incidentally Trumps is worth a visit with it's original Victorian interiors)!   Word is, the quality of the water round here makes great beer, being as it is filtered as it seeps through the local sandstone, and the smugglers and sailors and naval folk based along the were coast all thirsty customers.

Drinks - Part 1!!!

1. Mighty Hop, Festival Special (3.9%)

Reactions

Emotional: Ok

Critical: Very carbonated so  a lively character to the drink.  Some sweetness.  Finishes bitter.  Peasantly plain.

2. Corinium Ales, Corinium I Gold (4.2%)

Reactions

Emotional: Tangy baby

Critical: Very tangy indeed.  Fruity complexity. Refreshing bitterness.  Very quaffable.

3. Corinium Ales, Corinium II Centurion (4.7%)

Reactions

Emotional: Thumbs up.

Critical: Toasted cereal, warming, smooth. 

4. Corinium Ales, Corinium III Ale Caesar (5%)

Reactions

Emotional: Woooow ...

Critical: Nice colour.  Immediate and strong flavour of grapefruit which lasts in the mouth in a gentle and rounded way.  Refreshing bitter ending and pleasing bitter aftertastes. Oh look ..... there's nothing left!

5. Otter, Bright (4.3%)

Reactions

Emotional: Wow! What a gorgeous colour.

Critical: Beautiful bright yellow colour.  Gentle aroma of grassy meadow.  Medium bodied.  Flavours of heather honey and lager malt, and spring water, hints of bubblegum.  Very satisfying.

6. Yeovil, Stout Hearted (4.3%)

Reactions

Emotional:

Critical: Mild textures and flavours, although somehow perhaps more Porter than Stout in overall character.  Rounded, small malt, vague taste of milky chocolate at the finish.  Pretty refined.

7. Arkell's, Kingsdown Special Ale (4,8%)

Reactions

Emotional: This has given me the giggles for some reason! 

Critical: Apple fruitiness, medium bodied, sweet rather than bitter. Could be headache material.

8. St Austell, Trelawney (3.8%)
Reactions
Emotional: Quite like that!  But what are Galaxy hops?
Critical: This is probably a singing session beer.  Very top notes, very floral and sweet summer fruit in both aroma and following taste. Peach?  Melon?  Ends with tangy hops.  It has much more flavour than you think is possible for 3.8%

9. St Austell, Smugglers Vintage Ale (6%)
Reactions
Emotional: Mmmmmmmmmmm
Critical: Rich, loverly whisky and barley wine flavours, thick plum and raison, toffee and spice.  Very nice.  Having this again.

East Devon view

pink seas

sells beer and been here since 1813

Adding more Christmas Ales to the list

Adding more ..............  http://beesbeer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/christmas-cheer-bah-humbug-x-moose.html

Christmas cheer? Bah Humbug, X-Moose, Rosie Nosey, Christmas Whiskers, Christmas Ale and all

Location: Floodswept and snowswept areas of the uplands

Moodmusic: Trying hard to ignore the commercialism of the season

Today's memories and soundbites
Of course it's impossible to ignore the seasonal sentiments, and I wouldn't want to portray myself as a complete Ebenezer Scrooge, but I find it harder every year to find the good in all the commercial hubbub. So what better a reaction than concentrating on the beers of the season.  Like the micro-brewery revival, the brewing of seasonal ales and of Christmas ales seems to be an expanding area.  Winter warmer strong ales and barley wines have been a long tradition in Britain, some recipes going back a few hundred years, seasonal beers which are higher in alcohol (typically 6-10%), sweeter, and more strongly flavoured with perhaps more dark and black barleys, have been a means to manage the cold, wet short days of winter and revel in the various winter festivals. Indeed the Nordic Viking tradition of strong winter ale for Thor's festival, a beer called Julol, is said to have become British Yule Ale .... or now .... Christmas beer.  There were also wassail beers ... ale-based drinks flavoured with honey and spices used as a toast to good health and good fortune for the new year, often celebrated on Twelfth night in Medieval times.  So "Christmas ales" are perhaps a newer way of recognising these traditions and marketing winter warmers for todays consumer.  They often see the addition of seasonal flavourings such as cinnamon, cloves, orange, ginger or nutmeg, and some Christmas ales are less gourmet-to-savour sipping winter warmers, but are intended as session beers, so they may not exceed 4-5% in strength relying on those flavours for seasonal interest instead.  I tried a selection of locally available .......

Drinks

1. Purple Moose, Merry X-Moose (5%)
Reactions
Emotional: Toooo easy ......
Critical: Ruby style winter warmer. This is a dangerous beer as it is sooooo easy to quaff and at 5% is likely to be a session beer that gets you into trouble. Medium bodied with very light bitter flavour, typical mildness of North Wales ales.

2. Wychwood, Bah Humbug (5.0%)
Reactions
Emotional: Huurumph ..... not sure
Critical: Not really too sure about this one.  It says on the bottle it is flavoured with cinnamon, but it tastes a little more clovey and soapy to me .....

3. Batemans, Rosie Nosey (4.7%)
Reactions
Emotional: OK .... it's a bitter
Critical: I liked this although I have to say that it tasted very much like a standard winter bitter.  Not sure it reminded me of Christmas, it's not very exciting or plum pudding or anything.  A good medium bodied medium flavoured medium bitter beer.

4. Shepherd & Neame, Christmas Ale (7%)
Reactions
Emotional: Ok .... that's a bit better
Critical: The depth of this ale probably comes from the high alcohol content.  Dark amber colour, slightly fruit nose, some fudgy treacle and a hint of vanilla, with orange pekoe tea?  Finishes a clean hoppy bitterness.

5. Marstons, Owd Rodger (7.6%)
Reactions
Emotional: Aaaww ...Wonderful!!
Critical: Delicious, thick, fruity, raisons and plums, warm and winter wonderful. More Christmassy than plum pudding! Wonderful.

6. Shepherd & Neame, Tins'ale (3.8%)
Reactions
Emotional: bog standard bitter
Critical: Nothing too exciting, although if you enjoy light bitters this one you’ll like.  Slightly metallic and hints of ginger (?) and lemon zest.  Light hoppiness and a little malty caramel.

7. Wye Valley, Christmas Whiskers (4.5%)
Reactions
Emotional: Nice session bitter
Critical: Nice rounded medium bodied bitter with some fresh doughy hoppiness followed with a mellow light fruitiness.  Less Christmas flavours but more Christmas merriment.

8. Branscombe Vale, Yo Ho Ho (6%)
Reactions
Emotional: OOOooo that tastes dangerous .... strong and quaffable
Critical: A strong English ale, small amounts of spice, with a deep caramel flavour and a tiny hint of raisins.  Have a feeling this would provide a headache is not treated with care.

9. Cotleigh, Red Nose Reinbeer (4.5%)
Reactions
Emotional: simply quaffable
Critical: Straight forward winter bitter.  Dark and malty, slight vinous depth, figs and a little bit of smokiness.  Could be a Christmas session beer.


Perfect Christmas view??

My Christmas message!

Somebody loves me?

Thank you to Go to Ale who nominated my blog for a Liebster Award?  I have been asked to answer 11 questions and then ask my own nominees with less than 200 followers another 11 questions.  Here goes then.  The 11 questions I was asked, with my answers, are:

1. What brewery makes your favourite beer?
The best beer I ever had was a porter served at the White eagle in Rhosneigr, Wales, but I don't remember who brewed it or what it was called, so best I mention Dorest brewers Hall and Woodhouse whose beers I really rate when tasting a well kept cask ale of theirs in a local pub.

2.  Star Wars or Star Trek?
Ohhh Star Wars by a long shot

3.  Black pens or blue pens? 
Pencils actually and then black pens

4.  Are you a homebrewer? 
Yes I love it and always looking to source free ingredients from field and hedgerow 

5.   How will you cook your turkey on Thanksgiving? 
We don't have Thanksgiving over here, so not something I can answer!

6.  What game have you always wanted to play on the Price Is Right? 
??? Is that on TV??

7.  Do you like sushi? 
Adore it and love to prepare it too

8.  What is your favorite meal to have with your favorite beer?  
Steak (blue) and chips with any strong flavoured ale, probably a porter or stout like Porterhouse Wrasslers XXXX Stout from Ireland

9.  If you could go back in time and visit one person for a day, who would you visit? 
Wow that's hard to answer, it's a toss-up between Albrecht Durer (1471-1528), or Rosa Parks (1913-2005), or Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922)

10.  Say you have a friend who has never had a beer. What beer would you recommend to a new beer drinker?

Something tasty and not too controversial, probably Sierra Nevada Pale Ale easy to drink and very, very delicious

11.  Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck?

Aaaaaghhh .... can't we have dogs instead of mice and ducks?  I'd rather vote for Pluto if I may.

For my own nominees please answer the following and then ask your own 11 questions of your own nominees via a direct message of FB link, remember that new nominees need to have less than 200 followers.

Cheers!

1. Which is your favourite brewery and why?
2. What beer would you recommend for a wedding?
3. IPA or Stout?
4. What is the collective noun for a group of beer drinkers?

5. Do you agree? 

6. Crystal, Challenger or Cascade?

7. Great Wall of China or Hanging Gardens of Babylon?

8. How many beers are in a keg, and is this knowledge important?

9. Why barley or Marmite?

10. When will you stop drinking beer?

11.  Do you believe "There is no Santa"?


http://thesecretdrinker.wordpress.com/

Sunny frosty woodland weekend in the West country

Location: Westward Ho!

Moodmusic: It's real autumn again ..... sun and cold in equal measure

Today's memories and soundbites
Happy weekend looking after a spinney, in the sunshine and frost, hand felling spruce trees and making log piles with my Silky handsaw .... all you need to be a lumberjill, and a great way to work up an honest thirst!  Counted 26 different bird species whilst I worked including a surprising red kite. Cinema trip for a 007 Daniel Craig moment .... brilliant.  Could not have wished for a better trip!

Drinks

As you can see a lovely west country selection on offer in the wood!

1. Arkell's 3B (4%)
Reactions
Emotional: The landlord told me this was a man's beer!! Haha!
Critical:  Apparently originates from a recipe first brewed in 1910.  The flavours are well balanced, good hop and malt, but a bit unexpectedly sweet ... sort of hazelnut caramel sweet .... not quite the combination for me.

2. Wooden Hand Brewery, Cornish Mutiny (4.8%)
Reactions
Emotional: VERY nice .... I really like this .. it has lovely chocolate notes mmmmm
Critical: A rich colour and smooth velvety head, a great deal of body coming with a sort of rum and raisin nose and fruit cake flavours which then break into chocolate fudge cake finish.  I thought it was great.

3. Dartmoor Brewery, Legend (4.4%) 
Reactions
Emotional: Ok ....
Critical: My first thought was ooohh tastes of the local water.  This has a strong water flavour and softness, which I know sounds weird but that's what I think, with some doughy bready yeasty flavours and a crisp finish.  Light and easy to drink.

4. RCH Brewery,  Pitchfork Rebellious Bitter (4.3%)
Reactions
Emotional: Oh ... surprising complexity of flavour
Critical: Bottle conditioned, so opened with care after a bit of a rough ride into the woods! Very well worth pondering this beer.  Winner of many beer awards.  Very hoppy, but no bitter edge, a bit more floral, and a slight hint of fruit, a little zesty.  Earthy ending.

5. Clearwater Brewery, Devon Darter (4.5%)
Reactions
Emotional: Ok ... bog standard maybe?
Critical: Can't quite get the measure of this one.  Great ruby amber colour. Not too strong on flavour. Again I think it tastes like the local water. More malt than hops.  It's the aftertaste which is so interesting ... it lasts as a nutty hoppiness for ages afterwards. Thought I would cross-check with other reviewers ... Elvis Appleford thought this was "refreshing" "sessionable" and "sticky in the throat"!


6. Cotleigh, Buzzard dark ale (4.8%)
Reactions
Emotional: Tastes like a kind of porter ...
Critical: First flavour is chocolate, second is treacle and third is light fruity hops ... that's an interesting combination. Smoky biscuit ending.


The rest found their way home to be enjoyed later ........ watch this space!

Coming threat to US/Global craft beers?

Read this from Mother Jones and wonder .......

http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/11/coming-threat-your-craft-brew

Aberystwyth, a different kind of rain and Pen-Lon Ewes Frolic

Location:  Aberystwyth Pier

Moodmusic: The world keeps turning, and life goes on and on, in it's own season

Today's soundbites and memories
Amazing patterns, great sounds and a very special kind of rain! Starlings doing their stuff, takes me right back to my childhood watching the same thing on winters evenings around Templemeads Station.  Weird to think these little, once plentiful birds, are red-listed as 'threatened'.

Drinks

1. Pen-Lon Ewes Frolic (5.2%)
Reactions
Emotional:  Aaaahhhh brilliant after a long and taxing day
Critical: light and easy to drink.  Not overly flavoured, gold, clean and a bit underpowered on the hoppy side.  A bit gassy too. Screams quality though.

and at little earlier at  Plas Y Brenin

2. Bragdy Nant, PYB Bootliquor (3.8%)
Reactions
Emotional: OK, not bad
Critical: Bready, straw'ish, toasted caramel, sweetish malt and some sort of woodiness. Interesting beer.  Not bad at all.  Not too sweet.

3. Bragdy Nant, PYB Dark Winter (5%)
Reactions
Emotional: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh
Critical: This was served sooooooooooo cold it was hard to catch all the flavours, but I warrant that there is some chocolate in the background.  The draught is smooth and velvety without being too heavy.  Very nice dark beer. Not really a porter or a mild though.