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!