A night out in the big smoke, and a smoky porter

So I had my first night out in Belfast for awhile last weekend, and thoroughly enjoyable it was too. Great to catch up with a few old friends, and I even got to try two new bars!

First up we hit the Hudson. Overall I was very impressed; good selection of beers (Brewdog, Sam Adams on tap and plenty of interesting bottles) and I really enjoyed the hearty food served in the adjoining café – I had chicken and chorizo stew! I didn't take beer notes but I enjoyed the Williams Brothers 7 Giraffes and the taste I had of the Whitewater whiskey barrel aged version of their Clotworth Dobbin. 

Next up was the Sunflower. Another proper pub with a good beer selection (Hilden's Scullions ale on draft, and again quite a few Williams Brothers beers and other interesting things in bottles). 

Really enjoyed both venues and hope to get back out to both soon. If you haven't been to either yet, go check them out – I’m sure you'll not be disappointed.

On top of all that I also got another beer ticked off from the list:

Beer 182 from “1001 Beers...”

• Alaskan Smoked Porter. Style: Smoked porter. ABV: 6.5%. Purchased: Lighthouse Wines

  
  Description: Powered dark brown, with a small but lingering tan head. Strong smoky/woody aroma. A little bit of toasted malt and grain (may be a little milk chocolate) to taste, but mainly its the smoky flavour that comes through. Lighter mouth feel than I expected but that helped with drink-ability.
  Thoughts: Really enjoyed this, perfect for a cold winters night in front of the fire. These beers can easily become “too much”, but actually this was really nicely balanced in taste (i.e. not too smoky) and body (not too heavy). Great stuff.
  Score: 8

Cheers

A Sour Pair

Quick update before I head out into Belfast for a few beers!

Beer 181 from “1001 Beers...”

• Leifmans Goudenband. Style: Sour Red/Brown. ABV: 8%. Purchased: The Vineyard

  
  Description: Dark brown, transparent, small off-white head. Sour yeast smells, but with some nutty malt and chestnut in the background. Oaky. Again you can taste the oak, a nice sourness, but slightly porter like. Mid bodied and coats the mouth, long sour finish.
  Thoughts: Enjoyed this, not very “beery” (in fact my wife said it reminded her of wine – probably the oak), but sour and complex. Plenty going on – hides its ABV well but plenty of kick too. A good one try – but it might be a bit marmite.
  Score: 7.5.

Beer 100 outside the list

• Cantillon Kreik 100% Lambic Bio. Style: Lambic – Fruit beer. ABV: 5%. Purchased: The Vineyard

Description: Creamola foam red, with a big pink head. Cloudy. Aroma of cherries, marzipan, and lots of tart yeasty dough sourness. Taste of very tart dark cherries, plenty of sourness. Light but a wee bit sticky. Dry, long bitter finish.
Thoughts: Mmm, this was good, very good. I love a tart fruit beer and this was right up there. Very sour but very drinkable. Will be buying more of this.
Score: 6

Beer 101 outside the list

• Dominion Oak Aged Stout. Style: Oak Age Stout. ABV: 5.8%. Purchased: The Vineyard

Description: Dark brown with a white head. Toasted malt and vanilla small, but not as strong as I was expecting. Some milk chocolate malt. Where is the booze and the vanilla the label promised me? Strangely light bodied.
Thoughts: This is the anti-Bourbon County Stout. No booze, no flavour, no interest. I'd avoid.
Score: 4


Beer 101 outside the list
• Dominion Beach Lager. Style: Pilsner. ABV: 5.2%. Purchased: The Vineyard
  
  Description: Straw yellow in colour, slightly cloudy, big white head that lasted well. A lot of fruit on the nose (peach?). Fruit flavours, a little hops, no real bitterness. Light, fizzy, with a chalky dry finish.
  Thoughts: The taste of this wasn't too bad (if a little dull) but the chalky finish didn't do much for me. Couldn't see me buying this again.
  Score: 4.5

I missed Beer Club Belfast on Thursday due to family commitments but I really hope to make the next one!

Cheers

Back on the trail and the brilliant beer 180

Illness, work, and family meant taking a wee bit of time off the beer quest. But I was back on it with a bang this weekend, and what a beer to get back on the wagon with.

Beer 180 from “1001 Beers...”

• Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. Style: Barrel Aged Stout. ABV: 15%. Purchased: LightHouse Wines

  
  Description: Poured a deep black tar like colour with a chocolate head that soon disappeared. Wow - lots going on aroma wise, big boozy bourbon hit, dark chocolate, some vanilla, and some woody notes. The flavours back that up, dark chocolate, burnt malts, a little lightness from some vanilla and ripe fruits – but the main flavour is oak and bourbon booze. As it warmed up it got more complex flavour wise, with the booze moving slightly more into the background (just slightly though!). Big mouth feel, full bodie, sticky but weirdly still smooth at the same time. Long boozy finish.
  Thoughts: Delighted the guys at the Lighthouse got this in; its one of those beers geeks like me just want to get their hands on. Worth every penny, this is a lovely complex beer. I had the 2012 vintage, and it was still very boozy – I have another bottle I'm going to keep for awhile and really believe this beer will improve with age. Can't wait to try the aged bottle!
  Score: 9

Beer 98 outside the list

• Paulaner Munich Hell. Style: Helles. ABV: 4.9%. Purchased: The Vineyard

Description: Straw yellow and clear. Good white head. Lager aroma, with a wee bit of fruit. Light, fizzy, some hops, and some bitterness on the finish.
Thoughts: This was grand, not as good as the other Helles I've had recently but drinkable, if unremarkable, German fare.
Score: 6

Beer 99 outside the list

• Schneider Weisse Mein Gruner (Tap4). Style: Hefeweizen. ABV: 6.2%. Purchased: The Vineyard

Description: Light yellow and hazy, big white head, and plenty of visible bubbles. That great wheat beer smell, lots of banana, spice, and little hop background. Again lots of banana in the taste, a little spice, wheat and something a little floral in the background. Light and fizzy.
Thoughts: I enjoyed this, a real banana bomb of a wheat beer, not as good as their Mein Hopfeweisse, but very drinkable.
Score: 7

Hoping to get a trip out into Belfast this weekend and a tour of a few new bars. Also hoping to make it to Beer Club Belfast on the 17^th October, you should try and get there too if you can make it!

Cheers

Its been a long week...

It's been one of those weeks were everything has gone wrong, or been more difficult that it really should have been. Really, I could climb into bed and sleep... but that's not an option – so instead lets have a beer!

Beer 179 from “1001 Beers...”

• Hitachino Nest Beer XH. Style: Belgian Strong Ale. ABV: 8%. Purchased: LightHouse Wines

  
  
  
  Description: Burnt orange in colour, hazy, with a very small white head that managed to leave some lacing. I get lots of zesty orange peel and some spices on the nose, a bit of rummy booziness too. Again I get zesty nectarine in taste, some caramel, a little spice, some tangy sourness, and a little bready mustiness. Mid bodied, a little sticky .
  Thoughts: On the first sip I wasn't sure, but it got better as it heated up. Not very “beery”, but something I would buy again.
  Score: 7.
  
  

Beer 97 outside the list

• Brewdog Fake Lager. Style: Pilsner. ABV: 4.7%. Purchased: Brewdog

Description: Golden and clear. Good white head. Has that distinct pilsner smell, with some hops going on. A lager but with a nice bitterness. Light, fizzy, and slightly chalky finish.
Thoughts: A decent pilsner.
Score: 6.5

Beer 97 outside the list

• Brewdog Zeigeist. Style: Dark Lager. ABV: 4.9%. Purchased: Brewdog

Description: Black with a tan head. Chocolate and a little hops on the nose. Chocolate, toasted malt, an some spicy flavours. Mid bodied, some fizz.
Thoughts: Interesting this, dark beer but some hops added in. Tasty.
Score: 7

Short update this week, and not feeling too hot so might be a little while before my next update!

Cheers