A Partizan Crowd

First up, I've ticked another beer off the list and it a good'un:

Beer 169 from “1001 Beers...”

• Liefmans Curvee Brut. Style: Fruit Beer, ABV: 6%. Purchased: The Vineyard
  
  Description: Dark ruby red, a good pink head with plenty of lacing. Aroma of tart stone fruit, cherries, slightly sour notes, with hints of marzipan sweetness. Deep dark cherry flavours, a little malt, and a lot of tart sourness. Light but sticky mouth feel, nice carbonisation; dry finish.
  Thoughts: Fruit beers can be a bit “love 'em or hate 'em”. This though is seriously good, a blend of aged beers mixed to perfection. Sweet but the perfect sourness to balance it. Two points: (1) it's 6%, so stronger than some fruit beers and it might creep up on you; and (2) if you don't like marzipan dark cherries, this ain't for you (how cherry could it be you ask, well for a hint its described on the bottle as “brewed with cherries, aged with cherries, with cherry juice added”! I loved it though, great beer.
  Score: 8

Now on to the topic of the this post: Partizan Brewing. To me, they're a bit of a conundrum. The first beer of theirs I had was was great. That was followed by one I didn't get at all, and one that had a lot of promise but didn't quite deliver. Ever intrepid, and being interested by what they are trying to do, I went back to the well for two more beers...

First up is beer 80 outside the list

• Partizan Brewing Dr Rudi Pale Ale. Style: Pale Ale, ABV: 5.5%. Purchased: The Vineyard

Description: Light amber and hazy. Very slight white head. Lots of tropical fruit on the nose – this sounds weird but it reminded me a bit of Umbongo. Fruit sweetness, with a little citrus/grapefruit bitterness. Mandarin? Long bitter finish. Unfiltered, very light bodied, no carbonisation, slightly oily mouth coating.
Thoughts: First up, I love the Ska inspired artwork – took me back to the '80s! After that, I'm really not sure what to think of this beer. I veered from liking it to not liking it – all in the same mouthful. In the end, I think I enjoyed it more as it warmed up. I maybe need to try another bottle of this, but I've never been so indecisive about a beer before!
Score: 6.5

Beer 81 not from “1001 Beers...”

• Partizan Brewing Mild. Style: Mild?, ABV: 6.4%. Purchased: The Vineyard

  
  Description: Dark Brown and translucent. Small white head. Lots of toasted malt aromas, real smell of porter from this. Tastes of toasted (almost burnt) malts, brown sugar, with a bitter finish. Mid mouth feel.
  Thoughts: This is described as a Mild, but to my uneducated mind it was more like a porter. This is by no means a bad thing. Really enjoyed this: complex, dark, bitter, and perfect for an autumnal night.
  Score: 7.5

Based on this I reckon their dark beers are much better than their light beers. But they are definitely trying interesting things and I'm looking to try more of their brews. Try some folks, see what you think, and let me know!

Cheers

Quite the Wit

Expectations

There are some beers I have no real thoughts on before I try them. Take the Helles in the last blog; I'm not generally a fan of pale lagers and therefore wasn't expecting much. When a decent little beer came along I was nicely surprised and perhaps it scored a wee bit higher because it exceeded my expectations. Again I had no great preconceptions about the next beer :

Beer 168 from “1001 Beers...”

• Hitachino Nest White Ale. Style: Witbier, ABV: 5.5%. Purchased: LightHouse Wines
  
  Description: Light yellow and hazy. No head to speak of. Lemon aroma, with a hint of coriander and honey suckle. Slightly sweet tasting, with a nice spicyness (maybe some cloves) and wheat flavours. Light bodied with a little fizz.
  Thoughts: Lovely little witbier. Light, yet refreshing and the little bit of spicyness keeps it interesting. Perfect for a summer night, I could see me enjoying a few of these at a BBQ!
  Score: 7.5

Sometimes expectations are a bitch. There are some beers that you buy, and before even popping the cap you think “this is going to be great”...

Beer 74 outside the list

• Founders Pale Ale. Style: American Pale Ale, ABV: 5.5%. Purchased: LightHouse Wines

  Description: Dirty Yellow and Hazy. Next to no head. Not much aroma, some hoppy citrus notes. Light malt flavour, a little bitterness, mild floral touches. Light mouth feel, not very fizzy.
  Thoughts: And this is where expectation kicked in because (a) I really enjoyed their All Day IPA, and (b) it says Dry Hopped in the middle of the label. When I see Dry Hopped, I tend to read it as DRY HOPPED and expect a big hoppy bitter hit. And this beer just didn't deliver that. It is probably a fine beer, it just couldn't match up to what I was expecting...
  Score: 6

Beer 75 outside the list

• Founders Centennial IPA. Style: IPA, ABV: 7.2%. Purchased: LightHouse Wines

  
  Description: Light honey in colour and slightly hazy. Thin Head. Lovely IPA aroma, grapefruit, piney, and lots of hops. A little caramel and biscuit malts, but the main show is a big hop piney bitterness, with some citrus fruit. Mid bodied, a little bit resin like, and a long bitter finish.
  Thoughts: Expectation duly dampened, I opened this. This is also dry hopped (though it's not so obvious on the bottle) and this time it really is DRY HOPPED. Lovely beer for the hop heads out there. If you see it, buy some!
  Score: 8

Cheers

One helles of a beer

Beer and Footy

Bank holiday weekends are great. The Hilden Beer fest on Friday night was followed by lots of footy on Saturday and Sunday. It's great to have the football back. This summer has been a real pain in the ass, with transfer deals that challenge the ending of “Return of the King” as the most drawn out sage of all time. As a Liverpool fan, the brilliant Tomkins Times website has been keeping sane (well maybe not sane... saner?). Despite a good result on Saturday, and ultimately on Tuesday, watching Liverpool often drives me to drink, and with the deep defending in the second half – and the injuries – I certainly needed something to settle my nerves! At least the fridge is full of interesting beers these days...

Beer 167 from “1001 Beers...”

• Edelstoff. Style: Helles, ABV: 5.6%. Purchased: The Vineyard
  

  
  
  Description: Poured very light yellow/straw coloured. Decent white head. Actually not much aroma (though that might be the slight cold I have). A little sweetness but refreshing and tasty. Light bodied with decent fizz.
  Thoughts: I almost didn't find this in the book – so a big thanks to Abs other wise this one would have slipped by. Not generally a fan of pale lagers but not sure I've knowingly had a Helles before. This was good. A perfect light, yet tasty, lager for watching the football, with a little sweetness and a decent fizz. Must try more Helles.
  Score: 7.5

Beer 72 outside the list

• Partizan Saison Grisette Sage. Style: Flavoured Saison?, ABV: 5.6%. Purchased: The Vineyard

  Description: Poured hazy light yellow. Unfiltered. Smells of lemongrass, with a hint of sage. Next to no head. Lemon and sage flavours, no real beeryness (pretty sure that’s not a word but what the hell) about it.
  Thoughts: There's no doubt I enjoy a weird beer or two, but this just wasn't for me. It rates quite well on some sites, so may be its a marmite sort of thing. It'll not put me off this brewery as I loved their stout, maybe just a case of picking the wrong one this time! And if you've had it and liked it let me know, but I wouldn't buy again (though I did finish it, which probably says more about me than the beer...).
  Score: 4

Beer 73 outside the list

• Anderson Valley Hop Ottin IPA. Style: IPA, ABV: 7%. Purchased: LightHouse Wines

  Description: Caramel colour with a small white head. Strong grassy/piney hop aromas, with maybe a little honeysuckle/foral hint. Good strong hop bitterness. Some caramel and honey malts on the palette. Slightly oily/resiny finish. Medium body with decent carbonisation.
  Thoughts: One for the Hop Heads – and that’s a group which definitely includes me. Much more a strong bitter IPA, with decent caramel malts, rather than something lighter (see Founders All Day IPA). Very drinkable, but a sipper rather than a gulper. I’m not sure you could have more than one in a session (the 7% ABV gives it a kick too!). Very, very nice - would love to try more in the range.
  Score: 8 (revised upwards)

With the footy back there may be a few posts that are put up following supping a beer or two. This may make them more incoherent, rambling, and typo filled than usual! (“They can get worse...” I hear you cry).

Anyway, more reviews - including the very interesting Hitachino White Ale - to come soon!

Cheers

Hilden Beer and Music Festival

So last night I headed up to Hilden Beer and Music Festival. It was a great night's crack. Lovely setting, good music, tasty food,and, most importantly, good beer! Even the rainy weather couldn't put a dampener on the event. I even got to tick another beer off the list (forgot my phone so no pics!).

Beer 166 from “1001 Beers...”

• Exmoor Gold. Style: Golden Ale, ABV: 4.5%.
  My drinking buddy (hello abs!) described the beer as smelling “like a piss stained porta-cabin”. Not sure I would agree with this very specific description... Either way it tasted just fine but nothing too exciting
  Score: 5.5

Beer 57 outside the list

• Hilden's Twisted Hop. Style: Golden Ale, ABV: 4%
  Lovely on cask from the brewery. See my review here.
  
  

Beer 68 outside the list

• Thornbridge Lord Marples. Style: Bitter, ABV: 4%
  I'm a fan of Thornbridge. Despite this being the first pour out of the cask, it wasn't bad at all. Bitters don't do that much for me but this was quite drinkable.
  Score: 6
  
  Beer 69 outside the list
• BG Sips (Blue Monkey). Style: Golden Ale, ABV: 4%
  Hoppy and fruity. Really enjoyed this.
  Score: 7
  
  
  Beer 70 outside the list
• Barney's Beer Red Rye. Style: Rye Beer, ABV: 4.8%
  The use of rye made this a bit of a change for the taste buds. Started well but not a great finish.
  Score: 5.5
  
  
  Beer 71 outside the list
• Hilden's Barney's Brew. Style: Wheat, ABV: 5%
  Description here. Light, peppery and spicy. A great way to finish my tasting at the festival.
  Score: 7

Things got busy as the night when on, a few more taps (may be a few more choices) would have eased the queues. But service was quick and friendly and the atmosphere great. Still two days to go. If you've no plans get yourself up to Hilden for a great day's crack. If you have plans, change them and support a local brewer!

Cheers

Sourly does it

Weird, wacky, and yet wonderful

Long day at work saw me looking into the fridge to see what interesting thing could help get me through to the weekend. Rather than something... normal, I thought lets try something a bit different!

Beer 125 from “1001 Beers...”

• Rodenbach Grand Cru. Style: Flanders Red Ale, ABV: 6%.
  
  Description: Poured almost burgundy in colour with a beige head. What a smell - dark cherries and tart fruit, almost marzipan like at times. I little vinegar and sour mustiness. Sweet flavours, again under ripe fruits (especially cherry), oaky and spicy (from the mix of new and aged beers) with a sour, dry, crisp finish. Mid bodied with a little fizz that lasted well.
  Thoughts: I had this awhile ago (thus number 125) but was keen to re-try. This is one of those beers that is likely to split opinion. The guy in the vineyard who sold it to me isn't a fan. I can see why, but I completely disagreed. This is weird, wacky, and yet wonderful. I just love sour beers, and this is a great example. Try it, it might not be for everyone one but those who like sour beers are likely to love it.
  Score: 8.5

Cheers

Born in Belgium

Generic heading with a beer pun or possibly a double entendre

I'm still new to this blogging lark, and I'm wary of my reviews sounding a bit too... pretentious. I mean at the end of the day, beer, is beer, is beer. It tends to smell like beer and taste like beer. But there are subtle differences that I’m keen to highlight without verging into total wine snob territory – i.e. “it smells of Christmas and bouncy balls” when actually it smells of wine (and in some case vinegar). I know at times I probably do head down that road (and please feel free to pull me up on it). It's a bad habit and one I'm fighting, as beer shouldn't be elitist. The best thing about beer is that everyone can find, buy, and enjoy good beer without spending a fortune or talking too much bollocks about it.

And now more pretentious beer bollocks from me...

Going though “1001 Beers...” has really made me see how brilliant many Belgian beers are. No one does it quite like the Belgian's, well almost no-one...

Beer 91

• Goose Island Matilda. Style: Belgian Strong Ale, ABV: 7%.
  
  
  
  Description: Amber with a small white head that disappeared quickly. Lovely sour aroma from the brett yeast. Great sweet/sour taste with some spice and fruit banana like fruits – more fruit came though as it warmed up. Mid mouth feel, with a little fizz.
  Thoughts: I had this one ages ago (thus number 91) in the states, but thought it was worth revisiting. This is the yanks showing they can do a Belgian ale, and it's brilliant. Complex, yet refreshing and drinkable. Available at Light House Wines – go get some!
  Score: 8.5 (Apparently it ages well, though who could keep it in their fridge long enough to find out?)

An actual Belgian this time and Beer 67 not from “1001 Beers...”

• Staffe Hendrik Quad. Style: Belgian Quad, ABV: 11%.
  
  Description: Pours dark brown with a small tan head. Smells like rocket fuel and I'm pretty sure it is. Very syrupy with a slightly sour finish. A little dark fruit, sort of fig roll like (man, I haven't had a fig roll in years...). A little fizz.
  Thoughts: This beer rates very highly on a number of tasting websites. I kinda see why. It's big, it's complex, and it's got an ABV that could fuel your car. However, while most Belgian beers tend to disguise their ABV, I can taste every bit of this. For me, its just a wee bit too much and I didn't actually finish it as I didn’t want to be blocked for the next week...
  Score: 6.5

Now a move to England and beer 66 not from “1001 Beers”

• Partizan Brewing Foreign Export Stout. Style: Stout/Foreign Stout, ABV: 8.7%.
  
  Description: Jet black with a decent tan head. Toasted malt and chocolate aromas. Lots of coffee, dark chocolate, and almost burnt malt flavours. Thick with a little fizz.
  Thoughts: Jesus, you couldn't accuse this beer of being bland, weak or tasteless. A really nice stout. You can taste the ABV but it makes it a warming experience. First I’ve had to challenge Brooklyn's Chocolate Stout and Ola Dubh – its not quite that good but it gives it a real go. Looking forward to trying more Partizan Brewing beers
  Score: 8.

I also had a Menabrea Biere. I'm not a fan of Pale lagers generally, and this did nothing further to convince me. Not a bad pale lager if you’re into them, finishes with some hops and a wee bit of bitterness, but overall its just meh. Score: 5

Hilden Beer Festival

Just one more thing, the 2013 Hilden Beer and Music Festival takes place this coming weekend from 23^rd to 25^th August. I've never been before (to my shame), but I heard great things and I really hope to get up there this weekend. Come support a local brewer!

Cheers

In the pink...

Thursday Night Beer

I wasn't going to have a beer until the weekend; then work happened. So screw it I opened my fridge to see what was cold and interesting. Step forward beer 165 from the list...

• Roisin. Style: Fruit Beer, ABV: 4.2%.
  
  
  
  Description: Poured rose/pink and hazy. Big pink head that stayed for ages. Strong berry aromas. Not as much fruit on the palette as on the nose. Quite a lot of hops and malt in the taste, despite the fruit content. Bitter-sweet berries. Light mouth feel, but slightly syrupy.
  Thoughts:  I have enjoyed all the Williams Bros Beers have had to date, this was... not bad. A slightly different take on a fruit beer from Belgian examples, given the malts. Personally I prefer a sour finsh on a fruit beer. Being colder might have helped
  Score: 6.5

Update

And dammit one beer became two, this one recommended by Light House Wines and is Beer 65 not from the list

• Maredsous 6. Style: Golden Ale, ABV: 6%.
  
  Description: Poured light golden with a wispy blond head. Grapefruit and sour yeasty/bready aromas. Light fruit flavours, again grapefruit and citrus tastes. Slightly sour finish. Started light body but with decent carbonisation, though it became slightly flat before I finished it.
  Thoughts: Nice solid Belgian blond. This would have been my favourite of the maredsous range if it hadn't been for how flat it went at the end. May that was my fault (badly poured maybe?) but it brought down the score a wee bit. Very refreshing beer though, you'd never guess it was 6%!
  Score: 7

Cheers

A beer for keeping...

I sometimes wonder why I'm trying to drink my way through “1001 Beers...”. Most of the beers are grand, but it feels like I'm always trying something new for the sake of it. There are loads of beers I already know I love but I don't buy as often as I should in my, probably ultimately fruitless quest, to try all the beers in the book.

Then I try something, basically just because it's in the book, that makes it all worthwhile...

From “1001 Beers...”

Beer 164

• 3 Monts. Style: Biere De Garde, ABV: 8.5%.
  
  Description: First beer I've had to open with a cork screw! Poured straw colour with nice white head, with lingering lacing. Smells a wee bit funky. Initially tastes like a pilsner but then opens up into a complex sweet/sour beer, with grassy hops. Refreshing yet interesting. You would never know this was 8.5%. Quite fizzy with a mid body.
  Thoughts: Loved it, simple as that. Very different, but not unnecessarily whacky (I’m looking at you timmermans peche). Go try some, I'll be buying more, and looking out for more Biere De Garde's (though I believe this might not be an archetypical example of the style).
  Score: 8.5

Not from “1001 Beers..."

Number 64

• Dark Lord. Style: Porter, ABV: 5%.
  
  
  
  Description: Opaque Black. Chocolate and toasted malt aromas. Slightly light mouth feel. Subtle coffee and toasted caramel flavours.
  Thoughts: I love a good porter. This shows a lot of promise, but doesn't quite deliver. Needs more flavour and a thicker body.
  Score: 6

Cheers

The Slieve Donard and more

I promised a rant at the end of my last post. Well, this isn't really a rant more a... helpful suggestion. I was lucky enough to be treated by my wife and toddler to a night in the Slieve Donard Hotel. I love the Slieve. It's one of my favourite places in NI to go to get away from it all. The rooms are lovely, the views spectacular, the Spa reinvigorating, and the food is mouth watering.

It's great that they make a big deal of all the local produce they use, from sausages, to beef, to bread. They also have a great (if expensive) wine list. They have spent time devising menu's and picking the accompanying wines. Yet when it comes to beer, the choices are the usual mediocre selection of international lagers and a token stout.

The closest thing to a local beer is Murphy's Irish Stout. I mean how hard would it be to sell Harp... just joking! The Slieve, and all Hastings hotels, are among our premier tourist hotels, and this extends beyond the Slieve to all our hotels, restaurants, and bars. They have a prefect opportunity to promote the best beers we have locally – seriously even 1 or 2 beers from Whitewater, Hilden, Clanconnell, etc, would do. When I'm a tourist, even before I was a beer geek, I always tried the local brew – there must be more people out there like me! Seriously, any Americans who are into craft beer would lap up HoppelHammer, or Twisted Hop, or McGrath's Irish Black, or – well you get the idea by now.

There might be good reasons why its not done, may be they tried before but there wasn't the demand. If so, given the explosion in the craft beer scene, may be now might be a good time to try again.

This isn't a serious gripe, I love the Slieve and I'll be back either way, I just think there is an opportunity here for everyone.

Anyway, back to the beers.

From “1001 Beers...”

Number 162

• Maredsous 10. Style: Tripel, ABV: 10%.
  
  
  
  Description: Poured golden/honey with a decent head. Lacing stayed throughout. Slight yeasty/bready small with a citrus little fruit. Quite a sweet taste, but with a little spicy/tart (may be a little vanilla?) but not much sourness. Syrupy but light mouth feel.
  Thoughts: I really enjoy a Belgian tripel. This was a nice beer – but not as good as Tripel Karmeliet. Most tripels hide their ABV well, this one was slightly less subtle and came across slightly too boozy to me. A bit more fruit and a sour finish would have lifted a level. Solid beer though.
  Score: 7

Number 163

• Maredsous 8. Style: Dubbel / Belgian Brown, ABV: 8%.
  
  Description: Poured dark honey in colour with beige head that lasted. Smells of biscuit malts and brown sugar. Mid mouth feel, slightly syrupy. Toasted caramel and spice tastes, with some dark fruit and nuttiness. A little bitterness on the finish.
  
  
  Thoughts: Quite light for a dubbeI, started by hiding the ABV well but got slight thicker and boozier as it warmed up. This improved the overall finish of the beer. Very nice (if strong) beer.
  Score: 7.5

Not from "1001 Beers"

Number 62

• Schlosser Alt. Style: Alt Bier, ABV: 4.8%.
  
  
  
  Description: Poured light brown, with a decent white head that dissipated quickly. Biscuit malt aromas. Slight burnt caramel tastes, a little hops, and quite a light mouth feel.
  Thoughts: Another new beer style. This hybrid beer is slightly lagerery with plenty of dark malt (a wee bit like anchor steam). Decent but not spectacular. Interested in trying more Alts.
  Score: 6.5

Number 63

• Skimshander. Style IPA, ABV: 4.5%.
  
  
  
  Description: Poured amber with with a small head that completely disappeared. Slightly bitter taste, with some light floral flavours and a little bit of grapefruit. Mid mouth feel.
  
  
  Thoughts: To me this came across more like an English pale ale, than an IPA. When I see IPA on a label I expect more hops, this was a wee bit too subtle for me.
  Score: 6

Cheers

Beer 160 and The Dirty Duck

As well as journalling my way through “1001 Beers...”, I am keen to use this blog to highlight good local beers, pubs, retailers, etc, that you should give a try (see The Craic's Good, the Beers... for starters). This week I managed a lunchtime excursion to The Dirty Duck in Holywood. The Dirty Duck has a good rotation of cask and real ales available, as one gets drunk another option comes on. If you like cask and real ale its always worth calling into see what they have. During my visit they had Dirty Duck Ale (a nice session ale produced by Hilden), Kent's Best (Shepards Neame), and Volcano IPA (Barney's Beer). I only tried the Kent's Best (quick review below) this time but will be back to see their next options soon. The great thing about the Dirty Duck is that the food is as good (if not better) than the ale!

Anyway, back to the task at hand – beer number 160 from “1001 Beers...”

• Sneck Lifter. Style: Strong Ale, ABV: 5.1%.
  
  
  
  Description: Pours dark amber. Decent head. Lots of toasted malts on the nose. Strong Coffee taste, with hints of burnt toffee and caramel. Thick mouthfeel.
  Conclusion: A friend of mine tried this and told me it was awful. I would disagree but I can see it might be an acquired taste. Really strong rich malts, pure coffee taste. A little sweetness, and slightly treacle like. A really nice toasted malt beer that actually tastes more alcoholic than it is. Would be perfect for a cold winters night.
  Score: 7

Others

• Kent's Best. Style: Bitter, ABV: 4.1%.
  Description: Amber colour, plenty of malt, and a few hops thrown in for good measure.
  Conclusion: Shepards Neame do some great beers – I love their double stout! I'm not a huge fan of English style bitter. This as grand, but I'd prefer something hoppier and boozier.
  Score: 6
  
  
• Amacord Blonda. Style: Golden Ale, ABV: 6%.
  
  
  
  Description: Poured cloudy and light amber. Nice head with plenty of lacing that stuck about. Slightly sour (bread and yeast) aroma (its bottle conditioned), with some floral tones. Sour and dry tastes, with orange twangs (the beer is flavoured with Italian Orange Blossom honey) . Mid mouth feel and decent carbonation. Brooklyn's Garret Oliver apparently helped design the beer.
  Conclusion: This is subtle and quite pleasant, a bit like a “light” version of a Belgian Tripel. Not quite boozy or sour enough to my taste – but that makes it a bit easier drinking and sessionable.
  Score: 7

Cheers

Horse-racing and garden gigging

Quick post today. Its been a busy weekend. Friday night we were off to the races at Downroyal. Stopped in at Gowdy's first for a pint and was pleased to find they had bottles of Hilden's Twisted Hop, Barney's Brew, and Headless Dog. They also had Whitewater's HoppelHammer (which as you can see I like a lot!) and Belfast Lager. Options nowhere near as good in at race course and I ended up with a couple of bottles of Heineken. A couple of winners kept the day interesting but I'm sill back to work on Monday...

Saturday took us to the “Gig in the Garden” at Minnowburn. Another great day out, and best of all the Hilden teepee was running the beer tent so I got another tasty pint of Twisted Hop on draft. Great to have a child friendly event, that has good food, drink and music in Belfast – if it's on again next year we'll be back!

All this activity meant only one beer got ticked off the list but I was a good one.

From “1001 Beers...”

Number 159

• De Koninck Amber. Style: Amber, ABV: 5%.
  
  
  
  Description: Poured amber, almost brown into my Leffe challis. Nice amber head, but his went very quickly. Biscuity malt sweet smells and that refreshing aroma from Belgian yeast. Malt tastes, a little sweetness, and a slightly sour finish.
  Conclusion: Really refreshing beer, that really nice taste and small that goes with Belgian beer – presumably for the yeast and malt. Well worth a try and I would have again.
  Score: 7.5

Others

• Twisted Hop. Style: IPA, ABV: 4.7%.
  
  
  
  Description: A nice floral, citrus hop hit. Nice fizz.
  Conclusion: This Hilden beer recently won best beer at the Dublin Craft Beer Cup. I can see why. Really nice on a summer's day. Refreshing.
  Score: 7

Cheers

Born in the USA

Really, if I were in anyway organised, this blog would have been completed and posted on the 4^th July. But I'm not, and it wasn't - may be being posted after the Boss's concert can make up for it? Either way, no time like the present I suppose, and I'm a big fan of the American craft beer scene. Unfortunately, I don't get to tick off another beer from “1001 Beers...” in this post but I though it was still worth sharing.

Others

• All Day IPA. Style: IPA, ABV: 4.9%.
  
  
  
  Description: Poured from the bottle with little head and not much lacing. Amber/orange colour. Smells like cross between Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Goose Island IPA, my wife thought its had grapefruit aromas. A real hop floral taste – with just a little bitterness in the after-taste.
  Conclusion: This was a lovely little beer. Really nice hop taste, with a bit of grapefruit in the background. Not too much bitterness, and the reasonable ABV, means this is very drinkable beer that you could have a few of and enjoy. I found it refreshing and would definitely advise anyone to give it a try.
  Score: 7.5

• Summer Ale. Style: Golden Ale. ABV 5.0%
  
  
  
  Description: A Brooklyn beer that poured with a good head. Light Blond but bread/yeast aroma from the malt and, erm, yeast. Hops not very noticeable in taste or smell. Malt and bitter taste.
  Conclusion: I'm a big fan of Brooklyn Brewery – especially their Black Chocolate Stout. A change from some of the other summer beers out there, this is actually more malt based and toasted grain tastes. A nice enough beer.
  Score: 6.5
  
  
• Pennant Ale. Style: Amber Ale. ABV 5.0%
  Description: Again bready and yeasty. Bit of spice (not unlike Anchor Steam actually) Decent head. Dark amber. Good fizz that lasted.
  Conclusion: More like an old English pale ale. A little more malt that I expected, slight biscuit/toffee flavour. Maybe better for autumn than summer. Not bad though.
  Score: 6
  
  
• Underdog Atlantic Lager. Style: Lager. ABV 5.0%
  
  
  
  Description: Lager from Flying Dog Brewery (again I'm a fan!). Light golden in colour. Fruit aromas with a slight sugar sweetness. Really fizzy, and the carbonisation lasted throughout. Not much head. Fruity/citrus taste with a little bit of grassyness .
  Conclusion: I've stated before that I’m not a huge lager fan. More accurately, I'm not a fan of mass produced lager with lots of adjuncts. This was really pleasant – quite fizzy and sweet, perfect for a BBQ! Going to buy a few more bottles of this, perfect for this hot weather.
  Score: 7.
  
  
• Pyramid Hefeweizen. Style: Wheat. ABV 5.2%
  
  
  
  Description: Cloudy (unfiltered), blond wheat beer. Very little head. Slightly chalky aroma. Mid textured mouth-feel. Light and refreshing with a little bit of orange spice on the finish
  Conclusion: Another nice refreshing beer for a summer evening. Enjoyable.
  Score: 6.5.

Researching the Pyramid Hefeweizen, I discovered a little bit of discussion as Pyramid (due to their ownership structure) are no longer considered a “craft brewer”. I'll be honest, for me the book, and this blog, is about finding and drinking good beer. I'm not too fussed if its real ale or not, craft beer or home brew, micro brewed or multi national produced - as long as the beer is good I’ll praise it. However, I do think the smaller guys are trying more interesting things, and I'm also keen to promote local producers. If its not good, well its one not to buy again - no matter who made it.

Right, a bit of research and shopping needs to be done now if I’m to get a few beers ticked off “1001 Beers...” in my next post. Anyone bought beers online? Checking out a few websites that carry a range of beers but any tips would be gratefully received.

Cheers