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

The Outsiders

Going off Piste
I normally like to kick off these posts by ticking off another beer from “1001...”, however this weekend I had a cracker from outside the list so thought I'd cover it (and a few others) prior to getting back the the trail!

Beer 76 not from “1001 Beers...”

• Kernel Imperial Brown Stout London 1856. Style: Imperial Brown Stout, ABV: 9.9% (!). Purchased: The Vineyard
  

  Description: Poured so black it started sucking the light out of the room. Nice tan head. Smells like an awesome coffee shop – coffee, cocoa and toasted malt. Again coffee on the palate, some dark fruits, almost burnt malt, and booze. Slight dark chocolate taste on the finish. Thick mouth feel, with a slightly oily mouth coating (this doesn't sound good but is).
  Thoughts: Now that’s what I call a beer. Dark, warming, complex; what more could you want? I can't recommend highly enough. Apparently this could be kept and aged, which I'd love to try that but I'm convinced I'd just drink it...
  Score: 9

Clearly myself from Belfast Beer Blog have similar tastes. There great review of the same beer is here. The only problem is, at 9.9% ABV, I'm not sure you could drink too many and it’s a bit of a nightmare to follow...

Beer 76 not from “1001 Beers...”

• Flying Dog Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout. Style: Oyster/Dry Stout, ABV: 5.5%. Purchased: LightHouse Wines

  

  
  
  Description: Slightly lighter in colour than the Kernel Beer above, but still dark brown. Very small head, but it was a bit of a ham fisted pour by me in fairness. Not much aroma going on, a little bit of chocolate and coffee. Toasted malt taste, with a wee bit of brininess. An unexpectedly light body.
  Thoughts: I'm a fan of Flying Dog beers (see here and here) but I think I preferred their Gonzo Porter to this. It may have been affect by following the Kernel Brew, and this paled a bit in comparison (and maybe that unfair on the beer, I'll try another bottle and update if required). A little too light in taste and mouth feel for me. Overall, OK.
  Score: 6

Beer 78 not from “1001 Beers...”

• Partizan Brewing Saison Grisette Styrian Goldings. Style: Saison, ABV: 4%. Purchased: The Vineyard

  

  Description: Almost lemon in colour and hazy. A very flimsy head that didn't hang about. Lots of lemon on the nose, slight biscuit notes, and some bitter yeast. Lots of zesty lemon, a little sourness and slightly bitter. Very thin and light mouth feel. Yeasty and dry finish.
  Thoughts: This is interesting, and it feels like there is a good beer in their trying to get out, but I'm not sure it works as well as it should. Much better than the rather strange sage thing of theirs I tried, but this is just a little too light and too thin for me. Refreshing though.
  Score: 6

The observant among you, or at least anyone still reading by this stage of one of my posts, will have noted I skipped from beer 76 to 78. Well I also had Macs Gold All Malt Lager – a pale lager that’s not really worth going into detail about: scored 4.

Next time we'll be back on the trail of beers from the list, and I have a few ticks already lined up!

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

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