Refilling the beer box

The beer box was starting to look empty, fortunately a credit card cock-up left me in credit on my flexible friend! Well, I know how to make use of spare money... and fruitful trips to The Vineyard and Lighthouse Wines this week have helped build the collection up again! So, more new beers coming to a blog near you soon... but first a run down of a few recent tastings!

New Beers from the Lighthouse

Beer 183 from “1001 Beers...”

• Brugse Zot. Style: Belgian Ale. ABV: 6%. Purchased: The Vineyard

  

  Check out the head on that...

  Description: Light amber and slightly hazy. Might have been my crap pouring but this thing came out with a HUGE white head. I really didn't get too much aroma, some yeast and a bit of spice but nothing too strong. A bit of a tangy taste, some malt, some spice. Really fizzy, light to mid bodied, chalky finish.
  Thoughts: Another that might have been killed by expectations... I found this a wee bit all over the place, nothing very coherent. And nothing worth returning for – one of those beers I'm not sure why it made the list, but we all have different tastes!
  Score: 5.5

Beer 184 from “1001 Beers...”

• Thornbridge Kipling. Style: Pale Ale. ABV: 5.2%. Purchased: The Vineyard

Thornbridge Kipling

Description: Strong hazy yellow appearance, decent white head that lasted well. Lots of tropical fruit smells, pineapple and grapefruit. Lots of tropical hops to taste, but not too sweet or bitter – good balance. Light to mid body – coats your mouth slightly.
Thoughts: This is a great pale ale, really drinkable, well balanced. Another triumph for Thornbridge – one I'll definitely buy again
Score: 8

Beer 104 outside the list

• Gonny no brew that. Style: Golden Ale. ABV: 3.8%. Purchased: The Vineyard

Gonny no buy that again



Description: No head, dark yellow, clear. Very hoppy aroma – grapefruit and lemon rind. Again citrus fruit flavours, a little bitterness. Flat, slightly resin like finish.


Thoughts: Not sure I really got this... too flat for me.
Score: 5

Beer 105 outside the list

• Paulaner Oktoberfest. Style: Oktoberfest. ABV: 5.8%. Purchased: The Vineyard

A late Oktoberfest treat



Description: Straw colour, clear, with a good white head. No head, dark yellow, clear. A little bland smell-wise, some grain, not much else. Malty sweetness to taste, not real hops. Fizzy but light bodied.


Thoughts: Pretty middle of the road oktoberfest beer, drinkable but not very exciting.
Score: 6

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