Hilden Beer and Music Festival 2014

Right, I'm squeezing in this quick post as there are other things I should really be doing. I think those things involve watching footy, my wife think they involve painting the front room... Anyway the haste may mean there are a few typos etc ("What, more than usual?" I hear you cry) so apologies in advance!

Last night was my second Hilden Beer and Music Festival, in what looks sets to become an annual event for me and my trusty beery side kick. Have to say I think overall the set up was much better than last year. Switching the stage and the bar around at the main site lead to more room, and what seemed like a bigger bar. I'm also sure there were more staff and getting served was a much easier experience. The move from cash at the bar to a token system also helped a lot; as did having a dedicated food area.

It was also nice to have a choice of glasses on the way in. Given that I already have a Hilden pint glass, and the fact I was there to sample, I went for the half pint glass. It's a nice wee tulip glass and much more in keeping with my beer geek hipster aesthetic (disclaimer - I'm not a hipster and I'm pretty sure I have no aesthetic what so ever). Pro tip - if you want to maximise beer volume/value for money go for the pint glass and order half pints, I'd say the people doing this were probably getting close to 2/3rds of a pint for their token!

On to the beer, there probably not much to excite "beer heads" but I thought the choice was decent with options from here, the south, Scotland and England.  I didn't really take notes so these are all quick run throughs...

White Gypsy's Honey Gold was probably the best beer I had, lightly sticky, mid bodied, the rye came through well as did a touch of honey. Reminded me of Licher, in a good way. St Austell's Tribute was very well kept and showed plenty of its biscuity goodness. Hilden's own Twisted Hop was also on good form with a light juicy pithy bitterness that went down well on a sunny Friday evening. The only beer I wouldn't recommend was the Porterhouse Dublin Pale Ale, which was elegantly described by my compatriot as tasting like "a beer you poured yesterday but are only drinking today". 

A nice surprise on the list was Pokertree's Dark Nirvana. Labelled a Black/Cascadian IPA to me it came across more of a porter with a very light hopping. There is a hint of citrus in the aroma but it really didn't cross into the flavour which was espresso and dark chocolate. There was a light resinous finish in the mouthfeel. Not a bad effort but too me, as a Black IPA, it fell into the "needs more hops" category. 

The music was also good - enjoyed the covers band whose music ranged from Eminem to Stevie Wonder (via lots of rock). 


If you plan on heading up, leave the car and take the train. If you get there before 4pm on Sat & Sun, showing your train ticket gets you £2 off entry!

I'm missing Lighthouse Wines' Stone beer tasting event this Thursday, so I'm hoping there'll be some left over for us plebs afterwards! Right, I'm off to paint the front room while watching football at the same time (see its all about comprise) - as a reward I'm hoping to have the little number on the right tonight, can't wait. 

Cheers  

Jet Black

Another order from Drinkstore.ie has made a real dent in my wallet, but will also help me make a further dent into drinking my way through "1001 Beers". Photo of some things to come below just to tease!

So, I've been saving the next beer for a wee while, and thought it would be a good way to mark reaching 210 beers!

210. Mikkeller Black
Style: Imperial Stout. ABV: 18.1%. From: Drinkstore.ie 
Description: This thing is so dark I had to turn lights on in each room I moved into... Good brown head that lasted well considering the ABV. Wow, big aroma - burnt malt, booze, wood, something slightly lactic and sour, sugar, smoke. Taste hits in a big way too, more of that burnt malt, there's a sugary sweetness to along with (very) bitter chocolate and coffee. Wood, smoke, and may be a hint of vanilla, and lots (and lots) of booze. Very rich, oily, and lasting.
Thoughts: This is not an easily drunk beer. There's a lot going on and the booze level is through the roof. I did enjoy it but I'd guess it need more ageing - a good couple of years at that - to mellow it out and take the edges off. Worth trying but I preferred the Bourbon County Stout.
Score: 8.5

Now to some outsiders - I've been buying some local Irish/Norn Irish beers recently so a quick summary of these...

174. Kinnegar Rustbucket
Style: Rye Beer. ABV: 5.1%. From: Grange Wines
Description: Dark amber going on light brown, white head. On the aroma I got some caramel and a hint of grapefruit. Flavour starts biscuity, then some caramel malt sweetness, and finally some bittering hops kick in. May be a little spice in there too. Quite light, coated my mouth a little but not what I'd call "sticky"
Thoughts: Not a bad drop this, might be slightly better for a autumn night but was a decent rye ale.
Score: 6.5

175. O'Hara's DIPA 
Style: Imperial IPA. ABV: 7.5%. From: Grange Wines
Description: Golden in colour with a small off-white head. Lots of floral hops and sugar on the nose, a little piney aroma in there too. This came through very sweet, some floral notes and some citrus but its not really getting through strongly. Sticky mouth feel.
Thoughts: I was looking forward to this, and the beer nut (who's blog is excellent by the way) seemed to enjoy it , which is nearly always a good sign. For me, however, it just didn't work - way too sweet, a sickly kinda special brew sweetness at that, with nothing else getting through. I nearly didn't finish it at all. It may well have been a bad bottle, but it's not something I'll be buying again... ever... 
Score: 3

176. Pokertree Seven Sister Treacle Stout 
Style: Stout. ABV: 5.9%. From: Grange Wines
Description: Poured a decent thick dark brown (almost black), with a beige head. Some roasted malt on the aroma, but also some light coffee and chocolate, and a definite brown sugar sweetness. The treacle remains in the flavour giving it some richness, the roasted malt and coffee make a come back too, I also got some dark fruit. Quite light bodied. 
Thoughts: I waited for a second tasting to give this a review. The flavour holds up well for me, a solid oatmeal stout with a nice hint of brown sugary moreishness. Its not huge flavour wise but very drinkable. I think it could take a bit more fullness in body to really round it out.
Score: 6.5

Right I'm off to line up more of the beers in the picture, but I'll leave you with a final reminder for Beerclubbelfast next Thursday (29th @ 7pm) with the guys from marble coming over it should be a great event... I'm even planning to make it down - hopefully see you there.

Cheers

Beer 200!

So it has taken a while to get here but finally we are up to Beer 200 of "1001 Beers to Try Before You Die" (link to amazon - other online retailers and physical bookshops are available!). Just over a year and I'm a fifth of the way through - it is getting harder and harder to get the beers locally now but a wee internet purchase or two might help from here on in - can anyone recommend a site they use to deliver to NI that's reliable, has a good range, and doesn't want your first born as a delivery charge to these shores?

Anyway, here's Beer 200 and it's a cracker:

200. Cantillon Rose De Gambrinus
Style: Lambic Fruit. ABV: 5%. From: Light House Wines
Description: Pink, clear, tiny head; not unlike pink champagne. Aroma of berries, lots of berries - raspberry mainly - and some funky yeastiness. Taste is tart and zesty - some lemon, but lots of sour raspberry. My wife commented that it reminded her of creamola foam - she had a point, a bit like eating creamola foam from the spoon. Light bodied, decent fizz, with a slightly bitter finish.
Thoughts: Gorgeous stuff. Not the sweetness of some framboise; more sourness and tartness here. But not too sour. Overall nicely balanced and very refreshing - will be having again!
Score: 8.5

I also tasted a few more beers from outside the list:

157. Sierra Nevada Narwhal
Style: Imperial Stout. ABV: 10.2%. From: Light House Wines
Description: Poured jet black with a light brown head. Lots of roasted malt in the smell, light coffee, and some dark fruit (think figs and plums). Taste is good bitter dark chocolate, again some coffee in there too. A little boozy, but not as much as you'd expect given the ABV. Full bodied with a slightly bitter finish.  
Thoughts: And there I thought I was going back to IPAs again... This is a beautifully balanced imperial stout, scarily drinkable for the style. That ABV could do some damage without care. Another great beer from Sierra Nevada.
Score: 8.5

158. Pokertree Red Earl
Style: Red Ale. ABV: 5.5%. From: Light House Wines
Description: Ruby red, clear, and an off-white head that dissipated very quickly. Caramel on the nose. Taste follows that, caramel, biscuity malt. Quite light for the style, I got an ashy finish as well.   
Thoughts: I was impressed with Pokertree's first effort - for me, this wasn't as good. I found it a little too thin for my taste, would have preferred something more syrupy; the ash finish wasn't really my bag either. Drinkable but not very exciting. I should point out that this followed the Narwhal so most beers may have struggled after that - may need to give it another tasting for fairness sake!
Score: 6

A gentle reminder that Beer Club Belfast meets this Thursday (27th March) in the Hudson. Theme is beers with a twist with lots of brews worth trying announced already (if you haven't had it the Sorachi Ace is worth the £10 admission price alone!). If your about come down for a night of beer geekiness (and some good craic too).

Cheers

Beer for Breakfast

So, next up on my journey through "1001 Beers to Try Before You Die" is another beer from Founders:

197. Founders Breakfast Stout

Style: Imperial Stout, ABV: 8.3%, Purchased: Lighthouse Wines

Description: Pours black with a decent tan head. Aroma of COFFEE (it need those caps) and some roasted malt, maybe some tobacco in there too. Again plenty of coffee taste, some bitter dark chocolate Think and creamy, though finishes with a slight sweet vanilla note. 

Conclusions: I came to this expecting big things... and its good but its not great. There's a little too much coffee in there for me (I'm not a coffee drinker though) that makes it a wee bit too one note when compared to their well balance, rich and frankly sexy porter!

Score: 7.5

Next up a round up of a few new beers tried from outside the list. First, a new Northern Ireland Brewery, Pokertree.

No. 126 outside the list - Ghrian Golden Ale

Style: Golden Ale, ABV:4.5%, Purchased: Lighthouse Wines

Description: Light Golden in colour, a small white head. There's some citrus in the aroma, and a little floral note, but not "perfumey". Some lemon peal, and a little spice in the taste along with the coriander, but quite well balanced. Light and drinkable

Conclusions: I was inspired to pick this beer up following Stephen Barr's post on Belfast Beer Blog, having missed it at the Belfast Beer Fest in November. Described as a golden ale, it's more like a wheat beer/wit. I really enjoyed it: light, drinkable, and easy going but yet interesting and tasty. In one word I'd say it's "quaffable". May even be my second favourite local beer, after the mighty Hopplehammer - though if you're tempting non-beery friends to try something new this might be a better "introductory" beer.

Score: 7

No. 127 outside the list - Weihenstephaner Dunkle 

Style: Dunkle, ABV:%, Purchased: Gap Wines

Description: A surprisingly light brown. Hazy with a big tan head. Aroma of banana and toffee. Taste follows that, I go so far to say banoffee like with some brown sugar. Light but a little sticky.

Conclusions: Beer that tastes like banoffee, I'm in.

Score: 7.5

No. 127 outside the list - Wild Beer Scarlet Fever

Style: Amber Ale, ABV:4.8%, Purchased: Lighthouse Wines

Description: Red and hazy, with a small head. Apple and funky smells. Malty taste, a little toffee, a little apple, some thing strange in the background I can't quite place. Bitter and dry finish

Conclusions: Just didn't do it for me, I was getting a weird after-taste that meant that while the beer was OK, I wouldn't buy again.

Score: 5

Another day out in Belfast tomorrow... the Hudson here I come!

Cheers