Not much exercise this month. Have relied on the ‘cellar’ to keep me entertained. Here’s some sozzled thoughts!
1. Brooklyn Brewery, Sorachi Ace – 7.6% abv – 750ml – £11.50 – The Beer Shop, Heaton Moor
This holds the distinction of being the single most expensive bottle of beer I’ve ever bought. I blame Jaz totally for this one! On our last visit to The Beer Shop, he pulled this one off the shelf AFTER I had made my purchases. Between raw jealousy and with the persuasive salesmanship of the owner, I succumbed and brought out the Visa card!
The beer is a saison and comes (as you can see (!) in a champagne style bottle, cork stoppered, therefore giving that primal cork popping pleasure. Being 750ml and given my lack of a 1 litre glass, I had to decant this bottle conditioned beer.
The beer poured a slightly hazy pale golden colour with some citrus peel and candied fruit on the nose, also maybe a hint of coriander? A flavour reminiscent of something like Duvel (probably due to the Bel;gian yeast used) slightly herby and grassy fresh. There was no dominant flavour overall, just a well balanced refreshing beer with a dry grassy finish. Also, a slightly surprising warmth afterwards. Expensively refreshing. I would buy it again, but NOT in a bar, given some of the £20+ prices I’ve seen!
2. Williams Bros, Caesar Augustus – 4.1% abv – 500ml – 3 for £5 Sainsbury
(Unforgiveably, image nicked from Brewery website!)
Described by the brewer as a Lager/IPA Hybrid, this has been a valued favourite for some time. A REALLY pale beer with a white head, as you would expect from a lager. What you wouldn’t expect is the incredibly sharp floral/hoppy aroma, some resinous, citrus fuity aroma to savour. The flavour seemed to err more to the hoppy IPA style, but retained a slight malty sweetness to it.
A gloriously bitter finish to this beer with full use made of the various new world hops.
An excellent beer in its own right, but at 3 for £5? Ludicrously good value.
3. Redwillow Brewery, Smokeless – 5.7% abv – Port Street Beer House – £3 (Special Offer 6 bottles)
Isn’t there always a story? This beer starts one night in Port Street. Drink had been taken when I spied a poster with a beery offer of 6 beers from a selection for £18. Magic Rock, Redwillow and Summer Wine were the breweries on offer. What’s a thirsty boy to do? Unfortunately, I was in no position to carry them back to Bolton so I left them at Jaz’s house. For about a month.
When I finally retrieved them from that most perilous of locations, I tucked into this beastie with haste.
A smoked porter, this poured the usually expected dark ruby to near black, a minimal cream coloured head, quickly gone. Aroma of bitter dark chocolate added to by a light smoke. In the mouth, this was creamy textured with a dark malteserish flavour, a nice smokiness coming through at the end of the mouthful. Another excellent beer from this Macclesfield brewer.
Now, the only time I had had this on draught, I was advised by my buddy that it was not quite at peak. This beer therefore, is something of a rarity in that it was excellent. I need to reappraise this beer on draught. And soon.
4. Summer Wine Brewery, Rouge – 5.7% abv – Port Street Beer House – £3 (Special Offer 6 bottles)
(I LOVE my IndyManBeerCon glass!)
Another one from the Port Street Bargain Hunt! I’ve had quite a few of their beers, but this was a first time with this red ale.
This poured a red brown with a pale head, which stayed the length of the drink. The aroma was spicy hop with a sour edge. In the mouth? WOW this is tongue curlingly dry dry dry (a good thing, for me!) My, but this is hopped! There was a hint of grassy green hop freshness. A beer full of flavour and wonderful for it!
Did I mention this was dry?
5. (Appropriately!) Five Towns Brewery, Peculiar w/Rhubarb and Ginger – 6% abv – Yorkshire Ales – £2.85
(Lively little devil!)
This was one of my haul from my visit to Yorkshire Ales in Snaith. Lively on pouring, a golden colour with an abundant head. Aroma of stewed rhubarb with a spicy note. Once in the mouth, there was the ginger alright! Nice and spicy, without overwhelming the palate (a bit gingery like Marble Ginger, for those who know). Strangely, I thought I detected a bit of banana split sweet in the mouth along with a slight sourness from the rhubarb. Finished off with my mouth warmed by more of that there ginger.
A really nice beer, my first from this brewery. I’ll focus on them a bit more next time I pop in and see Adrian & Vicky!
And to finish….
6. Mallinsons Brewery, Citra – 3.9% abv – Yorkshire Ales – £2.50
Another one from my Snaith haul. My first Mallinsons in bottle and one of their ‘Single Hop’ range.
On popping the crown cap, BOOM! Grapefruit and mango aroma, before I’d even poured it! Poured very pale, like Liquid Gold (anyone for Dance Yourself Dizzy? No, thought so!). Full of lovely bright hoppy flavours and surprisingly more subtle with the grapefruit in the mouth. Incredibly flavoursome and moreish.
Just one downside. I only bought the one. DOH!
Beers of the Month (Ooh, a New Feature!)
Draught
A close run thing this. But (and there’s always a BUT!), The best beer was one I had twice. Firstly at The Molly House (mislabelled, damn them!) and later at the mighty Joshua Brooks. Redwillow Faithless XVII, the Beetroot Stout was just so earthy, slightly sweet and just bloody GORGEOUS. Officially now my favourite brewer.
An honourable mention though for the always reliable Paramount (Elland 1872) Porter and Ilkley Siberia. Both unmissable when on.
Bottle
Again, close. But edging it is the Ego by North Riding Brewpub. Allsorts going on in this one (including Licorice!). See the Yorkshire Ales posting for the review.
Running it close was the bottled version of Elland 1872 Porter. See the Yorkshire Ales posting for the review (again!)
Well, I’ve bored you enough for one night. Also, I’ve got to get myself ready for a visit to Wilson Potter tomorrow to sample some of their lovely ales. And I hope to tell you ALL about it (if I don’t lose the Nexus!)
Slainte!
Mar 1 2013
A Few More Bottles – 01/03/2013
Not much exercise this month. Have relied on the ‘cellar’ to keep me entertained. Here’s some sozzled thoughts!
1. Brooklyn Brewery, Sorachi Ace – 7.6% abv – 750ml – £11.50 – The Beer Shop, Heaton Moor
This holds the distinction of being the single most expensive bottle of beer I’ve ever bought. I blame Jaz totally for this one! On our last visit to The Beer Shop, he pulled this one off the shelf AFTER I had made my purchases. Between raw jealousy and with the persuasive salesmanship of the owner, I succumbed and brought out the Visa card!
The beer is a saison and comes (as you can see (!) in a champagne style bottle, cork stoppered, therefore giving that primal cork popping pleasure. Being 750ml and given my lack of a 1 litre glass, I had to decant this bottle conditioned beer.
The beer poured a slightly hazy pale golden colour with some citrus peel and candied fruit on the nose, also maybe a hint of coriander? A flavour reminiscent of something like Duvel (probably due to the Bel;gian yeast used) slightly herby and grassy fresh. There was no dominant flavour overall, just a well balanced refreshing beer with a dry grassy finish. Also, a slightly surprising warmth afterwards. Expensively refreshing. I would buy it again, but NOT in a bar, given some of the £20+ prices I’ve seen!
2. Williams Bros, Caesar Augustus – 4.1% abv – 500ml – 3 for £5 Sainsbury
(Unforgiveably, image nicked from Brewery website!)
Described by the brewer as a Lager/IPA Hybrid, this has been a valued favourite for some time. A REALLY pale beer with a white head, as you would expect from a lager. What you wouldn’t expect is the incredibly sharp floral/hoppy aroma, some resinous, citrus fuity aroma to savour. The flavour seemed to err more to the hoppy IPA style, but retained a slight malty sweetness to it.
A gloriously bitter finish to this beer with full use made of the various new world hops.
An excellent beer in its own right, but at 3 for £5? Ludicrously good value.
3. Redwillow Brewery, Smokeless – 5.7% abv – Port Street Beer House – £3 (Special Offer 6 bottles)
Isn’t there always a story? This beer starts one night in Port Street. Drink had been taken when I spied a poster with a beery offer of 6 beers from a selection for £18. Magic Rock, Redwillow and Summer Wine were the breweries on offer. What’s a thirsty boy to do? Unfortunately, I was in no position to carry them back to Bolton so I left them at Jaz’s house. For about a month.
When I finally retrieved them from that most perilous of locations, I tucked into this beastie with haste.
A smoked porter, this poured the usually expected dark ruby to near black, a minimal cream coloured head, quickly gone. Aroma of bitter dark chocolate added to by a light smoke. In the mouth, this was creamy textured with a dark malteserish flavour, a nice smokiness coming through at the end of the mouthful. Another excellent beer from this Macclesfield brewer.
Now, the only time I had had this on draught, I was advised by my buddy that it was not quite at peak. This beer therefore, is something of a rarity in that it was excellent. I need to reappraise this beer on draught. And soon.
4. Summer Wine Brewery, Rouge – 5.7% abv – Port Street Beer House – £3 (Special Offer 6 bottles)
(I LOVE my IndyManBeerCon glass!)
Another one from the Port Street Bargain Hunt! I’ve had quite a few of their beers, but this was a first time with this red ale.
This poured a red brown with a pale head, which stayed the length of the drink. The aroma was spicy hop with a sour edge. In the mouth? WOW this is tongue curlingly dry dry dry (a good thing, for me!) My, but this is hopped! There was a hint of grassy green hop freshness. A beer full of flavour and wonderful for it!
Did I mention this was dry?
5. (Appropriately!) Five Towns Brewery, Peculiar w/Rhubarb and Ginger – 6% abv – Yorkshire Ales – £2.85
(Lively little devil!)
This was one of my haul from my visit to Yorkshire Ales in Snaith. Lively on pouring, a golden colour with an abundant head. Aroma of stewed rhubarb with a spicy note. Once in the mouth, there was the ginger alright! Nice and spicy, without overwhelming the palate (a bit gingery like Marble Ginger, for those who know). Strangely, I thought I detected a bit of banana split sweet in the mouth along with a slight sourness from the rhubarb. Finished off with my mouth warmed by more of that there ginger.
A really nice beer, my first from this brewery. I’ll focus on them a bit more next time I pop in and see Adrian & Vicky!
And to finish….
6. Mallinsons Brewery, Citra – 3.9% abv – Yorkshire Ales – £2.50
Another one from my Snaith haul. My first Mallinsons in bottle and one of their ‘Single Hop’ range.
On popping the crown cap, BOOM! Grapefruit and mango aroma, before I’d even poured it! Poured very pale, like Liquid Gold (anyone for Dance Yourself Dizzy? No, thought so!). Full of lovely bright hoppy flavours and surprisingly more subtle with the grapefruit in the mouth. Incredibly flavoursome and moreish.
Just one downside. I only bought the one. DOH!
Beers of the Month (Ooh, a New Feature!)
Draught
A close run thing this. But (and there’s always a BUT!), The best beer was one I had twice. Firstly at The Molly House (mislabelled, damn them!) and later at the mighty Joshua Brooks. Redwillow Faithless XVII, the Beetroot Stout was just so earthy, slightly sweet and just bloody GORGEOUS. Officially now my favourite brewer.
An honourable mention though for the always reliable Paramount (Elland 1872) Porter and Ilkley Siberia. Both unmissable when on.
Bottle
Again, close. But edging it is the Ego by North Riding Brewpub. Allsorts going on in this one (including Licorice!). See the Yorkshire Ales posting for the review.
Running it close was the bottled version of Elland 1872 Porter. See the Yorkshire Ales posting for the review (again!)
Well, I’ve bored you enough for one night. Also, I’ve got to get myself ready for a visit to Wilson Potter tomorrow to sample some of their lovely ales. And I hope to tell you ALL about it (if I don’t lose the Nexus!)
Slainte!
By BeersManchester • Uncategorized • 0 • Tags: Beetroot Stout, Brooklyn Brewery, Caesar Augustus, Citra, Ego, Faithless XVII, Five Towns Brewery, Ilkley Brewery, Lager/IPA Hybrid, Mallinsons Brewery, North Riding Brewpub, Pale Ale, Paramount Porter, Peculiar, Port Street Beer House, Redwillow Brewery, Rouge, Saison, Siberia, Smoked Porter, Smokeless, Sorachi Ace, Summer Wine Brewery, The Beer Shop, Williams Brothers, Wilson Potter Brewery, Yorkshire Ales