The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
John - your beers at least have pronounceable names!
One of mine is called Erl Hell - which is possibly how my head will feel after the 8.5% Bad Santa's Gypsysud 2018 dunkler weizen doppelbock ...
One of mine is called Erl Hell - which is possibly how my head will feel after the 8.5% Bad Santa's Gypsysud 2018 dunkler weizen doppelbock ...
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- Lemon Quarter
- Posts: 3216
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 3:39 pm
Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
Thanks for the link, never heard of BeerHawk and it's South Bank location means I could make a lunch-time outing of it down that way. Free delivery [UK mainland orders] on orders over £50 is a useful option too.redsturgeon wrote: https://www.beerhawk.co.uk/advent-calendar John
ps. just been to Waitrose and picked up their whole stock on the shelf of Fullers 1845, another eight bottles for an insane £12. The 'cellar' of this one is now 20 bottles strong, and the offer runs to 1/1/19 Good job the wife is away for a couple of months, if she saw the state of my beer-store [aka 'her' boudoire en-suite bathroom]... ... just had one, as a 1st beer of the evening, damned fine it is.
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
If anyone needs any Norwegian translating just ask, I have multilingual relatives over there, fluent enough to also convey irony/word-play etc., as seems more common on modern/craft beers these days. We're usually discussing one of their country's beers every week or two...stewamax wrote:John - your beers at least have pronounceable names!
One of mine is called Erl Hell - which is possibly how my head will feel after the 8.5% Bad Santa's Gypsysud 2018 dunkler weizen doppelbock ...
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- Lemon Quarter
- Posts: 3216
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 3:39 pm
Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
For anyone who needs resources when getting pedantic over say the nuances between English Bitter, Pale Ale and Golden Ale
Technical defintions of scores of beer styles, about 160, from UK, Europe and RoW
https://guidelines.beerstyles.co/
'Unofficial BJCP Guidelines
These are unofficial, but somewhat prettily formatted versions of the 2015 and 2008 BJCP Style Guidelines
Do not rely on these above the official guidelines from BJCP, these pages are a side effect of the Beer Styles iOS app and are in no way guaranteed to stay up to date or to be error free.
Essentially the purpose of keeping these guidelines here is to make it easier to share content from the Beer Styles iPhone and iPad apps.
The full content of the guidelines cannot be found on this site. Introductions, category guidelines, and other explanatory notes might not be included.'
I've found the detail given far more than the ^ suggests.
Technical defintions of scores of beer styles, about 160, from UK, Europe and RoW
https://guidelines.beerstyles.co/
'Unofficial BJCP Guidelines
These are unofficial, but somewhat prettily formatted versions of the 2015 and 2008 BJCP Style Guidelines
Do not rely on these above the official guidelines from BJCP, these pages are a side effect of the Beer Styles iOS app and are in no way guaranteed to stay up to date or to be error free.
Essentially the purpose of keeping these guidelines here is to make it easier to share content from the Beer Styles iPhone and iPad apps.
The full content of the guidelines cannot be found on this site. Introductions, category guidelines, and other explanatory notes might not be included.'
I've found the detail given far more than the ^ suggests.
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- Lemon Quarter
- Posts: 2158
- Joined: November 7th, 2016, 2:40 pm
Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
Re Fullers 1845, neither Sainsbury's nor Waitrose have it in stock locally, but Ocado have promptly shipped me 20 bottles at the excellent offer price. Ocado say they impose a limit of 20 for offers but I didn't test the system. And with a bottle of Taylors 10 Y-O Tawny added it was all delivered free.
(I lust for Taylors 40 YO Tawny. I lust even more for Taylors 1863 Single Harvest but I would need a mortgage and a letter of introduction. However I once bought a quantity of Taylors Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha vintage that had been 'distressed' in a warehouse fire - sadly all gone. And some years ago Morrisons brokered off a quantity of Croft Crusted Unfiltered; but who would want crusted unfiltered? Me).
(I lust for Taylors 40 YO Tawny. I lust even more for Taylors 1863 Single Harvest but I would need a mortgage and a letter of introduction. However I once bought a quantity of Taylors Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha vintage that had been 'distressed' in a warehouse fire - sadly all gone. And some years ago Morrisons brokered off a quantity of Croft Crusted Unfiltered; but who would want crusted unfiltered? Me).
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- Lemon Quarter
- Posts: 3216
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
Well done re: 1845! The offer is on until 1/1/19 so consider if 20 is sufficient. Well I suppose the starting point is have you tried it yet, and if so what did you think? My stock is now up to 36 pints, and I'm going to fill my boots each time I'm passing and see 4 (or 8) in stock to get the offer price. I suspect they only put out about 12 on the shelf at one time, others have cottoned on to it, and every other time I pass I can't score. It's bottle conditioned and has a 2-year shelf life so I'm not concerned about buying enough for a pint a week for a year. And of course it will still be available later...stewamax wrote:Re Fullers 1845, neither Sainsbury's nor Waitrose have it in stock locally, but Ocado have promptly shipped me 20 bottles at the excellent offer price. Ocado say they impose a limit of 20 for offers but I didn't test the system. And with a bottle of Taylors 10 Y-O Tawny added it was all delivered free.
(I lust for Taylors 40 YO Tawny. I lust even more for Taylors 1863 Single Harvest but I would need a mortgage and a letter of introduction. However I once bought a quantity of Taylors Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha vintage that had been 'distressed' in a warehouse fire - sadly all gone. And some years ago Morrisons brokered off a quantity of Croft Crusted Unfiltered; but who would want crusted unfiltered? Me).
The stockist thing is curious. We have a pretty big Waitrose really close by but I've never seen it stocked there. I'm having to walk about a mile away to a 'Little Waitrose' and it's there that they have it. I also saw it once in a mega-Sainsbury, but I've never seen it in other more local smaller branch formats of theirs. How they decide which branches get stock is an enigma.
I don't have a problem with unfiltered port [etc]. Personally I'd use one of those double-mesh cup sized strainers, where the bottom layer is mega-fine. Same thing I use for straining a coffee brewed in a pan from very fine coffee grounds. Some micro-sediment gets through but if you give it a minute to settle, and handle the glass/cup carefully the 'silt' doesn't get stirred up.
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- Lemon Quarter
- Posts: 3216
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 3:39 pm
Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
My stock of '1845' has now passed 50 pints, which is probably as much of a stash as I need. I had another last night and oh... it's just superb
This evening I have enjoyed two beers of a very different style, and I enjoyed both more than expected. They're 'black beers' and historically I've never been in to stout/porter. These two were absolutely superb though, the opposite end of the galaxy from Guinness.
- Sainsbury's Taste the Difference, London Porter, brewed by Shepherd Neame. Lovely.
- M&S Cheshire Chocolate Porter, brewed by Frederic Robinson Ltd of Stockport. Lovely again, and serious cocoa notes in this! I tipped this one to my wife, I think she'll really enjoy it. I'll very happily drink this and the above again though.
I really dislike Guinness, always have except for on hand-pull when it is entirely different, a different taste and feel, might as well be from a different planet. How they find a market for the ridiculous self-parody of a mega CO2-infused beer having a serious head on it is beyond me. These two above were really good. So any porter/(stout) fans, or people not drawn to those styles might enjoy giving them a go.
This evening I have enjoyed two beers of a very different style, and I enjoyed both more than expected. They're 'black beers' and historically I've never been in to stout/porter. These two were absolutely superb though, the opposite end of the galaxy from Guinness.
- Sainsbury's Taste the Difference, London Porter, brewed by Shepherd Neame. Lovely.
- M&S Cheshire Chocolate Porter, brewed by Frederic Robinson Ltd of Stockport. Lovely again, and serious cocoa notes in this! I tipped this one to my wife, I think she'll really enjoy it. I'll very happily drink this and the above again though.
I really dislike Guinness, always have except for on hand-pull when it is entirely different, a different taste and feel, might as well be from a different planet. How they find a market for the ridiculous self-parody of a mega CO2-infused beer having a serious head on it is beyond me. These two above were really good. So any porter/(stout) fans, or people not drawn to those styles might enjoy giving them a go.
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
I discovered by accident (while browsing Ocado - Fullers 1845 is still on offer there!) that Guinness sell what looks like a pure Citra-hopped 'Open Gate Brewery' pale ale.
Since my summer favourite is Oakham Ales magnificant 'Citra' I wonder if the Guinness equivalent will anyway match it. I suspect not...
Since my summer favourite is Oakham Ales magnificant 'Citra' I wonder if the Guinness equivalent will anyway match it. I suspect not...
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
Just buy a years supply of 1845 It's really that epic.
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- Lemon Slice
- Posts: 991
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
I think I saw that in my local Waitrose on the way to a bring your own booze Christmas dinner, but at 6.?% I thought I'd give it a swerve for on a school night. Had a bottle of Rev. James, that was a bit malty and rather good. I struggle to remember what else, possible Bath Ales Gem, and Marston's Old Empire Pale Ale. That suggests either the company and conversation was good (it was), or they were either unremarkably good or bad, or some combination thereof.DiamondEcho wrote:Just buy a years supply of 1845 It's really that epic.
Local Christmas market at the weekend, went in the morning so a bit early to try all the beer stalls, but went to the new Tilford Brewery stand, apparently they brew out of a renovated coach house at The Duke of Cambridge in said Tilford, supply the 12 pub Red Mist chain, of which The Duke is part, and do a fair few local markets. Impressed with their Rushmoor Ripper, I bought a selection pack to take home, all bottle conditioned.
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
1845 is 6.3%, Marton's Old Empire 5.7%, little in it, but OMG 1845 is epic IMHO, and yes I have had Old Empire. Give it a go, others too, I'd be interested to hear what others think.
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
I mentioned in an earlier post that i had been given a Kalea German beer Advent Calendar.
Having arrived at 24th December, lo and behold it is a Bad Santa's Gypsysud 2018 dunkler weizen doppelbock at 8.5% - rocket fuel.
Pleasant, heavy, malty and .... had a red furry Santa Claus hat over the bottle top, complete with white bobble!
Recommended: a very nice present for someone who deserves a special thank-you next Xmas
Having consumed that, I returned to my stash of the magnificent Fullers 1845, not as a thirst quencher but for sheer indulgence on Xmas Eve.
Having arrived at 24th December, lo and behold it is a Bad Santa's Gypsysud 2018 dunkler weizen doppelbock at 8.5% - rocket fuel.
Pleasant, heavy, malty and .... had a red furry Santa Claus hat over the bottle top, complete with white bobble!
Recommended: a very nice present for someone who deserves a special thank-you next Xmas
Having consumed that, I returned to my stash of the magnificent Fullers 1845, not as a thirst quencher but for sheer indulgence on Xmas Eve.
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
A final post on my Kalea German beer Advent Calendar...
Of the 24, my favourite was not the lethal 8.5% Bad Santa's Gypsysud 2018 dunkler weizen doppelbock but a dumpy bottle of Detmolder Herb made with Tettnanger and Hallertauer hops.
I discounted three of the beers as I am not a fan of weissbiers. Most of the remainder were smooth, pleasant but not hopped enough for my taste. The Detmolder was an exception.
Of the 24, my favourite was not the lethal 8.5% Bad Santa's Gypsysud 2018 dunkler weizen doppelbock but a dumpy bottle of Detmolder Herb made with Tettnanger and Hallertauer hops.
I discounted three of the beers as I am not a fan of weissbiers. Most of the remainder were smooth, pleasant but not hopped enough for my taste. The Detmolder was an exception.
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- Lemon Slice
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
Goose Island IPA is a terrific beer IMO but I bought a couple of bottles of Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat Ale recently. Thought it was pretty terrible. No fruitiness, a bit bitter and unpleasant. I'm a big fan of wheat beers but this just didn't float my boat at all.
* Just had a look on Rate Beer and it scores low, and gets a bit of a slating on there.
* Just had a look on Rate Beer and it scores low, and gets a bit of a slating on there.
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
Re: Goose Island IPA, my rating some months ago was: [well FWIW yer'know]
'L- Dark amber, slow rising CO2. Pours with 5-7mm off-white head.
S- A touch of citrus and fruits, quite mild
T- Not simply a yet another mega OTT hop-bomb, hoorah! Yes there is citrus, but there are softer fruits in there too
F- The 5.90% gives it enough [rich] body to counter the hoppy dryness. I'm concluding that this has done an unusually good job of balancing prominent hops, against an appropriately meaty body.
O- So many of the new beers I buy to taste/trial in London these days are tests of palette versus hops. This could be another but unusually it brings enough body to just about balance it. Unusually for this past week or two (and perhaps 20 different beers) I'm enjoying this one and would buy it again. Actually, note to self, maybe I should remember that if a beer markets itself as hops-forward, then I'll likely enjoy it increasingly more if it's over 5%+ and higher and pref towards 6%. And ditto increasingly less below say 4.5%. and lower'
Useful reminder for next time I visit Tesco
'L- Dark amber, slow rising CO2. Pours with 5-7mm off-white head.
S- A touch of citrus and fruits, quite mild
T- Not simply a yet another mega OTT hop-bomb, hoorah! Yes there is citrus, but there are softer fruits in there too
F- The 5.90% gives it enough [rich] body to counter the hoppy dryness. I'm concluding that this has done an unusually good job of balancing prominent hops, against an appropriately meaty body.
O- So many of the new beers I buy to taste/trial in London these days are tests of palette versus hops. This could be another but unusually it brings enough body to just about balance it. Unusually for this past week or two (and perhaps 20 different beers) I'm enjoying this one and would buy it again. Actually, note to self, maybe I should remember that if a beer markets itself as hops-forward, then I'll likely enjoy it increasingly more if it's over 5%+ and higher and pref towards 6%. And ditto increasingly less below say 4.5%. and lower'
Useful reminder for next time I visit Tesco
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- Lemon Slice
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
Wetherspoons have their ales priced at £1.85 in my regular. With my 50p off CAMRA vouchers I paid for £1.35 each for a pint of Oakham Inferno and Concrete Cow Cock'n'Bull (Locale). That is insane. Would generally cost more to buy a bottle in a supermarket. The Inferno was in great condition, the C'n'B less so. I was almost going to take the latter back but my mate tried it and said it wasn't "off" just not A1. The pub is a GBG regular and I've rarely had a bad pint there. I asked if the £1.85 was a special offer - though all ales were £1.85 and I saw nothing to indicate offers were in situ - but the barstaff wasn't aware of any. Usually they are £2.49 iirc.
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- Lemon Slice
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
Had the best beer I''ve had in a while last night...
Roosters Distant Sun
Roosters is a reasonable well established - 20 odd years - brewery that make free range beers.
Seem to generally be one of the new breed hop obsessed breweries but this brew is a departure from that. Appears to be very new, not listed on their website and a smattering of new reviews on ratebeer and perhaps a short run beer. I hope not, it could become a classic if allowed to run.
If you see it about, grab some.
Roosters Distant Sun
Roosters is a reasonable well established - 20 odd years - brewery that make free range beers.
Seem to generally be one of the new breed hop obsessed breweries but this brew is a departure from that. Appears to be very new, not listed on their website and a smattering of new reviews on ratebeer and perhaps a short run beer. I hope not, it could become a classic if allowed to run.
If you see it about, grab some.
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- Lemon Half
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
What's a "free range" beer? Hops hopping around the farmyard?GrandOiseau wrote:Roosters is a reasonable well established - 20 odd years - brewery that make free range beers.
Scott.
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- Lemon Slice
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
Found this line in an articleswill453 wrote:What's a "free range" beer? Hops hopping around the farmyard?GrandOiseau wrote:Roosters is a reasonable well established - 20 odd years - brewery that make free range beers.
Scott.
The brewery has also adopted the strapline - "Free Range beers from Yorkshire" to reflect the individuality and creativity associated with Rooster beers.
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- Lemon Slice
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Re: The Beer You Are Drinking Right Now
a marketing gimmick.swill453 wrote:What's a "free range" beer? Hops hopping around the farmyard?