The Session 66: The One Beer to Rule Them All

A difficult topic from drinkdrank for a non brewer let alone a newbie beer drinker. My brewing experience (pouring a tub of hops into the big silver boily thing) probably doesn't qualify... Also, I've tried relatively few beers (not doing bad for a few months, but still, haven't even begun to scratch the surface) so my favourites have been borne of a small sample. So far on my beerticking journey, my favourite types of beer are IPAs and porters or stouts. Anyhow, I've thought about the subject... My perfect dream beer:

Imagine a screwball ice cream. Or a everlasting gobstopper. Or half and half pizza. Or sweet and sour chicken. Or chocolate covered pretzels.

All of the above combine two scrummy things in one. My idea is that of the impossible. A Willywonka-style beer creation. Beers have such vastly different characteristics that makes comparisons impossible and unfair between styles.

So to, my genius idea. A two tone beer. IPA on the top. Porter on the bottom. Defined layers, like a traffic light lolly or an old school cornish pasty. Two things in one. To satisfy both my favourite types of beer and tastes. A bitter flavoursome fruity top, followed by a dessert of rich, coffee smoothness.

Alchemy impossible, perhaps, entering the realms of fantasy, definitely but it'd be pretty ace. And the name... Doubale Troubale.

Halcyon

86: Halcyon, Thornbridge, 7.7%
Bought this beer because of seeing so many compliments on twitter (evidence for the practical usefulness of wasting away hours on social media sites). An IPA. Smells really hoppy, almost soapy. Fruity, and floral. Taste-wise, it is bitter. More so initially but get used to it with each sip, but still a pretty bitter beer, almost spicyness sensation with the bitterness. Tastes as it smells, and of citrus, tangerines, satsumas, oranges. Certainly it lived up to the hype!

Hops, Hops, and more Hops

Jubilee weekend. A long bank holiday. Perfect excuse for celebrating and cracking open some exciting bottles of beer that have been sat in the cupboard, gently whispering "open me!" every time I venture into the kitchen. Myself, Mr. T and Mr T. Snr., spent en evening with Kernel and Mikkeller, and some lovely matured cheddar for palate cleansing (yes, was trying to be a bit sophisticated!). What an evening!

59: Export India Porter Columbus, The Kernel, 6.3%
Lost quite a lot of the beer as it bubbled over the top of the bottle on opening. First impressions were confusion. In my experience (vastly limited as it may be) porters are not usually hoppy, and yet the aroma coming off this beer was very hoppy, with just a touch of caramel. To taste, it is caramel, malty and bitter orange chocolate. Hints of coffee and a dark depth of flavour. Did something strange to my teeth... made them a bit fuzzy and squeaky. Odd. This beer was more what I would would expect from a porter, and done very well. This is what I imagined a Black IPA would taste like, and a whole new type of beer for me.

60: Nelson Sauvin Pale Ale, The Kernel, 5.5%
Lovely lovely smells. Peachy passion fruit. A little motor oily weirdly. Just before you take a sip you breathe in the smell again and it's yum yum yum. Flat, not fizzy. A very dry bitterness. Tastes just as it smells with a little bit of pine. My favourite part of the beer was that moment, just before taking a sip where you breathe in the aromas. Beautiful.

61: S.C.C.A.NS, The Kernel, 6.9%
Brewed with five types of hop, including Nelson Sauvin again. A stronger abv than the Nelson Sauvin Pale Ale, but a familiar similar smell. A bit fresher and less oily perhaps, but definitely similar. Peachy, fruits and tang. Tasted of peach and was crisp and bitter, and definitely there was tangyness. Slight malty sweet finish. I felt that the extra hops added flavour, and complimented each other.

62: Green Gold, Mikkeller, 7.0%
Smells a bit boozey, port or sherry, and slightly unnatural. Some red apples, a bit sweet and sharp. Tastes biscuity, and sweet followed by bitter. An IPA, and the most unique IPA I've had. Not sure about it to be entirely honest.

63: 10, Mikkeller, 6.9%
An IPA brewed with 10 different hop varieties. To date, my record is 5 I think. A complex tangy smell, but well balanced and pleasant. Very difficult to pick out flavours though because there are so many there that they meld together, the most stand out was of light orange. Crisp taste. Very bitter initially. Clearly it's very skilful to successfully mix 10 hops into one beer, and make them work. Very difficult to pull out any flavours, but maybe that isn't the point, maybe it ought to be celebrated as a whole and not to be picked apart and analysed. For my amateur palate, I think single hop IPAs still are leading my preferences of taste, despite enjoying this bottle. I'd rather have the simplicity at the moment. Maybe more distinguished palates will feel differently.

64: 19, Mikkeller, 6.8%
Just to be sure, the 19 hop IPA next. Concerned that this will really be too much. A really fruity smell. Fresh crisp, light smell. Again, aroma blends together really well. The taste, lovely. Really really lovely. Can't pick apart flavours, just know that it is beautiful. I take it back. 19 hops are certainly better than 10.

The Sparrow's Birthday

When we realised it was The Sparrow's birthday, the ensuing visit was inevitable. Not only to show support and help celebrate their success, but also because they were marking the occasion with two new keg lines and some very special beers indeed.

39: Endless, Redwillow, 3.8%
Thought I would start the evening off with a not too strong pale ale. So far, the pale ales that I've sampled since beginning this blog have, at best, fallen into the category of "nice". None of them have been outstanding. Rather, beers that would work well as a session ale, or an accompaniment to food. Endless, however, broke the mould. Lots of hoppy fruity aromas, hints of peach and papaya (just my kind of thing), a touch of bitter, but not too much. A lovely lovely beer, and made even more so by my surprise that a beer with less strength and bitterness could make such an impact. For me, it has seriously raised the bar on pale ales.

40: Hell's Lager, Camden Town, 4.6%
A very crisp and refreshing lager. A good lager. Struggled to pick out flavours in this, but this is probably due to the style. Definitely would be good on a hot summer day.

41: Two Captains, Nøgne Ø, 8.5%
A double IPA, a type of beer I seem to be developing a bit of a penchant for. Not brash and in your face, but still packed with floral fruity flavours.

42: Imperial India Pale Ale, Struise/ Mikkeller Elliot Brew, 9.0%
Very different IPA, biscuity, darker malt. Again, fruit smells and flavours, but more berries, darker fruits. The side of the bottle had a lot of gumpf, in what presumably is Flemish. After some feeble attempts using google's interpreter, and some stab in the dark guessing, we concluded that as the brewers developed this beer, they increased the IBU (bitterness) levels from 130 to 216. This seemed to make sense. It was very bitter, appropriately so, the flavours stood up well to it. The bitterness slowly worked in waves down your tongue, starting at the tip and spreading down into your throat. Intense and interesting.

43: Nelson Sauvin Single Hop IPA, Mikkeller, 6.9%
Another single hop IPA. Definitely think IPAs are becoming a favourite, but especially the single hop varieties. IPAs like Elliot Brew's offering have so many flavours and sensations going on when you drink them, and whilst this is wonderful, my preference for now is the more manageable chunks of single hops, easier to get your head around. And this one was lovely, all cherry and peach. A new hop for me I think.

44: Citra Single Hop IPA, Mikkeller, 6.9%
Following a trip to Hawkshead Brewery last week, and discovering that Windermere Pale is made with Citra hops, and having the opportunity to smell some raw (if raw is the word...) Citra, seeing Citra Single Hop IPA on the bottle menu was a no brainer. It is bizarre how familiar it was, despite never having had this beer before. I'm not saying it didn't have unique qualities, I'm sure that drinking it directly next to Windermere Pale or other beers containing Citra would have highlighted how different brewers use the same ingredient to different effects. One particular type of hop adding such a specific flavour, was very interesting. Again, a lovely IPA

Struggled to pick my favourite today, as tried such a variety of beers and all of them were a bit special. I missed out on Dunnock, one of two collaboration beers that The Sparrow brewed with Saltaire Brewery, although Mr T had some and recommended it. In the end, I have settled with the first. Endless, from Red Willow. Having such a distinctive beer, bursting with flavour, but suitable for a session and with a lower abv.... Surprised me and made me think twice about pale ales.

Thanks Sparrow for another lovely evening, and Happy Birthday! Here's to another year!

Lake District

This weekend I visited the Lake District with the family. Not normally an excuse for ticking lots of different beers but since the challenge waits for no man (or woman) I did my best. The cottage we rented was simple, lovely, and was very secluded which did not lend itself to driving to a pub (it took  20 minutes of negotiating precarious single track lanes just to reach the main road!). So we took along some beers for the first night. As I was there to spend time with family, whilst we chatted about beer quite a bit, I concentrated more on company than making notes, but here goes!

32: Sneck Lifter, Jennings, 5.1%
Shared a bottle (as chosen by Dad). It was slightly stouty, a dark ale. A fine start, and a local offering.

33: Inedit, Estrella Damm, 4.8%
This was a beer Mr T had never heard of before, a Belgian style Wheat beer, from Spain. The label stated that it specially designed to be paired with food by a collaboration with the brewery and some top chefs and sommeliers from El Bulli restaurant. We served it according to instructions re temperature and glass type, however, weren't pairing it with food so can't comment on it's success at this! It had fruity, citrusy smells. I am not sure if I am a fan of wheat beer. I didn't dislike it, but I just didn't seem to enjoy it as much as other beers I have been trying.



34: India Pale Ale, Meantime, 7.4%
Caramely smell, something fruity. Malty flavours, and very bitter. A nice IPA.

35: Chocolate Porter, Meantime, 6.5%
Another offering from Meantime, we have liked this brewery since visiting them in Greenwich a couple of years ago. The chocolate porter was certainly chocolatey, just my cup of tea and an excellent beer to round up the evening. The rest of the family who all had a sniff and a taste were most impressed by this of all the beers of the night.

The following day we went to Hawkshead Brewery and had a tour around, but there is so much to write about that, I will save it for it's own post. Saturday evening we were stuck for what to do/eat/drink. A quick Internet search suggested the Watermill Inn at Ings for food and drinks. The pub was awarded UK Beer Pub of the Year 2011 by the Good Pub Guide, and had some standard good old pub grub to go with it. It is actually a microbrewery, and had many of their beers available on cask to sample. All of their beers have a dog theme... Colly Wobbles, Dog'th Vader and Ruff Whatever. Unfortunately, I was driving and only tried a half of one of their offerings, Colly Wobbles

36: Colly Wobbles, The Watermill Inn and Brewing Co., 3.7%
I believe this is what is known as a session beer. Low in abv, easy to drink, tasty, and a good accompaniment to my beef pie.

I've been finding it hard knowing where to place beers like this on my enjoyment scale, because whilst fine beers, they lack the intensity and oomph of some of the hoppy numbers or malty dark stouts. However, I think I've learnt something. This is the first time since the challenge began that I didn't think too hard about what I was drinking and let myself enjoy the simple pleasure. It was the perfect accompaniment to food, company and a low ABV. I wouldn't have tried anything stronger, and anything more intense would have needed careful pairing with the food.

Later, at the cottage, back to the bottles.

37: India Pale Ale, Goose Island, 5.9%
Another IPA, was very good. Really made few notes on this beer due to enjoying company too much!

38: Asahi Black, Asahi Original Brew, 5%
My first Japanese beer, ever, I think, let alone of the challenge. Tried this straight after the Goose Island, and to be honest was taken aback a bit. Was too intense for me, and I let Mr T finish it off. Not sure if this was due to what I was drinking earlier, or just not really liking the style or the particular beer. Mr T enjoyed it though. Would like to try this again, or something similar.

I'm glad of this weekend, glad of taking a step back from trying to analyse what I am drinking. It has reminded me not to over think beer tasting and remember why I am doing this blog in the first place: to try beer, enjoy beer, and perhaps learn something along the way.

It was a lovely weekend and I would recommend to anyone that they come explore the wonderful countryside.

Double IPA Day

Last week I ventured into single hopped IPAs and feel like I learnt something, vast differences in aroma and flavour due to one ingredient variation. This week was the turn of the doubles.

13: Axe Edge, Buxton Brewery, 6.8%
To kick things off, the lowest strength Double IPA of the evening, with the most amazing smell, light and floral. Taste-wise, a bit tart, pine flavours. Just on the cusp of becoming too bitter for my taste. I've heard of beers being described as oily before, and struggled to understand why, but I think this may be an example. The liquid seemed to linger a little, seemed thick.

14: Ageless, Redwillow, 7.2%
Poured with a massive head... tilt the glass, I know, I know... I did! Still massive. Contrasting IPA, different from all those tried so far in the challenge. Caramel, malty, biscuit flavours. A bit smoky perhaps. And not oily!

15: Queboid, Hardknott, 8.0%
A Belgian style double IPA, no head like Ageless. A very boozy aroma, smelt like rum. Sweet, malty caramel. Similar to Ageless in that it was more malty than fruity, but the rum flavours distinguished it as being very different.

16: Hardcore IPA, BrewDog, 9.2%
Another BrewDog offering. A very hoppy smell, delicate, like sweeties, not at all boozy despite the strength. The taste though, completely different to the smell. Malty and bitter. Was surprised to find out that it is double the bitterness of the IPA is Dead range. There was also an additional flavour lurking in the background... cucumber... couldn't quite decide if this was a welcome addition or a slightly dodgy intruder.

17: Human Cannonball, Magic Rock Brewery, 9.2%
Another double IPA at high strength, and absolutely beautiful. Butterscotch aromas and flavours, rich and malt with a hint of oranges. The best beer of the challenge. So far...

Awoke feeling a bit worse for wear, despite having shared all the bottles. Yummy though, would do it again in a heartbeat.

Next stop: Hawkshead.

328 Days
318 Beers

St George's Day

I was planning on having a few days off the beer, since I've got ahead of myself in the challenge. Unfortunately (or fortunately, whichever way you look at it), around lunchtime, someone pointed out that today is St George's Day. So, after work, I decided to find a good cliche of a pub to go for a quick drink. I headed for The George, in Idle. It was closed. Oh well, luckily just around the corner in Apperley Bridge is The George and Dragon, even more of a cliche! I was pleased to find two English cask beers suitable for the occasion.

6: IPA, Greene King, 3.6%
My fifth IPA of the challenge, but markedly different, with much less flavour and not very bitter. Presumably due to different or fewer hops. A bit of internet research divulged that it contains Challenger hops as well as others. Despite this, it was very different to BrewDog's Challenger, which I recently ticked, and has left me confused as to why Greene King IPA was much more bland.

7: Blonde, Saltaire Brewery, 4%
A very light coloured beer, one I've had before and enjoyed. More bitterness than Greene King IPA, and much more interesting. The flavours not as complex as the hoppy IPAs from BrewDog, but a beer that is drinkable all night long. It's a good job I like it since my wedding reception is being held at Saltaire Brewery (much to Mr T's delight) but my tasting was impartial, honest!

328 beers.
333 days.

Wish me luck!