Fathomlessday

Last weekend Mr Ticker and I ventured out for #FathomlessDay, at the lovely Coopers. We had a great day, sampling lots of new (to me) beers by some fantastic breweries, and meeting a few beery-folk. Was perhaps a tad (erm... if I'm honest, monstrously) over enthusiastic, and have to apologise because this post is set to be a terrible reflection due to struggling to remember what I'd drunk, let alone what the beers were like!

Needless to say, the following beers were definitely ticked, although I think a couple have been missed!
131: Cannonball, Magic Rock, 7.4%
132: Fathomless, Red Willow, 5.2% (The beer of the day, an Oyster stout, and lovely)
133: Glaslyn Ale, Purple Moose Brewery, 4.2%
134: Accomplice, Roosters, 5.7%
135: Katalyst, Hardknott, 3.8%
136: Wild Swan, Thornbridge, 3.5%
137: Curious, Magic Rock, 3.9%
138: Independence, Bristol Beer Factory, 4.6%
Looking forward to some other events Coopers has up their sleeves (though will be more restrained next time)!
Coopers has it's own new blog, check it out here.

I Heart Coopers

Coopers is my favourite pub. Be prepared for a bit of soppiness... my first date with Mr T ended up in Coopers, we have spent several birthdays, celebrated our engagement and we are hoping for our "last night night of freedom" before our wedding celebrations, to take place there. The building is an old Co-op. A really old Co-op. There are still the tiles from the butchers stand on the walls. The decor is warming. The food is delicious, and reliable and reasonably priced. There are always great staff working. Unfortunately, we don't visit as often as we would like. We are now a 30 minute walk and two buses away. Or a bus and two trains. Or £30 round-trip taxi. Still, when we can, we try and get over there.

Last week when Mr T was feeling overtly generous, he offered to drive to Guiseley for a post-work drink (for me!). So, I was able to tick a couple of new beers.

116: Raging Bitch, Flying Dog Brewery, 8.3%
An IPA. Beautiful smell and some punchy orangey and apricot flavours, really really delicious. Very moreish. If only we weren't visiting briefly!

117: Wild Mule, Roosters, 3.9%
Perhaps should have started with this first, an American Pale Ale. Nice enough, a bit earthy in flavour. Definitely overpowered by the awesomeness of Raging Bitch. Great glass though!

Coopers have got some very cool stuff planned for the summer. They have already hosted Guiseley Beer Festival. There is #fathomlessday on 21st July, with some cracking beers from Magic Rock (cannonball and curious), Summer Wine, Ilkley Brewery (The Chief), Roosters (collaboration with Odell the Accomplice) and Red Willow (fathomless apparently is an Oyster Stout and has been brewed with 300 real oysters...!), plus more events in the pipeline. Hope to see you there!

You can follow @CoopersGuiseley on twitter.

North Bar Turns 15

Yesterday saw an impromptu visit to North Bar, Leeds, during their 15th Birthday Celebrations. I don't visit Leeds city centre as much as I'd like, living in suburbia in Bradford, for two of us to get to Leeds, it is £17.50 on public transport. Makes for an expensive night out. However, couldn't let the opportunity to try a huge array of fantastic beers, many of which would be hard to come across again. Despite sharing thirds with my lovely other half, I enjoyed myself a little too much. The day was like a beer festival on overdrive. Each of the beers a treat, even those that weren't for me, I was glad to try.

Had 14 of 16 beers (had tried Flying Dog Kujo before, and another appears to have passed me by). Tasting notes are somewhat lacking, and probably quite inaccurate. Needless to say, I got 14 ticks last night, for more details see North Bar's website.

94: S.C.C.A.N.S IIPA, The Kernel, 10.1%
Tropical fruit, as per many of Kernel's offerings. Incredibly bitter. A big treat to have this on draft.

95: Everything in Its Right Place, BrewDog, 6.5%

96: Beer Camp Solar Storm, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., 5.8%

97: North Pale Ale, Rooster's, 4%

98: Pilsner, Lindeboom, 5%

99: General Sherman, Thornbridge/North Bar, 8.3%

100: Wildeman Farmhouse IPA, Flying Dog Brewery, 7.5%

Similar to Saison Dupont, but more punchy and vibrant. Banana, refreshing, sparkling, delicious.

101: Little Jim (aged), Marble, 6.9%

My first beer from Marble, a lovely smooth, toffee, really tasty yummy beer.

102: Bourbon Barrel Bearded Lady, Magic Rock, 10.5%
Really really yum.

103: Milk Stout, Odell, abv unknown

104: Beer Geek Breakfast, Mikkeller, 7.5%

105: Kolsch, Gaffel, 4.8%

A couple still for me to mull over:

106: Oak Aged Sunturnbrew, Nøgne Ø, 11%

An incredibly dark beer. Too intense for me. To my taste, it reminded me of burnt rubber, which I think was the oak. Definitely a thinker!

107: Gueuze, Cantillon, 5%

The sourest beer I've ever had. I'm not a big fan of sour, be it in drinks or sweets. Interesting to experience, but not for me.

All in all, a success, and as ever a treat to visit North. Certainly a learning curve for a newbie! Happy Birthday North Bar! When you turn 20, I might have to spread the joy over 2 days...