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.

Saltaire Brewery

So, this is the first time since started the ticking challenge that I'm tasting beers on my own. Movie on, snacks on hand, and some beers in the fridge. Watching Body of Lies, just incase anyone was wondering!

The beers of choice for the evening come from Saltaire Brewery. And, unlike my usual deferring to Mr. Ticker to choose, I picked these and I have a list of reasons why.
1. Saltaire is a local brewery, and I like supporting local produce. And Saltaire is pretty (not a really good reason, but that's a small insight into the way my mind works).
2. Whilst I like supporting independent retailers, Saltaire's bottles are available at smaller specialist shops as well as supermarket chains locally. That means they are easy to get hold of, and I'm not so weary of saving for a special occasions (i.e. I won't get into too much trouble with Mr. T. because I can always sneakily replace them without his knowledge... in which case blogging about it probably isn't a good idea.... ).
3. Saltaire beers have always been enjoyable.
4. Saltaire Brewery is the reception venue for our wedding. Which, if that wasn't special enough on it's own, it will also mark the venue for the last day of the challenge.

65: Cascade Pale Ale, Saltaire Brewery, 4.8%

Light bitterness, but still there. Biscuit, says the label, and I have to agree. Lightly carbonated. Subtle/slight Citrus aroma and flavours. A really nice, easy to drink, American style pale ale. Could drink this all night and will certainly be buying this again. Not overtly hoppy, but good nonetheless.

66: Raspberry Blonde, Saltaire Brewery, 4.0%
I've long been a big fan of fruity beer offerings from Liefmans and Lindemans, although haven't had any for a few months. Raspberry blonde is the first fruity one since starting the ticking challenge. It certainly smells raspberry, and sweet. This gave me some initial concerns that now I might find it too sweet or overpowering. I had concerns that now I've become a fan of a greater variety of beers that I would find the ftuirty ones too sweet, or too overpowering. However, whilst it smells sweet, it's doesn't taste overly so. There is still a bitterness there, and malt flavours, and the raspberry is unavoidable, but not too intense. Was very pleased to say I enjoyed it. Must go back and try some of my old favourites and see if my tastebuds have changed...

67: Triple Chocoholic, Saltaire Brewery, 4.8%
Smells mellow, slight sweetness and, of course chocolate. Really warm deep colour. Opaque. Tastes of chocolate, as you would expect, not overpoweringly so. Bitter initially and then disappears. A yum post dinner tipple.

So, ticking alone... a relaxing evening spent with Mr Leonardo DiCaprio and some tasty beers, what more could a girl want?!

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!

Wish me luck

So, it appears I have agreed to become a ticker. A beer ticker. A trainspotter, but for beer.

I've drunk beer, enjoyed beer, attended beer festivals AND even helped once to brew beer (well... I made cups of tea and sort of watched...).

But ask me to name 10 breweries and I would struggle. 

Ask me what the difference between an IPA and a Best Bitter, and I have no idea. 

Talk to me about the "mouth feel" and I giggle. 

Talk to me about what hops were used in the brewing process and I blankly smile and nod.

When my other half decided to embark upon a beer ticking challenge, not wanting to be left out, I agreed to go along for the ride.

In an attempt to actually achieve something, we decided to set a target. It is 335 days until we tie the knot. So the challenge. To tick 335 beers before our wedding.

Not a challenge conducive to squeezing into a bridal gown, or to successfully paying for said bridal gown... but nonetheless, one intended to be completed.

Will my attitude to beer change? Will I learn anything? Will I care which types of hops were used to make my pint? Who knows...

Wish me luck!