Belhaven 80 Shilling

Today's offering is another Scottish Beer

 

 

Appearance:

Light bronze with large head which lasts

Aroma:

Meant to be gooseberry, but I don't get that aroma, I smell a lightly toasted with a light touch of hops.

Taste:

Rich light malt and tangy fruit with fades to a hoppy bitterness. The finish is dry and bitter with a nuttiness and some tangy fruit.

Overall:

I like this beer due to it's fruitiness and I always like a pint when north of the boarder. A pleasant change to a bitter or mild.

8.5/10

Westvleteren 8 or Extra

Today's offering is the last of the Westvleteren

 

 

Appearance:

The book says russet and other beer have been thus described but this is the first one that is russet a deep brown with a tan good lasting head.

Aroma:

Tart damsons with malt and a touch of hops.

Taste:

Taste in full of different flavours tart damsons, silky large malt and with an underpinning of dry bitter hops and a cane sugar taste without the sugar. The finish is warming bitter hops and soft fruit tartness and rich malt.

Overall:

A lovely beer I was not expecting such a dark beer and such a bitter beer, like a good dark chocolate. I will have to do a side by side with the blonde which I liked better than the Abt. Not a beer to drink a lot of but definitely one to savour.

9.5/10

Traquair House Ale

Today's offering is another Scottish beer this time with is made to receipt found in Traquair house

 

 

Appearance:

Dark red with good off white head with small bubbles

Aroma:

Home made marmalade with a touch of dark chocolate and some peppery hops in the background

Taste:

Bitter roast grain with a peppery hops which fades to orange fruit coming later which itself fades to a lime flavour and coca powder. The finish is warming due to the highish abv the taste is mainly peppery hops and coca powder.

Overall:

Again a nice autumn or winter beer defiantly a heavy beer. One to enjoy one or two only off in a nice comfortable chair next to a fire (preferably a peat fire) on a stormy night.

8.5/10

Orkney Dark Island

Today's offering is another Scottish beer this time from the Orkney

 

 

Appearance:

Dark dark red brown with good off white head with small bubbles

Aroma:

Black Treacle, black currents and an earthiness in the background

Taste:

Dark robust grain with a slight pepperiness bitter hops and a touch of tartness. The finish is bitter and roasted grain balanced with a fruitiness and leaves the mouth dry.

Overall:

A nice autumn beer which is quite apt given the summer weather today. Sit heavy in the stomach so not as quaffable as thought on first taste. It bitterness and flavour reminds me of the old can Guinness before the widget and nitrogen gas

7.5/10

Broughton Old Jock Ale

Today's offering is a Scottish beer this time from a different brewery

 

 

Appearance:

Dark amber with a good slightly off white head

Aroma:

Toasted malt with some grape smell as well and hops lurking in the background

Taste:

Bitter roasted grain, and a very ripe grape fruitiness and just a little hops in the background. The finish is bitter hops vinous fruit and a warmth from the alcohol percentage.

Overall:

Reminds me of a nice Belgium dubbel beer for nice on a cold rainy day, unfortunately today in Scotland is was quite warm and not raining.

8.0/10

Belhaven St Andrews

Today offering is a Scottish beer Belhaven

 

 

Appearance:

Mid amber with a good slight off white head

Aroma:

Toasted  nutty malt with slight peppery hops

Taste:

The taste is like the aroma with a nutty toasted malt with a fruit like tartness and slight peppery hops in the background. The finish is bitter sweet with a grain like flavour and some grapefruit sweetness that dries leaving a bitter taste.

Overall:

Not bad  a nice enough Scottish ale but not really specially

7.0/10

Kirin Ichiban

Yesterday's offering is a Japanese lager

 

 

Appearance:

Pale gold with good head

Aroma:

Little aroma hint of citrus and light malt.

Taste:

Smooth taste well balanced between the malt and the hops with a hint of vinous fruit,. The finish is a little weak just slightly bitter hops balanced with the malt.

Overall:

Overall nothing special I would not buy again unless only bad beer imo were available

6.5/10

De koninck

Today's offering is a Belgium amber called a pale ale in the book.

 

 

Appearance:

Clear chestnut amber with small white head

Aroma:

Biscuit like malt with a touch of hops and spicy cinnamon undertone.

Taste:

The malt comes across first with bitter and spicy hop with a hint of grapefruit citrus fruit. The finish has a roasted malt nature that isn't in the main taste and dry leaving a bitter spicy hops at the end.

Overall:

Much better than it's competition (Palm) which I find slightly soapy. However I do find keep to cold in most bars for my likely, but draft is better than bottled, so buy one at a bar and wait abit!

8.0/10

La Trappe Dubbel

Today's offering is a Dutch double Trappist beer, made by employees of Bavaria (one of the worst beers of the NL IMO) under monks supervision, I think it make it one of the loosest Trappist beers.

 

 

Appearance:

Dark slightly cloudy reddy chestnut with off white head that is large and lasts

Aroma:

Orange comes across first then some coca powder chocolate mixed with a slight peppery hop smell.

Taste:

Ripe dark vinous fruit fill the mouth at first which is followed by a bitter peppery chocolate flavour. The finish is a long but not strong peppery hops and chocolate and a pleasant warming from the alcohol.

Overall:

Not the worst Trappist but not the best either, just and average beer in a class of beer which has strong competition.

7.5/10

Bosteels Tripel Karmeliet

Today's offering is abbey beer, which I just found out is made by the makers of Pauwel Kwak. It is also unusual tripel being, made with wheat, oats and barley.

 

 

 

 

Appearance:

Pale straw with a good head lasting head

Aroma:

Grain and malt with vanilla and banana aroma and a touch of spicy hops.

Taste:

Creamy malt fills the mouth at first and then the vanilla and banana come to the fore and finally a touch of spicy hops come to fore. The finish is long and more complex than the main taste you have opulent fruit to begin with, then some staying heat from the high alcohol then some malt/grain flavour and then a bitterness comes through

Overall:

Such a difference from the norm abbey/Trappist beers, I think this is a top quality beer. You should try this!

9.5/10

Bitburger

Today's offering is a classic German Pils, which is loved in Germany and not seen often in the UK, although Lidl sells it in Netherlands and is relatively cheap which make it something that I am known to part take in once and a while.

 

 

 

 

Appearance:

Pale clear gold with a good head that doesn't last

Aroma:

Toasted juicy malt with a touch of citrus and floral hops

Taste:

The toasted malt comes across with just the right bitterness of hops to balance it. The finish is long and bitter sweet with the malt coming through first which gives way to a unusual hop flavour (like floral pine nuts) and drys the mouth meaning you want another sip.

Overall:

Highly quaffable beer as the advertising goes bitte ein bit, and enjoy a quality large brewed pils.

8.5/10

Boon Oude Geuze A'Lanchienne

Yesterday's offering is a lambic

 

 

 

Appearance:

Cloudy gold with large lasting white head.

Aroma:

Is typical lambic with wet hay with some citrus fruit also.

Taste:

The taste is tangy with a slight woody taste and also citrus background. The finish is dry and is largly woody

Overall:

Nice enough not overly sour compared with some lambic. Again not one for me.

7.0/10

Fruh kolsch

Today's offering is a rather unusual beer being a beer only really brewed in Cologne, there are many types and a visit to a typical Koln bar is a lovely experience all be it tradition means you drink in 0.2L glasses, as you can see I am not one for tradition

 

 

 

Appearance:

Pale gold with large lasting white head.

Aroma:

Is succulent malt with a touch of hops and lemon as well for good measure

Taste:

The taste is light malt with a faint underpinning of hop bitterness, just a nice touch of carbonation. The finish is slightly dry and is gentle malt with a touch of fruity but slightly bitter hops

Overall:

Not a heavy weight in the taste department but very very quaffable especially on a summer day. I like the kolsch style while I think I prefer Dom of fruh I would recommend you try a kolsch. It is a try regional special as much as Bavarian wheat beer.

8.0/10

Harviestoun Bitter and twisted

Today's offering is Scottish ale

 

 

 

Appearance:

Very pale blond, slightly cloudy with small but lasting head.

Aroma:

Starts with a little spicy hops with nice soft malt and tangy citrus flavour

Taste:

The initial flavour reminds me of ice tea with a slight bit of sugar as there is an underlying bitterness and also a malt flavour reminds. The finish is fruit hop with that firm underpinning of malt it is soft but a  long finish

Overall:

A nice refreshing light beer that would be very nice in the summer but I would not go out of my way to find it.

7.0/10

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Today's offering is another relatively pale ale which could be say help kicked start the American brewing revolution

 

Appearance:

Very pale copper, slightly cloudy with lasting head

Aroma:

Starts a little spicy hops but quickly fade to lovely floral hops with a slight citric fruit undertone

Taste:

The initial flavour is the floral hops then comes some grapefruit sweetness and a faint hint of malt. The finish is very long almost almond like taste and then the drying bitter hops come to the fore but still not overpowering as there is a firm chunk of juicy malt in the background.

Overall:

A great pale ale highly quaffable lovely finish and is so well balanced it should be more widely available in my opinion

9.0/10

Marston's Old Empire

Today's offering is an relatively new IPA from a well known brewery who previously never made an IPA

 

Appearance:

Straw yellow with lasting white head with small bubbles

Aroma:

Being brewed in Burton means you have an almost apple like aroma that gets more over taken with flowery hops and then just in the background is a maltyness.

Taste:

All the flavours seem soft the initial attack is the hops which fade to a slight tart apple flavour with a hint of vanilla and then the malt comes in. The finish long lasting and start malty and then some spicy slightly bitter hops come in with almost a touch of citrus.

Overall:

A great IPA highly quaffable lovely and thirst quenching after a hard day's graft.

9.0/10

Coopers Best Extra Stout

Today's offering is an Australian stout

 

Appearance:

Ebony but slightly cloudy with large lasting off white head

Aroma:

Roasted malt coco powder chocolate with a hint of coffee and an even fainter hint of tarmac

Taste:

Firstly you have the sharpness of the carbonisation then the coco powder/coffee taste kicks in underpinned by earthy bitter hops which fade to be a little more spicy hops. The finish is drying, bitter with undertones of malt and a pleasant warmth from the 6.3% abv

Overall:

A different stout I would prefer slightly less carbonisation myself. It is one of these beer you can chewy. Well worth a try if you can find it.

8.0/10

Maredsous Bruin (aka 8)

Today's offering is a dark abbey beer

 

Appearance:

Dark ruby red with a off white head large head

Aroma:

Slightly sour sultana with coffee and chocolate undertones

Taste:

Starts like a coca powder, chocolate but not sweet then a sweetness comes in very vinous followed by some hop bitterness. The finish is coffee/chocolate interwoven with some background vinous sweetness underpinned by firm hoppy bitterness with a hint of alcohol warmth

Overall:

Very nice abbey beer the chocolate flavour makes it very unusual. I would pick this above the Rochefort I had yesterday. However I do think there are better abbey beers out there.

8.0/10

Rochefort 8

Today's offering is a dark Trappist beer

 

Appearance:

Dark copper with nice head that last

Aroma:

Sultana is the dominant aroma with a slight hoppyness in the background.

Taste:

Starts with sultana which fades to a rich bread flavour with a slight roasted flavour and a small amount of floral hops. The finish is warming and swings from sultana to bread flavour and a toast of roasted grain also comes in and out but is slightly weak and I would like a bigger hit of flavour in the finish.

Overall:

A good beer which should be enjoyed slowly but that finish is a bit weak to really elevate it to a great beer.

7.0/10

Mariage Parfait Kriek

Today's offering is vintage kriek

 

Appearance:

Very dark red with small pink head

Aroma:

Hay with a hint of acidity and a background of cherries,

Taste:

Rich sour cherries and a with a low acidity for a kriek but still drying. The finish is cherry stones with a background soft acidity

Overall:

A very good kriek I could drink this anyday

8.5/10

Hook Norton Old Hooky

Today's offering is English best bitter from Oxfordshire

 

Appearance:

Rich copper with a small but lasting head

Aroma:

Freshly baked current bread with a background of hops

Taste:

Malt taste fill the mouth at first then the fruit comes to the fore and the bitter hops come through, with a nice level of carbonation. The finish starts sweet with malt and fruit overtones and a lovely bitterness is the final taste.

Overall:

A good best bitter nothing special but nice enough. Very moreish and refreshing.

7.5/10

Anchor Old foghorn

Today's offering is an American barley wine

 

Appearance:

There is a rubyness to this beer but no lasting head

Aroma:

Extra raisiny malt loaf comes to mind with a slight backing of bitter hops

Taste:

It's a builder the malt loaf taste builds and builds in the mouth as it seems to coat every surface, with a tingly of carbonation. The finish is very long full of vinous fruits with a background of malt and an good underscoring of bitter hops followed by a lovely warmth of alcohol

Overall:

A winter beer on a spring day but it is a fine sipping beer, maybe enjoy it with a cigar and some good friends. Not a beer you would want more than one of as one is sufficient.

8.5/10

Brasserie La Caracole Troublette

Today's offering is a Belgian wheat beer.

 

Appearance:

Very pale cloudy gold with midsize white lasting head.

Aroma:

Spice hops with lemon note and even fainter hint of bananas and coriander

Taste:

Initial hit is of lemon with a gentle tang, think lemon barley water, and a faint banana in the background then a slight bitterness from the hops comes through with some floral nature and lovely carbonation. The finish is much the same with a lovely spicyness that stays.

Overall:

Lovely Belgium wheat beer my favourite of this style.

9.0/10

Achouffe La Chouffe

Today's offering is not an old favourite but living in the Netherlands for the last 6 years it suppose it counts as a old favourite.

 

Appearance:

Very pale cloudy gold with large white lasting head.

Aroma:

Is citrus think Satsuma with a background of almost soapy coriander

Taste:

Initial hit is quite bitter in my opinion and then this rapidly fades with light vinous fruit with a background of coriander comes across which is followed by a more herby taste with a light bitterness coming to the fore at the end. The finish is at first dominated by soapy coriander and just at the point you think ok this is nice but I hope something else happens, a light malt toast comes to fore closely followed by gentle hops.

Overall:

I always forget how good a beer this is due to it's wide availability, it is owned by Moorgat (Duvel).
Top quality beer that is outshone, in my eyes, by McChouffe but a cracking beer, best with food as on it's own the coriander can be to much in my opinion.

9.0/10

Black Sheep ale

Today's offering is another not in the book as Black Sheep Best Bitter is not bottled.

 

Appearance:

Mid bronze with white head that fades leaving some legs

Aroma:

Lightly toasted malt followed by a light floral hop aroma

Taste:

Initial hit of flavour is malt with a crispness from the carbonation that fades as the bitter hops take over that dries the mouth, then a slight hint of sweatiness comes before the finish, the finish is dry and bitter and quite moreish

Overall:

A nice ale that is always a pleasure to drink, but I would not go out my way to find and I would always try another unknown bitter knowing that I have a nice pint to come back to.

7.5/10

Meantime Yakima Red

Today's offering for my 100th beer, is not from the book, as I could not find the Raspberry wheat beer, but I will carry on hunting.

 

Appearance:

Ruby red amber with a off white head that doesn't last that long but leaves a little left

Aroma:

Hops come the first but also a faint hint of limes

Taste:

Hops initially but weirdly a lack of bitterness given the hops which fade to give a subtle lime flavour overall the flavours are weak. The finish is slightly hoppy and bitter and that background citrus flavour but is weak.

Overall:

Not one for me if it is hoppy I want that bitterness, not a great way to get to the 100

6.0/10

Chimay Rouge

Today's offering is another Chimay this time the red

 

Appearance:

Cloudy chestnut with a long lasting off white head

Aroma:

Blackcurrant comes across first with a faint background of hops

Taste:

An earthy nutmeg flavour comes across first and the a blackcurrant fruitiness. The finish is soft with vinous fruit and a touch of heat from alcohol and a faint bitterness

Overall:

Really nice, the blackcurrant flavour is different and beautiful I will drink this more often.

9.0/10

Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Today's offering is probably one of the best known and available American beer of quality

 

Appearance:

Light bronze with a long lasting white head

Aroma:

Floral hops come across first with a slight amount of malt in the background

Taste:

Hops is the dominant flavour start with a nice floral hop flavour then a spicy hop comes through balanced by some nice juicy malt. The finish is nice with bitter hops with nice malt and drying sensation leaving you wanting more

Overall:

A nice pint if I doubt and in the US you will not go far wrong with Samuel Adams

8.0/10

Duvel

Today's offering is a well known to most people and is a nice beer that I have been known to partake in one or two.

 

Appearance:

Pale gold with a long lasting white head

Aroma:

Hops and pears with a lightly toasted malt in the background

Taste:

Pear drops flavour fill the mouth with fragment hops coming followed by a slight maltiness in the background. The finish is long subtle not over powering with a nice warmth and a nice maltiness with the lovely fruit pear drop flavour.

Overall:

Still going to be a go to beer when a pilsner will not do and nothing else is available.

8.0/10

Samuel Smith Organic Pale Ale

Today's offering may be a substitution as I can't find Old brewery pale ale

 

Appearance:

Not really pale it is a reddy bronze colour with a lovely off white head that stays

Aroma:

Malt with an undertone of butterscotch and a slight hint of hops

Taste:

Malt comes across with some vinous fruitiness which fades as the bitter herby and slight spicy hops come through. The has the malt underscored by the bitterness and then the hints of the butterscotch still present.

Overall:

Maybe not a pale ale in my opinion looking at the colour, but is a really nice pint, subtle flavours.

8.0/10