Dark Star Imperial Stout

Today's offering is a beer given by my friends Pip and Bartosz, it is an sussex imperial stout. which I forgot to photograph before drinking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appearance:

Dark black with tan head that doesn't last

Aroma:

The aroma has dark vinous malt with chocolate and liquorice overtones and a slight woodiness

Taste:

The taste starts with coca powder and a hint of sourness the darker roasted grains come in the flavours aren't particular strong even a bit wishy washy.. The finish is bitter and roasted if not burnt malt and a large warmth from the alcohol.

Overall:

I expected it to be heavier in taste that it was I think it will age well but I think there are better imperial stouts out there.

7.0/10

La Trappe tripel

Today's offering is my last for a while as I have run out of beers from the book, so the blog will be even more sporadic from now on, I finish for now on a Dutch trappist, in the lowest since of the word.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appearance:

Pale, cloudy, orangy light brown with lasting white head

Aroma:

Floral peppery hops with a touch of soapy coriander and ricy malt.

Taste:

The taste starts with a light vinous fruitiness with nice spicy hops coming later under pinned by a firm maltiness. The finish is not strong being dominated by peppery hops and a lovely warming alcohol.

Overall:

Ok nice enough but not special enough it will be a nice introductions for trappist beer.


7.5/10

Westmalle Tripel

Today's offering is a trappist beer from Belgium probably the most famous trappist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appearance:

Pale, cloudy, orangy light brown with lasting white head

Aroma:

Floral peppery hops with a touch of earthiness.

Taste:

The taste starts tangy, with fruit orange overtones and then a peppery spicy hops come through. The finish is long not strong but understated with the peppery hops and masses of herby overtones and a warming alcohol.

Overall:

Just because it is most common doesn't mean it is not good a really nice tripel which is ready available and a pleasure to drink.


8.5/10

Tongerlo Dubbel Bruin

This is a Belgium abbey beer for yesterday's beer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appearance:

Dark Brown with large off white head that lasts and lasts

Aroma:

Spicy hops with raisins and sultana overtones

Taste:

The taste starts a slight coffee like flavour which fades as the creamy malt comes in with a peppery hops. The finish is long with a vinous sweetness with liquorice overtones, warm alcohol and final a drying hoppy bitterness.

Overall:

A good sweet dubbel not for this summer weather light enough for everyday drinking and a lovely complex taste with a vinous sweetness which is not overpowering.


8.0/10

Innis & Gunn Oak aged beer

Back after my modem crashed today offering is a Scottish beer and like my last beer aged in wood specifically oak.

 

 

 

Appearance:

Amber with fast disappearing white head

Aroma:

The aroma to me is orange and vanilla Carmel with slight smoke oakyness

Taste:

The taste starts with light orange and then a sledgehammer of  tannic oaky bitterness which fades as more earthy hops comes through. The finish is light tannic bitterness with a citrus sweetness balancing it.

Overall:

Not a fan the tannic nature is over the top maybe a shorter aging would give a beer I like. it odd as the same tannic nature works well in malt whiskeys



6.5/10

Rodenbach Grand Cru

Today offering is another Belgium beer but this time something more unusual a Vlamm's red brown beer.

 

 

 

 

Appearance:

Very dark ruby red with small off white head

Aroma:

The first smell is sweet and then the sourness of red wine vinger comes across.

Taste:

The taste starts with a cherry like sweetness and then bang a tangy acidic hit mixed with the carbonation with some woodiness to it that at first is going to be to acidic but then is mellows as the sweetness comes back. The finish is very being drying and like sour cherries with a small hint of vanilla pod

Overall:

Nice for a change but not a beer that is moreish, more like once every 6 months it would be nice to drink. There is not much like it around maybe the krieks but it lacks the wet hay and is more balanced in flavour.


8.0/10

Rochefort 10

Today offering is another Belgium beer but this time a classic trappist

 

 

 

Appearance:

Very dark chestnut with off white head that leaves a ring around the glass.

Aroma:

Over ripe vinous fruit dominate the aroma with a slight nuttiness with a touch of earthiness.

Taste:

The taste starts like raisins with a stalk still in and then a flavour like a port wine with a crispy acidity comes through. The finish is dominated by warming alcohol ripe fruit with a touch of very rounded peppery hops.

Overall:

The best Rochefort, others I think are a waste of money but this is spot on complex, warming alcohol rounded flavour. Intresting trappist in spell check suggests rapist, maybe they know more about the catholic church than me................
 
8.5/10

Saison Dupont

Today offering is a Belgium beer but from Wallonia

 

 

 

Appearance:

Slightly cloudy pale yellow with large white head that really stays

Aroma:

Peppery hops balanced with malt and a touch of a lambic smell that wet hay

Taste:

Peppery hops at first with a undertone of malt and a orange/grapefruit tartness very much akin to duvel. The finish is very long and well balanced with warm round peppery hops firmly underpinned by toasted malt and the fruit notes hiding somewhat but still there.

Overall:

A nice beer and different but same family as the previous saison tried earlier in the year (see Jan 27th) much more easy drinking but not the worse for that.
 
7.5/10

Anker Gouden Carolus Classic

Today offering is a Belgium strong bruin beer

 

 

 

Appearance:

Very dark ruby chestnut with off white lasting head.

Aroma:

Chocolate comes across first with a touch of burnt malt and spicy hops and vinous fruit as well.

Taste:

Burnt vinous fruit at first and then as the book says chew malt with a hint of chocolate and spicy hops. The finish is very long touch of liquorice and slight sournesss interweaved with sweet malt and vinous fruit and pleasant warmth.

Overall:

Not a summer beer by any sense but it is like a warm coat or a cozy chair by the fire. Drink on cold wet winter days draw the curtains to and feel gezillig.
 
8.5/10

Du Bocq Blanche de Namur

Today offering is a Belgium wheat beer

 

 

 

Appearance:

Like a cloudier lemon barley water pale cloudy yellow with large white head.

Aroma:

Coriander and tart marmalade with a slight amount of spicy from the hops.

Taste:

Very malty initial with orange taste building followed by a slight spicy note. The finish is creamy malt with spice and tartness and long and nice after a long summers day.

Overall:

A great summer beer lovely citrus and creamy malt better than the better know hoegaarden.
 
8.0/10

Augustinerbrau Lagerbier Hell

Today offering is Munich clear lager

 

 

 

Appearance:

Very pale gold with large lasting head

Aroma:

Toasted malt backed by a mild hoppyness with a touch of citrus fruit

Taste:

Malt malt and more malt very sweet but so light balanced by a the hops. The finish is long malt slightly sweet with a touch of lemon meringue pie and a nice morish dryness at the end.

Overall:

Nothing special but I have the feeling if I lived in Munich this would be a regular beer on my taste buds. A step above mainstream lager but not so above that you would go out of your way to find it.
 
7.0/10

Greene King Strong Suffolk Ale

Today offering is vintage ale blend from Suffolk

 

 

 

Appearance:

Ruby red with off white head that lasts

Aroma:

Oak and spicy with a ferric bitterness and a fortified wine smell like Madeira

Taste:

ferric bitterness at first then a vinous fruit nature comes through and a slight sourness. The finish is malty at first and then a earthy hoppiness balances a vinous sweetness the slight sourness also persists.

Overall:

I have had this before, last year and it was more sour and also more complex in taste last time. It is not a bad just last year was better.
 
7.0/10

Rooster's Yankee

Today offering is a Yorkshire pale ale according to the brewer and a best bitter according to the book, I trust the brewer.

 

 

 

Appearance:

Very light lager gold with a small lasting white head

Aroma:

Lychee a touch of light malt and a hint of more hoppy bitterness.

Taste:

Flavour is like a more citrus lychee at first then a light maltness comes followed by a drying bitterness. The finish continues bitter and dry underpinned by grapefruit fruitness

Overall:

A very nice summer beer (reminds me of Little Creatures) very refreshing a I could enjoy a few on the terrace any day.
 
9.0/10

Titanic Stout

Today offering is from the potteries in the UK and is a stout

 

 

 

Appearance:

Dark reddy black with large off white head

Aroma:

Coco powder is the dominant aroma with a touch of roasted grain and a hint of coffee and hops in the background.

Taste:

Starts dark roasted grain, with coco powder and liquorice and as you expect the real bitterness of the hops to come in a more a bitter but floral hops comes through. The finish is roast smoky grain with a touch of woodiness and a fruitiness and just a lovely dryness to make it moreish

Overall:

A lovely complex stout one I highly recommend it. I will bring a lot back next trip to the UK. One of the best stouts I have had.
 
9.5/10

Bathams Best Bitter

Today's is another substitution as I can't get their Mild in bottles however this in my opinion is the best bitter available and it is another black country beer

 

 

 

Appearance:

Almost lager colour being very light gold with a good white lasting head

Aroma:

A smell of vinous fruit backed with light roast malt and hops

Taste:

Starts sweet but briefly as the bitter hops come through but a lovely citrus flavour lurks in the background which means the bitterness is not over powering. The finish is dry and bitter with nice malt overtones mixed with hops and it is very moreish.

Overall:

I love this beer it flavours are schizophrenic being light and intense and very easy drinking bitter that I wish I could get more often. If your in the black country or west midlands find this and enjoy.
 
9.5/10

Holden's Black Country Mild

Today's is a Holden's which fits into what I said yesterday not knowing I had this one.....

 

 

 

Appearance:

Dark chestnut with lasting off white tan head

Aroma:

Dark treacle underpinned by malt

Taste:

Dark treacle coats the most with roasted almost coffee malt coming through followed by just enough bitter hops to keep it all balanced. The finish is not so strong but surprisingly lasts with roasted dark malt with a hint of treacle.

Overall:

I do like a mild me and this is a nice example, however that said I think I will still drink more Banks as it more available although this maybe slightly nicer.

8.0/10

Holden's Golden Special Bitter

Today's as a few day absence as I was drinking warm Bush Ambree from cans in a music festival in France todays offering is a Black Country bitter not recommended in the book but it is a substitute as the one in the book is draft only.

 

 

 

Appearance:

Quite fittingly old gold (think wolves football strip) good white lasting head.

Aroma:

Aroma is juicy malt with a hint of  bitter hops

Taste:

Malts starts and a surprising sweetness and then a firm bitterness comes through. The finish is bitter sweet with lovely juicy malt overtones

Overall:

A surprising sweet bitter if that is not an oxymoron makes me want to try more Holden's beers.

7.5/10

St Austell Clouded Yellow

Today's offering is a German style wheat beer made in Cornwall and named after a butterfly

 

 

 

Appearance:

Pale cloudy gold with large lasting head

Aroma:

Aroma is banana underpinned by caramel and vanilla with a faint soapy coriander smell

Taste:

Very sweet and full of vanilla at first and then some malt comes through and a lemon like sharpness. The finish strong dry and bitter but with a hint of banana's vanilla a touch of spice and a really earthy hoppiness.

Overall:

Not sure on this one, in some ways it is like a watery German wheat beer and in some ways it is much more complex than a German wheat beer. I think I will have to try some more to really work out if I like it. It is original if slightly over carbonated in my eyes. It is a summer beer for sure

7.0/10

Burton Bridge Empire Pale Ale

Today's offering is an IPA quite a strong one

 

 

 

Appearance:

Pale and cloudy large head with slight off white colour

Aroma:

Aroma is like a Belgium wheat beer with an orange note (probably as my decanting skills were poor)

Taste:

Ripe fruit with a acidic tang with a maltness which is crunchy is the only word I can think of, coming latter followed by the spicy hops with a touch of floral hops for good measure. The finish is dominated by the tangy granny smith acidity which is slightly vinegary for me, backed up by bitter hops and a warmth (7.5% abv) but has a footnote of malt to remain a balance.

Overall:

I like the story of this beer more than the beer itself, I find the vinegary and the bitter hops doesn't work for me, an interesting historical IPA just not my cup of tea.

7.0/10

Batemans XXXB

Today's offering is for my yellow belly mother, she is from Lincolnshire, not far away from the Batemans brewery.

 

 

 

Appearance:

Chestnut with small head that hangs around

Aroma:

Vinous fruits come across first with biscuity malt and a touch of hops and acidity.

Taste:

Ripe vinous fruit at firsts, the malt then comes through followed by a soft pepperiness and slight bitterness. The finish is long alternates between bitter, vinous fruits, malt and earthy hops.

Overall:

A really unusual bitter that shows the variety you can get in British beers it has mean taste characteristics of a trappist double but without the warmth of the alcohol and has that earthiness  which is very nice in my opinion.

8.5/10

Oakham JHB (Jeffery Hudson Bitter)

Now I am over my cold I can again review beer, today offering is called a bitter by the brewery and  a golden ale  by the book and is named after a midget.

 

 

 

Appearance:

Very golden almost looks like a lager nice lasting head

Aroma:

Citrus with some creamy malt all underpinned by floral but slightly earth hops.

Taste:

The taste starts citrus and creamy malt but the bitter fades in and grows, but never overpowers the citrus and malt. The finish is dry and earth bitter hops underpinned by the creamy malt
.
Overall:

A nice bitter for the summer, nice freshness from the citrus and a nice earthiness. The bottled version is 4.2% is stronger than the draft which according to book is 3.8%.

7.5/10