If you know me or of me, you will know I like beer. Over the last few years I have been collecting photos of every new beer I have.
I now have over 2,000 individual beers photographed and have realised that many beers that I assumed I have photos of, I haven't.

This blog will be therefore be an account of my quest for new beers to photo and how I enjoyed them (or not).
My email is ralphgant@sky.com.

Monday, 20 January 2020

Looking back and reevaluating this Blog

Today I looked back at this blog and was surprised by how much I used to write on here. I suppose it was the stroke that changed things and now all I wright about is the beers, the "and Me" bit has just disappeared from here altogether.

Reading through the older blogs for me it was much more enjoyable to read what was going on in my life as well as the drinks I had. So I think I will give it another go and see if I can wright about what is going on as well. I will alsos include the beers involved as well.

So this last weekend was the same plan as nearly every other weekend since I started all this, whether before the stroke in 2013 or even after the stroke.

On Friday, as I said we went out with friends as usual to Greatham, although since last time I wrote about it, two of the three pubs there have closed down. Although one of the closed pubs has now reopened so there are now two of them again. So to cut a long story short we went to the pub we never used before but as it was the only one open for nearly a year we were used to it by now. The Bull and Dog was not very full at all and we got sat in the corner as usual, the only beer on draught in there is John Smiths and you probably know what I think of that, so I had a bottle of Old Speckled Hen, as usual.

Morland, Old Speckled Hen from England

Morland, Old Speckled Hen, England

5.0%, amber in colour with a head that disappeared fairly quickly (but I have had it with a good head), sweet malty aroma, bitter, liquorice malt taste, drink this one quite often, I like it a lot.

On Saturday, we usually go to our friends house for drinks but they were away this week, so we just had a night in. I did have a couple of beers though, although as it was last night, not new beers. I could have had new beers, I have about fifty of them ready to try but I was not feeling too well, so it was easier just to have stuff I have had before. I also have quite a few of these beers in the house as well. the first one was Camden, Hells Lager, the other, Camden, Versus Wicked Weed.

Camden, Hells Lager from England

Camden, Hells Lager, England

4.6% pale cold in colour with a poor head, mild aroma and a bitter taste, very ordinary.

The other one

Camden, Versus Wicked Weed from England

Camden, Versus Wicked Weed, England Camden, Versus Wicked Weed, England

5.6% hazy gold in colour with a nice head, sweet fruity aroma, the taste was bitter but fruity.

One more thing to go with this new method of doing the blog as it was intended, during the night my heart went into defib again and I was not well for the next day, although I am fine now. Hope you like this, I will be doing the beers pretty much as I was but with more information and the odd blog like this one.

Sunday, 19 January 2020

English, Christmas Beers 2019, Part Three

This is the final batch of English Christmas Beers for last Christmas, we will have to wait about eleven months for the next lot.

Milestone, Dasher from England

Milestone, Dasher, England Milestone, Dasher, England

4.5% amber in colour with a poor head, malt and christmas aroma, not a bad bitter christmas taste. This is just a new label that is from last years.

Wood's, Christmas Cracker from England

Wood's, Christmas Cracker, England Wood's, Christmas Cracker, England

6.0% amber in colour with a very poor head. slightly fruity spicy aroma and taste.

Saltaire, White Christmas from England

Saltaire, White Christmas, England Saltaire, White Christmas, England

4.8% gold in colour with a poor head, not mutch aroma at all, the taste is hoppy and citrus though.

8 Sail, Winter's Ale from England

8 Sail, Winter's Ale, England 8 Sail, Winter's Ale, England

5.5% dark brown in colour with a nice head, some smoky bits in the aroma but the taste was quite nice.

St Austell, Jolly Holly from England

St Austell, Jolly Holly, England

3.8% (4.3% in bottles) deep amber in colour with a good head, malt and toffee aroma the taste is malty.