Feeling Better

Well I did manage to have a few beers and a curry last night but as I am getting better, Dot is feeling worse and is today, not well at all. There seems to be a lot of winter bugs about this summer, not that it feels like summer.

Two new beers last night, one totally new to me, the other one just not had since before I started reviewing, both beers were remarkably similar, both from Yorkshire, both very drinkable and refreshing.

Wensleydale, Kit Calvert's, from England
Bought from the Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes, 4.4% pale amber colour with a thin head, hoppy aroma, refreshing bitter citrus hop taste.



Commercial description
This traditional style ale has its origins in the 1930s - the time when Kit Calvert’s vision and courage saved the Wensleydale Creamery from closure which then enabled us to make it the thriving business it is today. Just like the Creamery, we’ve brought this beer right up to date whilst preserving the style and flavour of beers of the time. It is a copper-red beer with a yeasty nose, biscuity malt and spicy hops. The finish is dry and bitter and of course delicious. We use only the finest ingredients including British yeast cultured in the brewery and no chemicals - some traditions never die. We’re proud of our beer dedicated to Kit Calvert - we rather think that Kit would be proud too.

Black Sheep, Monty Pythons Holy Grail, from England
4.7% gold colour with a thin head, citrus hop aroma, bitter fruity citrus hop taste.



Commercial description
Another fine addition to the Black Sheep Brewery range of premium bottled ales, our Holy Grail Bitter was specially commissioned to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Monty Python. It has a distinctive taste with plenty of fruity hops, and is full flavoured with a dry and refreshing bitterness.

Not Been Well

I have not been very well this week, so not much to report, feeling much better now and should be having a few new beers tonight but nothing is certain.

Bren's 50th

Friday was a Western night in the Fish for Brenda's 50th birthday and I think a good night was had by all.

Yorkshire Dales

Away in the dales for a few days, got a few new beers but most of the pubs just have good old Theakstons and Black Sheep, not too bad.

Beer Rant

I had a truly horrible beer last night, so I am going to have a rant about messing with beer and the people that like them.

I am not fond of some styles of beer, Pilsner and Stout are two but I can and will still drink them.

But some beers that are deliberately messed with, are just wrong and so are the people that drink and champion them.

First and the worst

Sour Beers

I will start with these, as they are the worst but what are they. As far as I can tell that are made from, presumably good beers, that are deliberately soured, using aged off beer or Lactobacillus (a lactic acid bacteria) to produce a foul tasting product that is still called beer.

Here is one example, with a warning

Brouwerij Rodenbach, Rodenbach from Belgium
5.2% Sour Ale very sour and vinegary, not nice at all, had it on draught and it was bad then but I was convinced to give it an other go, it was the wrong decision. It tastes like Cameron's Strongarm when the barrel has gone off. Just ask anyone for North East England what that is like.

Next is,

Imperial IPA, Double IPA - Double/Triple Hopped Beers.

Hoppy beers are nice, for example IPA is a well loved beer worldwide, so why mess with it. It seem to have come from the USA, where as an over reaction to years of tasteless beers, beers are now being over hopped. Its not just the USA doing this, I had a really bad one in Belgium. There is just no need for is, you do not need to over hop beer.

Here is the one I had last night

BrewDog, Tesco Finest American Double IPA from Scotland
AKA, BrewDog Hardcore IPA, 9.2% deep amber colour with a very thin head, sweet citrus and blackcurrant aroma (dont know what citrus though), taste is hops hops hops, the USA would love it, I didn't it was overpowering and foul.

Lastly, for now,

Fruit Beers

I do not mean beers that have a fruity taste, I mean beers that are brewed with fruits or have added fruit in them. They are usually too sweet and sickly. To make things worse, some of them are also soured. Although fruit beers are not as bad as the other two, as many ladies that would not normally drink beer like them. If people want fruit in their alcohol, there is always Pimms No 1.

Drinking Made Easy

There is a good article in the, Drinking Made Easy on line magazine, all about Polish beer.   The photo in the article is fantastic.

Drinking Made Easy

Grupa Zywiec, Warka from Poland
5.7% gold colour with no head, slight malt aroma, not much taste, I thought it was an ordinary lager, although the article rated it was one of the best.

BBQ

No Friday out again but Saturday was BBQ time, sun out for a change, just a usual, on, off, summer in the UK.

Some good beers and good food (I made the food), unfortunately, nothing new but some very good old favorites. Especially a couple of dark beers, one a Czech Dark Lager and one a Belgian Brune. As it was a BBQ we also had some good old British caned beers to get started and to finish a Belgian Blond.

The Dark Lager has a very famous name but is nothing to do with its namesake
Budweiser, Budvar Dark Lager (Tmavý Ležák) from the Czech Republic
4.7% very dark with a good head, roasted malt aroma, roast caramel taste, not bad.



Some of the others