Alcohol

Beer Review: Bloed, Zweet & Tranen [Bruichladdich version] (De Molen)

Posted on March 15, 2012 by N.R. Jenzen-Jones

This is another beer from our early session with Giles Tuffin. As mentioned, Giles is a favourite bartender of mine and has worked in bars around the world for many years. He also writes; you can find his work here. 


De Molen Bloed, Zweet & Tranen

Brewery: De Molen
Origin: Bodegraven, The Netherlands
Style: Smoked Beer (Imperial Smoked Stout)
Format: 750ml (agglomerated cork and wirehood seal)
ABV: 8.1%
Guest reviewer: Giles Tuffin

The satisfying ‘pop’ of the cork helped build anticipation for this beer – one that we were all looking forward to. A reasonably tight, crema-coloured head, and a classic espresso look sat elegantly and attractively in the glass. Giles described it as “a very tanned Jessica Alba”. The carbonation was perhaps a tiny bit lower than we expected, but nothing to complain about. The aroma was powerful, with burnt toffee, strong malt notes, and – of course! – the hint of peat we expected, with maybe just a touch of wood ash. The flavour profile was less complex than we had anticipated, and a little too much residual sweetness crept through the delicious malted notes that drove it. Berries, dried fruit, and a little chocolate fill your mouth on first sip. Thankfully, just-sharp-enough hops kick in after a second or two, and the beer finishes quite dry, and is not too cloying on the palate. Whilst it wasn’t all we had hoped for, it was still a well-made, enjoyable drop.

Nic: Whilst a little too sweet for my general preference, the BZT manages to maintain a reasonably balanced flavour profile by incorporating a savoury toastiness and  of course the tang of the fantastic Bruichladdich peat-smoked malt. 

Simon: This is light-bodied for a stout, but shows an interesting flavour progression nonetheless. A sweet start gradually turns to a hop-driven set of middle flavours, and a surprisingly dry finish. Definitely one to try. 

Giles: This would be a good introductory stout for the new enthusiast with a slightly sweeter tooth. Not as peaty as one would expect, but still packed with intense and lasting flavour.        

Packaging: Simple, clear, and informative. Good stuff.
Serve with: Smoked foods, pickles, medium-sharp cheeses.
Drink this if you like: Rogue Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout, Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout

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Beer Review: Organic Best Bitter (St Peter’s)

Posted on January 10, 2012 by N.R. Jenzen-Jones

Today’s drop is a classic English pub bitter, which we sampled sometime around October 2010. Our guest reviewer for this particular session was Tom Stockdale, a very good friend of mine and a true beer aficionado. 


St Peter’s Organic Best Bitter

Brewery: St Peter’s
Origin: Suffolk, England
Style: English Bitter (Best Bitter)
Format: 500ml (crown seal)
ABV: 4.1%
Guest reviewer: Thomas Stockdale

St Peter’s Organic Best Bitter is a somewhat cloudy, classically light-amber coloured beer with a weak and short-lived head. As with most St Peter’s brews, the Organic Best Bitter is brewery conditioned, cold filtered and produced with a reasonably low level of carbonation. A very typical English bitter aroma is immediately apparent, with Hallertau hops and a slight malty sweetness at the forefront. The first sip shows St Peter’s offering to be light bodied, with reasonably simple flavours that are hop-driven as expected, with a clear vegetal note. There’s a little nutty caramel in there too. It finished crisply and refreshingly with a strong hoppy flavour. This is definitely a pub bitter, and could make a good session beer. In fact, at 4.1%, it is right on the borderline of the ‘session bitter’ and ‘best bitter’ categories, as they are generally acknowledged.

 

 

Nic: This is a classic pub bitter, best drunk locally without the cost of export/import. It’s refreshing and quite easy to drink, but certainly not memorable. 

Simon: A reasonably refreshing and simple brew. Not a stand-out, but not terrible either. 

Tom: A beer lacking in character; the memory fades from the mind as quickly as the taste from the palate.       

Packaging: Classic, but uninspired; a little rust under crown.
Serve with: Crisps, pub food.
Drink this if you like: Wells Bombardier

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Beer Review: Dark Lord (Batemans)

Posted on December 22, 2011 by N.R. Jenzen-Jones

For our next beer I have something that is generally better for the cooler months, though if you’re like me you’ll drink some of the heavier beers all year round. This is a pretty excellent drop. 


Dark Lord

Brewery: Batemans
Origin: Lincolnshire, England
Style: Mild Ale (Dark Ruby Mild Ale)
Format: 500ml (crown seal)
ABV: 5.0%
Guest reviewer: Cheyne Tillier-Daly

Dark Lord is named after Thomas ‘Black Tom’ Fairfax – an English Parliamentarian who fought alongside Oliver Cromwell in the Battle of Winceby in 1643. Like its namesake, it is possessed of swarthy looks, pouring a deep ruby colour with a tight caramel head and good clarity. The aroma is malt driven and spicy, with softer stewed fruit and coffee notes. Dark Lord is medium-to-full bodied, with warming, toasty malts and rich pudding flavours immediately noticeable. It could be perhaps a little less sweet, but this is balanced out nicely with a gently lingering finish which holds a slight chinotto-like twist.

 

 

 


Nic: A well-rounded, easy drinking, and flavourful beer. Matches well with food, and provides a break from the ordinary. Keep a few of these in the fridge.

Simon: A medium-bodied ruby ale which sits very well as an evening beer. Definitely a nice one for the colder months.

Cheyne: Give me more! Very deserving of its namesake, this is a rich and well-made ale which I would readily drink again.       

Packaging: Classic English, eye-catching, and historical.
Serve with: Roast beef, game meats, black pudding.
Drink this if you like: Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild

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Beer Review: Alba Scots Pine Ale (William Bros)

Posted on December 11, 2011 by N.R. Jenzen-Jones

This is an unusual offering from William Bros, brewed in an ancient Scottish style that uses pine needles in place of hops. This brew was reviewed with one of my good mates, and my favourite bartender, Giles Tuffin. 

Alba Scots Pine Ale

Brewery: William Bros Brewing Co. 
Origin: Alloa, Scotland
Style: Exotic (Scots Pine Ale)
Format: 330ml (crown seal)
ABV: 7.5%
Guest reviewer: Giles Tuffin

This is definitely one of the more unusual brews we had the time to review. In fact, the William Bros Brewing Company is dedicated to reviving historic Scottish ale styles – and they do a very good job of it. Pine ales are brewed by adding young, green needles from various coniferous plants as you would hops to an ‘ordinary’ brew. The brewers’ website notes: “introduced by the Vikings, spruce and pine ales were very popular in Northern Scotland until the end of the 19th Century”. This lightly cloudy, deep golden ale has the colour of pine resin, and a reasonable straw-coloured head. It is rich and lightly citrus-scented on the nose, with the characters of a Belgian ‘tripel’ style immediately notable. There is a little pine at the forefront of the palate, but it is much less pronounced than we expected. In fact, the beer was very well balanced in general, and the lightly resinous taste quickly turns to peach, honey, and a light rancio character such as you might find in a good Tokay. It tastes lighter than its ABV would suggest.

Nic: Another surprising and satisfying Ale from Williams Bros. Its resinous notes and full flavour profile combine to make it a unique and particularly enjoyable brew. A perfect accompaniment to game birds and other wildfoods. 

Simon: Combine an interesting, almost confronting aroma with well-balanced and surprising taste characteristics, and you’re left with a very different, but definitely tasty beer. Appreciated. 

Giles: One of the most interesting and complex beers I’ve had in some time, highlighted by its generous and lengthy mouthfeel.       

Packaging: Historical Scottish look.
Serve with: Game birds, wildfoods, hard aromatic cheeses.
Drink this if you like: ???

Update 12/12/2011: Thanks to a reader for pointing out Wigram Brewing Co.’s Spruce Beer, which was apparently inspired by an original spruce beer brewed by Captain Cook during his voyages in the South Pacific. Apparently this was issued in an attempt to combat scurvy. 

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Beer Review: Atomic Pale Ale (Gage Roads)

Posted on December 2, 2011 by N.R. Jenzen-Jones

I had a beer review project in the works about a year ago, which got sidelined due to a number of factors. I thought I might dig up a few of the early reviews that we’d written up and post them up on here. The basic format was myself and a mate ‘running’ the weekly tasting sessions, with a different guest reviewer being featured each week.  With Summer having just kicked off, this American-style pale ale seems like a good place to start!


Atomic Pale Ale

Brewery: Gage Roads Brewery
Origin: Perth, Australia
Style: Pale Ale (American Pale Ale)
Format: 330ml (twist-top crown)
ABV: 4.7%
Guest reviewer: Cheyne Tillier-Daly

Gage Roads’ new Atomic Pale Ale is a refreshing, deep gold American style Pale Ale at a reasonable price. Part of their ‘Brewer’s Selection’ range, it is – in our opinions – a significant step up from their previous offerings. It exhibits average carbonation and a tight, white head of reasonable longevity. Strong floral and fruity notes are immediately recognisable on the nose, with a background of biscuity malt richness. The aroma is perhaps a little less complex than would be expected, but it is certainly crisp and true to the style. A crisp, refreshing taste and full mouthfeel add complexity to this beer, and the dominant hop characteristic gently lingers out into a green, hoppy finish – maybe with a touch of unripe melon?

Nic: I would heartily recommend this to anyone looking for a refreshing summer session beer. A well-priced brew best enjoyed fishing, at a BBQ, or in your own backyard.

Simon: An excellent everyday drinker. Good hop character and very refreshing – a beer I thoroughly enjoy.

Cheyne: This pale ale represents good value for money, and has an interesting, engaging character.          

Packaging: Who can say no to the clean, retro-styled atomic Poseidon? The slender bottle design is ideal for summer sipping. The carton packaging really stands out; the comic is a nice touch.
Serve with: Barbecued seafood – swordfish, cod, scallops.
Drink this if you like: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Epic Pale Ale

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