The Beer Thread

[Up Chuck]

I just wish you could get Badger in pubs as readily as you can in supermarkets. I think the northernmost H&W pub is in Hertfordshire

[Baz Windham]

That's a good point actually. Absolutely everywhere sells their bottles, even the bargain booze round the corner, but thinking about it I can't ever recall seeing it on tap (I'm from the Midlands)

[gary v1]

Actually ventured into Brew Dock beside Store Street this evening after my shift,

[PowerButchi]

Looking at how burst the bloodvessels are in my eye, it was a very good first night. I lost my programme with the notes on it though, so I'll have to do that again tomorrow.

[air_raid]

I do like Golden Glory in the summer, and Poacher's Choice and Blandford Flyer (the ginger one, slightly gimmicky but absolutely gorgeous) are lovely in the winter.

 

Poacher's Choice! After a couple of years on the Golden ones and the occasional Ferret/Tangle Foot I discovered that one purely by accident in Sale Sainsburies when I was doing the shop for the New Years buffet. The colour was inviting but the taste was excellent, probably as fruity as I'd had in a ruby beer. It became a regular selection for the annual Christmas trips to to the North East along with Black Sheep, Youngs' Double Chocolate Stout, and Old Peculiar.

 

The Peculiar is another beer I grab whenever I see it on draft, which admittedly isn't often. I forgot to mention as well I like a drop of Hyde's Dark or Timothy Taylor Landlord when I go up to Manc, and Brains Dark when I go back to Aber. Felinfoel if they have it, but they never seem to.

[Up Chuck]

That's a good point actually. Absolutely everywhere sells their bottles, even the bargain booze round the corner, but thinking about it I can't ever recall seeing it on tap (I'm from the Midlands)

 

As of a few years ago, it's exclusive to our own pubs. I always moan about it, but they have a bunch of sound business reasons for it.

[Baz Windham]

Ah, that explains it then.

[SiMania]

Sandals on feet, beard on face and ready for the blue bell beer festival. Hopefully the oompah band is there today.

[PowerButchi]

Yet again I forgot my notes. However I do remember that Mad Hatter, an American Brown Ale, was fucking rank.

[Glenryck Pilchards]

A Micropub has just opened up in Middlesbrough called Dr Phil's Real Ale House, and after popping down on Friday I was really impressed! They had four beers to choose from and of course I had a taste of them all.

 

The first beer I sampled was Timothy Taylor's - Landlord, which was a decent pale ale with a fruity after taste.

 

The second ale was my favourite out of the four, Mordue's Radgie Gadgie. A proper strong North East bitter, which tasted like Christmas in a glass.

 

The third beer was Saltaire Blonde which was a bit more like a non-fizzy Bavarian lager than an ale, it was pleasant enough but not something I will keep eyes open for.

 

The last beer was very odd. It was called Sonnet 43's Bourbon Milk Stout - It looked like a Guinness, going down the throat it had a similar consistency to milk, and it tasted like an iced mocha frappuccino. I am glad I only got a half as it was very sickly, but yet I am still not sure if I like it or not.

 

 

Getting back to the pub itself, I am ecstatic that this place has opened. Before it did the only places you could get a cask ale in the town centre was the three Wetherspoon's dotted about. Dr Phil's is located in a parade of shops in between a tattoo parlour and an Indian takeaway, so the unit is tiny. The place has a capacity of 30 seated and 16 standing and I would say it was close to capacity for the two hours I was in from 6pm on friday night. Since opening three weeks ago they have gone through 20 barrels already which is not bad considering they close at 8pm weekdays and 9pm at weekends,

[Statto]

As a confirmed CAMRA member of almost a decade's beard standing, I was pleased to hear around the turn of the year that there were plans to open a proper Tap House in Norwich city centre (not in a pedestrianized area, to pre-empt that one...)

 

Massively disappointed to find :

 

a) No cask beer, keg only

b) They can't get the pressure right. Everything's like it's been put through a sodastream machine.

c) It's for some reason become very "trendy" and is now full of people drinking wine.

d) As a result of c), the blackboard has less and less proper (albeit carbonated to within an inch of it's life) beer, and more and more Beck Vier etc.

 

Not worth crying over, however, as Norwich is exceptionally well served with proper real ale pubs who know what they're doing. Any of you proper beer enthusiasts could do worse than make a visit. The Fat Cat, for example, has this to offer today:

 

http://www.fatcatpub.co.uk/ales.php

 

And it's now a mere two months from my annual holiday, the Norwich Beer Festival. At which two years back, I had my absolute favourite pint ever - Riverhead White Moss mild, a wonderfully peachy, elderflowery substance. Never been able to find it again. Brewery is in Marsden, near Huddersfield, apparently. Anyone up there ever seen it?

[gaz2050]

Best beer I've ever tasted is Fruli. It's a Beligian Strawberry beer, pretty expensive (You'll be lucky to beat

[air_raid]

Best beer I've ever tasted is Fruli. It's a Beligian Strawberry beer, pretty expensive (You'll be lucky to beat

[Cheesy Peas]

Best beer I've ever tasted is Fruli. It's a Beligian Strawberry beer, pretty expensive (You'll be lucky to beat

[neil]

Blue moon is my favourite American Ale, Just be sure to serve it with a slice of orange.