Happy Belgium National Day!

The 21st of July is 'National Day' in Belgium, the anniversary of the swearing in of King Leopold I, the first recognised King of Belgium nearly 200 years ago, in 1831, following the revolution the previous year against the last of many empires encompassing Belgians over hundreds of years, the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Therefore, much celebration will be had in Belgium today as it is a public holiday, nowhere more so than in Brussels (The Brussels Times). 

Sadly I cannot make it to Belgium today, although I will be making another visit in the not too distant future, consequently today I had to go shopping for Belgian beer, and this (above) is what I returned from the shops with. I had to go shopping because the first two places I would have gone to for Belgian beers in Hastings would have been the Eel & Bear (blog) and The Jolly Fisherman (blog), who both sell an impressive array of bottled beers. Sadly, both are also closed on Mondays, so woe is me, I was unprepared... 😣

BUT, next year will be different, no doubt, as Belgium National Day falls on a Tuesday! 😁

Anyway, I bought 4 bottles of an Abbey style beer this year, brewed by Leffe (website), where brewing has been ongoing only since 1240 😉 and that is their 6.0% Blonde. Sadly, not as potent as the 6.6% Leffe Blonde we drank back in September (blog), but my brother Dan had brought those back with him from Brussels, we get weaker stuff served up in Britain. 😒 This is pretty much a 'go to' beer for Dan as it's very dependable. Even though a wee bit less body and strength than the Belgians enjoy, there are still hints of caramel and spices in the aroma and taste, particularly cloves, a very gentle bitterness, and a slightly dry finish, nice one.👍

So, Happy Belgium National Day! Cheers 🍻

I Love Clitheroe!

Well, someone does, because Rod, who is moving there sometime soon-ish, brought me back a can of Clitheroe brewery Bowland (website) 4.0% I Love Clitheroe IPA. As I can't find anything about it on the brewery's website, I'm guessing it's re-badged either Hen Harrier (4.0%), or more probably Buster IPA (4.0%), although it looks darker than either of them, so no idea! 😏 It hasn't been 'fined' or filtered, so a wee bit cloudy, and suitable for 'vegans' no doubt. A very fruity aroma and taste, sweet to start off with, which stays to the end, with only a wee bitterness at the finish, many thanks for treating me again Rod, and cheers m'dears! 🍺

I have since been advised that this is Bowland Buster IPA, cheers Rod! 👍

More Dark Beers, I Kid You Not!

3 dark beers from around the country, and all enjoyed in Hastings Jolly Fisherman (blog), first, the 4.2% cask conditioned 'Classic Porter' London Thunder brewed by Roosters in Yorkshire (website). The name coming from the fact that the porter beer 'style' was developed for the porters of Victorian markets in London, I presume. As you can see it is a very deep dark red, the opacity probably enhanced by it being an un-fined 'vegan' ale. I got roasted oats in the aroma, and liquorice too, and liquorice even more noticeable in the taste with a wee bit of chocolate too, although both flavours quite subtle. Apparently brewed with 7 different varieties of malt, and English hops, although the hops used aren't shared with the public. London Thunder is a pleasant, and surprisingly not heavy at all, easy to drink dark porter, not bad at all folks.

From not so far away from Hastings in the South Downs of Sussex, and the first of 2 crafty keg beers, this 7.3% 'Export Stout' Blessed State brewed by Burning Sky (website). This has cacao nibs and a blend of coffee beans added to the brew, and has significantly more body and depth of flavours. Rich, and chocolate dominated for me, with just a hint of coffee. Pretty damn good!

I'll add a link to the blog where I discuss porters and stouts below too.

Finally from Salford up in the north-east of England was the luxurious (you knew one had to come 😉) 12.5% 'Russian Imperial Stout' If Only I Had The Time To Understand brewed by Pomona Island (website). There's a mouthful, in more ways than one... Not just a strong dark beer, but aged in cognac barrels too, and with dark fruits and brandy significantly noticeable in the aroma and taste, not as much chocolate as the previous beer either, but, indeed, luxurious!

I discuss my opinion concerning the difference between a porter and a stout in this blog, feel free to read, and comment if you wish, cheers m'dears!

Paler Beers in Hastings

I've written about Britain's first Trappist ale before (blog), and now Tynt Meadow (website) are brewing a 5.0% Blond Ale, again in a Trappist style, but with an English 'twist' adding English hops and yeast to the malt produced from English barley. A deep golden blonde colour, a wee haze (bottle conditioned), and a little sweetness with a hint of caramel, vanilla, spice and fruity mandarin, completed with a dry slightly bitter finish, nice one, and unique!

Next is from Sussex brewery Burning Sky (website), and Plateau, full of flavour and only 3.5%, very much a session ale! Plateau is the brainchild of Mark Tranter, legendary fine tuner of Dark Star Hophead when he worked there, and is very similar to the original Hophead from when it was brewed in Brighton. However, it is a little weaker in alcoholic strength, but the flavour is more pronounced than the current Hophead, thanks to the hops added. Mark says it is "hopped at different stages of the brew with a mix bag of US and NZ hops..." and, of course, influenced by his experience and finesse. A pale golden bitter, very easy to drink, with grapefruit noticeable in the aroma and taste, and very refreshing and decent indeed.

From another Sussex brewery, indeed, from the Hastings based FILO Brewing Company (website) and imbibed in their own pub, the 4.0% Hop Cat, which pretty much does what it says on the label. Indeed, this is a light pale ale, with plenty of citrus fruit in the aroma and taste, very easy to drink with a nice subtle bitter finish, and refreshing, oh yes!

The next 2 beers are both from Bristol Beer Factory (website) over in the West Country, the first being their 4.2% Launch Approval, brewed with U.S. Loral (Yakima Valley Hops) and German Mandarina Bavaria (hopslist) hops. A pale ale, with floral and peppery hints in the aroma and taste, and citrus, notably orange, in the flavour. Another excellent session ale from this very dependable brewery, refreshing with a light dry bitter finish, nice one.

Dune Twist, is a more substantial 5.0% IPA from Bristol Beer Factory, and is also brewed with hops from 2 different countries, this time with N.Z. Nelson Sauvin (hopslist) and U.S. El Dorado (hopslist). Plenty of body and flavour, as you would expect, with tropical and citrus fruits in the aroma and taste, very smooth, but with a nice crisp dry bitter finish, quality!

Starting to prepare for Oktoberfest 😉 2 German beers, first is a Helles style lager from one of the older breweries in Germany, having brewed beers for nearly 700 years since its foundation in 1328! Augustiner Brau (website) Lagerbier Hell (5.2%), from Munich, is brewed with Bavarian malt and hops. This has a hint of wheat in the aroma and is a pale straw colour, indeed, 'a very tasty beer' was the first thing I noted, with a hint of citrus in the taste, mildly hoppy and slightly sweet, but refreshing and certainly not too bitter. A secondary fermentation ensures this beer has a lively sparkle, finishing off with a nice dry crispness, pretty good!

The final beer here, and the second from Germany, is brewed by Badische Staatsbrauerie Rothaus (website) in the southwest German state of Baden-Wurttemberg, in the Black Forest Mountain Range. Although the brewery was founded in 1791 by the Benedictine monastery of St. Blasien, it is now owned by the state of Baden-Wurttemberg. Anyway, to their 5.1% Rothaus Pils which is, unsurprisingly, a Pilsner style lager, consequently hoppier than the Helles, although not significantly so. Brewed with malt from locally grown barley, and local spring water from the Black Forest, and Tettnanger (hopslist) and Hallertau (hopslist) hops, producing a slightly floral and spicy aroma and taste. Another refreshing beer, with hints of wheat in the taste and a crisp slightly bitter finish, very nice indeed, cheers! 😁

The first and last 2 beers were bought in the Eel & Bear (blog), the Plateau was imbibed at the Prince Albert (blog), the Hop Cat was from the First In Last Out (blog), and the 2 Bristol Beer Factory ales were enjoyed in the Dolphin Inn, which I have written about many times (eg blog).

July Whiskey of the Month

So, back to Irish whiskey for July and Molly Malone (website) Small Batch, just 40.0%, I believe developed particularly for the market across the North Atlantic, which is a blend of triple distilled whiskeys using Irish malts and grains from a few Irish distilleries; I haven't been able to confirm which distilleries, apologies. The Molly Malone Whiskey Company started up in 2019, but was set up by a family, Lombard-Chibnall, with many years of experience in wines and spirits going back to the late 17th century. Molly Malone Small Batch Whiskey is matured in 'second fill' oak bourbon casks on Achill Island, off the west coast of Ireland, and bottled there too.

Molly Malone Small Batch is quite light to drink, with a slightly acidic citrus and apple aroma, bitter-sweet at first taste, but with a gorgeous sweet flavour in the mouth, with vanilla and butterscotch, and hints of coconut, smoked oak, oranges, lemons, limes, pears and apple. Warm and smooth, and very easy to drink down, maybe too easy, sláinte! 😉

Dark Beers in Hastings...

I was going to post a blog about 'beers and ciders' in Hastings, but decided to divide it into 3 different blogs, and I'm missing out some recent beers and ciders, it's a tough job, but someone has to do it folks. 😉 So I'm starting with 7 darker beers, and kicking off with this cask ale from East Sussex based Three Acre Brewery (website). I drank this at the Dolphin Inn, Hastings (written about many times by me, eg blog), their 4.6% Skylark Stout, which I thought was more like a porter, and I have discussed the difference between stouts and porters in this blog a while back. Brewed with English hops according to Three Acre, a deep chestnut colour, smooth, and nutty with hints of chocolate and coffee in the taste. Not bad at all folks! 

The second beer I am writing about was enjoyed at The Jolly Fisherman in Hastings: see this blog for the pub's history, but no longer a B&B or providing food, although there are some excellent bar snacks available. This was from Polly's Brew Co (website) in North Wales and their 6.0% Winter Slope Stout, as I've already said my piece about porters and stouts I'll not repeat myself! A mixture in the grist of black, chocolate and crystal extra dark malts, and oats, dominate the taste. My notes say it all: "slightly toasted flavour with a hint of chocolate, very tasty and full bodied, yet smooth and easy to drink, surprisingly easy to knock back!"

This is a rather excellent beer from Manchester's Sureshot Brewing (website), their 11.0% Imperial Stout, Beware Oblivion is at Hand, indeed! Brewed with vanilla and cacao nibs, strangely not a lot of aroma, but packed with flavour, maybe my nose was overloaded at the time, 😉 I noted a hint of coffee, however, predominantly chocolate in the taste, and luxurious!

Next is another 'Imperial Stout' Wookie Mistake (11.0%), a collaboration between Electric Bear Brewing of Bath (website) and Emperor's Brewery, from Coalville near Leicester, who are currently on facebook; website being set up. Apparently, this beer is salted, which I didn't detect, and only discovered on checking Electric Bear's website. Indeed, the full flavour and sweetness of chocolate dominated, the chocolate coming from cacao nibs added to the brew, and a hint of caramel in the taste from caramel essence. Yes, another luxurious dark beer! 😁

The strongest and most luxurious of the 'Imperial Stouts' reviewed here comes from Yorkshire brewers, based in Leeds, Tartarus Beers (website), and their Bokkenrijder Triple Chocolate Imperial Stout (12.2%), another collaboration, this time with Dutch Bargain of the Netherlands (website). As you can see, I bought this as a takeaway, and I see from the Tartarus website they brew another same strength stout too, and an even stronger one, and even a stronger IPA! 😲 The Bokkenrijder is brewed with cacao nibs and vanilla, and cacao powder is added too, so yes, plenty of chocolate in the aroma and taste, luxurious indeed, nice one. 👍

Finally, yes I lazily have included only one photograph for 2 beers, one of which came home with me. 😉 At the pub, so in that glass, was this blog's penultimate brew, another collaboration, this time between Cloudwater Brew Co of Manchester (website) and Puhaste Beer of Estonia (website), and their 7.0% Behind The Sun And The Stars, brewed for Baltic Porter Day. Yes, definitely a porter, the aroma had a hint of coffee, dark fruits and chocolate, with chocolate dominating the flavour, strangely lighter and more refreshing than I expected, very good.

The final beer above, in the bottle, was another 'carry out' for me, from the historic Schlenkerla brewpub in Bamberg, Germany (website), and their more modest 5.1% Aecht Schelnkerla Rauchbier Marzen. This is a bottom fermented, thus lager style, lightly smoked beer, deep red in colour, with a smoky aroma and taste, a hint of toast to my taste, and a dry finish. I've even had 2 friends since tell me they've visited the pub/brewery, not that I'm jealous, cheers! 😁

There you go, a fairly diverse selection for me. 😉

Beer in Cans: Reviews for Friends, Honest!

I've been asked my opinion of these 2 beers, the first, presumably, for possible addition to the crafty keg beers they sell, the other an alcohol-free/very low alcohol alternative, maybe Wingman too. 😏 Wingman, a 'Session IPA' (4.3%), is brewed by the near legendary Scottish brewery Brewdog (website). This is a pale golden ale, it was pretty clear, but I did pour carefully, and I think there was maybe wee remnants in the bottom of the can when I rinsed it for recycling!

Wingman is pretty much an APA style IPA, that is bursting with pine and tropical and citrus fruit aromas, unsurprising as the hops used from the USA are Simcoe (hopslist), Ahtanum (hopslist), Chinook (hopslist), Citra (hopslist), Mosaic (hopslist), and HBC692 (Yakima Chief)! Big body and flavour too, hint of pine, with plenty of grapefruit, peach and mango, and a nice dry bitter finish. Pretty damn good, oh yes, as hinted at, you can get it low alcohol too (0.5%).

The specifically 'alcohol free' beer is from the North London brewer of the ubiquitous Neck Oil, Beavertown (website), and their 0.3% Lazer Crush. However, Lazer Crush is not brewed in London, but is brewed for them in Belgium by De Proefbrouwerij (website), who apparently brew many alcohol free beers for a number of other breweries too! 

As you can see, Lazer Crush is paler than the Wingman, slightly hazier, but similar in aromas and taste, just, unsurprisingly, a bit thin, lacking body. More citrus than forest fruits in the aroma, but plenty of grapefruit, some orange, and hints of melon and mango in the taste, thanks to the use of Azacca (hopslist), Amarillo (hopslist) and Citra hops (hopslist). So a bit more citrus flavours than the Wingman, but I did notice less body, despite the big hoppy additions, though it was very crisp and refreshing, not bad at all, cheers! 👍

Aah... Memories of when you could get Brewdog ales in cask...

The Drewe Arms, Drewsteignton, Devon

I have just finished reading the most recent Issue 68/Summer 2025 of the CAMRA BEER magazine, which has an article concerning 6 public houses that they have given Heritage Awards to, particularly acknowledging the efforts of those who have saved or revitalised these historic pubs. It's pretty difficult to get to read CAMRA (website) stuff, if not a member, so I am adding this link to the local paper, the Crediton Courier, that provides similar content regarding the only 1 of the 6 that I have been to, as far as my memory tells me. Indeed, yes, only 1! 😕

These 2 images of the pub in question. the Drewe Arms (website) and church next door, Holy Trinity (North Dartmoor Parishes), are both from Holiday in Dartmoor, many thanks to them, much appreciated. Because it is ages since I've visited this part of Dartmoor, probably not since the 1980s, that I do not have my own digital photographs of the pub and village. And you will presume from what I have written so far that this pub, actual address The Square, Drewsteignton EX6 6QN, is on Dartmoor, indeed, near to the north-eastern edge.

The building that became the Drewe Arms was built in the 17th century, with refurbishments in the 19th and 20th centuries and, unsurprisingly, is Grade II Listed. In the 19th century it was called the New Inn, presumably there used to be another inn locally, or it replaced a previous pub following refurbishment. It became the Drewe Arms a hundred years ago, after a brief spell as the Druid Arms. When I first visited in the late 1970s, Mabel Mudge was the licensee, having been so since 1919, first with her husband for 32 years until he passed away, then alone for another 43 years until she retired in 1994 aged 99 years old, and being the longest serving landlady in the country (75 years!), much respect to her. 

The pub, as far as I'm aware, has been sympathetically kept. From 1994 it was managed by a few companies until the local community bought this wonderful old pub in 2023, and now manage the Drewe Arms as a community asset, hence the Heritage Award, nice one. 👍

Having seen images of the interior, it looks to have the same feel, a room to your left as you enter, the bar and cellar behind a doorway to your left just afterwards, with a stable door and small 'surface' on which to deposit your glass, pleasantly basic. 😁 I remember Mabel well, indeed, you could hardly forget her, or the atmosphere of this friendly warm wee pub, and I visited at different times of the year when I lived in Devon. This is so much an addition to places to return to, with hearty congratulations to the local folk who have kept this going, cheers m'dears! 🍺

Hoppy Beer Day Britain!

Indeed, happy Beer Day Britain 2025 (website), an annual event that has been going on for ten years now, on June the 15th every year, and instigated by beer sommelier and writer Jane Peyton, cheers Jane! The day is supported by many drinkers and organisations, including the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA), and the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA).

This day is on the same date (please forget about the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar in 1752 😉) as the signing of the Magna Carta (National Archives), which said in Article 35 "Let there be throughout our kingdom a single measure for wine and a single measure for ale..." 🍺no coincidence methinks! Of course, historically, drinking ale was generally more healthy than drinking untreated water, so the importance of beer in British society was very understandable, not to forget the importance of the public house. As I regularly say, go to a village you've never visited, look out for the church tower or spire, and the village pub, or pubs, will be nearby, although the sad loss of pubs in recent years doesn't make this so for every village now.

Whatever your favourite style of beer, raise a glass at 19.00 hours and say "Cheers to Beer!"

Cheers folks! 😁 #CheersToBeer 

June Whisky of the Month

My whisky for June is from Scotland for a change, right up in the north east and near the coast, Glenmorangie Distilliary Co (website) and their 'signature single malt' The Original 12 Years Old (40.0%). This single malt whisky is aged in white oak ex-bourbon casks for 12 years, unsurprisingly, 😉helping it to develop its colour and flavours. I've had Glenmorangie before, quite a few times actually, and the first time I drank it has special meaning for me. 

I used to always buy my Scottish Grandad a bottle of whisky for his Christmas present, if I ever deviated thinking I'd buy something a wee bit different to make it special, he hated it, so I just 'deviated' by buying different whiskies each year, for example Chivas Regal, or Glenmorangie, which I bought for him in 1996. Sadly, he died in hospital on the 25th of December 1996 after suffering a stroke a few days before, so my mother gave back to me the unopened bottle of Glenmorangie, which became the first time I ever drank it, toasting Jimmy 'Jock' Reilly, ironically, saying cheers in Scot's Gaelic, slainte mhath, means good health 😒 R.I.P. Grandad.

So, Glenmorangie for me has a special place in my memories, although what was meant for Grandad would have been the 10 years old... The 12 years old has a bright golden colour (I remember the 10 years old being paler), with vanilla and butterscotch in the aroma, a hint of fruit, orange citrus and peaches, and I could definitely smell the spirit, but it pours out smooth and very easy to drink, with butterscotch and toffee predominant to my taste, and a hint of cinnamon, apricot and citrus, with a lovely warming finish. Slainte Mhath!👍

Ale and Cider in Rye

I hadn't written for a while now about the Rye Waterworks micropub (website). If you know nothing about Rye Waterworks and its 300 years history, please read this blog I wrote soon after it opened 7 years ago; the address is Tower Street (corner with Rope Walk), Rye, East Sussex TN31 7AT. As you can see from the image above, they do sell excellent locally made scotch eggs, and local ales too, of course.

I started off with the scotch egg and the Bexhill based Three Legs Brewing Co (website) 10 Years of Pale No 3 Simcoe and Citra Edition (3.7%), which is what it is, celebratory! Indeed, a pale bitter brewed with hops from the USA, Cascade (hopslist) and Columbus (hopslist), so essentially an APA style, and dry-hopped with Simcoe (hopslist) and Citra (hopslist). Thus providing a big citrus flavour, dry but not too bitter, a very drinkable session ale, very nice!

I don't just drink pale hoppy ales, but venture onto the darker side now and then 😉 so this, the pub's brewery (website) very own 4.9% Pissoir Porter; their beers are all named with toilet puns you will notice. Very dark with hints of chocolate, coffee and nuts, this is my favourite of their ales, rich with loadsa body, 'tis pretty good, and I had the last (nearly a) pint from the cask!

Oh yes, and I also drank, from Tonbridge Brewery (website), their 4.8% India Pale Ale, I have never had a duff Tonbridge ale, and this didn't let me down. More of a traditional style IPA, though a bit paler, and brewed with First Gold (hopslist), presumably from the USA Cascade (hopslist), Keyworth Midseason (hopslist) and Target from Kent (hopslist), hops mostly from Kent and therefore not as fruity as an APA, but very tasty, very drinkable, and very good!

And a couple of ciders before I left, for 2 or 3 of my 5 a day 😉 starting off with the crystal clear 6.9% Perryhill Orchards Double Vision Cider (website). This is quite a complex cider, with a dry bitter finish, and very good indeed, nice one; they also have a less dry version. 

I finished off with just a half pint (limited time to catch train home) of a cider from Biddenden Vineyards (website), their 8.4% Dry Cider, made from culinary and dessert apples. This is what a cider should taste like, apple flavoured 😁 and so smooth and so gorgeous!

I just had enough time to take this photograph, from my platform opposite the box, of the very cute and Grade II Listed Rye Signal Box, built by Saxby & Farmer in 1894 (Historic England).

CHEERS! 🍻

McMullen & Sons Brewery - Update...

The other week I visited a McMullen's pub for the first time, the White Swan in Pimlico, London (blog) and in that blog I suggested I'd never heard of McMullen & Sons before... Well, I was in my local, the Dolphin Inn in Hastings (website) a couple of days ago, a pub I have written about many times (eg blog) and was chatting to (landlord) Mark about drinking Mac's IPA at the White Swan, and he said, go and have a look round the other end of the pub, and what should appear?!? Yes, up on the wall is the above framed award to McMullen & Sons Ltd for 'bottled ale' at the Brewers' Exhibition in London in 1930, where 800 beers were entered in total!

And I remembered this Diploma so well, and no idea why the brewer's name had slipped my memory, indeed, they've had this up on a wall in the Dolphin since before I first visited the pub over 14 years ago, until a few years ago it was up on the wall around the other end of the pub where I mostly frequent, doh! 😕 So, maybe I should write about the Brewery...

Incidentally, McMullen's, or informally, Mac's, do post on social media (eg facebook), but what about their history, I hear you ask!?! Well, they've been brewing since 1827 when it all started with Peter McMullen, they have had a number of different breweries in Hertford since then, with the present modern brewery set up in 2006, but their water supply, or liquor, has been sourced from the same chalk aquifer since 1891 (website). The brewery is still in the McMullen family (6th generation), and I do like a real family run brewery! In 1827 they were one of a dozen breweries in Hertford, but, nearly 200 years later, they are the sole survivor, quality Mac's. 👍

If you would like to know more, go to their website, cheers folks! 🍻

London - Victoria - Pimlico.

I could have entitled this blog just Pimlico, or Vauxhall Bridge Road, which I may have done if we had included a fourth pub on the day (the Jugged Hare), but for some reason I forget we didn't go there; another time! Anyhow, first up and very close to Victoria Station, was the Victoria Taps, 27 Gillingham Street SW1V 1HP (website), a Stonegate pub that's open from 10.00 every day of the week (although due to the terms of its licence you can't buy alcohol before 12.00 on Sundays), anyhow our first stop as we were there before 11.00 on Saturdays; we've been back.😉

Each time we've gone for the Fuller's London Pride (4.1%) to drink, which I've mentioned many times in blogs, but never really reviewed, I just know that when it's in form it's pretty good, but it does need to be sold quickly as it doesn't last too long in opened casks (cellar experience there folks). Brewed with English hops Target (hopslist), Northdown (hopslist), Challenger (hopslist) and East Kent Golding (hopslist), and I'd describe it as a slightly malty and bitter traditional session bitter. CAMRA (website) describe it thus: "Aromas of malt and citrus. The malty sweetness is balanced by spicy bitter hops with orange, apricot, sultanas and toffee." Oh yes, and basic bacon sandwiches are available at just £4 each before noon!

We then walked towards Vauxhall Bridge and close to it, we stopped at a McMullen's pub (never visited or drank their ales before! McMullen's website) the White Swan, 14 Vauxhall Bridge Road SW1V 2SA (website), indeed, before my first visit to the Taps I'd never visited either of these first 2 pubs before, and I used to work very close by in my yoof! The White Swan has been trading as a pub since 1759, more recently Macs took it over from Punch Taverns in 2012, and it had previously been a Watney's pub since the 1970s, and then a Scottish & Newcastle pub.

Here, and please take note that I'd never even heard of this brewery from Hertford before, despite them being 200 years old, 😕 I drank their Mac's IPA, a 4.8% East India Pale Ale. The IPA has its origins back in 1840 and is now brewed with Progress (hopslist) and Brambling/Bramling Cross (hopslist) again, both English hops, meaning it is a more traditional English style IPA rather than an APA. Consequently, it's a darker amber/mahogany colour with a slightly sweet malty flavour and with a hint of citrus only, and was not bad at all, more please! 😁

Nearer to Pimlico tube station is the Cask Pub & Kitchen, 6 Charlwood Street SW1V 2EE, a pub I have visited and written about before on my old Beermeister blog, and which has been trading in a modern building since 2009, being "London's first craft beer focussed pub" (website). The building is Grade II Listed, I kid you not, and well, have a read of London Drinker for more!

A BIG choice from 12 handpumps, and the bar staff were very knowledgeable and friendly indeed, and we went for the Dorking Brewery (website) Siris Citrus Pale (4.2%), brewed to celebrate International Women's Day 2025. It is named after the Mesopotanium Goddess of beer Siris, the suggested sister of Ninkasi, the Sumerian Goddess of Beer, and who I have written about before (blog). The difference between Sumeria and Mesopotania is described in this YouTube Video, Sumerians were Mesopotaniums, and they were situated in what is now Iraq, these were old civilizations indeed, invented the wheel amongst many other things!

Back to the ale! Siris Citrus Pale is a pale golden bitter, apparently with added grapefruit and lime zest, consequently it is packed with citrus flavours. I'd love to say Citra hops were used, but I can't find details of the hops used anywhere, although the brewery does use a wide range of hops from the USA including Citra and Chinook. Whatever, this was a delightful refreshing ale!

I will visit the Jugged Hare sometime (website), maybe next season, cheers!🍻

May Whiskey of the Month

My May Whiskey of the Month, indeed my 10th Irish Whiskey of the Month in this series, is Green Spot, a 40.0% Single Pot Still Whiskey, meaning that both malted and unmalted barley is distilled in a pot still at just the one distillery. It is distilled at the Midleton Distillery near Cork (website), where many well known Irish Distillers (website) whiskeys come from, including Jameson, Redbreast and Tullamore D.E.W. Green Spot is distilled for the wine and spirit merchants Mitchell & Son of Dublin (website), who mature this whiskey for between 7 and 10 years in new and refill bourbon casks, and then in used sherry casks.

As expected for Irish whiskeys this was triple distilled, and is a deep golden colour, with hints of orchard fruits, vanilla, honey and cinnamon in the aroma. To taste, slightly spicy at first with the hints of vanilla still there, and a sherry fruitiness, finishing off with a slightly less smooth, but warm dryness, not my favourite Irish whiskey ever but still very nice, slainte! 👍💚

Comparative Analysis of an Imperial Stout and a Pilsner!

OK, I'm being unfair saying this is a 'comparative analysis' because the beers in question are so different in styles, and despite the fact that one of the collaborators in this Imperial Stout, Gravity Well, does mostly brew paler beers, and even dry hopped pilsners! But, it's because I'd been given the opportunity to try the pilsner below (in can and from the keg gratis, many thanks to Mark and Mo of the Dolphin Inn, Hastings), and last night I just had to try the seriously stronger stout at the Jolly Fisherman in Hastings, cheers Oliver! 👍

So, to this collaboration between Gravity Well Brewing (website) and the Low Key Barrel Project (facebook), the 10.2% You Are Here Imperial Stout, described as Chocolate, Coconut, Tonka and Vanilla Brownie! Before you ask, Tonka isn't a metal toy, but a bean/spice with a vanilla flavour and hints of almond, marzipan, cinnamon and cloves (Spice Mountain). I'd only recently looked this up relating to another beer, but it does what it says on the label, rich, smooth and luxurious, and dangerously strong, yummy! 😁

And the unfair comparison is with Harvey's Brewery (website) 4.0% Pilsner, see, I said it isn't fair. 😂 They describe this as 'Prussian hopped' with Lubelski hops grown in Poland; also known as Lubelska, this is a hop variety originally developed from Saaz hops (hopslist) in the Czech Republic, it is now a 'mainstay of Polish breweries' (hopslist). Again, quite a session beer, and I'm not really a lager drinker, but I did enjoy the stronger beers I drank during the Hastings Oktoberfest at the Prince Albert last year (blog), but I was surprised as it's quite drinkable, despite the lack of strength. 😉 Indeed, quite crisp, dry and slightly bitter, and refreshing with a hint of citrus and cinnamon in the aroma and taste, not bad, cheers! 🍺

3 Brothers Drinking Together in SW19 and 2 in TW10!

Well, the 3 of us hadn't met up together as a trio for some time, and we decided again to meet up on the edge of Wimbledon Village, by Wimbledon Common. There are quite a few decent pubs in the area, but we whittled the choice down to two, a few yards from each other. The Crooked Billet (website), 15 Crooked Billet SW19 4RQ, built in the early 18th century, became a pub in the 1850s, the name coming from the pub sign that was a crooked piece of wood broken from a tree apparently, but there are many theories! Anyway, the name of this small local part of Wimbledon Common, and the road, was taken from the name of the pub; so not a chicken or egg situation. It's a pub I have visited off and on for many years, but Rob arriving last let us choose...

So, we chose the very nearby Hand in Hand, 7 Crooked Billet SW19 4RQ (website), dating back to 1831 and originally a bakery, but was a family owned pub for a hundred years before Young's took it over in 1974. Indeed, a wee bit underage maybe 😉 I first drank Ruddles County there before Young's took it over, and Ruddles Brewery was still an independent brewery then. Nowadays, like The Crooked Billet, both pubs sell guest ales in addition to Young's.  

In addition to the ales in the photograph above, there were also Sambrook's Sidekick, a 3.4% session IPA and Adnams single hopped Mosaic Pale Ale (4.1%) on the other bar. However, from the 4 shown in the photograph above, I drank, from Wandsworth brewery Sambrook's (website), their Pumphouse, a 4.2% pale ale, named after the Pump House Gallery in Battersea Park. This is brewed with 3 British hops, Admiral, Goldings, and notably Ernest, which gives it a strong fruity American style pale ale aroma and taste; light, slightly spicy with apricot and citrus. It was pretty good actually, and despite giving the always excellent Proper Job consideration, I surprised myself and kept to the more locale Pumphouse throughout our visit, nice one.

The next day just Dan and I walked across Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park to the Roebuck, 130 Richmond Hill, Richmond TW10 6RN (website), arguably the pub with the best view in London; the view is protected by an Act of Parliament of 1902! The Roebuck was built in 1717, believed to be on the site of a much older pub, and was a regular drinking hole of Dan and I in the late 1970s and 1980s, and occasionally since. It was recently tastefully refurbished by new owners Greene King, and doesn't appear much altered, if at all, from our older visits.

I was pleased that it wasn't just Greene King ales on sale though, as we enjoyed an excellent couple of pints of the Oakham Ales (website) single-hopped 4.2% 'Session IPA' Citra. Their Citra is, as you would expect, zesty with a hint of citrus in the aroma and taste, very pale, and a great dry bitter finish. An ale I love, and have written about regularly (for example blog), and would include as a luxury item on a desert island discs theme, along with a cooling system. 😉 Oh yes, and we were very pleased with our choice of lunch here, their Sharing Platter, with a portion of chips that we didn't need as it was plenty enough, even for us 2 gluttons!

The view from outside the Roebuck is one that has been painted many times, for example by J.M.W. Turner, and, as I forgot to take a photograph on the day, I thought I would share a photograph of an oil painting of the view. However, this is by a less celebrated, though very local artist, James Isiah Lewis (1861-1934), and is at Orleans House Gallery (in a villa built in the 'Palladian' style in 1710), Orleans Road, Twickenham TW1 3BL (website).

And this view hasn't changed much at all either, cheers! 😁

Oh yes, afterwards we carried on walking eastwards along the Thames to The Ship at Mortlake, the ales were a bit boring sadly, not like on a previous visit (blog)!

April Whiskey of the Month

Distilled at Slane Castle in the Boyne Valley of County Meath, and a little west of Drogheda, Slane Irish Whiskey (website) is a 40.0% Triple Casked blended whiskey. This whiskey is created using just Irish Barley, some from their own fields, then fermented in traditional wooden washbacks, then triple distilled in copper stills. After distillation, the whiskey is divided into 3 different casks for maturation: Virgin Oak casks for 'oak and vanilla' flavours, Seasoned Tennessee Whiskey casks for 'caramel, plum, banana and butterscotch' flavours, and Oloroso Sherry casks for 'raisin and spice' flavours, therein taking on the different flavours from the casks. Once matured, although I can't discover the length of time it's matured for, so I'm presuming the casks are checked methodically for taste, whiskey from the 3 casks is blended.

So, what is it like to drink? Well, it's a nice deep yellow colour with a pleasantly sweet caramel, vanilla and cinnamon aroma. Strangely not as sweet as I thought it would be to taste, but certainly I noted butterscotch, vanilla, dried fruits and sherry flavours. A smooth, surprisingly dry finish, and pretty damned easy to drink, slainte! 👍

From Euston to Fleet Street.

We again started at The Marquis Cornwallis, 31 Marchmont Street WC1N 1AP (website) for our first pint, where we met Ian this time, down from Sheffield. Although they had the excellent Thornbridge Jaipur this time, we decided it was a wee bit early to start off with, it being 5.9%, so we started off with, from Herefordshire, the Wye Valley Brewery (website) HPA (Hereford Pale Ale, 4.0%). HPA is brewed with locally grown Target (hopslist) and Celeia (hopslist), originally from Slovenia, hops, which gives the ale its citrus aroma and flavour. Very easy to drink, we had 2 pints each, and 'tis very good indeed. However, we were 'targeting' (excuse the pun) Fleet Street as our destination, at Ian's request, so walked via...

A couple of pubs, including the Grade II Listed The Lamb, 94 Lamb's Conduit Street WC1N 3LZ (website), a pub well known for, amongst other things, it's 'snob screens' around the bar, which are featured when you go onto the website, and a pub I hadn't visited for many years! Primarily a Young's pub (website), but I drank, from Cornwall, the St Austell Brewery (website) Proper Job (4.5%), the brainchild of Roger Ryman, who sadly passed away 5 years ago R.I.P. (blog), when he joined and transformed the brewery as Head Brewer in 1999.

Proper Job is brewed with Willamette (hopslist), Cascade (hopslist) and Chinook (hopslist) hops, all from the USA. Willamette was developed from the English Fuggle hop in the late 1960s, indeed, was bred to replace Fuggle for growth in the USA! Cascade hops were originally developed from the 1950s, when English Fuggle and Russian Serebrianka hops were cross-pollinated, and named after the Cascade mountain range in the West of the country, they were released in 1972, and now represent about 10% of all hops grown in the USA. Chinook hops, which began life in 1985, were developed from Petham Golding hops. Proper Job is a pale straw coloured ale, citrus fruit aroma and taste, with a dry bitter finish, and very refreshing when quaffed during warm summer days, refreshing anytime really, nice one! 👍

Next we visited the first of two Samuel Smith's Brewery of North Yorkshire (website) pubs, the Grade II Listed Cittie of Yorke, 22 High Holborn WC1V 6BN (facebook); 'Sam Smiths' with an eccentric owner, and everything for sale is theirs, including crisps, spirits, wines, whatever, and they don't like mobile phones! This was a new pub for me, it has an almost monastic feel with its wooden panelling, stained windows, and small panelled booths to sit in, very cosy, though we stood at the bar. 😉 At this, and at the last pub, we drank Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Bitter, a 4.0% traditional Yorkshire bitter. A darkish amber colour, malty flavour, quite creamy, easy to drink, not enough hops for me though, but it will always be the same methinks. 😏

Ian's request was to visit the final pub as he'd never visited before, and I hadn't visited for a few years myself, so to the historic Grade II Listed, again Samuel Smith's owned, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, 145 Fleet Street EC4A 2BP (website); the entrance is down a narrow alley off Fleet Street leading to Wine Office Court. It was rebuilt the year after the Great Fire of London of 1666, and is a warren of nooks and crannies, well worth wandering round with a glass in hand.

Cheers m'dears! 😁