Sam Smith's Organic Pale Ale!

The ciders are having to be put on the back burner until later during the week coming, because I was surprised by how much I enjoyed drinking this! Consequently, why I only took this photograph after the 550mls was drunk, because I didn't think I would be writing about it.

Not my favourite brewery, but this bottle came into my possession because a friend, Jackie, gave it to me with another 2 bottles (different), that I may just save up for Christmas time. The brewery? The oldest brewery in Yorkshire, Samuel Smith of Tadcaster (website), famed for not allowing mobile phones to be used in their pubs, and for supplying everything under their own name, crisps, spirits, wines, everything, and of course, their own beers. They've been brewing from the same brewery since 1758, using the water pulled up from their well since then too!

To this beer, Samuel Smith's Organic Pale Ale (5.0%), no idea what hops are used, as Mr Smith shares very little information, but as it's a traditional English Pale Ale, has to be English hops, and drinking the beer supports that informed guess, hardly a guess really. 😉 It has a dark amber colour, a sort of cross between copper and chestnut, not too much aroma, slightly malty, but gentle maltiness in the flavour, slightly bitter, full bodied, and very well balanced, I wrote "refreshing" and meant it, probably my favourite Sam Smith's beer I've ever drunk!

Many thanks to Jackie, and to Mr Smith, cheers! 👍

November Whiskey of the Month

I was going to save this whiskey for Christmas, but following arduous negotiations with DHL, who were delivering it from The Single Malt Shop in Dublin (from whom I bought the bottle), after the first failed attempt to deliver, apparently it arrived too late at DHL locally to be put on the delivery van that day (fair enough), I arranged another date. However, following a failed attempt to deliver my bottle just after 4.00 pm on the agreed day, I was told they were sorry, but no-one was in! 😏 I'll explain why I was a wee bit peeved, well, it was because I had agreed the delivery to go to a friend's pub, with staffing 07.00-23.30, and I was there at the time of delivery, when they found no one in! So, I again rang DHL and the lad I talked to said he could see the delivery address was a pub and that he would make sure there was a note to the driver that the delivery address was a pub. Anyway, one week after it was first meant to be delivered the package arrived, and I couldn't resist opening the bottle and, as you can see from the image above, I started drinking this whiskey a wee bit earlier than intended, my apologies for this drawn out story!

As soon as I opened the bottle I was grateful I had, but more of that in the following paragraphs. This Irish Whiskey is from an independent distillery in Skibbereen in County Cork that was set up over 20 years ago in 2003 by 3 pals since childhood. Originally they distilled in a room in one of their homes in 2 small stills they had bought from a Swiss schnapps producer, but since then they set up a much larger distilling kit in Skibbereen in 2014 and their business has expanded exponentially; this is now West Cork Distillers (website). 

Their 7-Year-Old Single Malt Whiskey (46.0%) is made using locally grown grain, which is mashed in to release the sugars, and then fermented by added yeast to the mash; a process very similar to brewing ales, and explained in much more detail on their website. The main difference with ale, of course, is then the distilling process begins, and this being an Irish Whiskey, it is triple distilled, as most are. West Cork's 7-Year-Old is then matured before bottling, adding colour, flavours and complexity; first aged for 4 years in Bodega Olorosso Sherry casks, and then for a further 3 years in first fill Bourbon casks.

So, what is this whiskey like? Aroma-wise I got an immediate sweetness in the nose like Bakewell Tart, and the taste was also sweet to start with, almonds and fruits, and an almost butterscotch caramel flavour, certainly very much the cherries and marzipan that was hinted at in the aroma. But don't be fooled by this incredibly smooth and easy to drink whiskey, because the 46.0% strength alcohol makes itself very obvious as it goes down with a lovely warming finish.

Pretty damn good, sláinte! 😁

My Beers on International Stout Day, AND Cider to Come!

I did suggest I would imbibe more dark beers for this day (blog), so I visited the nearby Eel & Bear (blog) and drank this beer whilst there (above), and took a couple of beers home with me. From The Kernel Brewery in London (website), their Export India Porter (5.6%), and I shan't go on about the difference/similarities between Stouts and Porters here, as my opinion has been shared before, eg blog; if I had tasted this 'blind' though I would have called it a stout! 😉

The Export India Porter recipe is "inspired by mid-19th century recipes from Barclay Perkins and Whitbread" beers that were transported to British service personnel stationed in India, but brewed with a 21st century touch. Each batch is different, as they use different hops in each brew, mostly fruity hops from the USA, but now and then English hops, such as Bramling Cross (hopslist), which wouldn't surprise me if used in the bottle I drank from, who knows?!? But I got fruity and roasted flavours, hint of coffee and chocolate, nice one to start the day with. 👍

I did say I would drink the Hercule from Belgium again, which I did, but shan't repeat what I've already shared in my very recent blog. At risk of repeating myself, nice one! 👍

And the second stout at home was from Dundee in Scotland, Holy Goat Brewing (website) Foehammer Imperial Stout (11.2%), "based on an 18th century recipe for Courage Russian Imperial Stout." Because it is based on a traditional recipe I'm guessing English hops are used, but the brewery doesn't share that information, and the malts dominate the flavour anyway.

The reason for 'Russian Imperial Stouts' is that Peter the Great fell in love with London stouts when he visited England in 1698, and had some sent to his court back in Russia, where it became very popular. Indeed, Empress Catherine the Great, who had married Peter's grandson and overthrew him in 1762, loved Imperial Stouts too, and this recipe is based on an Imperial Stout supplied by Courage to her. 🍺

So, what's it like? There's a hint of liquorice and chocolate in the aroma and taste, but surprisingly very gentle in the aroma. Less sweet than I thought it would be after all the chocolate stouts and porters I've been drinking recently (blog). Very dark with plenty of body, and a dry slightly bitter finish, a much more subtle stout than I thought it would be, pretty damn good, cheers! 😁

And now for cider! Hastings Old Town Cider Festival 2025 begins today (7-15 November), at 7 venues in Hastings Old Town (Hastings Sussex website):

• The Albion, 33 George Street TN34 3EA;
• The Crown, 64-66 All Saints Street TN34 3BN;
• Dolphin Inn, 11-12 Rock a Nore Road TN34 3DW;
• East Hastings Sea Angling Association, The Stade TN34 3FJ;
• First In Last Out, 14-15 High Street TN34 3EY;
• Jenny Lind, 69 High Street TN34 3EW;
• Jolly Fisherman, 3 East Beach Street TN34 3AR.

Have fun folks, cheers! 👍

Happy International Stout Day 2025!

Today, being the first Thursday in November, is International Stout Day 2025 (National Day Calendar website), unsurprisingly created to be a day on which to celebrate Stouts. Stouts appear to have developed from Porters (originally a blend of ales), a darker beer favoured by London market porters 300 years ago, before brewers started brewing Porters specifically. 'Stout' tended to be a term to describe stronger beers. Stout, as in Stout Porter, was a stronger dark brew that London's brewers developed, and what we think of today as a typical Stout style.

Technically, nowadays, Porters are brewed using dark malts, and are usually a very deep, very dark red in colour if you put your glass up to the light, whereas Stouts are brewed using Roasted Barley in the mash too, and are black or very dark brown, notably brown in the colour of the head. Of course, I've drunk different brewers' Stouts, Porters, and strong Dark Milds, that taste as you would expect one of the other styles to taste, but, for me, I would define the Stout from the roasted barley taste, though no doubt many would argue with me. 😉

Whatever, enjoy a stout beer today; indeed, I'll be off soon to enjoy a Hercule (see blog for other dark beers I've recently drunk), cheers m'dears! 🍺

Image thanks to vecteezy.com, cheers! 👍

Eight Dark Beers Imbibed During October, Plus One!

First I must apologise for the quality of a few of these photographs, the lighting wasn't perfect, that's the reason, not an excuse. I should have used more lighting, so my fault, but the time of the day some were taken was when I was winding down, so this is what you get. 😉

I'm starting with the Hercule as I want that image to head this blog, then I'm going from the weakest to the strongest of the others, then... Anyway, brewed by Brasserie des Legendes (originally Brasserie des Ellezelleloise, changing its name when it merged with Brasserie des Geants in 2006, when they became one Brasserie des Legendes) in Irchonwelz in Belgium (website), their 9.0% Hercule Stout, named after the fictional detective Hercule Poirot. Hercule is brewed with locally grown barley in the grist, the brewery gives no hint of the hops used, unless the name of the beer provides a clue, and the beer came out of the bottle incredibly lively, hence the large head. It is a very deep dark reddish brown in colour, with hints of liquorice, coffee and chocolate in the aroma. To taste, slightly sweet at first, I got more dark fruits in the taste than others I have spoken to, but with a dry slightly bitter, maybe tart, finish, nice one! 

The next ale was brewed in Southwold, East Suffolk, for Marks & Spencer, by Adnams Brewery (website), their 4.2% Winter Ale, and I believe this is brewed specifically for M&S, so an original beer and not a re-badge. Brewed with First Gold hops (hopslist); I saw someone suggest orange and lemon peel in the recipe, but the fruitiness is more likely from the malt and hops. Indeed, a very fruity beer, deep dark red, they suggest on the label "fruit cake and prunes" in the taste, and tasty indeed. Not bad at all, I may just get a couple of bottles for over the Christmas hols.

Now I come to an interesting collaboration between Yorkshire breweries Northern Monk (website) and Timothy Taylor's (website), Northern Rising, a 4.4% 'Draught Unity Stout' brewed to compete with nitro keg beers like Guinness, but also brewed for cask at Timothy Taylor's. The hops used are traditional English hops Fuggle (hopslist) and East Kent Golding (hopslist). From the can, very smooth and creamy, sweet to start off with, very dark chocolate dominating the taste, but with a dry finish, and another not bad at all beer.

Another brewed for M&S, from Siren Craft Brew of Wokingham near Reading (website), comes a 5.1% Chocolate Porter, brewed with cacao nibs and vanilla pods added; no sharing of the hops used by the brewery though. This is a bit more subtle, aroma and taste, than many of these chocolate stouts and porters, very dark colour and subtle chocolate taste, sweet at first (lactose added methinks), but dries out with a gentle bitter finish, pretty good!

Next, from Buxton in Derbyshire, comes Silent Brew (facebook) Game's Gone, and a draught beer this time! I've seen this described as a "pastry stout" and as a "chocolate brownie stout" 😕 and another brewery not divulging the hops used. Whatever, it is a very good 'stout' tasting of chocolate with a hint of vanilla and a dry finish, my notes say "lovely!" 👍

More local for me, from East Sussex, the Long Man (website) Panettone Chocolate Stout (6.4%), which does what it says on the can, it is "rich and indulgent" indeed. 👍 Another that adds cacao nibs and vanilla pods to the brew, and that the brewer doesn't divulge hope used. I've already said what it's like, it does what it says on the can, very drinkable indeed!

From outside Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire comes Vocation Brewery (website) and their 8.0% Caramel Cookie Chocolate Stout, "naughty and nice" they say. Well, another brewer apparently unhappy to share which hops are used, but that's OK, as the main ingredients for flavour in these beers described today are the malts used, and the odd added ingredients. Similarly, does what it says on the tin, big chocolate aroma, and in the taste definitely chocolate aplenty, a hint of caramel and biscuit, rich and luxurious, another nice one.

My penultimate beer reviewed in this blog is from London, the capital city of England (and Britain) and Gravity Well Brewing (website) and their 11.0% Makkuro Imperial Stout. Well, the brewers emphasise the flavours coming purely from the malts used, with no added ingredients, other than the usual malt, water, yeast and hops (don't ask!), although the brewery apparently owns up to usually adding stuff to their brews, cacao nibs or whatever, but NOT for this brew, so the 4 beer ingredients only. And why would anyone expect anymore needed to be added? Chocolate is big in the taste, not so much in the aroma, and I wrote "very easy to drink and luxurious!!" Indeed, I added two exclamation marks to my notes, I was that impressed, cheers! 😁

 

Finally, had with my lunch today, and this is the "plus" 😁 a 6.2% "stellar stout" brewed in the capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh, by Vault City Brewing (website), MINI M*RS, "paying homage to the mighty m*rs bar." And my, with a hint of caramel, this is packed full of chocolate coming from the malts used and the "mountains of cacao nibs" added to the brew! Very dark brown colour, virtually black, almost too sweet, but not quite, rich and plenty of body. No idea of the hops used (not shared by the brewer), but a luxurious beer indeed. 👍

Plus plus, together with Neon Raptor of Nottingham (website) they have brewed a stronger version in the past, a 15.5% DDF M*RS BAR Imperial Stout (Vault City), one for the future if it ever makes a return, maybe!?! 😲 Cheers m'dears!!

Beermeister Abroad: in the USA!

 

This blog includes information and photographs shared with me by my brother (he doesn't want his face included so you'll just see bits of him in this blog 😉) and by his wife Shirin, many thanks to them as I haven't crossed the Atlantic for many years! The image above with Beermeister cap was taken earlier in the year on the opposite side of the U.S.A. to where the rest of the photographs were taken (except that immediately below) with Tom's Restaurant (website) in the background, used as the outside of the fictional Monk's Cafe in the television comedy series Seinfeld (youtube). Also the inspiration for Suzanne Vega's song Tom's Diner (youtube).

The first cap is an older model, I no longer have that domain, but the latest Beermeister cap is in the image immediately above, crossing over to Gibraltar from Africa, they do get around! 😉

So, to Dan and Shirin's more recent visit to the U.S.A. where they started off in California and drove up the West Coast and back. I'm not sure of the route they took exactly, but I'm recreating it as from North to South when dealing with the breweries, beers and bars below. The photograph above includes Mount Shasta, California, in the background (website).

Bar-wise (and brewery-wise) I'm starting with Fort George Brewery (and Pub), 1483 Duane Street, Astoria, Oregon 97103 (website), excuse the lighting in these images, they arrived quite late in the day I believe, and consequently were hungry, see next image! 😁 

And so a hearty meal was enjoyed, plus a glass or two of Fort George 3-Way IPA (7.0%); more of further down, as 4 cans were brought back as part of their gift for me, cheers! 👍

Whilst in Astoria they also visited the, very close by, Astoria Brewing Company, 144 11th Street, Astoria, Oregon 97103 (facebook); either earlier in the day, or on another day (as it's brighter in this photograph). Here, whilst overlooking the Columbia River, Dan drank the Astoria IPA (6.8%), brewed with Citra (hopslist) and El Dorado (hopslist) hops, consequently packed with citrus and tropical fruit flavours, and enjoyed immensely I'm told! 👌

The next 4 photographs were taken back in California at Kern River Brewing Company, 13415 Sierra Way, Kernville CA 93238 (website), including the 2 colourful hanging tin advertising signs shown above (Isabella Blonde) and below (IPA).

Shirin drank the Kern River Lovely Kettle Sour (4.7%). I cannot find out what hops are used in the brew, but it appears it's flavoured with raspberries. Shirin described it as "quite light, tart and fruity, and delicious" - she obviously enjoyed it, cheers Shirin! 🍷

Dan drank the Kern River Lhazy River IPA (7.0%), brewed with Mosaic (hopslist), Citra (hopslist), and Amarillo (hopslist), hops. Look at those hops! Consequently very fruity, including orange and mango, 'hazy' as described in the title, and a 'New England' style of IPA. Dan told me he enjoyed it, as people will be aware I'm not a hazy beer drinker, but hey ho! 😏

The next beer was imbibed outside a bar at Venice Beach, Los Angeles, they didn't tell me the name of the bar when sending the photograph, oh well, never mind, but I do know the beer and its origin! It was from Old Stump Brewing Co of Pomona, California (website), and their 5.8% slightly hazy Mosey Cat IPA, brewed with Mosaic hops (hopslist), after which it is named. Another 'New England' style of IPA and, unsurprisingly, knowing that hop, very fruity.

Finally, I reach the beer I have actually imbibed, and alluded to above, Fort George (website) 3-Way IPA (7.0%), a collaboration with 2 other breweries, apparently each year they collaborate with 2 different breweries and uses different recipes. 2025 is a collaboration with Mirage Beer of Seattle (website) and Sunriver Brewing of Oregon (website).

The 2025 3-Way IPA is brewed with Krush aka HBC 586 (Yakima Chief Hops), Waimea (hopslist), and Nelson Sauvin (hopslist) hops; the website also suggests hops including Columbus (hopslist) and Strata (Indie Hops) are used too. Another 'New England' style IPA, but I carefully poured the beer out of the can, so it wasn't as hazy for me; if you enjoy hazier beers I suggest shaking the can when there's just a wee bit of beer left in it for full lumpiness 😉Anyway, it was packed full of citrus and tropical fruitiness, with a nice slightly bitter dry finish, I liked it! 

You should have noticed that I drank the 3-Way IPA out of another pressie from Dan and Shirin, a Kern River glass, many thanks once again bro and sis, cheers m'dears! 🍻

And A Couple More...

That is, a couple more cans 😉beginning with one from Brewdog (website), and their 4.3% Wingman, "The Eagle has Landed" Session IPA, brewed with Ahtanum (hopslist), Chinook (hopslist), Citra (hopslist), Mosaic (hopslist), Simcoe (hopslist), and HBC 692 (Yakima Chief) hops. With those hops you would expect plenty of flavour, and you would be right. 👍 Pale golden, with a big fruity aroma, notably pineapple and grapefruit, and tasting of tropical and citrus fruits, in particular peach and grapefruit, light and dry, with a bitter finish, not bad at all. 😁

AND, another AF beer in a tin, this one from Beavertown (website), their 0.3% Lazer Crush Alcohol Free IPA, brewed with Amarillo (hopslist), Azacca (hopslist), and Citra (hopslist) hops. Similarly, you would expect plenty of flavour with those hops, despite the lack of strength, and potentially lack of body, but I was quite surprised! It comes out of the can slightly cloudy, is very pale, and has a big fruity aroma, and grapefruit/lemon citrus taste, with a dry refreshing crisp finish. I wrote "not bad actually" and the best alcohol free IPA/APA I've had, cheers folks! 👍