Sunday 28 April 2024
Cider Week 2024 - Cider Session 1 in Rye
Monday 22 April 2024
British Cider Week 19-28th April 2024
Many thanks to Martin for making me aware of this, that we are in the middle of British Cider Week 2024 (website). I'll have to visit a couple of good cider sellers (micropubs) later this week, and I have two in mind, I'll get back to you after the weekend, cheers! 🍺
Monday 15 April 2024
Only With (more) Love!
It was as recent as September 2023 (blog) that I was last asked for my opinion of beers brewed by East Sussex (Uckfield) brewer Only With Love (website). I have written about a cask ale of theirs before (blog), but these were in tins again, although I doubt it would have made much difference regarding my analysis and opinion if they were from the pump.
So, the first beer I'm sharing my opinion of with you is their 5.9% All Star, brewed with Citra, Nelson and Galaxy hops. The selections of hops used for all these ales are very much to my taste, as I often say (sorry for boring you 😉), I do like my beers pale, dry and bitter, like me, and these are the types of hops to help provide me with my preferred taste. It was a bit too 'thick' for me, and I did my best to leave as much sediment in the bottom of the can as possible (for all 3 beers) without wasting any! They say 'hazy' but this is an understatement, it was thick. Lovely big fruity aroma, and sweetish taste, with citrus, tropical fruit, and gooseberry, and a dry finish.
One of the beers I had tried last year (blog) was a 5.0% version of their Bongo Tropic IPA (4.5% this time). Again brewed with El Dorado, Cascade, Mosaic, Citra, Sabro and Simcoe hops, this still produces a big citrus and tropical fruits aroma and taste, with a decent dry finish, and I noted 'pretty good!' However, it still could be a belter if it wasn't so thick, add some vegan friendly finings and/or adjunct and I'd be singing its praises, oh well, too pretentious for moi.😉
Sunday 7 April 2024
Another Day in Brussels!
We walked westwards into the City centre via Ambiorix Square (screen.brussels), the angle looks a bit weird in this photograph, but it's just the angle I took the image at. 😉 Oh yes, and just after passing this fountain we saw a wee drug deal, it happens everywhere, even during a quiet morning in a scenic Brussels square!
Our first port of call on this, mostly, nostalgic wander around Brussels, was to the Comic Art Museum (website), which is situated in an Art Nouveau building designed by Victor Horta in 1905. Originally a department store, it opened its doors as the museum in October 1989.
Getting closer to our first beer (and lunch) destination, we stopped briefly by La Monnaie (website), the national opera house, where a dear relative of mine sings... In addition, this is where the Belgian Revolution of 1830 first erupted. Essentially from 1815 Belgium became the Southern Netherlands following the Congress of Vienna (Britannica), and the Belgian bourgeoisie began to tire of King William I of the Netherlands, and now he had forbidden the presentation of Daniel Auber's opera La Muette de Portici at La Monnaie.
The opera included what the King considered a potentially inflammatory story of nationhood, courage and freedom, and he was correct! The opera had been banned since the 3rd of August, but it was performed on the 25th of August 1830, and its language incited the audience to riot, leave the theatre and take to the streets, soon joined by the working classes, because there were other factors, of course, including unemployment and the harvest failure. By the 4th of October 1830 independence was declared, a week after the Dutch forces retreated from Belgium.
Closer to the City centre we reached Le Cirio, Beursstraat 18, 1000 Brussels (website), next to the old Belgian Stock Exhange, La Bourse (Brussels). This is an old favourite bar of ours, originally an Italian Delicatessen founded by Francesco Cirio in 1886, the present interior was redesigned by Henri Coosemans in 1909 in the style of an Arts Nouveau Italian cafe.
Together with our tasty food in Le Cirio, we each had a beer from Hoegaarden (website), their 8.5% Grand Cru, a spicy wheat beer, which has developed since the monks of Hoegaarden started brewing in the 15th century. Hoegaarden suggest that their early wheat beers were extremely sour, and the monks began experimenting with orange peel and coriander, which comes through in the taste still, together with forest fruits, peach and pear, and slightly malty. An interesting mix of wheat beer and Tripel, with spicy undertones, still pretty good.
Just around the corner in the Grand-Place is the City of Brussels Town Hall (website), a majestic Gothic building originally built in the 15th century, but much of it rebuilt after 1695 when it was damaged by fire when French troops bombarded the City; the original tower and walls survived. I decided to buy myself a map in the Tourist Office in here for a Euro, my previous map having been lent to a friend who didn't return it, life... Interestingly, the tower and building dwarf the Duke/King's House opposite (website), guilds people being wealthier?
Then we wandered southwards and just before the Sablon we reached one of the most interesting bars you'll ever find, La Fleur en Papier Dore, Rue des Alexiens 55, 1000 Brussels (website), 'the flower made from gold foil'; it's many years since I last visited, but it hasn't changed a bit, with very friendly bar staff! It really is an 'arts' bar, created by Gerard van Bruaene and filled by artists and musicians, such as the Surrealists including Rene Magritte, and Jacques Brel. Bits and pieces here and there, much unmatched furniture, and pictures and all sorts adorning the walls, and reyt laid back! Surprisingly, I went for a pilsner as I hadn't drunk Maes for years, and it was in 40cl glasses, which amused me: Maes Pils (website), 5.2% and, well it's a pilsner, brewed with Saaz hops, and what more can I say, other than refreshing and still very enjoyable!
We carried on walking southwards where, very soon after passing Saint-Gilles' Town Hall (where my older Belgian niece's birth was registered), we reached Chez Moeder Lambic, Rue de Savoie 68, 1060 Saint-Gilles (website). This was the first of their 2 bars selling Moeder Lambic beers, and specialising in Lambic and Geuze beers (as you can see in the photograph below), and they sell many others as well as their own, indeed they stock over 300 different beers!
I drank a bottle of their very own 8.0% Moderation (I've seen it called La Moederation elsewhere), and I think Dan did too. It's not a lambic, but a very pale golden ale, refreshing and bitter, with a nice dry finish. I wrote 'between a lager and a bitter' to my taste, and not bad at all!
Oh yes, and I came back the next day, another dire travelling experience, although I did get back £32 from Eurostar, for it was their fault, cheers for now!
Friday 29 March 2024
Heralding Easter with Eostre!
Yes, Kent Brewery (website) have once again brewed a 'seasonal' Eostre (4.2%), essentially, as they say, brewed "with a full-on dose of Citra hops" (hopslist). Indeed, it is refreshing, pale, citrusy and bitter with a dry finish. Another excellent version of a Citra ale, and only what I expect from the brewery, notably grapefruit in the taste, but a hint of forest fruits too. Nice one! 👍
Monday 25 March 2024
A Day in Bruges
Many years ago, circa 25 years, I met a lad called Jannes in Sheffield, and we had a few bevvies; Jannes who came from Bruges recommended I visit Bruges, particularly for the beers and bars. Many years later I have now visited Bruges, not only encouraged by Jannes, but also after seeing the film In Bruges (YouTube). The bell tower pictured above, the 13th century Belfort (website), is at Markt 7, 8000 Bruges, and has significance comically and tragically in the film.
Our first disappointment was the 1515 Café Vlissinghe, Blekerstraat 8000 Bruges (website), the oldest continuously running café in Bruges. Disappointment only in the fact that it doesn't open Mondays and Tuesdays, we were there Tuesday, oh well...
Our final port of call on our way back to the railway station was the bar that Jannes had specifically advised me to visit, and with over 300 beers on sale here, he was certainly a good advisor! That is 't Brugs Beertje, Kemelstraat 5, B-8000 Bruges (website), where we drank Straffe Hendrik Tripel (website), 9.0% of full flavoured ale, with hints of citrus, caramel and banana, with a gentle bitter finish, nice one to end with, cheers!
Back to Brussels we eventually went...
Sunday 24 March 2024
A Day in Brussels
I did have a couple of drinks on Eurostar, sadly they no longer sell Duvel in their buffet bars, but they do sell Leffe Blonde (website), which is very nice too, but drinking on a train isn't drinking in Brussels, so... I stayed nearby at my sister-in-law and brother's flat, on the other side of the Parc du Cinquantenaire to our first bar on the day, and the first bar I ever drank in on my first visit to Belgium many many years ago (apparently changed ownership since my last visit), that is the 120 years old La Terrasse, Avenue des Celtes 1, Etterbeek, 1040 Brussels (website).
I've already been questioned by a friend about my drinking lager here, as I'm more of an ale drinker, but for me the 5.2% Jupiler pils (website) is the best pilsner there is, indeed it is the highest selling beer in Belgium with 40% of the market share! It has flavour but is refreshing and very easy to drink, and okay, it is a pilsner style lager... 😉
We wandered through the Parc du Cinquantenaire (visitbrussels) and on to Chez Bernard at the Cafe L'Espérance, in the small square at Pl. Jourdan 47, Etterbeek, Brussels 1040, with my brother diving in ahead of me in the photograph above!
It was very quiet inside, much busier outside, but we sat down with this view of the bar (above) and Dan ordered the ever-good 8.5% Duvel (website), and I drank a trappist ale, the 9.5% Westmalle Tripel (website), my favourite Belgian ale indeed.👍Indeed, I wrote about both of these beers in my blog a couple of years ago.
Monday 11 March 2024
Dark Star Brewing (& Meantime) Moving Again!
Meantime had trouble getting the formula right and Hophead again began tasting nothing like Hophead, but recently it seemed like they'd sorted it out and the quality of Hophead improved again, thankfully. But now Asahi have decided to 'maximise' again, indeed, have decided to close down the Meantime Brewery in South East London (The Drinks Business) and move all brewing to the old (Fuller's) Griffin Brewery in West London... 😣 It doesn't bode well for the future of the quality of ales with Asahi I'm afraid, although, apparently, there's some sort of plan to have a smaller brewery and brewing experience in Greenwich (The Drinks Business).
We'll wait and see what happens, it's all we can do...
Sunday 10 March 2024
The Eight Bells & Sambrook's Black Forest
My brother drank Fuller's London Pride, which he assured me was one of the best pints of Pride he's drunk for a while, and the 2 pints together came to £9.80, which is pretty good for the Fulham/Putney area. Overall, a very nice pub, pleasant service, happy bunnies, cheers! 👍
Thursday 29 February 2024
2 Excellent Pale Ales, Spoilt for Choice!
What can I say in comparison, I'd be happy to drink either in any session, cheers!
Monday 26 February 2024
London: More Serious than just a Pub Crawl, honest!
From Hyde Park Corner I crossed through Hyde Park, walked north-westerly to Victoria Gate on the Bayswater Road, where I crossed the road to Brook Street. Then walked along a short distance, ignored Hyde Park Gardens, and turned right onto Stanhope Terrace and along to a small roundabout. Here sits The Victoria (above), on the corner at 10a Strathearn Place, W2 2NH (website), a mid-19th century Grade II listed building with an original 1864 built counter and a wonderful interior indeed. Legend has it that Queen Victoria stopped here once on her way to nearby Paddington Station, oh yes, and I drank a couple of pints here too. 😉
Friendly welcome from the staff on entering the pub just after opening at 11.00. I drank Fuller's Grand Slam Spring Ale (3.4%), which the brewery says very little about on its website, so nothing to link. However, I did note at the time that it does what it says on the label, "refreshing, light gold and a subtle fruitiness, nice one" - it must have been, as I did drink 2 pints. 😉
When I left The Victoria I walked straight down Stanhope Terrace to Lancaster Gate and turned right (westwards) onto the Bayswater Road. In just a short distance I reached Leinster Terrace and turned right where, on the right, I reached The Leinster Arms at number 17, W2 3EU (facebook). The Leinster Arms is another Grade II listed mid-19th century pub, and yes, I had another wee pint. 👍
The statue of St Volodymyr (above) on the corner of Holland Park Avenue and Holland Park. Volodymyr was from Kyiv, and a major actor in bringing the Russian peoples together in the 10th and 11th centuries. He had been a 'pagan' and converted to Christianity for 2 reasons. He believed having a single deity as in Christian Byzantium (Constantinople), rather than having many pagan deities, would help the unification of the Rus' tribes, and he could only marry the sister of the Byzantine Emperor Basil II if he converted to Christianity (Encyclopedia of Ukraine).
Volodymyr successfully ensured the unification of the Rus' people, and their conversion to Christianity, and was canonized in the 13th century. However, this statue remains a symbol of Ukrainian defiance of the Russian imperialist assault on Ukraine as you can see from the photograph above, taken yesterday. Incidentally, St Volodymyr is not only the patron saint of Ukraine, but a patron saint of Russia too...
Oh yes, and I did come for football too.😉
And I was lucky with the weather, that's all for now folks, cheers!🍻
Friday 23 February 2024
Beer Festival in Hastings 23rd to 25th February 2024
Enjoy folks, and cheers Louisa! 🍻
Wednesday 14 February 2024
Belgian Beers at Christmas!
For a Christmas present for myself I bought a case of 9 Belgian beers, and a glass, from the Belgian Beer Company (website); I've deleted the email and details so cannot share how much it cost, and I can assure you I'm not being paid for this, but it must have been a reasonable deal for me to go for it! 😁 Subsequently, I'm writing this blog, a little late, to share my opinions.
The first beer I'll comment on, and I didn't drink them in this order, by the way, was from Brouwerij Haacht (website), indeed, all the beers featured in this blog are, and was their 8.5% Charles Quint Ruby Red, which was a deep dark red colour. Slightly fruity and sweet to start with, not too sweet though, and dried out to a mild bitterness at the finish. Apparently, orange peel included in the brew, which I made no note of detecting, but I quite liked it, scores 6.5/10.
Next was the Charles Quint Golden Blond, also 8.5%, and my notes say a very good 'typical' Belgian Blond. A slightly spicy aroma, a wee bit bitter with a dry finish, and, like the Ruby Red top fermented, thus an ale; and as I said, very good, so scores 8/10.
Next was the bottle-conditioned 'Abbey' Tongerlo Blond (6.0%), with a hint of honey in the aroma and a pale copper colour. This was a very gentle ale to drink and I noted that this would be "very easy to drink all day!" It was smooth and dry in the mouth, with a dry bitter finish; 7/10.
Another bottle-conditioned 'Abbey' ale, Tongerlo Prior Tripel (9.0%), comes next on my list. This was a golden colour, with plenty of body and flavour, as I'd expect from its strength. A slightly fruity taste and again I noted 'very good' but this shades it for 8.5/10.
The Ommegang (8.0%), not to be confused with the similarly named American brewery (website) was another bottle-conditioned 'Abbey' ale. Blond in colour, but a bit too sweet for me, indeed, I found it a wee bit bland too. It had a nice dry finish, but scores just 6/10
Not what I expect with Belgian beers, but the Super 8 IPA (6.0%) was a good version of an 'Indian Pale Ale' indeed! With citrus in the aroma and hints of grapefruit in the taste, this amber coloured hoppy ale was full of flavour and deceptively easy to drink and very refreshing; 7/10.
To something very different for me, the 3.4% Super 8 Cherry, formerly called Mystic Cherry. This was a wheat beer with added cherry concentrate (with no preservatives), and you can smell and taste the cherries! A big fruity aroma and taste, as you'd expect a bit sweet for me, but it would go well with dessert... Difficult for me to score but I'll suggest 6/10.
Now to the 2 bottom-fermented lagers, first the Super 8 Export (4.8%), which was a Pilsner style lager. A blond colour with a big aroma, smooth with plenty of flavour. Now, you'll appreciate I'm not a lager drinker, but I could happily drink this were I not able to get an ale, thus 7/10.
Finally, Haacht's 'premium' lager, Primus (5.2%), a pale golden Pilsner, with an aroma I associate with Belgian lagers similar to Stella, that is, Stella brewed in Leuven! 👍 A bit sweet to start off, but not too bad, I'm scoring it as 6.5/10.