Iron Pier Brewery

I've reviewed these beers before, but again given 2 cans of beers from Iron Pier Brewery in Kent (website) to review. I didn't take photographs individually in a glass, but just now took this photograph of the empty cans before they go into the recycling bag. The Cast Iron Stout (4.7%), is based on a Victorian recipe, brewed with 7 different malts, and Admiral (hopslist) and First Gold (hopslist) hops. The roasted malts produce hints of coffee and chocolate, and citrus fruits in the taste, slightly sweet to start with but with a dry bittering finish. The colour is very dark and to me this is what a stout should be like, plenty of body, smooth and warm, and very easy to drink; if you haven't already read it, see this blog explaining my thoughts on stouts and porters.👌

Their 4.2% Session IPA, is now brewed with a slightly different hop combination since my last taste (2 fewer types included), indeed, but still with Sultana aka Denali (Charles Faram), and Citra (hopslist) and Columbus (hopslist), and yes, still producing what I expected... A big fruity aroma with citrus, forest and stoned fruits in the flavour, another American style IPA, an APA, with a dry fruity finish too, and absolutely gorgeous, cheers m'dears! 😁

Peanut's at the Vat and Fiddle!

Yes, literally, a cat called Peanut keeps turning up at a pub and brewery 33 miles away from his home, he loves the ambience and company, apparently... He first turned up there on the 9th of July, after being missing from his home in Lincolnshire for 6 days already, apparently enjoying his first birthday at the pub, the Vat and Fiddle in Nottingham (website). He was reunited with his owners after it was realised that he was 'chipped' but he returned to the pub again within 3 days of going missing a second time (BBC). It is a complete mystery how he travels between the 2 places, but he certainly remembered the way back, don't be surprised if he returns yet again! 

I have a long history with Tynemill and Castle Rock Brewery (website) going back to well before I started blogging, indeed my local pub 25 years ago is one of theirs, the New Barrack Tavern in Sheffield (website), although it wasn't owned by Castle Rock on my first visit there 30 years ago, but acquired since. I got on really well with their manager and his wife, and have a Castle Rock polo shirt given to me by them, without having the necessary points (they run a loyalty scheme). And I first visited the Vat and Fiddle towards the end of the last millennium, before going to a football match at Nottingham Forest with my then wife, where on that occasion we met another friend we've both kept as a friend since, Paul. So, Castle Rock, and I have mentioned their ales before, have made quite an impression on my life, a bit like Peanut's life! 🐱

Castle Rock Brewery do brew some excellent cask ales, including the 2 you are most likely to see around the country, Harvest Pale and Elsie Mo, and I have written about their ales before, for example on my older blog. The Harvest Pale (3.8%) is a very light and very drinkable citrussy session ale, brewed with Centennial (hopslist), Cascade (hopslist) and Chinook (hopslist) hops. The Elsie Mo is a stronger 4.7% golden ale, still very citrussy but more complex, and very drinkable too, and brewed with First Gold (hopslist), Challenger (hopslist), and Slovenian Aurora (hopslist) and Bobek (hopslist) hops. Look out for them, cheers! 😁

Image from the Vat and Fiddle facebook page.

Excellent Tonbridge Cask Ales & Real Cider

I hadn't visited for a while, and yesterday I decided it had been too long! So I caught the train to Rye and had a few drinks in the Rye Waterworks micropub, Tower Street (corner with Rope Walk), Rye, East Sussex TN31 7AT (website). If you know nothing about the Rye Waterworks (ales and ciders available yesterday shown in the image above, although another ale filled that gap, but I forgot to make a note of it, apologies), and the building's 300 years history, please read this blog I wrote soon after the pub opened 6 years ago. 

I drank 2 beers I hadn't had before from the getting better and better in my estimation, Tonbridge Brewery (website), starting off with their 4.2% Blonde Ambition, well, 2 pints of it actually, it was that good I had to make sure. 😉 All their ales are vegan friendly, and clear as a bell, I thank you Tonbridge for being yet another brewery showing that you don't have to be lazy to brew suchlike! Tonbridge tend to use English hops a lot, in this instance First Gold (hopslist) and Challenger (hopslist), providing just a hint of orange to this pale dry bitter ale, very good indeed!

The second new ale to me from Tonbridge Brewery was their Velvet Raven, a 5.2% Stout, which is certainly what I would call a stout, despite its deep red colour suggesting a porter (see blog). Again, bewed with English hops, Northdown (hopslist), Fuggle (hopslist) and Kent grown Bullion (hopslist). There was a subtle aroma of coffee, with a spicy/fruity taste, and hints of liquorice, coffee and chocolate, finishing off quite dry and bitter, good stuff! 👍

I finished off with a cider from Biddenden Vineyards (website), their 8.0% Dry Cider, made from culinary and dessert apples; it looks a wee bit below a pint because the glass had been brim filled nd I didn't want to spill any! 😉 This is what a cider should taste like, but so smooth, gorgeous!

Great company and staff... Cheers folks! 🍎🍏🍺