More Only With Love

Once again I have been asked by friends to sample 4 beers from Sussex brewery Only With Love (website), it's a hard life. 😁 I begin here with my favourite of the ales Big Bongo, a 6.0% New England IPA. Their beers are all vegan friendly, mostly hazy/cloudy except the lager, and regular readers will know I'm not particularly fond of cloudy beers, I prefer beers to be clear for many reasons, mostly 'cleaner' flavours. Anyway, Big Bongo is brewed with Citra (hopslist), El Dorado (hopslist), Mosaic (hopslist), Sabro (Yakima Valley) and Simcoe (hopslist) hops, which together with the strength tells you there will be a BIG fruity aroma and taste, mostly tropical fruits but citrus too. Big Bongo has a slightly dry and bitter finish, is very tasty and is pretty good!

Second, its not so strong sibling Bongo Tropic IPA (4.5%). Also brewed with Citra (hopslist), El Dorado (hopslist), Mosaic (hopslist), Sabro (Yakima Valley) and Simcoe (hopslist) hops, this still produces big citrus and tropical fruits in the aroma and taste, with a decent dry finish, unsurprisingly thinner when compared to its bigger sibling! However, similarly, it 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. 😉

Third, and sold as a "Hazy Session Pale" their Hoopla (4.0%), brewed with Citra (hopslist) and Motueka (hopslist) hops. The hops again producing tropical fruit flavours and aroma, with a hint of citrus, dry slightly bitter finish, not bad, but cloudy, see Bongo above! 😣

Fourth is their 4% 'Helles Lager' Banger, brewed with Saaz (hopslist) and Mandarina Bavaria (hopslist) hops. Pale and clear (Beer Guide behind it obvious in the image!), although it was a wee bit darker than I expected, but quite dry and with a subtle fruitiness in the taste, gluten free and it's 'vegan friendly' too, but nice and clear, see, it can be done! 👍 I'm not a lager drinker as such, but I do like some of the European beers, notably from Bavaria, and I noted that the Banger was "good" again! Indeed, I can be unpredictable in my opinions... Prost! 🍺

Sheffield Visit Part 1 - Kelham Island

I visited both of these pubs, around the corner from each other in the Kelham Island area (Welcome to Sheffield), twice when I very recently was in Sheffield, on my own, and with friends Jeff and Lindsay the second time, hence 2 different drinks at each. First, the Kelham Island Tavern, or KIT, many of us still use the term KitCat when going to drink at the Fat Cat (below) as well as the KIT. The Kelham Island Tavern, 62 Russell Street S3 8RW (instagram), built in the 1830s, was a derelict building when Trevor and Lewis took it over, they then refurbished and reopened it in 2002. It became the best real ale pub in the country, indeed, they won the National CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2008 and 2009, and have won many other awards since. Although now retired, I believe Trevor still owns the property, but now the licensee is Josh, and still winning awards, including being the current CAMRA Sheffield Pub of the Year, congratulations! 👍

You will notice I drank 2 of the Blue Bee ales (website) there, indeed, Josh also works with another friend of mine, Peter the Brewer, at the brewery, busy lads, the two businesses are closely related, and the KIT is effectively the Blue Bee Brewery Tap. So, first visit I drank their 90th version of the 4.3% American Five Hop (#90), always brewed with Columbus hops (hopslist) as the bittering hop, and for this edition Citra (hopslist), Strata (Indie Hops), Dolcita (Yakima Chief) and Ekuanot (Yakima Chief). Another excellent balance of hop varieties used, pale dry, subtle fruits, with a dry finish, quality again, and at just £4.00 a pint, cheers! 😁

Served on both visits to the KIT by the friendly barkeep Alex, and not to forget that the KIT uses oversized lined glasses, so you always receive a full 20 fluid ounces pint, nice one! The evening before I had been drinking with Peter the Brewer who recommended I try his recently brewed 3.9% Motueka Nectaron Pale, brewed with New Zealand hops Motueka (hopslist) and Nectaron (Charles Faram). Another pale golden wonder, with hints of tropical and citrus flavours, with a dry bitter finish, nice one, cheers for the recommendation Pete! 👍

They sell a dozen ales here, in addition to those 2, also from Blue Bee was their 4.0% Bessemer Blonde and 4.3% Parkwood Porter. Other cask ales available on the day were the 4.3% Abbeydale Moonshine (website) and 3.8% Acorn Brewery Barnsley Bitter (website), both regular ales I believe. Also, 3.4% Left Handed Giant Dark Mild (website), 4.3% Pictish Brewing Alchemists Ale (website), 4.3% Abbeydale Sunsprite Rose (website), 4.5% Verdant Brewing (website) Future You (superbawines), 4.7% Red Willow Idaho 7 The Dank (website) and 5.5% Elusive Brewing Final Boss (Stage 1) Simcoe (website). 

To The Fat Cat (website), 23 Alma Street S3 8SA, and people who know me or have read previous blogs, will know that when I was a post-grad student I worked at the associated Kelham Island Brewery. The pub was an original in Sheffield, and virtually throughout the country, when it was bought as the Alma in 1981 by Dave Wickett and his colleague Bruce to provide an alternative to the big brewers, providing an outlet for independent brewers. After separating their business interests, Dave continued with the pub and set up a microbrewery in a shed behind the pub. A bigger brewery was built in 1990, where I worked 1999/2002, and seen behind and to the right of the pub in the photograph above. Sadly, the brewery is no longer in use, but more recently, a group of lads bought the name and are brewing separately at Thornbridge Brewery (website), and I can confirm their ales have improved significantly recently.

Anyway, what did I drink in the Cat? My solo visit saw me drink, from solar-powered Twisted Oak Brewery in North Somerset (website), their 4.2% Creation, brewed with Mosaic (hopslist) and Simcoe (hopslist) hops. This is a U.S. style pale ale with hints of tropical fruits in the aroma and taste, but with citrus fruits more dominant, and with a refreshing dry bitter finish, very pleasant.

I drank outside in their garden, this was the view from my seat, and the original Kelham Island Brewery used to be in the small shed you can just see part of to my left, how did the brewers cope in it?!? 😓 I stayed in the shade and enjoyed the Creation, ambience and butterflies. 🌺

When I returned with the lads, I drank, from West Yorkshire brewery Tigertops (website), their 4.5% Godiva, a 'Fresh Hop IPA' (an alternative name for Green Hop, so I'm guessing this was brewed quite a while ago) and brewed, well I never, with Godiva hops, a variety developed in England (Charles Faram). A more subtle mixture of tropical and citrus flavours in the aroma and taste, pale, dry and bitter, and not bad at all, cheers! 🍻

More Sheffield pubs and ales coming very soon in Part 2. 😁

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! 👍

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...

2 Rather Good IPAs and a bit more!

I couldn't believe it when I saw this on sale in Morrisons, but a 500ml bottle conditioned Thornbridge (website) Jaipur (5.9%). This superb version of an IPA with many hops from the USA, that are Chinook (hopslist), Centennial (hopslist), Ahtanum (hopslist), Simcoe (hopslist), Columbus (hopslist) and Cascade (hopslist). This is an excellent pale golden ale, with plenty of tropical fruits, grapefruit and citrus in the aroma and taste, with a dry bitter finish. I once had a few pints of a dry hopped cask conditioned version of this at the University Arms in Sheffield, when my old friend Mike Pigeon was the manager there, that was a bit special too, quality! 👍

Easily found at Marks & Spencer is their 4.9% Citra IPA, which is brewed by Oakham Ales (website), in the middle of Oakham's 4.6% bottled Citra and the bigger hitting 6.0% Green Devil, all brewed as single hopped ales, the hop being the excellent Citra, unsurprisingly (hopslist). Anyway, to the 4.9% M&S version, which has a big citrus aroma and taste, and paler than the Jaipur, with a lovely crisp dry bitter finish, very good indeed! Oh yes, and not forgetting... 😉

Have a guess what I was drinking yesterday in the Dolphin Inn in Hastings Old Town, yep, the wonderful session ale that is the  4.2% cask conditioned version of Oakham Citra! Not much to add really, does what it says on the label, and I can't remember it in better form, excellent!  😁

Cheers Ears! 🍻

The Dolphin Inn, 11-12 Rock a Nore Road, Hastings TN34 3DW (website).

The University Arms, 197 Brook Hill, Sheffield S3 7HG (website).

Back to beers in a can...

Okay, I tend to prefer beer from bottles than cans (and from cask even more!), it's probably just psychological, but I bought this lot and, probably because both are very hoppy, and because I haven't had a proper cask-conditioned pint for ages, however, I quite enjoyed them both, or all 8, depending on how you look at it... 😉

I'll deal with the Derbyshire brewers Thornbridge (website) and their 5.9% Jaipur first. I came upon this brewery's ales when I was up in Sheffield and they'd just started up, I seem to recall that my old boss at Kelham Island Brewery (Dave Wickett R.I.P.) was involved somehow. Anyway, many stories and anecdotes about this fine ale, including once drinking it, cask-conditioned, at the University Arms in Sheffield, when Mike Pigeon was manager there (I believe he has since worked for Thornbridge as area manager, but haven't seen him for quite a few years), anyhow, the story here is that it was dry-hopped in the cask, and marvelous!

So how did it compare from the can? Well, as I said, it seems like eons since I have been drinking cask ale, and maybe even 2 or 3 months since I've had Jaipur cask-conditioned at The Tower in Hastings/St Leonards/Bohemia, so difficult to really compare to memory, but... well, let's first look at how it is brewed, and the 6 varieties of hops included! Ahtanum, Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Columbus and Simcoe is the wonderful group of hops used for this pale golden ale. It has a fair amount of body, as you would expect, a big fruity citrus aroma and taste, with a dry bitter finish that makes this an excellent and refreshing beer.

Like Jaipur, the American brewery Lagunitas (website) beer is described as an IPA (India Pale Ale), but not the traditional IPAs that were sent out to the Raj in India, when English hops were used in strong bottled ales, no, both of these use American hops, so really in the more modern APA style ('American Pale Ale'), paler and fruitier, but still usually strong and gorgeous!

I have written about Lagunitas before (eg this blog a couple of years ago), but I've usually only had it in bottles, but it was okay in cans too. It is reckoned that 43 hops are used in the brewing, I'm presuming they pick from 43 different types of hop for each brew length, because the tin only mentioned 5 hops, ie Cascade, Emperor, Eroica, Horizon and Pathetique, and there was plenty of flavour from that lot, I can tell you! A golden IPA, with a big fruity aroma, a nice full body, dominated by a citrus flavour with a hint of malt, starts off slightly sweet, but quickly bringing in bitterness and a lovely crisp dry finish, and another refreshing beer indeed!

Maybe I shouldn't be enjoying drinking beer at home, but I really did enjoy both, cheers!

Return to Rye Waterworks...

Well, I didn't walk there and back this time, indeed, a quiet Friday and it seemed a good time to catch the train back to Rye (£6.30 cheap day return from Hastings, not bad) and revisit the Rye Waterworks micropub (facebook) on the corner of Tower Street and Rope Walk, TN31 7AT. Not much more work on the building to do for David now, I imagine, just the usual upkeep, and no doubt he has many small alterations he wants to make here and there! Anyway, I wrote about the history of this lovely cool wee building before, so, if you haven't already read it I suggest you go to my previous blog, cheers!

This was the array of beers and ciders I was presented with even before entering the building, so a good time to talk about what I had to drink, regular readers will know I prefer pale hoppy ales, but, as you can see, there is a good variety of traditional bitters, darker ales, and ciders too. I went for 3 of the ales again on this visit... From Hopfuzz of West Hythe (website), and remember, David sources his beers from a 20 mile radius of Rye, I began with their 3.6% Fallout, a golden session bitter, with a slight maltiness and hints of fruits, starting off with a sweetness to the taste, but a nice bitter finish. Not a bad start at all...

Then I moved on to the stronger ale from Romney of New Romney (website), their 5% American Pale, slightly darker golden/amber, does what it says on the label, apparently using American hops that may change between brews, eg they have so far used Azacca, Citra, Summit and Simcoe hops in their brews. I'm guessing they hadn't used Citra in this brew, at least I didn't detect any hints, this ale had much more body, as you'd expect, a little bit too sweet for me at first taste, but certainly dries out with a nice bitter finish, getting there...

Before I go on to the third ale of the day I'll quickly mention that David is now providing local gins for customers too, a selection of which arrived just after I wandered in; and included Tom Cat Dry Sussex Gin (website), Chapel Down Bacchus Gin (website), and Mayfield Sussex Hop Gin (website). I'm also aware that David is also seeking out local producers of perry, indeed, as I write, so there's even more to look forward to...

Oh! And remember that I told you in my previous blog that, basically, if it's not nailed down, all the furniture and curios at Rye Waterworks are for sale, consequently every time you visit you are likely to be witnessing a slightly different micropub. See the image below for a comparison from the last time I visited, similar view/different furniture.

Oh yes, and my final ale, well actually I had more than just the one pint of it, but I do like their regular pale session bitter, from The Three Legs of Broad Oak (website), that is the 3.7% Pale. I haven't written much different in my notes this time: "pale golden, lovely, dry and bitter, fruity aroma and taste, very nice!" And with a smiley face too 😊

Anything else to add? Well I ate one of their locally produced (that morning!) Scotch Eggs (please look away of you're vegetarian), it was nice, tasty and large, and served up with English Mustard and/or a very locally produced spicy chutney, indeed, made by David's next door neighbour I seem to remember him saying, both Scotch Egg and Chutney were quite delicious!

I must have enjoyed myself, because I stayed for a few hours, cool inside on a hot day, nice ale and food, and plenty of pleasant company and dscourse...

Finally, for today, David told me that, due to the huge number of charities that keep asking for support or wanting him to display their collection boxes, he has chosen just the one local charity as the defined charity of Rye Waterworks, ie Little Gate Farm (website), which "helps adults and children with Learning Disabilities and Autism." Nice one, cheers again David!

Great Pale Bitters Recently Imbibed!

Since I last posted about good pale hoppy bitters, I've tasted quite a few more, and pretty excellent ones too, including this 'American Pale Ale' from Beat Ales of Bristol (website). Rockabilly is a 5.3% pale golden ale, as you'd expect from the label, with plenty of body and plenty of fruit in the aroma. It has a bitter dry finish, quite strong and I noted "pretty damn good!" which says it all really, much enjoyed by me.

Next, from Welsh brewers Bragdy Conwy (website) is their 4.4% California, a 'Citrus Blonde', a pale golden bitter, slightly sweet start with a fruity flavour and hints of grapefruit in the aroma and taste. Another ale with a dry bitter finish, a quality long-term readers will appreciate I value, though not to everyone's taste. Me? I loved it, why else write about it!

OK, Kent Brewery (website), you can guess where they're based, supplied a more refreshing ale than I expected from the writing on the pump clip, the 4.5% Simcoe. This is a single hopped ale, simcoe being the hop used, this really does say it all on the label! Although I didn't get 'earthy', and would never have guessed 'pine' from a blind taste, but I did get grapefruit in the aroma and taste, and a nice dry bitter finish, nice one. I'll have to write about a greater variety of ales next time, but this blog is about my personal favourites, there you go!

I've had two great ales from more local to me, East Sussex brewer Franklins (website), both of which I've written about before, hence just the one photograph. First, their 4.4% Resurrection is my favourite of the two, probably helped by the hops, amarillo, galaxy, centennial and citra all used! Grapefruit in the aroma and taste, a very pale golden colour, and very nice, thank you! 

The second is their stronger 5.5% pale amber bitter, North Shore IPA, which has a hint of caramel in the taste, plenty of body as you'd expect from the strength. The New Zealand hop rakau is used and delivers a fruity aroma and taste, hint of peach and a slight sweetness which dries out at the finish becoming a bitter aftertaste, another goody.

And from Derbyshire (I'm traversing the country here!) Shiny Brewing (website) came up with another stunner, the 5.3% Disco Balls, even the pump clip is very 70s! Obviously plenty of hops used for this golden bitter, which has a nice fruity aroma, fruity taste, mango and peach, with a hint of citrus, slightly sweet at first and dries out, but not overly bitter, and very more-ish!

From Scotland now, and please excuse the image, I have no idea how it went wrong, probably shook when I took it! Fallen Brewing (website) and their quiet excellent 5.4% Grapevine (subtitled New World Pale). Hops galore used in this: magnum, citra, wai-iti, hallertau blanc and ekuanot, from the 'new world' obviously, so plenty of everything really! A  golden amber colour with a big fruity aroma and good body. Citrus, mango, lychee and peach detected in the taste, very bitter and very dry, you'd either love it or hate it, me? Quote: "gorgeous!"

Finally, for today, from Sheffield brewer Kelham Island (website), where I worked part-time whilst undertaking my PhD research, their 4.3% Easy Rider, which just seems to get better and better! Pale golden bitter, hints of citrus, so very refreshing, an excellent quaffing bitter, cheers!

International Beer Day Celebrated!

I celebrated International Beer Day 2017 in Hastings, first drinking the Sussex brewer Arundel (website) Maltravers Street: Session IPA at the Jenny Lind pub in the High Street, Hastings 'old town'. This 4.2% pale golden ale had a tremendously fruity aroma and citrus flavours, provided by Mosaic and Simcoe hops, with a very nice dry bitter finish, great stuff!

Down towards the fishermen's beach, Rock-a-Nore Road, and a visit to the Dolphin Inn opposite the net huts, and my second ale was from further afield Yorkshire brewers, Revolutions Brewing Co, whose ales names appear to have a musical influence (website). This was a slightly stronger extra pale ale, the 4.5% Switch #4, not quite as fruity in taste as the Maltravers Street, but still with a strong fruity aroma from the Cascade and Centennial hops used. It took a few days to settle and clear, but it was a lovely well-conditioned, and very refreshing, bitter ale with a slightly dry finish, not bad at all!

So, two great pale ales, with an influence from the USA, notably, from the hops used, a very happy International Beer Day was had, indeed, cheers!

More great ales, oh dear, cheers!

I'll start off with 2 pale bitters, OK, they're all pale bitters, 😉from The Park Brewery in Kingston upon Thames (website), the theme of their ales being Richmond Park, obviously. First, their 4.4% Gallows Gold, brewed with Simcoe and Cascade hops, providing a big fruity aroma with tropical and citrus flavours, with a great dry bitter finish. I liked this a lot, but... 

Spankers IPA (5.4%), like Gallows Gold but with knobs on! Brewed with three of the 'C' hops, Chinook, Columbus and Centennial, you'd expect citrus flavours and aroma, and you wouldn't be wrong, an enormous citrus aroma, and grapefruit ++ in the flavour, loadsa body, pale golden, dry and bitter, I wrote "gorgeous" in my notes, that's how I remember it!

Next, 2 more excellent pale bitters, but this time from East Sussex brewery, Franklins Brewing Company (website). I've already recently discussed their 4.2% Resurrection EPA, a couple of blogs ago, with its wonderful flavours from the Amarillo, Galaxy, Centennial and Citra hops used, and I've had it at 2 further bars since, still excellent! 

Next though, their stronger North Shore IPA (5.5%), another ale I always love to drink. This is brewed with New Zealand hops, Rakau, and another pale golden bitter with plenty of body, plenty of fruit in the aroma and taste too, and, again, noted as "gorgeous!"

I mentioned the Three Sods Trade Union Pale Ale in my last blog, so we'll pass my notes on that one this time, but, another brewery that seems to be consistently putting out great ales is Green Duck Beer Company of the West Midlands (website). Their Duck & Dab IPA (5%) is brewed with Sorachi Ace and Mount Hood hops which provide plenty of citrus on the nose, not just a fruity aroma, but citrus in the flavour too, plenty of body, and finishing off as a very dry bitter, another excellent ale!

Finally-ish, we come to Shiny Brewing of Derbyshire (website), another brewery I keep tasting great ales from! Their 4.6% Affinity, they call an ESB, and do not share the hops used on their website, but it is yet another nice one! You'll have to believe my description, a pale golden ale, with much citrus aroma, I had to think again and again at what fruit is in the flavour, definitely grapefruit, and hints of orange and mango, whatever, finishes off a lovely dry bitter indeed! 

I also drank an ale from the ever reliable Oakham Ales, but you'll have to wait for my next blog, because there's an extra story there, cheers!