Dark Beers Part 2

Starting off round 2 of 'dark beers' with another belter from Yorkshire, this time from 11 years old North Riding Brewery (website), who I know more for their single hopped pale ales (Citra and Mosaic for example), but this is their 4.5% Butterscotch Porter. The brewery hasn't made much public about this version of their porter, which is usually brewed with 6 different types of malt, very likely chocolate malt one of those used in this case. They typically use Columbus hops in their porters, and I wouldn't be surprised if that is the case for this, certainly similar if not Columbus (hopslist). I wish I'd made more specific notes, but I did note "Does what it says, and chocolate, luxurious, not as sweet as I expected as it has a dry finish" (I now expect a hop influence there), hint of toffee and plenty of chocolate; my notes ended "nice one!"

Next, from Bristol, or 'Brizzle' if said with a West Country accent, 13 years old Wiper and True brewery (website), their 5.6% Milk Shake, which surprised me immensely as it was not quite what I expected from the name of this milk stout. Why? Well, it was much more refreshing to drink than I expected, I got the lactose, but not so much, probably the inclusion of English hops influential in that, Phoenix hops I do believe (hopslist). Cacao and vanilla are additions to the brew, and very noticeable in the aroma and taste, anyway, my notes say "Not as sweet as I was expecting, got the roasted barley taste I associate with stout ales, not overly though, with hints of chocolate and vanilla. Surprisingly refreshing to drink, cheers!" I've just now discovered that I drank a pint of this ale cask conditioned 9 years ago (blog), and I liked it then too! 😁

The third one here is very much a big hitter, from 10 years old Fierce Beer of Aberdeen in Scotland (website), their Very Big Moose (12.0%), from their imperial stout series, which are aged in whisky barrels. Brewed with added cacao and vanilla, and Summit hops (hopslist), providing a hint of dark chocolate and lightly toasted barley in the aroma. Much more subtle chocolate flavour than I expected, I wrote also, quoting notes: "rich roasted malt and a hint of liquorice in the taste. A dry finish, another excellent beer, cheers m'dears! 😁"

My final beer here is from another Brizzle based brewery, 9 years old Left Handed Giant (website). Interesting that these 4 breweries were all set up within 4 years of each other, which suggests much about the development of U.S. style craft breweries in Britain in the last 15 years or so. Anyway, I've had many excellent ales from Left Handed Giant of differing styles indeed, and they've never disappointed me, but this was their 6.9% milk stout Woodland Creatures, with 'Cinder Toffee added hot' and 'Pistachio added cold' to the brew. I can't discover the hops used, as they tend to concentrate more on advertising the malts and adjuncts.

So, to my notes, "a milk stout with pistachio and honeycomb. Hint of marzipan/almond in the aroma. Sweetness, nuts, butterscotch and a hint of chocolate in the taste, surprisingly dry finish (so I'm guessing hops like Columbus, Phoenix or Summit as used by the others). Complex stout from a very good brewery, despite sweetness, a dry, even bitter finish, nice one. 😁"

I may blog about something else before the third Dark Ale blog, cheers m'dears! 👋

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!