Tomos a Lilford 'Gaucho'

Another new brewery here in Wales to spring up in the last year is Tomos a Lilford, based in Llantwit Major in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Last year the excellent Grill and Barrel blog did a little piece on them, you can read it here.
He's sociable and actually speaks to people unlike myself.

I've been able to buy a couple of beers from them, bought in the Elephant and Bun deli in Cowbridge. The ones that I was able to get last time was their Rosemary infused beer, and Gaucho a pale ale with Yerba Mate tea. No, me neither!

Mate tea is a very popular drink in South America, an infusion of hot but not boiling water, into a gourd containing the dried mate leaves and twigs. You may add sugar, and it contains caffeine.
So why would a Welsh brewer be using this? I assume its because of the link between the area of Argentina known as Patagonia and its Welsh history.

Onto the beer, a pale ale 5%, 500mls, bottle conditioned.
Well conditioned too, its a light gold colour with small head retention. Its aroma is light, some herbal and mineral elements, wet grass. Medium bodied, light across the tongue and crisp, yet some sharpness and again the mineral touch. A nice bitterness throughout, which apparently can be obtained when the Mate is boiled.
Overall it was quite enjoyable, I can imagine particularly so on a hot day.

The other beer I got was the Rosemary, which is a herb I enjoy, but this beer was so heavily flavoured with it that I struggled to drink it.

Brewdog Dead Pony Club

Why cant I get this in a shop nearer to me?


Brewdog's 'Dead Pony Club' a 3.8% American Pale Ale, which absolutely kicks even though its deceased, expired, bereft of life, ceased to be.

Beautifully light pine and grapefruit hops aroma, a light breeze floating in, sucks you in.

Light in the mouth, but sings around it, well carbonated, there's a slight herbal edge but fruit and pine crash in, alongside mango and some spice. With the Simcoe and Citra hops you get the bitterness it needs, but really this is a great beer considering the abv.
Certainly one of their best 'regular' beers, just wished I could get it more easily.

SainsburysTap Room Brewing Co. beers

Two beers bought from Sainsbury's recently when in London, both in the 'Taste the Difference' range and made for them by the Tap Room Brewing Co. from Rochester, New York.

First up was the American Pale Ale, 5.3%  355mls, 'pale Ale US craft beer' described as having a ' complex hop aroma with deep flavours'.
Mmm, think I would have to question that.
There was little hop aroma, it was more malty toffee sweetness, very little bitterness. On plus side, good carbonation, nice head, but far too easy to drink, there was nothing in it to savour and hold in the mouth or contemplate.

When I logged into my Untappd feed I commented 'Rather dull, where's the hops?' so obviously that was my immediate impression. Tellingly someone commented back 'Exactly what I thought'.




 
Onto the second from the range, the IPA. Must admit at this point I was not hopeful.

Its 6.3%, 355mls, had an aroma that was cream, toffee and some spice to it.
 Again good carbonation and good head, this was a bit better although thin in the mouth. It had a better balance of the malt, some fruitness and spice, but rather light on the bitterness, at least there was some in this beer though.



When I bought these I also picked up a Brewdog Dead Pony Club which is 3.8% American Pale Ale which kicks this two beers all over the park, in every aspect.

Stone Brewing Co. Pale Ale

Stone Brewing Co, a giant in the US brewing industry, the largest in Southern California, have several beers that are probably well known to most of the beer drinkers who read this such as their 'Arrogant Bastard Ale', 'Ruination IPA' and the 'Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale'.

This is their 'Pale Ale', 5.4% abv.
A deep amber colour, nice white head, strong caramel aroma, with pine and a lighter citrus hop.
Taste, on a medium body, is of initially some sweetness but then the oily pine bitterness comes through, its sticky also, marmalade oranges, with a good toffee malty body.

Cracking beer, a great example of the American Pale ale, why do supermarkets stock some of the rubbish they do when they should be stocking this I really don't know.

Odell Brewing Company

The Odell Brewing Company, Colorado, USA.

Probably their most well known beers are these two, the '5 Barrel Pale Ale', and the '90 shilling' Scottish style ale. Both were bought for £2.99 each.
First up was the 90 Schilling, with a 5.3% abv.

A sweet and malty aroma, burnished brown colour, tastes nutty, a lot of caramel, light brown sugar, the light bitterness like some burnt toffee. I quite enjoyed this, it was a pleasant beer all round, simple as that.

I moved onto their 5 barrel pale ale, which is 5.2% abv.

Poured a hazy orange in colour, very attractive indeed. A good marmalade aroma, in the mouth it has a sticky resin quality, a good citrus hop bitterness.

I did wonder if drinking it after the 90 Schilling ale sweetness that it made the bitterness more pronounced than perhaps one might notice normally. Some biscuity malt came through nicely and a fair dose of juicy fruit too.

Overall two very good, very drinkable beers.

Apologies for the hi-ball glass, the kitchen was packed away whilst being gutted and replaced and it was the only glass to hand.

Purple Moose Brewery 'Dark side of the Moose' and 'Snowdonia Ale'

Another two from the North Wales brewery Purple Moose, a porter with the excellent name of 'Dark Side of the Moose' and a pale ale called 'Snowdonia'.
The bottle label calls it a pale ale, and its won several awards under the bitter banner, it does seem to be putting a toe into the golden ale camp to my mind. But whatever it is, is it any good, thats whats important.

The Snowdonia pours a nice golden yellow, a small head that reduces but lingers down the glass.
Aroma is light citrus, little hoppy. Its body is on the lighter side also, not to thin though, and I get lemon,  small bittering hoppyness, creamy with a certain juicy quality.
Very drinkable, if I had more than one bottle I certainly would have quoffed it much quicker,and with its 3.6% abv this certainly puts it in the sessionable arena.
On the down side it doesn't have much to distinguish it from similar beers, on cask I would hope it had more body and fruit to make it a more rounded beer.



'Dark Side of the Moose' is 4.6% abv, 500mls.
Dark reddy brown, creamy chocolate and some fruit, I would say blackcurrant but its not as acidic as that.

Its smooth, delicious with raisins and rich tea biscuit coming on, good body, some spice and then sweet stickyness. 
Nicely dry, a bit metallic in the finish also, but I liked this porter.




Many thanks to my friend Doug and his family for these Purple Moose beers, cheers mate.

The Kernel 'Pale Ale Citra Cascade'

The Kernel 'Pale Ale Citra Cascade'
5.4% abv, 500mls, and it cost me £2.99.

Like the excellent Pale Ale Cascade I had earlier this year, anticipation was high.
Again, it was satisfied.

Hazy orange, nice light bubbly head.
Typical Citra aroma - citrus, mango, simply heavenly.
Taste is probably as one would expect, good middle bitterness, tangy fruits, sweet maltyness, refreshing all round.

Well made, entirely satisfying, and after two lighter beers from The Kernel I'm really looking forward to the Export Stout I have waiting.

Kernel Brewery Pale Ale Cascade

This is the first time that i've seen a Kernel Brewery beer, i was hoping some might be at the GWBC festival this year but it was not to be. So when i saw some bottles recently i picked this one up, although i did leave behind some of another Pale Ale, Nelson Sauvin i think. I sure some of you are thinking 'idiot!' now, and so am i now after drinking the Cascade.

The blogosphere is always heaping praise on the Kernel and i can now see why, this has been one of the best beers i drunk in ages.

500mls, 5.2% abv, i paid £3.29.

Beautiful orange hue, small bubbly white head.
Amazing aroma of grapefruit, orange, reminds me of opal fruits.
I get a good light bitterness, orange, maybe grapefruit, its perfumery also. Tangy is a word that is very apt i think with this bottle.

Overall a hugly enjoyable beer.
The only thing i would day that slightly, and i mean slightly, let it down was the very soft carbonation. By the time i got to the bottom half it felt almost flat, tasted great but a little lifeless.
Still i want, no need, to get that other bottle!

USA Friday

In a extremely quick stop at the Cardiff beer shop i aimed to pick up either 4 bottles from the American or the German shelves. I attempted to ignore the other recently stocked shelves, badly as it happens, as i'm heading back next week for loads of new bottles i've not tried or even seen before.
 
 Back to todays purchases, i didn't get past the US section, several new bottles jumped into my arms.

Two are from the Brooklyn Brewery, the Brown Ale and East India  Pale Ale, Flying Dog's Doggie style classic Pale Ale, and a Sierra Nevada Stout (not in photo). Three hours later and the first is opened tonight, a live posting in fact:








Brooklyn's Brown Ale - 355mls, 5.6% alc./vol., and i thought I'd add how much i paid for it, £1.99, i don't normal include that information, no real reason why, but sometimes i do wonder what others pay in other area's of the country.


Deep brown in colour, short lasting off white head, a lovely aroma thats nice and roasty, plum, chocolates and malts.  

Also loving the nutty rich taste, malts and rich dried fruit, a smooth chocolate finish, and as it slinks down the throat a dryness that bites just a little and lingers.
Very enjoyable.



Flying Dog Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale
Again 355mls, 5.5% alc./vol, and the first time i've noticed on a bottle, the IBU: 35.  I paid £2.39.
The art of Ralph Steadman wraps around the bottle beautifully.
Previously i've only had their Gonzo Imperial Porter which was pretty special so i was looking forward to this.

It pours a reddish golden colour, one finger of a frothy white head.
Gorgeous aroma, pine, orange and mango sweetness, promises alot.
However its a little less exciting that i hoped, its has a medium body, pine resin and orange taste, and a light bitterness from the hops, its fresh tasting and grassy. Goes down very easy.
For me its a subtle beer, quite nice, but not as exciting as i was expecting.


Brooklyn Brewery East India Pale Ale, 6.9% alc./vol., 355mls, and £2.25.

Colour was a little lighter, a little more orange than the Flying Dog, with again a one finger frothy white head.
Certainly it seems more full bodied than the last one, the stronger alcohol is obvious. Aroma though is less prominent, a little perfumy , and some pine, generally lacking though.
Its bitterness is more upfront, the pine resin hits, my mouth is quite dry following this.

Of the three beers the brown ale was the best of the night, but between the two pale ales i'm in bit of a quandary. Which did in prefer? possibly the Flying Dog, the better flavored of the two, and although light on the mouth and less balanced, it was a bit more exciting, just though.



Now tomorrow, after a 12 1/2 shift at work, i'll have the Sierra Nevada Stout waiting for me. Tell me, is it worth waiting for??

a few new bottles

Managed a beer run early this week in Cardiff, and now i'm tingling with excitement at my purchases.
On my last visit i chatted with the owner about possibly getting in more US beers, and i was pleased to see a chance to try something other than the Pale ale from Sierra Nevada as on the shelves was their Torpedo IPA.
Turning the corner and amongst the very recently newly stocked shelves was Sharp's Monsieur Rock, which i think most beer drinkers who read blogs will have read about, a brilliant tasting and extremely drinkable bottle from Stuart Howe and Orval's Jean-Marie Rock apparently. I picked up three bottles, kept looking at the others on the shelf though, i might go back sooner rather than later.

 Next in the box was something i've seen around in books and online but never actually on a shelf, that is Young's Double Chocolate Stout. Joining it was Saltaire brewery's Cascade Pale ale 4.8%, Naylor's brewery Bradford Lad 7.2% strong ale/barley wine.
Ridgeway brewery's Bad King John, a 6% black ale which going by the label is supposed to exported to the US.

Now from the other side of the English Channel comes:
Saison Dupont 33cl 6.5%, Lindemans Faro Lambic 4.2%,
Maredsous Abbaye Blonde 6%, and Westmalle Trappist Dubbel 7%.

Again there was so many i picked up and left behind, 3 Monts, Bosteels Tripel Karmeliet, so many british breweries, Thornbridge's pilsner also was hesitantly put back (this time). He only had the Marzan smoked beer left no Urbock unfortunately, and i was hoping for a couple of different wheat beers but his German supplier is not as good as it used to be he tells me. And i got a free glass!

Samuel Smiths Old Brewery Pale Ale

So far from Samuel Smith i've had the Oatmeal Stout and the Taddy Porter which were both excellent bottled beers, so lets go for 3 out of 3 shall we?
I have high hopes also as people commenting here on Samuel Smith beers generally have nothing but high praise for them, another reason i picked up several of their bottles last time. Still in the box is their India Ale and (really looking forward to) the Imperial Stout.
I actually opened this a couple of nights ago, but visitors and a poorly daughter have kept me from reviewing it.
5% and 550mls of copper coloured lovelyness.

As expected a wonderfully smooth drink, creamy head, biscuit malt aroma and a little floral perfume too. Taste is a light caramel malt, this goes down so well, you've drunk half before you realise and i had to think about what i had just tasted! Hoppy dry end to it with a little light bitterness.
Although this doesn't stand out proud like the above mentioned bottle in their line, its extremely drinkable and a great example of quality brewing.

A Paulaner Oktoberfest, De Koninck, and a Brewdog Zeitgeist

A couple more from the bottle box i picked up the other day, this time my first Oktoberfest beer, and a well known name - De Koninck. And then one i found on the shelf for the first time in a Tesco's near me, namely Brewdog Zeitgeist. Which is a little weird as i had only just read the night before The Baron's review of this beer. And he made it sound like i would be stupid to leave it on the shelf.

So Saturday whilst watching last Sunday's Zen, which was rather good, i opened the zeitgeist (330mls, 4.9% abv). Great label, very cool looking, nice artwork. In the glass its a deep deep brown almost black body, very little head. It has a slightly sweet berry flavour and a light chocolate bitterness, a light creamy body. This was very enjoyable, I'll pick up some more definitely.

Last night i opened the other two mentioned above, firstly the Paulaner Oktoberfest which was a refreshing start to the evening, its golden body shimmering through the glass, with good carbonation. Aroma was sweet, honey and some malt. Taste was again slightly malty with a light syrupy quality. It was not bad and i could see if i was given a few more they would go down quickly, although i suspect and i'm not sure why but this is the sort of beer that stinking hangover's are made from.



I moved onto the De Koninck next, a small 25cl bottle at 5% abv, which apparently when they filtered and pasteurized it, they had the taste filtered out too. Its strange, its not a bad beer, very drinkable but i was struggling to find any aroma or flavours at all. Very carbonated, little head, as it warmed a little there was a crisp apple aroma but that was it. Taste wise it had the faintest hint of sweet malt and caramel, very little alcohol for a 5% beer. Strangely also it had a medium body, i would have thought it would be thinner. Perhaps i missing something in this. Still as a refreshing evening beer its easy, an uncomplicated drink that went down well.


Edited 10/1/11 for spelling. I will be definitely be picking up more zeitgeist, not defiantly picking it up. Although Brewdog probably like the defiance element. 

A dull day turns good.

A manual handling study day is not the most exciting thing in the world, in anyones world. But on the plus side it meant i was around the corner from the Cardiff beer shop mentioned in previous posts. Seeing as i worked all over New Year on nights i thought a little treat was in order.

So...

Paulaner Oktoberfest - never had an oktoberfest beer, there was a choice of 3 but i choose this one.
De Koninck Belgian beer
Samuel Smith Old brewery pale ale - yup i went for another Sam Smith, well actually 3 of them!!
Samuel Smith India Ale
Samuel Smith Imperial Stout
Durham Brewery Evensong - where as last time they had a few of this brewery's bottles and i was, on ChrisM  advice hoping to get their stout Temptation, but this was the only bottle left on the shelf! not complaining i'm sure it'll be good stuff.
Marble Dobber
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier  Marzen and Urbock. - smoked beers, i felt the need to try these, why not?

Again there was alot of choice, i was almost tempted by the Cantillon gueuze but it was a bit pricey, next time i will pick up an Afflingem blond, and Westmalle tripel, and they had the Australian Coopers sparkling ale which i almost took off the shelf this morning.