Grafenwalder Weissbier

So this will be a quick review (because i've sunk a few).

Currently on offer in Lidl is a 5 litre mini keg from Grafenwalder, with a Weissbier of 5% abv, only £11.99.

Whilst driving home after buying it I thought 'where the hell am i going to chill this??!!'  Certainly wont fit in the fridge!

In the end I popped it in the freezer for a short while to bring down its temperature and then let it stand for a while. Easy to use instructions on the side, after pouring a half pint of froth, a cloudy pint emerged.

A good thick head on the beer, good colour, but its very very light on aroma and flavour. Its saved a little by having an okay body, its not to light or watery which was a worry when you taste it. Some banana and vanilla but only just a bit. A very small bit.
There is an underlying sweetness but you struggle to pick out the spice and flavours you would expect with a quality weissbier.

Is is a good Weissbeir? No.
Is it a bad Weissbeir? Umm, well its very drinkable, and if given this at a BBQ over a bottle of generic lager I'd take it, but compared to any other you can buy at Tesco currently (other supermarkets are available!) then no, its not a good one.
But I will have no problem sitting down and finishing this keg, and I'm not thinking that I wasted money to be honest.

Shepherd Neame Double Stout

Possibly still on sale in Lidl, £1.49 500mls,  this is from Shepherd Neame and its their 4% abv Double Stout with the Master Brewer label.

Almost black, but very transparent, light coffee cream head. Its ticks most boxes with its aroma, coffee, chocolate, roast malts. First taste though and my mind immediately focuses on its body, its quite light and thin, the carbonation is fine but just the thinness strikes you.
Anyway what about the rest? Well its got dryness, coffee and chocolate, a lingering metallic note. Quite bitter coffee noted.
All in all its okay, not great just okay and drinkable.

You know when you make a sauce, pasta sauce or whatever, you season and taste it and think 'not bad, just need to reduce down and intensify the flavours' well that's just what i thought when drinking this beer.

New Aldi & Lidl beer offers

To my mind the only supermarket shelves that seems to providing new bottles to try are Aldi and Lidl currently down my way, Tesco & Asda rarely changes its line up, and other supermarkets are not on the doorstep. A little planning needed before going to Morrisons, which inconveniently shuts at 8pm (!), and its not often i get there after work before that time.

To be honest even the Lidl is a little out the way and often i wonder if the deals they have on are worth the deviation. Certainly the beer nut has saved me wasting my time before driving out to them.

Latest offers:
Aldi have another Batemans bottle in, this one called 'Miss America' at £1.49, part of the US theme aldi have going on.
"An amber coloured, hoppy beer with a grapefruit flavour. Pale, crystal and wheat malt are combined with Liberty hops from the USA to give this beer its crisp citrus finish."

 They are more likely to get my money though spent on the second bottle offer - Samuel Adams Boston Lager and only £1.19. Shows the effect of inflation as this bottle was only 99p this time last year, but still a bargain for a great tasting beer.

Over at Lidl the latest bottle  from Shepherd Neame is their 'Summer Sizzler' 4% and only 99p.  
I wonder if the current  Pencil and Spoon series on 'When beer goes bad' will include lightstruck beer before i try this Shep bottle?

piraat

Look at that beautiful colour, and a damn big beer too.

Piraat, 10.5%, 330mls.
Aroma of malts, sugar, honey. It is lighter in the mouth than the alcohol suggests, tropical fruits, vanilla, typical Belgium strong beer with strong alcohol warmth. Gloriously drinkable.

Leute Bokbier and Augustijn Grand Cru

Quick reviews, I've just done my third 12hr shift in 4 days and need a beer.
Two bottles from the Lidl box of 6 belgium beers (for £9.99) that i was alerted to by blogger Birkonian . 

First up - Leute Bokbier -   7.5% Belgium strong beer 330mls.

Notes: a gorgeous smell, invitingly warm going down, so strong with raisins and malt, i wrote malty twice in my notes! Sweet to taste, so smooth, its deep brown colour topped with a creamy head, almost like a whipped cream, and it had hints of coco powder too, so nice, really good.

2nd bottle: Augustijn Grand Cru, 9% 330mls

Immediately an aroma of pears drops, I've often read bloggers mentioned them, never come across them before but to me in this beer its really obvious. It also has an aroma and taste of nail varnish/acetone, a real acidic element but thats coupled with a syrupy sweetness thats not totally pleasant.  The sweetness reminds me of cheap runny honey. I finished it but not a great beer to my mind.