Threat to trappist beers - become a monk!

Quick link to post whilst on my break at work.
The Independent has a story about the declining number of monks and the threat to beers such as Orval as a result.

Link

Brains Craft Brewery 'A Pils from the Hills'

A 5% abv, 330mls, this Pils uses the hops Saaz and Hallertau with a pilsener malt.
'A Pils..' is crisp, light, the hops especially the Saaz are obvious and beautifully aromatic. A nice pepper spice element, lemon, and the over-riding freshness was great. Typically golden and well carbonated.

And that's the problem with these craft 330ml bottles, its over far too quickl!

Another from the truly exhausting list of beers that the Brains craft brewery have produced.
Which again is a fairly decent offering, as are a lot of the beers on that list, but I've had only few which are really really good. They just feel like they are ticking beers of a list of styles, and producing reasonably well made, well crafted beers, and thats great (to drink).

When they take a beer and re-do it, like Bragging Rights (a 5% Welsh beer style called bragawd)  one of their better beers in my opinion, they seem to be tinkering to improve and really getting it right. More of that tinkering  please.

Brains 'Santa's Beard'

"What with Brains Craft brewery busy producing literally everything from the 'big handbook of beer styles', you could easily forget that occasionally the big brother SA Brains does sometimes bring something new/seasonal out."

That was my opening words in the draft post but then I looked at the Brains website for a hyperlink address, to find that the craft brewery had indeed been involved in the test brews of this beer before being scaled up for production.
So when is a craft beer not a craft beer then?!!
'Perfected' in the craft brewery, and then brewed and bottled in the main building, does that 'un-craft' it?
Who cares, what matters is if it tastes any good to my mind.


Santa's Beard is a 4.5% abv milk stout, bottle only i think (with other Christmas cask beers coming out), 500mls, £1.99 (Tesco). Good body, an initial sweet hit but that goes with the subsequent mouthful's. It's replaced by a slight acidic sharpness, burnt flavours, toffee and coffee as Brains say, a good head that stays.

I really quite liked this, it was nowhere near as sweet as other milk stouts i have tried, and possibly will pick up another couple of bottles next time I see it.
They recommend it goes with rich Christmas puddings and strong cheeses.

Welsh Cider: Gwynt Y Ddraig and Dunkertons

Like many others this last summer I have been indulging in cider.

What's different about that is that I've not drunk cider for about twenty years. As a teenager trying to find out what it was that I was going to waste the next few years drinking I tried some cider's but always got an instant blinding headache after about 1 pint so that crossed it of the list.

Forward to this summer just gone, and one day the wife and I fancied something cold and refreshing so bought a few lagers and I also picked up a few cider's from Spar, including their own brand bottles. And we liked them. The dry cider's seemed to be our preference, and so started a new avenue for me seeking out new bottles on shelves that had gone untried. Packing boxes of cider/scrumpy for camping was a great move, and exploring some well known Welsh Cider producers was very enjoyable and tasty.




I still think it unlikely I'll be drinking pints of it in a pub but in certain circumstances I can see myself sipping the apple stuff.
A few that stand out over the summer for me were not always for good reasons. Some of the Bulmers fruit flavoured bottles were just so sickly, red pressed grape springs to mind. A Perry that was so acetone it was undrinkable, and the Cidre Pear by Stella Artois was foul (sorry to my mate who gifted it to me but it was).

Highlights include 2 from the Welsh brewery Gwynt Y Ddraig, their Farmhouse Scrumpy,  5.3 % and the 3 litre box is a bargain, delicious full flavoured with good body, some cider seems so thin, this scrumpy on a campsite in August just hit the spot perfectly.
The second from them is Black Dragon, a 6.5% medium sweet oak matured cider. This is probably the one that I've drunk the most. It's a darker colour than most cider's, perhaps that lends some gravitas when judging by eye rather than some straw urine you might pour (as a nurse I see plenty of different shades of urine produced trust me!) A dry aroma, red apples and woody, a bit 'funky' if truth be told. For a medium sweet it seems quite dry to me, a pleasing bitterness creeps in too. Perhaps bitterness is the wrong word, tartness is more appropriate.




Another nice one was a bottle that I picked up as a present for a friend, and got another for myself was Dunkerton' s Black Fox cider. What is it with cider names and black animals?!
Black Fox is a 7% medium dry bottle, from a cider mill in Pembridge, Herefordshire. Quite a solid tasting cider, tart dry and musty, and a great sweetness pushing through. Certainly if I see anything else by Dunkertons I'll snap it up, suggest you do the same. Nice label too, simple and striking design.

This new found avenue also looks like having benefits when my friends and I go on our annual Cornwall holiday next year as I'm sure that there is a cider producer nearby, a tour could be our boys day out sorted I think!!

Hacker-Pschorr Hefe Weisse and Oettinger Hell

Hacker-Pschorr's Hefe Weisse is a 5.5% Bavarian Hefeweizen, from one of Germany's most well known breweries, who were involved in the original celebrations in 1810 that have evolved into the famous Munich Oktoberfests you see today.

Deep orange in colour, medium size fluffy head, light lemon and yeasty aroma.
Ice cream smooth, with banana in it. More lemon, that yeast again, it's so unbelievably drinkable, that just this one was nowhere near enough.

After posting about some purchases including these two, I was given a heads up by Curmudgeon that Ottinger may not be the best thought of of the breweries in Germany.
Looking at their wikipedia entry they are the best selling brewery in Germany, but are low cost sellers, rarely seen in pubs, keep costs down by not advertising and predominately selling bottles in supermarkets.

But lets not pre-judge, what about the beer.
Light yellow in colour, small fizzy head, this is a 4.7% Helles style beer. Aroma is lightly bready and malty, the body is quite thin, good carbonation. Some lemon, a bit herbally and a light honey sweetness.

Honestly it not the best Helles I've ever had, and as I've said before they are not anywhere near favorite style of beer anyway, but its certainly not a terrible beer.
It's clean, and refreshing, they're are flavours in there, and I'd probably choose it over most of the main branded lagers, but yes it is also watery, light, and quite forgettable.

Tudor Brewery Black Rock Dark Ale

The Tudor brewery are based in Llanhilleth near Abertillery, which is not far from the Brecon Beacons South Wales. Although being aware of them I've not seen their bottles my way, and I actually cannot recall where I picked this one up!

Black Rock Dark Ale, 5.6% abv, 500mls.

Very smooth,  with good body it has a light brown head that settles to a thin covering. Aroma of milk chocolate and cereal, with those also in the tasting, a little bitterness at the end but lightly done. 

I see on their website they also do a Black Mountain Stout, and Skirrid, another dark ale, leading me to wonder what differences you would spot doing a side by side tasting.

Aldi - whats happened?

Over the last few years I've always found that Aldi, the discount supermarket, would on occasion stock some great deals and one off 'specials' when it came to beer.   

 
Often these would be linked to various international celebrations, like Samuel Adams Boston lager at July 4th/Thanksgiving. Oktoberfest would see some German beers, in fact given that Aldi is originally based in Germany you used to see beers such as Franziskaner Weissbier and Schofferhofer Hefeweizen at random times in the year also.

Arcobrau Weissbier Hell was another example of a great beer, they followed that with the same brewery's Winterbier which was a good example of it's style.
It was this time last year we saw the Schwaben Bräu brewery 'Das Helle' and 'Das Schwarze' which were okay to be fair.

But it is now a year since our branch, and another couple I have visited on occasion, have had anything interesting, the only 'special' on in the last few months is cans of Courage Best.

The regular stock on the beer shelves is the same boring unchanging line up, even Batemans do not seem to have supplied any celebration/sporting event/holiday seasonal beers that I noticed .

I was wondering if this is a regional or national thing, is your Aldi still stocking good beers or have they disappeared too?

Tiny Rebel - Urban Tap House - now open!

So two first's here yesterday in South Wales, Tiny Rebel opened their first bar/pub and I laid some lino.

Photo from the Tiny Rebel blog, mine was a bit blurry!

I was quickly decorating the utility room on my week off....

Oh, you don't want to hear about that?

More about Tiny Rebel then?
oh Okay.

Following on from the death of craft beer bar Fire Island it was quickly announced by Tiny Rebel that they were taking it over.
Phew! went a collective sigh in Cardiff.

And going from the announcement date quickly to opening night last night it was obvious that it interior was going to be largely unchanged, mostly cosmetic changes, pictures, furniture, logo's etc. And some spankingly large bottle fridges!! Filled with goodies from your dreams.

The bar is called the  Urban Tap House which thankfully was a good choice, esp. considering some of the others that were suggested on their blog. Externally the building is largely unable to be altered due to regulations.
Staffing wise they managed to pull of a coup, imagine Man Utd selling their most recognised player to Swansea, the young kids on the block playing a beautiful game. That's what happened as they hired Chris, formally of the Brains pub The Goat Major (well how many other Cardiff landlords can you name/would recognise).

I hopped on the train  yesterday and got there early evening, quite busy inside but not rammed with people. Loads of staff on, some obviously experienced but there were a few young guys with 'rabbit in the headlights' look in their eyes.
Eight cask lines and ten keg lines are on offer, plus some cider lines and a smaller fridge with a good range of bottled ciders including some US ones.
I started with one I knew would not disappoint, The Kernel's Pale Ale Cascade Citra Galaxy. 5.3%, keg, hazy yellow, well carbonated, lovely fruits, pineapple, grapefruit, lovely bitterness but not tongue stripping. Excellent start.




They have a separate line for experimental beers, with the Dogfish Head Brewery Randell 3.0 you can infuse hops and spices on the bar into the chosen beer. This was not on last night but stands prominently on the corner of the bar .

Arfur had already raved about the Camden Town Brewery USA Hells on untappd, which sat alongside their unfiltered version which I went for.
 Really good stuff, a golden haze, lovely hop and fruitiness to it with a great bready/cereal taste also. I really enjoyed this, wouldn't hesitate to have this again if it was on next time I visit. And look there's Arfur over the other-side of the bar.

Around the place is their beer menu, a list of over 100 bottled beer from around the world, many names you'd all expect to be there, prices from reasonable to insane for the sharing/rare/v.strong bottles, although I'm sure that's what you'd pay for those bottles in other craft bars.
What I was pleasantly surprised with was the bar prices for craft and keg, I was expecting to pay more really for the two mentioned beers above, both London based and on keg, but prices were competitively placed. Which means I can buy more then.

Look a man bun! although the only one I spotted. Top bloke, very helpful.

I'll have the IIkley Brewery Siberia, the Rhubarb Saison. Thin in the mouth, you certainly get the rhubarb, some malt, its a good palate cleanser, different but I liked this.
Unlike the Caveman Brewery's Neolithic, which was poor, a bitter but the hops seemed unpleasant, a bad soapy taste and I didn't finish this one.



So I thought I'd finish the night with one of the house beers, Tiny Rebel's Dirty Stop Out which is my favourite beer they make I think. Great condition, a little smoke, burnt malts, smooth, the best way to end a night definitely.


Overall a welcomed edition to the Cardiff beer scene, and a well deserved step forward for Tiny Rebel. I'm sure over the next few months they, with Chris and his team, will turn this place into a success and put their own stamp on the place.
It felt comfortable there, relaxed even though it was busy, and enough choice to keep your mind whirring.
It'll certainly be my first choice venue drinking in Cardiff going on last night.



For another photo and opinion read Craig's post here.

Bristol United Brewer's Colaboration 2012 Smoked Porter

Lots of people in the mix here, a who's who of the south west brewing scene really.

*intake of breath* Collaboration beer brewed by  Arbor Ales, Bath Ales, Bristol Beer Factory, Great Western Brewing, RCH & Zero Degrees, with the bottle coming from Bristol Beer Factory and the cask was from RCH. *phew*
This was brewed for the 2012 Bristol Beer Festival, so my bottle has been sitting around for a while obviously then, but I actually drank this back in June.

Pours so dark, lovely depth of inkiness with a great lingering head. Coffee, chocolate and cream aroma, and plenty in the mouth too.
Rich, almost a strong toffee, kinda burnt element, a little oily but the creamy part balances it. Its not as smokey as I was expecting, perhaps that has dissipated with age?

Brains Craft Brewery 'Weiss Weiss Baby'

From the Brains Craft Brewery department tucked in a corner of the Cardiff Mega Brewery is a bottle of 'Weiss Weiss Baby', their Weissbier.
I must admit I kinda like the name, being a nice gentle pun, enough to put a little smirk on the lips and acknowledgement of achieved amusement.

The bottled version is slightly weaker than the keg version, 4.9% vs 5.9% abv.
Slightly cloudy yellow, a fizz of a head briefly. A light yeasty aroma, it has a light mouth-feel, with some banana and yeast there but on the lighter scale of things.
Very refreshing, cold in the summer it would be perfect. It would struggle if put alongside some of the more recognised weissbiers out there but I certainly enjoyed it.

Otley Oxymoron

Oxymoron, a black IPA dry hopped to hell and delicious to boot!

When I first had this a few years ago at the Great Welsh festival it was my first BIPA, I wasn't totally sold on it but since then its a style I've enjoyed more and more, some great examples being from The Kernel brewery and Hardknott.
But I've also returned to the Oxymoron a few times since then, cask and bottle, and its become a real favourite of mine.

Excellent roasted malts but over the top pine and grapefruit burst out and up your nose tickling receptors.
Huge but balanced flavours.
The strong and dark sit beautifully with the bright, clean and striking hops.
Chocolate, roasted malts, grapefruit and pine singing, the bitterness has a great tartness to it.
5.5% abv.

Wooden Hand Brewery Cornish Gribben

Every year when we go to Cornwall I seem to end up drinking or bringing back some of Wooden Hand's beers, based in Truro they seem to have reasonable penetration of the south west market.

The only one I brought back this time was Cornish Gribben, a 4.1% bitter.
There was some lemon and orange aroma, but as I poured it the lack of carbonation was evident, this bottle was totally flat.
Shame really as the few mouthfuls I had were quite promising, with some toffee and citrus clearly there.


Oh well, there's always next year.

Keltek Brewery King

Another from the south west of England, this time its the Keltek Brewery, based in Redruth Cornwall.
King is a 5.1% ESB style of beer, 500ml bottle also purchased from Tesco like in the last post.

My photo makes it look a little darker than the amber it actually was, little aroma which was mostly of malt, toffee, and rich fruit.

Traditional in style, good body, strong flavours of malt, caramel, again some rich fruit alongside some spiciness.
Nothing complicated and a nice pint.

Clearwater Brewery Real Smiler

Clearwater brewery, based in Devon has been going since 1998 but a buyout in 2009 and the introduction of new personnel including a new head brewer all in the last few years has greatly increased their presence locally and now starting nationally as well.

Real Smiler is a 3.7% Golden ale I picked up in a Tesco on the way back from our Cornwall holiday back in May.
Well carbonated, golden orange with a small fluffy head that quickly dissipates.
A little perfume in the aroma with some sweetness too, wiff of honey.
Medium body, crisp, dry, apply, balanced caramel malt with a light hop character that give enough bitterness for the style, some toffee too.

Overall a very nice golden ale, crisp and hit the spot.

Hardknott Cool Fusion

After a few jobs the other weekend and with the lawn mower packed away in the shed it was time for some liquid refreshment.

Hardknott's Cool Fusion is a 4.4% abv beer that strongly features ginger. Whilst it was the prominent spice there was also lemon which made it seem incredibly fresh tasting.
Lovely white fluffy head, good body, unlike a lot of ginger beers this avoids being too dry, balanced well with its malts, citrus, and candy sugar sweetness.