Estrella Damm Inedit

The friend of mine who was unable to attend the GWBCF this June with me because his wife booked a last minute holiday brought home with him a couple of beer shaped goodies for me.

The first of these i opened a couple of weekends ago with a birthday meal that was planned: antipasta cheeses and meat, and followed by some pasta with fresh pesto. The beer in question was brewed primarily to be drunk with food.

The beer was Estrella Damm's Inedit, brewed as a collaboration between the Damm brewery and the El Bulli restaurant, which is consistently rated one of the worlds best (although it recently closed permanently). This effort was described as 'the first beer specifically created to accompany food' which maybe it was for them but is a completely ridiculous claim to make.














I knew i had read about this beer before when i received it, and a quick google reminded me of the debates regarding its merits as trying to encourage the Spanish population to change from wine to beer at mealtimes, and as a beer in general.
I'm not going to repeat any of this stuff, you could read it here here and here.

Okay the beer looks quite stylish, nice 750mls bottle, 4.8% abv, although the bottle cap does rather let the styling down, they should have gone for a corked bottle.

You get a little booklet with it, with little bits of information regarding its brewing process, its flavors, serving recommendations and which foods it is designed to be drunk with.
For example you should serve it at about 4 degrees, and keep it in a ice bucket at the table. Lacking an ice bucket i put it back into the fridge.
The aroma was light, little lemon and yeasty. Good carbonation, nice white frothy head. The photo to the left was upon opening, but the table photo at the top was 2nd pouring and it retains a good head there too.
Its style is a wit beer, its not the best you've ever had, but its not bad. It served it purpose as a beer to eat with, it went well with the food, a little overpowered by some of the meats and olives, but held up well with the fresh pasta. There's lemon, coriander, a little pepper, its light and very drinkable.  Its end is a little astringent and dry.


Overall as i said its not a bad beer, ignore its lofty pretensions, but you wouldn't pay its apparent high price that it originally sold for. Whether it still commands such a price i dont know.
And I also wonder what its future is seeing as El Bulli has closed it doors now.

Penpont Brewery 'Roughtor'

From our Cornwall holiday back in may, this bottle is my second from the Penpont Brewery, in fact my very first post on this blog was one of theirs.

It is 500mls, not bottle conditioned, 4.7% abv.
Describing itself as a well hopped amber ale, "Roughtor (pronounced Row-tor) is the second tallest hill in Cornwall, situated on Bodmin Moor, near Brown Willy".

Its amber gold in colour, very clean and fresh, and has good carbonation. On top is a small white frothy head and an aroma of malts, some oak and strongly of raisins.

With a light to medium body, you get juicy dark fruit, a predominately malty bitter, a little sweet, raisins,  and a little spicy too.
A very enjoyable strong bitter, and i have 2 more of their range in a box for me, cant wait.

Sierra Nevada Stout

The last of the American bottles i picked up yesterday, this is a stout by the Sierra Nevada brewery.
Love love love their Pale Ale, not quite as enamored by their IPA Torpedo though.

The stout is 5.8% abv, 350mls, and was £2.39

Fizzes out of the glass, very dark brown, very light brown head that settles down to a nice ring on the glass.
Aroma is bitter coffee and chocolate although not a huge amount comes on. Nice medium body, quite bitter from the hops but smooths off nicely with the chocolate and roasted malts, and ends quite bitterly drying.

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??

Brewdog Equity for Punks - round 2

Scottish cheeky monkeys Brewdog have announced the second share option with joe public able to invest in their company, and more realistically their ethos.
For the minimum sum of £95 you can have 4 shares in the company, and also:

• Benefit financially from our future growth through dividends and also an increase in the value of your shareholding.
• Lifetime discounts in all our bars AND on our online shop at www.brewdog.com
• Exclusive first options on all our special and limited edition releases.
• Being able to attend our (soon to be legendary) AGM
• Being able to participate in brewing our annual ‘By Shareholders, For Shareholders’ Beer.
• Having your say in how the company is run and vote on key decisions online.
• Owning your very own part of BrewDog, our new eco-brewery and part of all of our BrewDog Bars
• Your own BrewDog ID Card (for claiming your discounts)
• A welcome pack with some killer, shareholder only BrewDog merchandise
• Literally become richer with every BrewDog beer you drink

If you liked the beer, buy the company!

Interested? You can download the prospectus from here . It looks pretty good, but then its supposed to, they want our money. Turnover was up from £1.78m in 2009 to £3.33m in 2010.  Sound good?


Reading the risks is a must obviously, just because they brew great beer doesn't mean the market wont go tits up, we wont slump into another recession, or they're taxed to the hilt making profit harder and any dividend you expect non-existent. The first round of Equity for Punks shares were issued in 2009 and i'm not sure those investors have yet to see a dividend.

But if you fancy a pint with a little bit your own cash somewhere behind it, want to support a brewery  to develop and build their spanking new brewery to continue to make great beers. Hell it might be worth it to continue to see their public spats with all and sundry in 'the establishment'!

I suspect a lot of people who never would think about investing in shares might be attracted by this, and thats perhaps some of the market they are aiming at, but as long as those fanboys realize what kind of invest it is before they part with their hard earned drinking money.
Me? Yup, thinking about it.

Hoegaarden Grand Cru

Hoegaarden Grand Cru

8.5% abv, i forget the size, small like 330mls or 355mls? And they instruct you to serve it at 5-6%, well i think they do, if my loose understanding of the foreign labeling is correct. 

Despite careful pouring i ended up with no small amount of white and dark yeast floating in the glass. See that beautiful orange colour, yum.

Its aroma was vanilla, banana, and a hint of sourness.
And that lovely orange liquid yielded more banana and vanilla, it was creamy but clean tasting, lemon came through as the 'clean element'.
Then theres a nice bitterness that leads onto a typical, lovely though, alcoholic warmth of a Belgian strong beer.
Its a shame it only came in such a small bottle.

Thwaites Double Century

Thwaites Double Century was sitting on the bottom Tesco shelf, two lonely bottles on their own, and i know they where not there last week so i suspect they had a very small stock of this.

The beer is their 'celebration ale' for 200 years of family brewing, 1807 - 2007, its a 5.2% abv strong ale 500mls, not bottle conditioned.





A deep golden orange in colour, lively in the glass.
A caramel, malt and light honey aroma. Well balanced malts, fruity sweetness, raisins,  and light hops provide a nice bitterness and citrus notes. All this on a good medium body, and nice alcohol warmth and strength. Really nice bottle(s)!.

Bateman's Miss America

A bottle celebrating American independence with a hoppy ale brewed with US liberty hops. Why Bateman's are celebrating US independence I'm not sure or is made clear.

This had a small bubbly white head, good golden colour.
Aroma to me was a little metallic and piney, a little of warm orange.
Its taste is backed up by a reasonable solid medium body and good carbonation.

The malts seem quite sweet, but there is very little in the way of hops that are noticable apart from an unpleasant aftertaste of resin. There seems to be a faint spice element, and a little citrus but not a lot.  For me an average beer.

Avaliable from Aldi now for £1.49, but seeing as they currently still have loads of Bateman's XB in there currently i would rather buy that over this bottle, far better beer from them.

Really not sure on the label either, what's with the portly cheerleader??

Springhead Brewery The Leveller

After a recent post claiming i don't often get the chance to go to Morrison's i then was able to correct that a few nights later, and picked up a couple of bottles new to me.


From the Springhead brewery in Robin Hood country they say, is 'The Leveller', 4.8% 500mls and not bottle conditioned. Its described as a dark smooth beer brewed in the style of a Belgian Trappist beer but with English ingredients.

Its aroma is some smoke, chocolate, some bitter roasted coffee. Looks wise its dark, darker than coca cola but with similar red edges when held up to the light.
Taste - chocolate and toffee on a medium body, a pleasant light dryness at end accompanied by some light bitterness rounding it of nicely.
Style wise i'm not sure i see the Belgian bit as i didn't really get any expected rich sugary sweetness, seems more of a dark ale with a foot into the stout camp, but no matter as its quite enjoyable, i'd certainly have it again.

Boon Oude Geuze

Boon Oude Geuze 2007-08 bottle, 7%, 37.5cl.
I was really looking forward to this, such an appealing looking bottle, threatening a great experience with that cork just bursting to be popped.

Geuze is a mixture of old and young Lambic beers, the label says 2007-08 so is that the bottling date? or is that the date of the production of the 'old' lambic? The expiry date is 18/8/2030 but i understand these bottles usually have a long date

Really good carbonation, a yellow gold with big fluffy and bubbly head. Aroma is some crisp sharp apples and lime, and the taste is nice and tart but not teeth enemal stripping though. Lovely sharpness, so crisp with its light palate, then hits you with a sourness that is dry and musky.

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?

Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival 2011- Friday review

It was friday, it was wales, it was raining.
No, actually it was belting it down in the morning to be honest, thankfully it lightened as the day wore on.
Whilst the easy transport links into Cardiff reminded me why i should go in there more often, the drunks screaming at each other in the street at 11am as i bought some lunch reminded me why i dont.

Anyway onto the CIA for the Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival 2011.

The souvenir glass this year came only as a half pint, and i soon had it filled with Otley's Saison Obscura as i wasn't going to miss it again !5.5%,  small head on a dark copper medium body. Light fresh spice, orange, light sweetness. Nice start to the day.

 With all the talk of Black IPA's across many beer blogs and none to be seen in South Wales i stuck to the Otley bar and tried their Oxymoron.
Black IPA, also 5.5% abv, pretty black (duh!) in colour. Noticeably mostly to me for a pine aftertaste, its also got coffee and a dominating citrus twang i couldn't put a name to. Must admit i wasn't initially sold on the black ipa style on this first try.


Another beer that i had pegged to try was the recent award winning Hopback Entire Stout. I thought it a little thin though, all be it with good coffee, chocolate bitterness. Okay, not bad, expected a bit more for a champion winter beer though somehow.

Red Kite brewery are very new, based in Carmarthenshire,West Wales, with a range of five beers, they had three i could see here. I tried the 'Gold Wing' a 4.2% golden ale, it was light and crisp, with a good drying bitterness, again citrus hop came through.
Another new brewery and definitely the closest to where i live is the new Llantrisant brewery, i believe its based in the Wheatsheaf pub in the town. 'Black Army Stout' is their first beer i was told, 3.9% abv. Thin in the mouth, no head really, light malts with hedgerow berries coming through well, possibly blackberry? It seemed more like a porter in style, it was okay, although for your first brew its encouraging to see them produce something different rather than a safe bitter.

I've never ventured over to the German bar at any of the festivals before but thought it was time to make the effort. Karg are not a brewery i'd heard of, so i plumped for their 5.0% Weissbier Dunkel. A gloomy looking wheat beer, dirty toffee in colour, it was sharp, green apple sour, banana and bready. Was it supposed to be like this?? Not totally unpleasant but unexpected and one i wouldn't try again.

Heart of Wales brewery  - Aur Cymru - a golden ale, its was quite dry, woody, medicinal and a little flat, didn't seem in the best condition.

By now the Champion Beer of Wales 2011 had been announced, going to Rhymney for their 'Dark', which i'll agree is certainly their best beer. Congratulations to them, they also took silver with 'Export' , and Otley  took bronze for 08, a previous winner itself.

 By now the place was really filing up, seemed to be more provision of chairs and table than last year, although as soon as anyone vacated chair it was pounced upon.

At this point i wandered for a bit trying to decide which to have next, one of the volunteers tried to sell me the Thornbridge Jaipur but i instead went for the 'Sequoia' which was not in the programme, (seemingly replacing their 'Lord Marples' which was supposed to be there but i couldn't spot it).
 Really good, hit the spot immediately. Biscuity, nutty, light brown in colour, nice and hoppy but not out of balance with the malts. Certainly my beer of the night.

Brains had the usual bar on display, a great photo here by Beer Lens, and they had produced exclusively their 'Strong Ale' for the festival. 6.5%,  it was less alcohol more sweetness, lightly spiced, fruity. A half was more than enough at the end of night.

Great festival, well done to all those involved.

Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival 2011

Hurrah  its on again!. I booked annual leave months ago to ensure that the most important date this week, my wife's birthday (!), and the beer festival can be accommodated into this week seamlessly. My friends similar attempts have been thwarted at the last minute by his wife's holiday booking, not a happy bunny is he, so i'll be attending solo on friday.



Details: Official site here
All the Information you'll need on one post here by organiser Brew Wales here. Good work fella!

It starts today, thursday 16th june until Saturday 18th at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff. Where? It used to the CIA (Cardiff International Arena) until they thought they were a premiership football stadium and sold the naming rights it seems! So same place, different name.
Cost: £6 for entry, programme and glass as usual. Tokens for beer, some free for CAMRA members.

The most important thing though: the beer list!

So i ask the same question i asked last year:
What do you recommend? What would you be heading for first??


Banktop Mild 4.0
Brains Bitter 3.7
Brains British Sumer 4.0
Brains Dark 3.5
Brains IPA 3.4
Brains Rev James 4.5
Brains SA 4.2
Brains SA Gold 4.6
Brains Strong Ale 5.5
Breconshire Brecon County Ale 3.7
Breconshire Cribyn 4.5
Breconshire Golden Valley 4.2
Breconshire Ramblers Ruin 5
Breconshire Welsh Pale Ale 3.7
Breconshire The Mayor's Inspiration 4.4
Breconshire Ysbrid y Ddraig 6.5
Bryncelyn Buddy Marvellous 4.0
Bryncelyn Holly Hop 3.9
Bryncelyn Oh Boy 4.5
Butcombe Bitter 4.0
Caledonian Deuchars IPA 3.8
Castle Rock Harvest Pale 3.8
Celt Experience Native Storm 4.4
Newmans Castle cream 4.7
Celt Experience Golden 4.2
Cerddin Cascade 4.8
Conwy Cwrw Mel 4.5
Conwy Beechcomber Blonde 4.2
Crouch Vale Brewer's Gold 4.0
Dark Star American Pale Ale 4.7
Elgood's Cambridge Bitter 3.8
Elgood's Black Dog 3.6
Evan Evans Cwrw 4.2
Evan Evans Golden Hop 4.3
Evan Evans SPA 4.2
Fullers Chiswick 3.6
Fullers ESB 5.5
Great Orme Celtica 4.5
Great Orme Welsh Black 4.0
Gwaun Light Ale 4.0
Harvey's Sussex best bitter 4.0
Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted 3.8
Heart of Wales Aur Cymru 3.8
Heart of Wales High as a Kite 10.5
Heart of Wales Irfon Valley 3.6
Heart of Wales Welsh Black 4.4
Hobsons Mild 3.5
Hopback Entire Stout 4.5
Hopback Summer Lighting 5.0
Jacobi Light Ale 3.8
Jacobi Red Squirrel 4.0
Jarrow Rivet Catcher 4.0
Jolly Brewer Taid's Garden 4.0
Kelham Island Pale Rider 5.2
Kingstone 1503 4.8
Kingstone Stout 4.4
Llangollen Grange No1 3.2
Loddon Ferryman's Gold 4.4
Mighty Oak Oscar Wilde Mild 3.7
Monty's Midnight Stout 4.0
Monty's Mojo 3.8
Monty's Sunshine 4.2
Moor Revival 3.8
Nant Mwnci Nell 5.5
Neath Black 5.5
Neath Green Bullet 6.0
Newmans Summerberry 4.2
Oakham JHB 3.8
Oakleaf Hole Hearted 4.7
Orkney Raven 3.8
Otley Colombo 4.0
Otley Dark O 4.1
Otley O Garden 4.8
Otley O1 4.0
Otley O2 4.2
Otley O6 6.6
Otley O8 8.0
Otley THAI BO 4.6
Otley MOTLEY BREW 7.5
Otley OXYMORON BLK IPA 5.5
Otley SAISON OBSCURA 5.5
Otley CROESO 4.2
Otley DUO (NEW) 5.4
Plassey Border Mild 3.6
Plassey Cwrw Tudno 5.0
Plassey Owain Glyndwr 4.3
Preseli Baggywrinkle 4.5
Purple Moose Dark Side of the Moose 4.6
Purple Moose Glaslyn 4.2
Purple Moose IPA 4.0
Purple Moose Snowdonia 3.6
RCH East St Cream 5.0
RCH PG Steam 3.9
RCH Pitchfork 4.2
Red Kite Cwrw Haf 4.1
Red Kite Gold Wing 4.2
Red Kite Thunderbird 4.5
Rhymney Bevan's Bitter 4.2
Rhymney Dark 4.0
Rhymney Export 5.0
Rhymney Hobby Horse 3.8
Rotters Utter Rotter 3.9
Rotters Whipping Tree 3.6
Rudgate Ruby Mild 4.4
Sandstone Edge 3.8
Sandstone Postmistress 4.4
Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby 6.0
Skinner's Betty Stoggs 4.0
Skinner's Cornish Knocker 4.5
St Austell Proper Job 5.5
Swansea 3 Cliffs 4.7
Swansea Bishopswood 4.3
Swansea Deep Slade Dark 4.0
Thornbridge Jaipur IPA 5.9
Thornbridge Seqoua 4.5
Timothy Taylor Landlord 4.3
Tomos Watkin Brewery Bitter 4.0
Tomos Watkin Cwrw Haf 4.2
Tomos Watkin Chwarae Teg 4.1
Tomos Watkin OSB 4.5
Tomos Watkin Lion's Pride 4.3
Triple F Alton's Pride 3.8
VoG Chocs Away 4.5
VoG Grog y VOG 4.3
VoG Wheats Occurrin 5.0
VoG No 1
Waen Landmark 5.5
Woodforde's Wherry 3.8
Wye Valley Butty Bach 4.5
Wye Valley DG Golden Ale 4.2
Wye Valley DG Stout 4.2
Wye Valley Ginger Pride 4.3
Wye Valley HPA 4.0
York Centurion's Ghost 5.4
Zero Degrees Mango 4.5
Zero Degrees Pilsner 4.8

The Otley bar seems a very good bet first off with three i've not seen before, the Brains Strong ale later on, award winning Hopback Entire Stout. Not seen the Swansea brewery before so i'll try one of theirs.
Too many !!!!!!!!

Help me narrow it down!

Daleside Morocco Ale

Its probably best if i start by quoting the information that accompanies this beer, it'll save me time and the job will be done properly!

This is a very dark, rich and mysterious ale brewed to an ancient recipe dating back to Elizabethan times. Full bodied, malty with spicy overtones this complex beer is only brewed occasionally. Enjoy a bottle as the perfect end to a perfect meal.
The recipe for Morocco Ale is believed to date from Elizabethan times. Colonel John Grahme of Levens was a courtier to James II and the name ’Morocco Ale’ may have been associated with the dark Moors who came to the court when Catherine of Breganza married Charles II and brought Tangiers as part of her dowry.
Every May-time until 1877, the unique, dark, spiced Morocco Ale, matured for 21 years, was served at a great feast held in Levens Gardens. The guests were required to stand on one leg and empty in a draught a tall constable glass filled with ’Morocco’ whilst pledging to the ancient house "Luck to Levens whilst t’Kent flows"

To be honest i was expecting an assault in my mouth by spices and ye olde flavours, but ended up being very pleasantly surprised by a very drinkable bottle.
Nice dark ruddy brown in colour when held up, small foamy ring on top. Aroma i thought was understated with sweet raisins, plums, hints of cinnamon.
Taste was on a medium body with light carbonation, and i got again raisins, rich fruit - almost blackberry like, light malts, ginger, and an interesting sweetness that reminded me a little of flat cola. With the slight medicinal and herbal feel to it, it thus reminds you that your drinking brewing history here.
 5.5% abv, 500ml bottle.

Orkney Blast

Swannay Brewery or Highland Brewing Co. ? or both? The label does have both names on it, although the website  is addressed as Highland.
Speaking of which, the label has a great duo of army(!) mer-people (yes mermaids etc), taken from a WW2 Orkney newspaper, and also gives advice that this beer can be used to replace wine as it accompanies most foods, serve at 12C or 'a wee bit cooler with seafood'.

This bottle of Orkney Blast is a 500mls 6% abv, appears not to be a bottle conditioned beer.

Pours a golden orange with a short lasting bubbly white head, immediate fruity and malt aroma, hops, sharp and clean appearance, some apple also? 

Its quite light and fresh in the mouth, hop bitterness come through and lingers, alongside a sweetness almost honey like. Slight floral perfume taste about it too, and pine.

Very enjoyable, i'd certainly recommend it to anyone reading this, i'd certainly drink this again, which by the way seems no where near its stated 6%.