What beer are we drinking this week ?

the beer revolu · 19-09-2012 10:44AM

Hands down, the most interesting English beer that I've tried.
Complex, floral, fruity, intense and oh so hoppy:D

Also tried a Summit IPA from Kernel too which at the time I was drinking it seemed almost too much. Would love to try some more of these beers but I've never seen them in Ireland.

Also enjoyed a few pints of Seafarers Ale on cask after The Great River Race in London. Nothing mindblowing but a good solid cask refresher.

Wasn't too impressed with Fuller's Wild River on cask - just meh!!

I did enjoy a couple of Young's cask offerings in Richmond too (Special and London Gold)

Not a bad beer weekend considering I was with company and not really seeking out special beer.

Seaneh · 19-09-2012 04:34PM

Tesco galway have fullers london porter in their 5 for 10 deal today. Got 6 of them, 2 Dobbin a moon raker and an O'Hara's IPA in a bag :-) best €20 ive spent in agrs!

the beer revolu · 19-09-2012 08:40PM

St. Bernardus Abt 12 in The Abbot's, Cork on draught.
Fantastic once it warms up a bit!
10% ABV €3.50 a half pint.

Seaneh · 19-09-2012 09:01PM

the beer revolu wrote: »

St. Bernardus Abt 12 in The Abbot's, Cork on draught.
Fantastic once it warms up a bit!
10% ABV €3.50 a half pint.

Jealous.

Martyn1989 · 20-09-2012 12:45AM

Confab wrote: »

Anyone got some suggestions for nice malty beers? I'm treating myself to €30 on DrinkStore.ie and would like to get some interesting malty beers, or nicely balanced anyway.

Although Drinkstore don't currently have it keep an eye out for Fyne Ales Maverick, had one tonight, it's a firm favourite, light brown and beautifully malty but still easy going. The right balance of sweet caramel and roasted, bitter malt.

I'm yet to try a Fyne Ales beer I don't like, their Jarl provides so much crisp refreshing hoppy bitterness and citrus flavours in a ridiculously sessionable 3.8%, and the Avalanche will stand toe to toe with any other UK hoppy beer in my book.

I'm now sipping Southern Tier's IPA, you wouldn't know it was 7.3%, not too hoppy but nice flavourings and a little bitterness, theirs a lovely sweet caramel flavour that makes the body seem greater then it is, I found it much greater in ST's Pumking when I had it ages ago and get it off some Odell's, anyone know where that flavour comes from?

donadoni · 20-09-2012 02:08AM

munchkin_utd wrote: »

Augustiner Oktoberfest (2012) : stunningly smooth, velvety possibly. Absolute pure joy to drink.
After taking one sip, you actually need to take another to confirm how nice the previous one was, and that you weren't just imagining it. No joking.
Augustiner are the only brewery in Bavaria still doing their own malting so I do wonder if they save the best for this beer. Also, the expiry date is a very short, only 6 months so its possible they let it lager for longer than normal and it's probably also been maturing since the spring somewhere or other.
Either way. Its the king of Munich lagers, not just Oktoberfest beers.

While I have hardly ever seen a nicer testimonial to a beer (which happens to be one of my favourites too) it is not quite true that Augustiner is the only brewery in Bavaria that does it's own malting. There are indeed very few left , but some of the smaller breweries do still malt.
Like these ones:

http://www.brauerei-gutmann.de/hp1/Startseite.htm

http://www.schweiger-bier.de/Rohstoffe

http://www.autenrieder.com/index.php?content=4

http://www.brauerei-horneck.de/

http://www.krautheimer.com/Brauerei-Rundgang_Brauerei_Rundgang_19_kkmenue.html

http://www.die-freien-brauer.com/mitgliedsbrauereien/schwarzbraeu.html

and there are a good few more....

munchkin_utd · 20-09-2012 08:26AM

donadoni wrote: »

While I have hardly ever seen a nicer testimonial to a beer (which happens to be one of my favourites too) it is not quite true that Augustiner is the only brewery in Bavaria that does it's own malting. There are indeed very few left , but some of the smaller breweries do still malt.
Like these ones:
<snip>
...............
and there are a good few more....

good man! You learn something new every day!
Still, they are (reportedly) the last brewery in EUROPE to use traditional floor malting, a process where the malt is laid out thinly and turned by hand. They still use the original vaults under the brewery courtyard!
http://sz-magazin.sueddeutsche.de/texte/anzeigen/36284
So maybe that is their claim to fame more than plain malting on site?
Either way, their Oktoberfest beer is something to behold, not that the normal Helles or Edelstoff isnt bad either!

matrim · 20-09-2012 09:22AM

I had a Brewdog Paradox Jura earlier this week.

Very tasty, an imperial stout so similar to the Nogne O I had a couple of weeks ago. Had a unexpected sweetness to it and the whiskey made it port like at times, with a heavy almost syrupy hint to the body, but some nice chocolate and fruit flavours in there too.

donadoni · 20-09-2012 01:30PM

munchkin_utd wrote: »

good man! You learn something new every day!
Still, they are (reportedly) the last brewery in EUROPE to use traditional floor malting, a process where the malt is laid out thinly and turned by hand. They still use the original vaults under the brewery courtyard!
http://sz-magazin.sueddeutsche.de/texte/anzeigen/36284
So maybe that is their claim to fame more than plain malting on site?
Either way, their Oktoberfest beer is something to behold, not that the normal Helles or Edelstoff isnt bad either!

That's more than possible munchkin. Furthermore I guess they are the only big, well known brewery in Europe (probably the world) that does its malting itself.
Together with some of the hundreds of small breweries it is the best Bavarian style beer one can get. I have never met anyone that didn't enjoy it.
Unfortunately it is very hard to get here in Ireland.

the beer revolu · 21-09-2012 10:58AM

Had a To Øl First Frontier IPA
If you like your IPAs citrusy rather than malty this one is for you.
I like!! But like most of these 'Gypsy' beers is a bit expensive.
Would be very keen to try more of their offerings all the same.

Heroditas · 21-09-2012 12:04PM

Popped into Carry Out in Rathborne just now and their selection of beers has improved once again! They have a considerable amount of fridge space and shelving dedicated to the more "exotic" beers.
Delighted to see that they have Trouble Brewing in stock now. Woohoo!

Overall, their selection of beers might not be as good as Drinkstore but they're most definitely getting there.

GristlyEnd · 21-09-2012 07:52PM

V Cense by Brasserie de Jandrain-Jandrenouille. Opened a 750ml bottle that I brought back from my Belgium trip earlier this year. Gorgeous saison.

Mo14 · 21-09-2012 08:03PM

Am I the only one here who actually liked Dogma?

matrim · 21-09-2012 08:23PM

Mo14 wrote: »

Am I the only one here who actually liked Dogma?

I've only tried it once and liked it. I don't get all the hate for it

DenMan · 21-09-2012 08:37PM

Having some Nobelander right now from Lidl. Very nice beer. @4.8% vol it's quite strong. Very nice I have to say!

Mo14 · 21-09-2012 09:07PM

I think I'm going to have to resign to the fact that sour beers just aren't for me. Just tried a bit of Liefmans Goudenband that's been in my cupboard for a good year now, and I hate it, smells like something died in the bottle.

Others I've had this week (and enjoyed) were Raging Bitch and Anderson Valley Amber Ale.

Now to pour this stuff down the sink.

Son0vagun · 21-09-2012 10:51PM

Made it to BrewDog Edinburgh. Having a Nanny State cos that's all I'm fit for. It's very nice. Very hoppy. I'll be back again tomorrow! Back to three sisters now!

blarney_boy · 21-09-2012 10:58PM

Drinking the Leffe Blonde my parents brought back from France last week, very hoppy taste and 6.6 % so you get light headed very quickly . . .

ciaran76 · 22-09-2012 08:19AM

Beacon Bitter - Everards Brewery Ltd nothing special really. Very thin malty feel and tiny bit of ginger I thought.

Sloeber - Brouwerij Roman N.V. Nice Belgian beer not a world changer but pleasant enough. You know you are drinking a Belgian beer all the same. Nice hop and slightly spicy.

Mr Benevolent · 22-09-2012 10:29AM

Kinnegar Limeburner - Northern Pale Ale.

Awful stuff. Tastes like a first attempt at homebrewing. No body, barely any aroma, zero flavour. On my first taste I got worried - I thought my taste buds had shut down. But no, this stuff is blander than Budweiser. Never touching this again. Ugh. Last week I described Sierra Nevada IPA as dishwater, but I was wrong. Kinnegar NPA defines insipid. Shared it with a friend and he thought exactly the same.

Leffe Vieille Cuvée

Fantastic. Complex flavours that hide the 8.2% very effectively. Well worth the money.

Crann na Beatha · 22-09-2012 10:30AM

This post has been deleted.

matrim · 22-09-2012 10:46AM

Aquila wrote: »

O Shea's Irish Stout, surprised it was rather good and not mank

Someone mentioned ladt week that it's just a straight rebrand of O'Haras

BaZmO* · 22-09-2012 11:16AM

matrim wrote: »

Aquila wrote: »

O Shea's Irish Stout, surprised it was rather good and not mank

Someone mentioned ladt week that it's just a straight rebrand of O'Haras

It's not a straight rebrand, just made by O'Haras, and as such, it's very similar to their stout.

The O'Shea's Traditional Ale is a straight rebrand of their previous Aldi Traditional Irish Ale.

Had a pint of Opus II in Neachtains (sp?) in Galway yesterday. Very nice

irish_goat · 22-09-2012 12:19PM

Confab wrote: »

Kinnegar Limeburner - Northern Pale Ale.

Awful stuff. Tastes like a first attempt at homebrewing. No body, barely any aroma, zero flavour. On my first taste I got worried - I thought my taste buds had shut down. But no, this stuff is blander than Budweiser. Never touching this again. Ugh. Last week I described Sierra Nevada IPA as dishwater, but I was wrong. Kinnegar NPA defines insipid. Shared it with a friend and he thought exactly the same.

Could it be that you just don't like pale ale? I've had the Limeburner and thought it was nice albeit, with a slight lack of body and a twang I'd associate with some home brews. Sierra Nevada though is a fantastic pale ale and one of the best out there for that strength and price.

Mr Benevolent · 22-09-2012 03:23PM

irish_goat wrote: »

Could it be that you just don't like pale ale? I've had the Limeburner and thought it was nice albeit, with a slight lack of body and a twang I'd associate with some home brews. Sierra Nevada though is a fantastic pale ale and one of the best out there for that strength and price.

It's a fair point. I'm a big fan of Double IPAs though, they just have what I like. If I was to describe my perfect beer, it would be dark (not stout), have an ABV above 7.5% and an overall bias towards malt rather than hops. Something akin to barley wine, but with more toffee/caramel notes. In fact that's a good target for my next brew.

_blank_ · 22-09-2012 07:50PM

Got a couple of Arcobrau Dunkel from Tesco, a fairly light coloured Dunkel, but really nice.

I think Dunkel is my favourite style of beer.

ciaran76 · 23-09-2012 06:05PM

Kozel Medium 11° Svetly Lezak well its a typical Czech beer hoppy and slightly sweet. The darker cousin is nicer but its not a bad beer all the same.

Got another Kozel in the fridge but its a lighter beer which I will have some other day.

SomeDose · 23-09-2012 11:32PM

matrim wrote: »

I had a Brewdog Paradox Jura earlier this week.

Very tasty, an imperial stout so similar to the Nogne O I had a couple of weeks ago. Had a unexpected sweetness to it and the whiskey made it port like at times, with a heavy almost syrupy hint to the body, but some nice chocolate and fruit flavours in there too.

I've a bottle of Paradox Jura stashed away, but I was also lucky enough to have it on draft a few months ago. Personally I'd rate it as very different to and a cut above the imperial from Nogne O, in the sense that it's a lot more complex and has more flavours going on. My overriding memory of it was port-like, with a distinctive taste of cherries which was reminiscent of blackforest gateau. It's an immense beer.

Still on the imperial stout theme, last week I tried De Molen's Rasputin. Beautiful. I like rich stouts, and this was one of the richest I've ever tasted - so creamy and smooth, with a lovely chocolate malty nose to it. I also tried their Vuur & Vlaam IPA which was a little underwhelming. Not bad, just not as much hop character as I was expecting.

And bought for drinking at a later date - Great Divide Belgian Yeti, Odells Myrcenary, Porterhouse Celebration and Guinness Special Export.

the beer revolu · 24-09-2012 10:55AM

Southern Tier 2XIPA

Thin, bitter bordering on unpleasant.
Very disappointing double IPA.
I guess not all US double IPAs are good!

Fart · 24-09-2012 08:36PM

I tried a few over the weekend.

I tried both the Straffe Hendrik 9° (tripel) and the 11° (quad).
Two very nice ales that I got in Molloys.

I tried a Dogma too and it was rank. I'd say it was possibly the worst beer I have ever tasted and even smelled.
I also had a quite fruity/citrusy American IPA; Odell IPA A 7%. Very very nice.
Knockmealdown Porter was as nice as always. Shockingly easy to drink too :cool:.

I really want to try Dogfish head but can't find it anywhere in Dublin.
What is Goose Island like? I saw it for sale too, but didn't get one.

What beer are we drinking this week ?

Comments