Currently Drinking...

[43110andyb]

The Black Sheep Brewery step up to the mark once again- Milk Stout 4.4% with a beautiful and complex tasting beer! 

[Hobby]

11 hours ago, rodent279 said:

Where did you get the glass? Did it come with the beer?

 

If the one I used to have is anything to go by it came with the bottle...

 

 

I'm into "bottle conditioned" beers so have more "fun" than some of you as I've got to look at the tiny lettering on the bottles to check first before buying... I've no photos but I'll try to put up links to the breweries for anyone who's interested...

 

First Woodcote manor, a local micro brewery (though he's expanding!) who's entire production of bottled beers are real ale. I've known Will, the brewer, since he started, another real ale brewer in Bromsgrove had just stopped brewing and Will came along at just the right time! I can't tell you what they taste like, I haven't got into the "tastes of fruits, nuts and whatever" style of describing them, I just know what i like... I would say, though, that his stout is lovely, and I'm not usually a fan of stout, normally preferring a porter if I want a dark beer...

 

http://woodcotemanor.com/

 

We were up near Matlock last month, staying in a small village called Birchover. It has two pubs, the Druid and the Red Lion. The Red Lion has a brewery attached, Birchover Brewery which sells bottle conditioned ales, I brought a mixed case back with me, 12 for £20, bargain!

 

https://www.red-lion-birchover.co.uk/birchover-brewery/

 

Whilst up there we visited Eyam, the plague village, rather appropriate in todays circumstances and a lesson to all those who flout the current rules! Anyhow it also has a brewery with bottle conditioned beers which can also be found in some local off licenses so some of them came back home!

 

https://eyambrewery.com/

[LimboBrit]

12 hours ago, rodent279 said:

Where did you get the glass? Did it come with the beer?

IIRC it came with a pack of two bottles.

[PhilJ W]

12 hours ago, rodent279 said:

Where did you get the glass? Did it come with the beer?

 

6 minutes ago, LimboBrit said:

IIRC it came with a pack of two bottles.

There are literally hundreds of different beers available in Belgium, almost all with its own shaped and styled drinking vessel. There is, or was a shop in Ostend that just sold the drinking vessel so whatever your tipple of choice you could drink it from the appropriate vessel. 

[Hobby]

And when you get a beer in a bar over there they will always ensure it comes in the correct glass, even in hotels!

 

Lovely stuff, but some of them are falling over juice!

[PhilJ W]

8 minutes ago, Hobby said:

And when you get a beer in a bar over there they will always ensure it comes in the correct glass, even in hotels!

 

Lovely stuff, but some most of them are falling over juice!

Thats better.

[Hobby]

Is anyone a CAMRA member on here? I left many years ago when they started promoting "real" cider and perry, I could live with the pubs bit but as far as I was concerned they went a step too far when they included another drink!

 

Anyhow the reason i ask is there used to be a book on Bottle Conditioned beer which is now well out of date (though the way things can change that wouldn't be difficult!). But I can't find anything on their website on such bottled beers. As they are "real ale in a bottle", to quote CAMRA themselves, I can't understand why they can't do some sort of list like they do for the pubs. Is there any interest at all in CAMRA in such beers?

[MR Chuffer]

10 minutes ago, Hobby said:

Bottle Conditioned beer

I have fond memories of Bass Red Triangle and Worthington White Shield, original IPAs, in the days when keg was all conquering in pubs. And wasn't Guinness bottle conditioned at the time too, and Courage Russian Stout?

[Joseph_Pestell]

4 minutes ago, MR Chuffer said:

I have fond memories of Bass Red Triangle and Worthington White Shield, original IPAs, in the days when keg was all conquering in pubs. And wasn't Guinness bottle conditioned at the time too, and Courage Russian Stout?

That takes me back to my student days (mid 70s).

 

In keg days, White Shield was often my saviour in the North London desert. But so many bar staff did not know how to pour it - or even to get it off the shelf without shaking up all the sediment.

 

Some Guinness was bottle conditioned but not all. Stout is not really my thing and I don't usually do stronger stuff like Russian Stout. Nice for one bottle but not much use for a night out.

[Joseph_Pestell]

22 minutes ago, Hobby said:

Is anyone a CAMRA member on here? I left many years ago when they started promoting "real" cider and perry, I could live with the pubs bit but as far as I was concerned they went a step too far when they included another drink!

 

Anyhow the reason i ask is there used to be a book on Bottle Conditioned beer which is now well out of date (though the way things can change that wouldn't be difficult!). But I can't find anything on their website on such bottled beers. As they are "real ale in a bottle", to quote CAMRA themselves, I can't understand why they can't do some sort of list like they do for the pubs. Is there any interest at all in CAMRA in such beers?

 

I can't speak for the whole of CAMRA but I do know, from their newsletter, that some Herefordshire members take a keen interest in bottle-conditioned beers and even some "craft" beers that are not. A few years ago that would have led to being thrown out.

 

I think that there has been some general softening of attitudes since the early days of CAMRA. Take for example, the issue of keeping beer good by having a blanket of CO2 in the cask. So long as the kit is set up right, this makes real ale viable for some pubs where they would otherwise have to go all keg but it does not adversely affect the beer. Better to have this than beer that goes "off" after three days.

[Joseph_Pestell]

41 minutes ago, Hobby said:

And when you get a beer in a bar over there they will always ensure it comes in the correct glass, even in hotels!

 

Lovely stuff, but some of them are falling over juice!

 

When you have a big range of beers, it becomes difficult to always serve in the right glass - simple question of there not being enough storage space behind the bar. And, in my case, a lazy deputy manager who would just use whatever glass was nearest.

 

But most of the brewers are very insistent about the beer being served in the right glass and generous in supplying glassware to do that.

 

Vernon Amos at Wye Valley is particularly evangelical about it. But I think that if I started my pub career again, I would simply have a variety of unmarked glasses; much simpler to manage.

[LimboBrit]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

There are literally hundreds of different beers available in Belgium, almost all with its own shaped and styled drinking vessel. There is, or was a shop in Ostend that just sold the drinking vessel so whatever your tipple of choice you could drink it from the appropriate vessel. 

The cupboard in the kitchen is starting to bulge with my collection of glasses.

[Joseph_Pestell]

6 minutes ago, LimboBrit said:

The cupboard in the kitchen is starting to bulge with my collection of glasses.

Wait for the next time that Lidl is doing the cheap display cabinets.

Edited May 19, 2021 by Joseph_Pestell
Typo

[Hobby]

14 minutes ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

I can't speak for the whole of CAMRA but I do know, from their newsletter, that some Herefordshire members take a keen interest in bottle-conditioned beers and even some "craft" beers that are not. A few years ago that would have led to being thrown out.

 

I think that there has been some general softening of attitudes since the early days of CAMRA. Take for example, the issue of keeping beer good by having a blanket of CO2 in the cask. So long as the kit is set up right, this makes real ale viable for some pubs where they would otherwise have to go all keg but it does not adversely affect the beer. Better to have this than beer that goes "off" after three days.

 

That's a shame. I find that keg bottled beers have the same reaction on me as keg beers in pubs, I feel bloated and get a hangover. I was hoping that they might have tried to do some sort of list but it would seem they are going in the opposite direction. When the big breweries started brewing "craft" beers I started to avoid the as well. Everyone to their own I suppose, but I do wonder when will they change their name and drop the Real Ale bit as they seem to be losing sight of their original aim... However I think I'm dragging us off topic, sorry. 

 

8 minutes ago, LimboBrit said:

The cupboard in the kitchen is starting to bulge with my collection of glasses.

 

I had a clear out when we moved last year! 

[Joseph_Pestell]

8 hours ago, Hobby said:

 

That's a shame. I find that keg bottled beers have the same reaction on me as keg beers in pubs, I feel bloated and get a hangover. I was hoping that they might have tried to do some sort of list but it would seem they are going in the opposite direction. When the big breweries started brewing "craft" beers I started to avoid the as well. Everyone to their own I suppose, but I do wonder when will they change their name and drop the Real Ale bit as they seem to be losing sight of their original aim... However I think I'm dragging us off topic, sorry. 

 

 

I had a clear out when we moved last year! 

 

I don't think that you are "off-topic" at all. Although I have never been a CAMRA member, I do follow with interest and used to buy the GBG every year. These days, they can't keep up with all the new micro-brewery start-ups. More than 200 one year in inner London.

But I also agree that they have lost their way. In Kent, a Witherspoon's had knocked up ten consecutive years in the GBG. There a lot of much better pubs around there. OK, the beer is cheaper in 'Spoon's', but in every other way it is a sh*thole and nothing like the "typical pub" that was promised by Tim Martin when the chain first started.

Some of their pubs are OK. Particularly nice one in The Lanes in Brighton which used to be a chapel. The teetotal non-conformists must be turning in their grave.

[Joseph_Pestell]

This evening, as many recently, I am on Abbaye de Crespin Blonde (6.2%) from Aldi. Don't know if it is stocked in UK Aldi.

Someone mentioned reading the labels. Wish that I could! I don't normally have my reading glasses with me when shopping. And the Crespin labels are printed silver lettering on gold background; about as difficult as might be. 

[Hobby]

Must check my local Aldi! 

 

I've been round the local having a meal and partaking of Wye Valley Butty Bach... BB and its brother HPA are also bottle conditioned as well, Morrisons were selling them for a quid a bottle recently! 

 

Another bottle conditioned selection is Friday Beer from Malvern, lovely stuff. Also my namesake, Hobsons beers from Cleobury Mortimer (known for its light railway to Ditton Priors), though avoid the Twisted Spire (the weak one) as that's the only one that isn't real. 

[Nick G]

This is rather nice....

 

"Jet Black Heart Nitro has been brewed by popular demand by Brewdog USA!

Decadent to the core and loaded with heaps of oatmeal, this beer delivers a red carpet of silky opulence. Overflowing with notes of bitter cacao, roasted coffee and dark berry fruits, it plunges you into the deep, dark, abyss".

[rodent279]

Love Unlimited, chilli & chocolate stout, from Good Chemistry Brewing, located in St Phillips, Bristol, virtually on the site of Barrow Rd MPD. Not dissimilar to Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, but a little more bitter.

[andytrains]

Pure UBU from Purity Brewing, Warwickshire.

 

Nice.

Edited May 25, 2021 by andytrains

[roundhouse]

On 23/05/2021 at 20:41, rodent279 said:

Love Unlimited, chilli & chocolate stout, from Good Chemistry Brewing, located in St Phillips, Bristol, virtually on the site of Barrow Rd MPD. Not dissimilar to Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, but a little more bitter.

They have their own bar on Chandos Street in Redland. Walked past it last Summer but wasnt open at the time.

Edited May 26, 2021 by roundhouse

[Liam]

11 hours ago, andytrains said:

Pure UBU from Purity Brewing, Warwickshire.

 

Nice.

Must be an old bottle that - the current labelling is a bit different. 
 

[43110andyb]

A visit to Selby this week allowed a stop off to a stockist near Tadcaster! Several Sam Smiths beers picked up and tonight’s post football beer is the Organic Pale Ale 5% and in the welcome 550ml bottles. Ps we lost the game so it’s nursing my dented pride very nicely!

[Black 5 Bear]

18 hours ago, 43110andyb said:

A visit to Selby this week allowed a stop off to a stockist near Tadcaster! Several Sam Smiths beers picked up and tonight’s post football beer is the Organic Pale Ale 5% and in the welcome 550ml bottles. Ps we lost the game so it’s nursing my dented pride very nicely!

I used to love Sam Smith's pubs but of late they've gone to the edge of all reasoning with a Draconian rulebook.

Banning this and banning that with "Do Not" stickers everywhere. It would be helpful if they actually displayed signage on what you can do. Worse still, the the pub concerned, tried to charge me £6 for a bottle of Old Taddy Porter. Thanks, but no thanks !

Edited May 28, 2021 by Black 5 Bear
Typo

[Grizz]

Invested heavily in Harveys liquid shares today, 8 litres of Ale. Already drawing down on my returns this evening. 

Edited May 28, 2021 by Grizz