The Lemon Fool

Bridgnorth!
Aint no 'e's in town, its drug-free

Imbiber wrote:Fyne Jarl

Had two pints of this on Tuesday, it was so good, can't see how a cask ale could be any better. I've had it before a few times but on gravity dispense which is a pale imitation.

Tomorrow is Friday and a few beers are in order - I'm parched!

Yurp, I'm gaggin' for a pint
It's not Wednesday night but...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mh5MS_7RDcQ

Had a couple of pints of Black Sheep Rye Mild (4.1 ABV) yesterday. Real slap on the old taste buds. Heavy grapefruity bitterness with strong red fruits. As some remarked on ratebeer a bit IPAish. Probably not in the centre of the mild spectrum perhaps. It was nice enough for me to buy a second so I guess that is a recommendation of sorts. Could probably be a bit rounded.

On another matter. Should you be in the vicinity of southern Milton Keynes/Bletchley/Fenny Stratford it's worth a little detour to The Chequers MK2 2BY which has been taken over by Vale Brewery. It's a small pub that has been refurbished in a very traditional pub manner and has 3/4 handpumps, 3 barrels behind the bar and an excellent range of bottled beers. Beers are not just from Vale. Hopefully it will be a great success. It has a similar feel to the Hop Pole Inn in Aylesbury which is great also.

Black sheep uses a proprietary yeast strain which I always find a bit off-putting whenever I try their beers (very seldom, mostly bottled). Quite sour, thin and hard.

Wahey! It's snowing...time to start to stock up on darker winter beers.

A couple of nights ago, I was drinking Titanic's Plum Porter - lovely! Last night I was drinking my own home brew - a Woodforde's Wherry kit spiked up up with extra dry hopping for 3 days using my own fuggles hops - double lovely!!

Skotch wrote:A couple of nights ago, I was drinking Titanic's Plum Porter - lovely!

That is undoubtedly one of the best beers going currently. Long may it remain.

JMN2 wrote:Black sheep uses a proprietary yeast strain which I always find a bit off-putting whenever I try their beers (very seldom, mostly bottled). Quite sour, thin and hard.

From Hardy & Hanson originally, which was also the source of their squares, although they now use round squares.

That description sounds more like you're tasting the water than the yeast?

Hallucigenia wrote:

JMN2 wrote:Black sheep uses a proprietary yeast strain which I always find a bit off-putting whenever I try their beers (very seldom, mostly bottled). Quite sour, thin and hard.

From Hardy & Hanson originally, which was also the source of their squares, although they now use round squares.

That description sounds more like you're tasting the water than the yeast?

In this case I was thinking the yeast making the flavour sour and mouthfeel thin and metallic, all very subjective of course.

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A FV*KING BEER!

https://youtu.be/OnY88imrH78

Weihenstephaner Vitus .
4.28/5 on Beeradvocate, and always a bit of a treat https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/252/35625/

Perfect for limbering up before an evening of rugby unfolds

I had one of those "is it me?" moments, beer tasted, um, had a very strong taste, is it off? but I persevered for a few more sips before I was definitely sure. It was supposed to be Harvey's Sussex. Fair play to the pub they swapped it without quibble. Slightly surprised I saw them pulling the rest through the pipes didn't actually see them try it to see if I was right. Trusting some random blokes taste buds is possibly not a wise move, then again, maybe the landlady knew it was due to go off. Had a pint of "Fox", which I think was also Harveys but can't find anything that looks right on their website, or anything on rate my beer. Luckily it was nothing special so it's probably some one off thing that makes no difference to man nor beast if anyone ever has it again.

There are some pockets in West Sussex and Kent where everyone and their cousin is a Harvey's man ("Oh, he only drinks Harvey's"). My first experience was a bad one IIRC and went off it for a long time, then I found that the pub next to me sold it, in the summer I would pick up 2 pints for takeaway every now and then --- and the beer was excellent. I somehow liked the slight toffeenesh of the flavour which is very unlike me. Some of these pubs just have Harvey's and Larkins.

Was in Brum last night. Two recs...

First and most importantly, I had two pints of Elusive Brewing Level Up Level 1: Citra and Simcoe American Red ale. Elusive are in Finchampstead, Berkshire - a small village that apparently already has one brewery (Siren). Elusive opened in 2016. Anyway, maybe it was because I was gasping but it was a cracking beer. A guy on ratebeer mentions bitter orange that resonates with me. But it had a lot of flavour but not muddled. Plenty of malt and hops coming through but balanced. If you get a chance give it a whirl.

Second rec is for the establishment I took aforementioned ale - Cherry Reds, 16 York Rd, Birmingham B14 7RZ. What a great little place among the standard modern city centre fare. Eclectic furniture, definitely cafe style but still a nice place to drink beer. It's not cheap. Above beer was £4 a pint but it's independent, as a great beer range and has character.

GrandOiseau wrote:Was in Brum last night. Two recs...

How different things are to 43 years ago when was in Brum as an undergrad. Two breweries ran 99% of the pubs in the city, M&B and Ansells and their beer was rubbish. I believe there were also one or two Davenports pubs, a company best known for their home brew kits, and their beer was no better.

As someone coming from a small city where I could have a choice of a dozen different brewery offerings, including Ruddles, Bass and Marstons, this was something of a shock.

It was with some relief that I discovered the Black Country however with Bathams, Holdens and Doris Pardoes and regular coach trip from the students union to sample these.

Just shows how lucky we are as beer drinkers today...my mates all still drink lager though, I'm thinking of finding new friends.

John

Very cozy here, a snowstorm, I can hardly see the ridge over the valley. Topped up MYI while having the two remaining Adnams Ghostships, I believe tomorrow I'll take a look at the town cask ale selection.

JMN2 wrote:Very cozy here, a snowstorm, I can hardly see the ridge over the valley. Topped up MYI while having the two remaining Adnams Ghostships, I believe tomorrow I'll take a look at the town cask ale selection.

Where are you again?

redsturgeon wrote:It was with some relief that I discovered the Black Country however with Bathams, Holdens and Doris Pardoes and regular coach trip from the students union to sample these.
John

Strewth! I thought the boozing student was a myth. My generation binged on coffee instead, being much better suited to our budgets. Beer, or alcohol of any kind, was a very-occasional indulgence!

GrandOiseau wrote:

JMN2 wrote:Very cozy here, a snowstorm, I can hardly see the ridge over the valley. Topped up MYI while having the two remaining Adnams Ghostships, I believe tomorrow I'll take a look at the town cask ale selection.

Where are you again?

North East. Still snowing heavily.

UncleEbenezer wrote:

redsturgeon wrote:It was with some relief that I discovered the Black Country however with Bathams, Holdens and Doris Pardoes and regular coach trip from the students union to sample these.
John

Strewth! I thought the boozing student was a myth. My generation binged on coffee instead, being much better suited to our budgets. Beer, or alcohol of any kind, was a very-occasional indulgence!

Around the time when the Romans invaded?