FYI Hops are incredibly fussy about where they grow. They need exactly the right soil, climate, rainfall. I happen to have grown up in the one place in all of New Zealand where they can be grown. Motueka or to be more precise Riwaka. Although the distance between the two areas is only 4 or 5 km it is the difference between hops being able to grow or not grow. Thought that was pretty interesting. Every time i sup a New Zealand beer it is pleasing to think it is made with hops from down the road from where i grew up</blockquote
So it is possible to get something other than Speights? although Old Dark is ok.
There are two new breweries that have just opened in Kent; The Romney Marsh Brewery and Brew-Buddies who are based in Swanley. We will be stocking beers from both of these in the next couple of weeks. Meanwhile Old Dairy Summer Top is back on tonight in the fully air conditioned Long Pond; one of the best summer beers around, light and refreshing.
My mate popped into the Long Pond last week....on my advice and was most impressed...keep up the good work, just wished you had opened back in 98 when I moved to Eltham.
Got my first ever ale festival 2mo. Not 100% sure where as it's on my ticket which I need to print off at work 2mo. I haven't had any experience of ales or bitters, but I quite like pale ale. Does anyone have any recommendations for first timers?
I tasted something black and flat once it was bloody horrible, so I don't want anything like that again.
PS - I'm aware there'll be innuendo over that last comment
Went to the Great British Beer Festival last night and it was, as usual, very good. There's a pretty decent guide (albeit at £2 and £1 for CAMRA members) which gives you a decent steer, although there's always an element of pot luck. Also I always enjoy trying some beers I've never had before. Most of them were very nice.
Got my first ever ale festival 2mo. Not 100% sure where as it's on my ticket which I need to print off at work 2mo. I haven't had any experience of ales or bitters, but I quite like pale ale. Does anyone have any recommendations for first timers?
I tasted something black and flat once it was bloody horrible, so I don't want anything like that again.
PS - I'm aware they'll be innuendo over that last comment
I was at the GBBF yesterday, very enjoyable. Here's what I had (halves, not pints!); (Bitters or Best Bitters unless stated/obvious) 1. Bar 16 - Boltmaker by Timothy Taylor - 6.5 out of 10 - last year's supreme champion 2. Bar 19 - Jaguar by Kelburn - 7 (Golden Ale) 3. Bar 05 - Pheasantry Best - 7 4. Bar 02 - Shere Drop by Surrey Hills - 7.5 - Excellent tip from a friend of mine. 5. Bar 03 - Sussex Dark Mild by Harveys - 7.5 6. Bar 05 - Barnsley Bitter by Acorn - 7 7. Bar 19 - Golden Acre by Bexley - 7.5 (Golden Ale) 8. Bar 16 - Elmers by Flying Monk - 7 9. Bar 03 - Sussex Best by Harveys - 8 10. Bar 06 - Trooper by Robinson's - 7 11. Bar 10 - Vale Mild by Branscombe - 7.5 12. Bar 12 - Scapa Special by Highland - 8 (Silver in Best Bitter) 13. Bar 19 - Cwtch by Tiny Rebel - 8 (Supreme Champion 2015 - limited availability) 14. Bar 06 - 3 Beacons by Brecon - 7 (Golden Ale) 15. Bar 17 - Pied Piper by Strands - 7.5 (Mild) 16. Bar 15 - Cornish Best by St Austell - 8
The programme was useful, but I already had a list of beers I wanted to try.
Popular beers, such as the award winning ones, are only on for short periods. Keep an eye out for what times they're going to be on. Cwtch was extremely popular and I was fortunate to try some.....worth the wait as well!
I was at the GBBF yesterday, very enjoyable. Here's what I had (halves, not pints!); (Bitters or Best Bitters unless stated/obvious) 1. Bar 16 - Boltmaker by Timothy Taylor - 6.5 out of 10 - last year's supreme champion 2. Bar 19 - Jaguar by Kelburn - 7 (Golden Ale) 3. Bar 05 - Pheasantry Best - 7 4. Bar 02 - Shere Drop by Surrey Hills - 7.5 - Excellent tip from a friend of mine. 5. Bar 03 - Sussex Dark Mild by Harveys - 7.5 6. Bar 05 - Barnsley Bitter by Acorn - 7 7. Bar 19 - Golden Acre by Bexley - 7.5 (Golden Ale) 8. Bar 16 - Elmers by Flying Monk - 7 9. Bar 03 - Sussex Best by Harveys - 8 10. Bar 06 - Trooper by Robinson's - 7 11. Bar 10 - Vale Mild by Branscombe - 7.5 12. Bar 12 - Scapa Special by Highland - 8 (Silver in Best Bitter) 13. Bar 19 - Cwtch by Tiny Rebel - 8 (Supreme Champion 2015 - limited availability) 14. Bar 06 - 3 Beacons by Brecon - 7 (Golden Ale) 15. Bar 17 - Pied Piper by Strands - 7.5 (Mild) 16. Bar 15 - Cornish Best by St Austell - 8
The programme was useful, but I already had a list of beers I wanted to try.
Popular beers, such as the award winning ones, are only on for short periods. Keep an eye out for what times they're going to be on. Cwtch was extremely popular and I was fortunate to try some.....worth the wait as well!
Boltmaker really doesn't seem good enough for the Championship.
Not a good enough kick. Maybe Eldridge POPE would be better.
Banks 66 and 70 vintage takes some beating at number 1
Arry - your level of organisation and diligence is admirable. I certainly had a few of these beers (including Jaguar and Scapa Special) but as our collective level of organisation and initiative didn't extend to anyone bringing a pen along, I have no proper record. Sound advice also regarding the medal winners - we got there late Wednesday afternoon but managed to miss out on the Cwtch.
Looking forward to a few jars tomorrow in Derby. According to 'Lonely Planet', Derby is the 'real ale capital of Britain.' No doubt there is a bit of hyperbole there but we're arriving good and early tomorrow to conduct some thorough research.
Just on my way back. My mate suggested a prize winner for the year called 'Affinity'. That was good. I had a Shropshire Gold and one from Kent called Larkins. All very good. Didn't stay too long, quite shattered. Good though. A lot of hammered bearded men as we left
Just on my way back. My mate suggested a prize winner for the year called 'Affinity'. That was good. I had a Shropshire Gold and one from Kent called Larkins. All very good. Didn't stay too long, quite shattered. Good though. A lot of hammered bearded men as we left
Was that "Infinity" by Blue Monkey? Got bronze in best Golden Ale. Was on my list, however I didn't manage to try that one......wish I had now!!
Just on my way back. My mate suggested a prize winner for the year called 'Affinity'. That was good. I had a Shropshire Gold and one from Kent called Larkins. All very good. Didn't stay too long, quite shattered. Good though. A lot of hammered bearded men as we left
Was that "Infinity" by Blue Monkey? Got bronze in best Golden Ale. Was on my list, however I didn't manage to try that one......wish I had now!!
Infinity was very nice - settled on it randomly for my first beer of the festival and went back to the well at the end of the night
Our first Green Hop beer of the season, Old Dairy Green Hop, sold out in no time last night. We now have on Ripple Steam Green Hopped Farmhouse Pale Ale on. Plenty more Green Hop beers to follow from Kent breweries such as Bexley, Whitstable, Pig & Porter, Mad Cat and others.
Caught up with some old friends out of a bottle on "birthdays eve" last night. 6X, Summer Lightning, Kentish Ale, English Pale ale and Landlord... Can't wait 'til December.
So it's all doom and gloom and to make matters worse my favourite beer - IPA - seems to get harder to find at this time of year, overshadowed briefly by madly hoppy green stuff and then over the winter by dark and mysterious ales that are capable of capturing light!
Any that seasoned bitter drinkers particularly recommend?
Comments
I tasted something black and flat once it was bloody horrible, so I don't want anything like that again.
PS - I'm aware there'll be innuendo over that last comment
(Bitters or Best Bitters unless stated/obvious)
1. Bar 16 - Boltmaker by Timothy Taylor - 6.5 out of 10 - last year's supreme champion
2. Bar 19 - Jaguar by Kelburn - 7 (Golden Ale)
3. Bar 05 - Pheasantry Best - 7
4. Bar 02 - Shere Drop by Surrey Hills - 7.5 - Excellent tip from a friend of mine.
5. Bar 03 - Sussex Dark Mild by Harveys - 7.5
6. Bar 05 - Barnsley Bitter by Acorn - 7
7. Bar 19 - Golden Acre by Bexley - 7.5 (Golden Ale)
8. Bar 16 - Elmers by Flying Monk - 7
9. Bar 03 - Sussex Best by Harveys - 8
10. Bar 06 - Trooper by Robinson's - 7
11. Bar 10 - Vale Mild by Branscombe - 7.5
12. Bar 12 - Scapa Special by Highland - 8 (Silver in Best Bitter)
13. Bar 19 - Cwtch by Tiny Rebel - 8 (Supreme Champion 2015 - limited availability)
14. Bar 06 - 3 Beacons by Brecon - 7 (Golden Ale)
15. Bar 17 - Pied Piper by Strands - 7.5 (Mild)
16. Bar 15 - Cornish Best by St Austell - 8
The programme was useful, but I already had a list of beers I wanted to try.
Popular beers, such as the award winning ones, are only on for short periods. Keep an eye out for what times they're going to be on. Cwtch was extremely popular and I was fortunate to try some.....worth the wait as well!
http://gbbf.org.uk/beers/beerfinder
Not a good enough kick. Maybe Eldridge POPE would be better.
Banks 66 and 70 vintage takes some beating at number 1
:-)
Looking forward to a few jars tomorrow in Derby. According to 'Lonely Planet', Derby is the 'real ale capital of Britain.' No doubt there is a bit of hyperbole there but we're arriving good and early tomorrow to conduct some thorough research.
Was on my list, however I didn't manage to try that one......wish I had now!!
Any that seasoned bitter drinkers particularly recommend?