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General Chat => Off Topic => Topic started by: JLC on 13 February, 2017, 09:38:31 AM

Title: Craft Beer
Post by: JLC on 13 February, 2017, 09:38:31 AM
Any craft beer fans here? Whether its Brewdog, Beavertown, Soundwave or one of the many other breweries producing top quality brews here's the place to chat about them & share recommendations.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Rara Avis on 13 February, 2017, 01:58:12 PM
I'm not a massive fan of craft beers but I have been known to sink (quite) a few of these:

http://the5lampsbrewery.com/#latest-work

http://www.fourcorners.ie/beer/wicklow-wolf/easy-lover/

http://www.eightdegrees.ie/barefoot-bohemian-pilsner/
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Dandontdare on 13 February, 2017, 02:16:46 PM
I'm currently enjoying various beers from a couple of local breweries, Shindigger (who do some lovely IPAs) and RedWillow, whose beers all end in ~less (Wreckless, aimless, thoughtless etc)
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: JayzusB.Christ on 16 February, 2017, 09:52:23 AM
It is a continuing source of joy for me that Ireland has finally escaped the Diageo / Heineken monopoly and pretty much every new pub has to have craft beers now if it wants to compete.  The off-licences too are now a treasure trove of weird and exotic brands.

Cantillon gueuze wins the offie award for me. In the pub, it's usually a red ale or stout of some kind - Chilli stout was a particular favourite but I can't find anywhere that does it any more. 

Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Rara Avis on 16 February, 2017, 12:40:49 PM
Weren't Diageo repacking Fosters and trying to sell it as their craft beer? I'm sure I read something about that in The Sunday Times but I can't find a link online.

I also read that Robert Plant's son is the man behind the Beaverton Brewery and the wonderfully named Neck Oil.

http://www.beavertownbrewery.co.uk/beer/neck-oil/

Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: SpongeJosh on 16 February, 2017, 01:50:41 PM
Phoenix Brewery - Wobbly Bob
Dunham Massey - Gold
Titanic Brewery - Plum Porter

Just a few of my favourites. Off to the Roundhouse at Derby this Saturday for the Winter Beer Festival. 300+ beers, so Sunday could be interesting. :lol:
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: JLC on 16 February, 2017, 04:41:30 PM
I've been working my way through a few of Siren Crafts beers. Broken Dream is lovely.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Pegasus P Artichoke on 16 February, 2017, 08:16:21 PM
Enjoying Inveralmonds Ossain, Thrappledowser and Lia Fail

Plus Williams Brothers 7 Giraffes

Wytchwood Hobgoblin and Hobgoblin Gold are nice

I think it's a Williams Brothers one but Joker IPA is also really nice if you enjoy a more hoppy taste
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: JLC on 17 February, 2017, 03:09:00 PM
Tried Brighton Bier's Feshman Vermont IPA last night. Very nice.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: CalHab on 17 February, 2017, 08:35:48 PM
Enjoyed 6 Degrees North's Biere de Table last night. I need to find something for tonight now!
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: radiator on 17 February, 2017, 09:03:10 PM
I live in Portland, which is pretty much beer heaven. There are 70+ breweries in the city alone, with many more in nearby cities like Astoria, Seattle, Bend etc. There are five I can think of within a ten minute walk of where I live.

Pretty much every bar and restaurant - even down to the level of pokey pizza shops - offers a full complement of local taps, with every kind of beer represented, and you should see the beer aisles in the local supermarkets. I'm a bit spoiled, really.

The only catch is that there's a definite bias towards pacific pale ales and IPAs (breweries in the PNW seem locked in perpetual competition for who can brew the most face-meltingly hoppy and powerful IPA in existence). It's definitely an acquired taste - took me a while to get into it, and they're so strong (hard to find one below 6.5%) you can only really drink a couple in a night. So I tend to stick to the milder pale ales and session IPAs. Love pretty much everything from the Deschutes and Fort George breweries, and my favourite IPA is probably one called Boneyard by a brewery called RPM.

I still love British beer, but it's a weird adjustment coming back these days - it's a cliche but everything tastes so warm and flat!
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Mardroid on 17 February, 2017, 09:53:07 PM
I remember that not so long ago (well might be 15-20 years ago, now that I think of it. I went for a long time period without drinking much at all so I'm not sure when the change occurred, so it might be less time than that,) beer in England was nearly always served room temperature.

Every beer I've had nowadays has been chilled though. I remember when they had an option of Guinness at room temperature (just called 'Guinness') and Guiness chilled. Now it's just Guiness... but it's chilled. Default.

I'm not complaining mind, as I like beer cold. I just mean that British beer being warm is no longer true, at least down here in the South.* I don't know if the Northerners are still supping on the luke-warm stuff...

Or maybe American beer is generally even colder? It's not icy cold here, for sure, but it's nice and cool.

*Whether that's true for the whole South, I don't know. I live in the South East, but I visit a friend in Swindon a few times a year and their beer is cold too.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 17 February, 2017, 09:55:19 PM
Since I realised that most lagers (my drink of choice during my demolition drinking days} made me blow up like that henchman from whichever Roger Moore Bond movie it is where he stuffs a gas capsule down the poor bastard's neck, I've come to favour an IPA. Nottingham's local Flipside Brewery make Clippings IPA, which weighs in at a slightly mental 8% ABV, but is deceptively easy to drink...
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Dandontdare on 17 February, 2017, 10:07:18 PM
Quote from: Mardroid on 17 February, 2017, 09:53:07 PM
Every beer I've had nowadays has been chilled though. I remember when they had an option of Guinness at room temperature (just called 'Guinness') and Guiness chilled. Now it's just Guiness... but it's chilled. Default.
I heard about a working mens club in the NE whose brwrewy forced them to replace their guiness tap with an "ice-cold" guinesss tap - Locals were not happy , so they  put a microwave on the end of the bar, and gave every pint a couple of seconds to "take the  chill off"
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Albion on 17 February, 2017, 10:11:34 PM
Depends how you define craft beer, it's a tricky one.
Some people see it as only keg beers, rather than real ale, and view it as a threat to that style like the keg beers of the 1970's were. There are some amazing keg beers these days, brewing technology and knowledge is way beyond the keg brews of years ago. (Admittedly I missed out on those as I was a kid in the 70's but I've heard the tales).

Some see it as beer made on a smaller scale than the industrial beer producing giants yet some craft breweries can be rather large, such as Sierra Nevada and Brewdog (who will be opening a Brewery in the U.S too.)
Also some ale producers use the term craft now so they can capture that market and appear to be rather trendy.

Personally I just like good beer however it's made. If it tastes good I'll drink it. I attend quite a few beer festivals throughout the year and try to find good pubs wherever I am.

I brew my own all grain beers so I guess that could be craft beer too.

Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Mikey on 19 February, 2017, 10:17:20 AM
I always joke that I liked craft beers when they were called real ales, but I understand craft beers to mean small scale breweries right enough. The whole craft beer thing has been great for getting good beers more widely available than ever.

When I started drinking, 'real' beers were nigh on non existent in Norn Iron though brown keg stuff like Bass and Smithwicks were readily available. I inevitably graduated to drinking Guinness (none of that chilled gubbins mind) which gave me a taste for bitter drinks. When a Tesco finally opened where I live and Wheterspoons arrived, at last I could get some good beer near enough when I wanted.

Anyhoo, the local breweries (Belfast Brewery, Hildens and the Whitewater Brewery) can produce decent pints but I find in bottles they all have the same unpleasant aftertaste so I tend to avoid them. Recently I've been enjoying stuff from the Boyne Brewery, especially their Pagan's Pillar which is a good copper ale.

I could go on for quite some time about beer, including illustrations. I regularly get mixed boxes of beers delivered and I usually take a pic of them and post my 'review' on me Facebook ☺️ Of the breweries mentioned above, I've enjoyed stuff from Siren and Great North but two of the best I've had have been a saison from the Bad Seed brewery and a Russian Imperial Stout by Black Sheep. I generally like everything from both of them that I've had as well as Stone and Whychwood (Hobgoblin was my first real beer!) and last night I was drinking Theakston's Old Peculiar.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: JLC on 22 June, 2017, 09:04:25 PM
I went to the Northern Monk Co. Brewery couple days ago, same cracking beers in their tap room.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Eric Plumrose on 23 June, 2017, 07:00:38 AM
Quote from: JLC on 16 February, 2017, 04:41:30 PM
I've been working my way through a few of Siren Crafts beers. Broken Dream is lovely.

Ooh, yiss. There's a Craft Pub just off Covent Garden. A pint of Broken Dream made for a very nice lunchless breakfast last Thursday afternoon.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: CalHab on 23 June, 2017, 08:06:28 AM
I had a bottle of Wild Beer Co's Wild Goose Chase last night with my curry and it was excellent. That brewery seems to produce consistently wonderful beers.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: CalHab on 23 June, 2017, 08:06:47 AM
.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Theblazeuk on 23 June, 2017, 03:12:49 PM
For the last few weeks you can get the 660ml Punk IPA bottles by BrewDog at the bargain price of 3 for £5 from that most accessible of supermarkets, Tesco. Even the Express ones.

And lo, a saving of over a £5 on big old bottles of nice beer. Good whilst it lasts.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: JLC on 23 June, 2017, 07:38:10 PM
Well, I think its the begininng of the end for Brewdog...
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Zarjazzer on 24 June, 2017, 02:10:02 PM
The Cask in Pimlico has plenty of craft and other beers, some quite lethal some towards 11% ouch. I like Barnsley bitter there and they used to have Dark Star ales haven't been for a while alas.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Theblazeuk on 27 June, 2017, 10:10:43 AM
Love the Cask. Great, fine beers and lovely burgers & fries.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: sheridan on 27 June, 2017, 12:44:29 PM
Quote from: Zarjazzer on 24 June, 2017, 02:10:02 PM
The Cask in Pimlico has plenty of craft and other beers, some quite lethal some towards 11% ouch. I like Barnsley bitter there and they used to have Dark Star ales haven't been for a while alas.

Had to double-check if it was the one I thought it was - it was: '8 minutes walk from work'.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Zarjazzer on 27 June, 2017, 09:21:34 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 27 June, 2017, 12:44:29 PM
Quote from: Zarjazzer on 24 June, 2017, 02:10:02 PM
The Cask in Pimlico has plenty of craft and other beers, some quite lethal some towards 11% ouch. I like Barnsley bitter there and they used to have Dark Star ales haven't been for a while alas.

Had to double-check if it was the one I thought it was - it was: '8 minutes walk from work'.

Just don't drink the Biscotti (stout 11.5%) at lunchtime! I learned the hard way...  :|
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: JayzusB.Christ on 27 June, 2017, 10:41:32 PM
I'm drinking a pint of McGargle's Pale Ale as I type.  It's brewed only a mile or two down the road.  Lovely crisp beer for a summer's evening.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Mardroid on 28 June, 2017, 10:42:25 AM
I didn't realise they even brewed beer at 11%.

When I see beers 3 to 4% I think "hmm that's strong" (likely pouring it down my gullet shortly after. Okay that's an exaggeration. ) I saw one advertised as 5% the other day and thought,  "wow". (I didn't have any. I don't think it was available just then. Sometimes they prepare the taps with "available soon".)

I see what a naive lightweight I actually am.

I realise my post makes it appear that I choose beers according to high alcohol content. Not true. Honest. Well, I not entirely true. I like to try brews I haven't had before, usually ales and the like, and those figures come with them.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: CalHab on 28 June, 2017, 12:22:02 PM
Like you, I keep an eye on ABVs and this often leads me to tend towards "session" beers of 2-3.5%, so that I can enjoy a couple on a weekday evening. A strong beer is nice once in a while, but some pubs only seem to stock that stuff.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Dandontdare on 28 June, 2017, 01:19:30 PM
I tend to find 3.8% to be the lowest available in most places. One local brewery that services a couple of my favourite pubs (Chorlton Tap and the Knott Bar) has 3 pale ales at 3.8%, 4.6% and 5.0%, called very simply 38, 46 and 50. It's the same very nice brew, you just get to choose your strength depending on whether it's a pint with lunch or a Friday blow-out!
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Colin YNWA on 28 June, 2017, 04:42:19 PM
Quote from: Mardroid on 28 June, 2017, 10:42:25 AM
I didn't realise they even brewed beer at 11%.


Famously (well if you know Sheffield) The Frog and Parrot pub used to sell a beer called 'Roger and Out' which at the time was supposed to be the world's strongest beer. It was only sold in 1/3 pints I always thought due to the fact it was bloody vile as much to increase its legend. Think it was around 15% or more.

Not sure if they still have as I've not been da frog in years.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Zarjazzer on 28 June, 2017, 08:34:44 PM
Yes they sell you the 11% ers in small half pints I think. But you can always buy two. After doing this I nearly joined the Tamil Tigers in a bizarre twist of fate.  :)

That day may be a blur but memorable. And in the Cask ABV is usually king the higher the ABV the more you pay. 
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: CalHab on 13 July, 2017, 11:04:00 AM
I did get a warning from a barman once when buying a bottle of Brewdog Paradox (a beer conditioned in a whisky cask) that it was very strong and he wouldn't sell me more than one.

It was a nice beer. In this case they'd used a cask from a Speyside whisky (from Keith, I think), which worked well. So well, that I bought a couple of bottles from my local off-licence. Unfortunately those were from a batch that used an Islay whisky cask and tasted like an unholy combination of Iodine and ashtrays. Buyer beware.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 13 July, 2017, 11:14:08 AM
Forgot about this one from a couple of months ago. Not only my favourite band, but a deceptively easy to drink pale at a slightly dangerous 7.4%

(http://i.imgur.com/7rd8qVx.jpg)
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Tjm86 on 13 July, 2017, 01:36:30 PM
Quote from: CalHab on 13 July, 2017, 11:04:00 AM
....  tasted like an unholy combination of Iodine and ashtrays. Buyer beware.

You have some very peculiar tastes my friend.  Drinking iodine and ashtrays?   :o
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: CalHab on 13 July, 2017, 01:55:56 PM
Quote from: Tjm86 on 13 July, 2017, 01:36:30 PM
You have some very peculiar tastes my friend.  Drinking iodine and ashtrays?   :o

All part of the rich tapestry of experience I gained during a well spent youth.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Apestrife on 27 July, 2017, 09:26:30 PM
I quite like Ballast point, Brewdog and Lagunitas. Quite easy to get by where I live. Mikkeller is also nice.

I spent a week in Chicago last April, almost drank myself tired of IPA. 3 floyds especially. Very hoppy. Recently I've mostly into alcohol free or "medium strength" (we call them "folk beer" where I live). Change it up a bit. I'm also amazed at how good some alcohol free beer can be.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Mikey on 28 July, 2017, 09:14:42 AM
My non alcoholic beer of choice is Erdinger - it looks and tastes like the full on version and is nice and refreshing.

Quote from: CalHab on 13 July, 2017, 11:04:00 AMUnfortunately those were from a batch that used an Islay whisky cask and tasted like an unholy combination of Iodine and ashtrays. Buyer beware.

I've had an Ennis and Gun whisky cask beer and didn't think it had added much as far as flavour goes, though can't recall what sort of whisky they used.  However, I can see how Speyside characteristics could add some smooth, caramel notes to beer - Islay not so much! Maybe an IPA, but the flavour is too distinct and I'm not surprised the beer was crap.

This weekend I'll be tucking into a mini keg of Ghost Ship, which is OK in bottles but tastes great from the keg.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: CalHab on 28 July, 2017, 10:52:36 AM
Quote from: Mikey on 28 July, 2017, 09:14:42 AM
My non alcoholic beer of choice is Erdinger - it looks and tastes like the full on version and is nice and refreshing.

Yes, the Erdinger one is pretty good. Brewdog's Nanny State is also drinkable.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Apestrife on 28 July, 2017, 12:41:14 PM
Erdinger, it's not the weisse beer you mean? Tried one a couple years ago, and I thought it tasted like carbonated flour. But I'm gonna give it another go.

I think Mikkeller has done wonders with alcohol free beer as well. I've bought it for the taste alone. People who tasted it of me was certain that it was "a real beer".

There's also one called "India Pale Soda". Made in Gothenburg, Sweden. Has this flowery taste. Doesn't taste like a fuzzy drink. Brilliant when eating bbq.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Mikey on 28 July, 2017, 01:45:08 PM
Quote from: Apestrife on 28 July, 2017, 12:41:14 PM
Erdinger, it's not the weisse beer you mean? Tried one a couple years ago, and I thought it tasted like carbonated flour. But I'm gonna give it another go.

Ha ha! Yeah, that's the one! Weissbiers are like liquid bread and are maybe an acquired taste. Best one I've had was Edelweiss when I was in Austria, and a favourite you can get in some shops here is Weihenstephan - not as bready, more creamy I find. Another to try is Hoegaarden which is quite light and sharper than a lot of others.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Albion on 28 July, 2017, 01:54:32 PM
Quote from: Zarjazzer on 24 June, 2017, 02:10:02 PM
.......they used to have Dark Star ales haven't been for a while alas.

I'm a big fan of Dark Star. They are just a few miles away from me and I regularly visit their pub in Horsham as we have a homebrew club meet up there.

One of the brewers comes along each month and we get to try what he has been creating with their test brewing equipment. He even gave us all a load of free hops too.

They have an excellent beer festival at the brewery each year.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: JLC on 28 July, 2017, 02:15:25 PM
Quote from: Albion on 28 July, 2017, 01:54:32 PM
Quote from: Zarjazzer on 24 June, 2017, 02:10:02 PM
.......they used to have Dark Star ales haven't been for a while alas.

I'm a big fan of Dark Star. They are just a few miles away from me and I regularly visit their pub in Horsham as we have a homebrew club meet up there.

One of the brewers comes along each month and we get to try what he has been creating with their test brewing equipment. He even gave us all a load of free hops too.

They have an excellent beer festival at the brewery each year.
I've been to that one in Horsham. Great pub!
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: CalHab on 28 July, 2017, 05:58:08 PM
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DF1dPoEWAAAjMuO?format=jpg&name=large)

https://twitter.com/davegibbons90/status/890970854816985088
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Zarjazzer on 28 July, 2017, 09:57:40 PM
Quote from: Albion on 28 July, 2017, 01:54:32 PM
Quote from: Zarjazzer on 24 June, 2017, 02:10:02 PM
.......they used to have Dark Star ales haven't been for a while alas.

I'm a big fan of Dark Star. They are just a few miles away from me and I regularly visit their pub in Horsham as we have a homebrew club meet up there.

One of the brewers comes along each month and we get to try what he has been creating with their test brewing equipment. He even gave us all a load of free hops too.

They have an excellent beer festival at the brewery each year.

You must be a happy man! I was in the Doggetts in that London recently mostly summer ales but  a nice bitter though they'd run out of Plum Porter. A shame.

Fab  RT beers CalHAb for Mr Gibbons.
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: JLC on 29 July, 2017, 11:16:04 AM
Quote from: CalHab on 28 July, 2017, 05:58:08 PM
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DF1dPoEWAAAjMuO?format=jpg&name=large)

https://twitter.com/davegibbons90/status/890970854816985088
I'm guessing it tastes awful?
Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Albion on 09 August, 2017, 09:57:57 PM
Anyone know the story behind the Rogue Trooper beer?
Was it homebrewed, a one off brew or an existing beer with new labels?

Title: Re: Craft Beer
Post by: Albion on 30 September, 2017, 06:30:00 PM
Now we know.
Bowness Bay Brewing.


(http://i66.tinypic.com/9hoqbp.jpg)