So, the beer. If you've ever had a home made lemon cheesecake, with ginger nut biscuits mixed in with the digestives to make up the base, then you already know what this beer tastes like without trying it. It's got a great balance of biscuity malt and tangy citrus hops, and all at a very reasonable session strength. Much as I hate supermarkets, it does instill bit on confidence in the future of British Brewing when they're prepared to stock proper, decent beer like this. All right, it's not shouty, and it's probably not as exciting as the latest must-have hop-bomb from across the pond, but like I say, it's a proper beer. Job done.On a side note, I'd had a few days off the beer before trying this, and I love how alive your palate gets after a few days rest. Even if the rest of your body is tired beer's great for invigorating the mind and the soul. Although I'm sure you knew that or you probably wouldn't be reading this.
4.2% abv. £1.99 (50cl) from Ocado
Tempting as it was to put Therapy?'s Potato Junkie as a music match (don't click on that if you're easily offended) my favourite electronic artist has a tune called Bitter and Twisted so it'd be rude not to post it. (Hat-tip as ever to Mark for beer and music matching!)
* Is this still about? It's not on their website.
Jeez your blog makes me thirsty! I originally hail from your shores and have turned my thirst to the fermented grape. Craft beer here leaves a little to be desired, I guess it's kind of where the UK was in the late 70s with the dominance of a few commercial brewers and a small but growing scene of craft proponents.
ReplyDeleteLoved this beer - champion around 2003/ 04 from memory at the GBBF. Used to love attending that. Glad I've found your blog via twitter. Cheers Stu (aka @thevinsomniac)
Haha, cheers Stu!
ReplyDeleteI spent a year out in Oz doing the backpacker thing and I worked in some pubs in Brisbane for about half that time. Although it's going back ten years or so, aside from the obvious Coopers there wasn't a lot that I remember being much different from XXXX/VB/Tooheys and the like (I walked past the CP brewery to get to work). I do remember Boags and Redback but they were decent rather than spectacular. It looks like the Kiwis are beating you guys to it on this one unfortunately! Mind I'd be surprised if (rather like with their wine) they can ignore Oz as a market - look out for the 8 wired stuff in particular.
In the mean time let me know if you do come across anything weird and wonderful down under and maybe I'll draft you in (if you'd be up for it) to do a guest review? It's probably the closest thing I'm going to get to remembering the heady days of mis-spending youth out there! Thanks for reading.