Sorry for the delay in posting, I've spent the weekend moving back home due to job issues (namely not having one), so I've been rather distracted with packing etc. However I'm now mostly unpacked and ready to write my second entry, about my second trip the Volunteer Tavern beer festival. I had a great time which somehow ended in a party back at my flat, so I think the evening could definitely be called successful But you're not here to read about my social life, but about beer, so here we go.
Saltaire Hazelnut Coffee Porter
I've heard many rave reviews about this beer, and I think I may have had it before but forgotten (part of the point of this blog is for me to better remember what I've had and what it was like), and whilst I thought it was pleasant I also don't think it fully lives up to its name. It has a good chocolaty flavour, with some coffee notes in the finish, but I honestly struggled to taste the hazelnut, or any nutty flavours for that matter. My friend Simon said it tasted like dried peas, but he's a bit weird. I'm not saying it was unpleasant, in fact it was full-bodied and really rather lovely, but I think Hazelnut is a bit of a misnomer. Another odd thing about it is the appearance. In my experience, and I think that of most people, porters tend to be very black or very dark brown and almost opaque unless held up to a bright light. This was red, almost like a dark ruby, and fairly translucent. It still tasted like a porter, with all the characteristic richness, but it looked bizarre. I'd have it again, but hopefully next time I'll remember not to expect a strong nuttiness.
Arbor Ales Wheat Beer
I don't believe "Wheat Beer" is the actual name of this, but rather simply a description of the style, but the pub had no tasting notes for it so I assume it was a late replacement sent without much information. Arbor is a small brewery in Bristol which has become synonymous in the local ale community for innovative, producing a prodigious stream of new beers, often results of their Freestyle Fridays on which they brew a new and exciting beer every week and sell the result, only repeating it if it is exceptionally popular. It's quite likely this beer is a result of one of these brews, and in my opinion quite a successful one. It is a cloudy, dull orange, and has the familiar banana and clove flavours characteristic of the style. However that word "characteristic" is perhaps a problem. This beer is extremely tasty, but has none of the innovation and experiment spirit of many other Arbor beers, which is a shame. Of course it's always possible they used some unusual adjunct which I couldn't detect, but I can't be sure as the tasting notes weren't available, and there was no obviously unusual flavour. All in all, very nice, but nothing special.
Elland Big Dogs IPA
This fact that this IPA contains Nelson Sauvin hops is very obvious. These extremely bitter hops from New Zealand have a distinctive taste, with little floral character but a certain harshness instead. It's nice when balance with other flavours, but it can easily render a beer unpalatable in large quantities. However this beer is well-balanced, bitter but not too bitter, whilst still definitely being a proper IPA. It has a slight maltiness in the finish, with perhaps a hint of biscuit, which is very pleasant. Simon had this later and described it as "all bark and no bite". I don't entirely agree, I think it has more depth of flavour than he gives it credit for, but the initial hoppiness certainly could overpower it if you're not careful.
Art Brew Hip Hop - Dr Rudi's Super Alpha
Hip Hop is Art Brew's single hop IPA range, and this one is made with the unusually named hop above, from New Zealand. I haven't written much about this (it was getting a bit late by this point), but it was very pleasant, with a good malty base, something which I think is very good in an IPA to provide a certain warmth to the flavour. It had slight grassy notes in the middle, which is rather nice too.
Timothy Taylor Dark Mild
This is another tasty weirdo. The overwhelming flavour is of blackcurrant yoghurt. I know that is a very specific and extremely off description, but it's just what it tasted like. I've had a quick look at a some other reviews and they don't seem to agree, but some other people there on the night did so it may have been something specific to that cask. It was a delicious creamy flavour, without much complexity, though of course that's quite common in milds, but definitely one I'd have again, even if only to see if it tastes blackcurranty again!
Severn Vale Severn Sins
This stout had a very full flavour with strong Marmity notes. This may of course mean that some people will hate it, but I love Marmite and I liked this beer. However it's most certainly not a session beer, as the flavour does get a bit overpowering for a while, and I think the half I had was quite enough
All in all the festival was a great success, and a brilliant send off for me, as as I mentioned earlier I have now sadly had to leave Bristol to return to Sussex. However I won't stop searching for ales to review, and hopefully I'll be back in Brizzle as soon as possible!
Saltaire Hazelnut Coffee Porter
I've heard many rave reviews about this beer, and I think I may have had it before but forgotten (part of the point of this blog is for me to better remember what I've had and what it was like), and whilst I thought it was pleasant I also don't think it fully lives up to its name. It has a good chocolaty flavour, with some coffee notes in the finish, but I honestly struggled to taste the hazelnut, or any nutty flavours for that matter. My friend Simon said it tasted like dried peas, but he's a bit weird. I'm not saying it was unpleasant, in fact it was full-bodied and really rather lovely, but I think Hazelnut is a bit of a misnomer. Another odd thing about it is the appearance. In my experience, and I think that of most people, porters tend to be very black or very dark brown and almost opaque unless held up to a bright light. This was red, almost like a dark ruby, and fairly translucent. It still tasted like a porter, with all the characteristic richness, but it looked bizarre. I'd have it again, but hopefully next time I'll remember not to expect a strong nuttiness.
Arbor Ales Wheat Beer
I don't believe "Wheat Beer" is the actual name of this, but rather simply a description of the style, but the pub had no tasting notes for it so I assume it was a late replacement sent without much information. Arbor is a small brewery in Bristol which has become synonymous in the local ale community for innovative, producing a prodigious stream of new beers, often results of their Freestyle Fridays on which they brew a new and exciting beer every week and sell the result, only repeating it if it is exceptionally popular. It's quite likely this beer is a result of one of these brews, and in my opinion quite a successful one. It is a cloudy, dull orange, and has the familiar banana and clove flavours characteristic of the style. However that word "characteristic" is perhaps a problem. This beer is extremely tasty, but has none of the innovation and experiment spirit of many other Arbor beers, which is a shame. Of course it's always possible they used some unusual adjunct which I couldn't detect, but I can't be sure as the tasting notes weren't available, and there was no obviously unusual flavour. All in all, very nice, but nothing special.
Elland Big Dogs IPA
This fact that this IPA contains Nelson Sauvin hops is very obvious. These extremely bitter hops from New Zealand have a distinctive taste, with little floral character but a certain harshness instead. It's nice when balance with other flavours, but it can easily render a beer unpalatable in large quantities. However this beer is well-balanced, bitter but not too bitter, whilst still definitely being a proper IPA. It has a slight maltiness in the finish, with perhaps a hint of biscuit, which is very pleasant. Simon had this later and described it as "all bark and no bite". I don't entirely agree, I think it has more depth of flavour than he gives it credit for, but the initial hoppiness certainly could overpower it if you're not careful.
Art Brew Hip Hop - Dr Rudi's Super Alpha
Hip Hop is Art Brew's single hop IPA range, and this one is made with the unusually named hop above, from New Zealand. I haven't written much about this (it was getting a bit late by this point), but it was very pleasant, with a good malty base, something which I think is very good in an IPA to provide a certain warmth to the flavour. It had slight grassy notes in the middle, which is rather nice too.
Timothy Taylor Dark Mild
This is another tasty weirdo. The overwhelming flavour is of blackcurrant yoghurt. I know that is a very specific and extremely off description, but it's just what it tasted like. I've had a quick look at a some other reviews and they don't seem to agree, but some other people there on the night did so it may have been something specific to that cask. It was a delicious creamy flavour, without much complexity, though of course that's quite common in milds, but definitely one I'd have again, even if only to see if it tastes blackcurranty again!
Severn Vale Severn Sins
This stout had a very full flavour with strong Marmity notes. This may of course mean that some people will hate it, but I love Marmite and I liked this beer. However it's most certainly not a session beer, as the flavour does get a bit overpowering for a while, and I think the half I had was quite enough
All in all the festival was a great success, and a brilliant send off for me, as as I mentioned earlier I have now sadly had to leave Bristol to return to Sussex. However I won't stop searching for ales to review, and hopefully I'll be back in Brizzle as soon as possible!
Quick question, how can you say a beer tastes like iron or hale bales? Unless you have taken a bite out of a bale lately...
ReplyDeleteTaste and smell are effectively the same smell. I know what iron and hay smell like, so I also know what they taste like. Hope that makes sense
Delete