Last weekend was something of a big one in the beer calendar, with the Beavertown Extravaganza in London attracting thousands of beer lovers.
They included several of our staff and many of the best breweries from across the globe.
Leeds International Beer Festival is doing something similar (with slightly more focus on the UK scene) further north
Closer to home Koeschip Yard – a new pub from the people behind Salt Horse in Edinburgh – popped up in Glasgow’s south side, with what looks like an excellent selection of taps.
So, without further ado, let’s take a quick look at some of my favourites.
Two Roads/De La Senne Brothers In Farms (£4.00/6.3%/330ml)
This one was on tap at the Beavertown Extravaganza, but I had to make do with buying a bottle from our shelves. A collab between
a great new American Brewery who I have featured several beers from in the
last year and the Belgians behind one of my top beers
of the year (“Bruxellensis”, which I’m pretty sure I gave a glowing review in these pages a few months back) this was always likely to be a cracker, and it is indeed.
This Grisette is dry and peppery but with plenty
of fruity esters and juicy orange throughout for balance. There’s a slight
wild yeast funky note on
the dry finish, and a
light floral touch. Lovely stuff.
Mad Hatter Tzatziki Sour (£3.10/4.2%/330ml)
It’s back! I have definitely mentioned this one before, but it would be remiss of
me to not make you aware that we have it again. The aroma has all of the cucumber, mint and yoghurt you would expect (fortunately no garlic), and the taste starts sour before those tzatziki flavours come through for maximum refreshment. One of my all time favourites, this is such a fun beer.
Burning Sky/Harveys Last Voyage (£3.20/6.7%/330ml)
This is an intense, citrus laden IPA with pithy orange, zesty lemon and an earthy spice on the nose.
Slick and full bodied on the palate, with stone fruit and a little juicy pineapple alongside the marmalade and zest that the nose promised. The finish carries on a similar road, but adding a lasting grassy bitterness.
Evil Twin Sumo in a Sidecar (£4.70/7.0%/473ml)
This potent IPA is a variation on a classic cocktail (no prizes for guessing which one), and it’s a juicy one for sure. Don’t be put off by the amount of sediment – which I assume is apricot – and just enjoy the added flavour and aroma that it carries. Plenty of apricots on the nose, alongside soft citrus and tropical notes, with a huge juicy hit of the same on the palate and lovely balance of juicy sweetness and grassy bitterness on the finish. The alcohol content is well hidden, but helps carry a lot of flavour.
Northern Monk Patrons Project 5.03 Ingleborough (£5.20/4.0%/440ml)
I mentioned this one last week and – as promised – here it is. The latest in Northern Monk’s low ABV series, this sweet porter is just as delicious in cans as it was on tap. Roast malts meet chocolate and vanilla on the nose, this is almost sticky on the lips and creamy smooth on the palate with chocolate, cherry and toffee flavours.
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