I was getting a little antsy yesterday, it was getting to the eleventh hour and there had been a distinct lack of new beer in my life (and indeed in my stomach). A combination of mainly enjoying old favourites, drinking beer that has yet to be bottled or canned and being more drawn to wine – of which we have plenty, don’t forget - over the last 10 days or so seemed to mean that I was going to come up somewhat short in my recommendations for you.
And then my friends came to the rescue, as they so often do. I’ve had a couple of really wonderful nights in the pub with really wonderful friends this week so I decided to ask for some of their tasting notes and favourites and between us I reckon we have a pretty strong line up.
Magic Rock/Casita Cervecería Amanecer Mexicano
2.70/5.8%/330ml)
The first of this weeks selections to come from this years Rainbow Project (a yearly event organised by Siren which teams seven breweries from the UK with seven breweries from a chosen country or region and challenges them to make brew together based on a colour of the rainbow), this is a Mexican spiced take on a Gose. Aalya had never tasted anything like it, and this elicited several squeals of interest and delight, KB is well acquainted with a Gose and loved the combination of fresh, sharp and spicy – so much so that I was instructed to bring home several more – in this one. In the little that I was allowed to taste I noted raspberry, lime, chilli and cinnamon and a lingering salty note that I loved, this is obviously too good to share.
Two Roads Bergamonster
£3.50/7.0%/355ml
Regular readers will be able to guess that this choice was all mine as I can never resist a mention of bergamot in a beverage. The name is well suited as this packs a serious punch, a supercharged take on a Belgian Witbier with a whole heap of bergamot added to the more traditional tasting notes of zesty citrus, oily orange peel, coriander and spice from the yeast. I was expecting this one to be finished at speed, but it really benefitted from taking some time with it.
Northern Monk Don't Mess With Yorkshire
£4.40/4.5%/440ml
Another week, another Northern Monk offering. I promise I’m not being sponsored by them it’s just that they are just making some really outstanding beers at the moment. This was shared with a colleague – colleagues can be friends too – and we both enjoyed the light body and the combination of tropical and stone fruit flavours finished with a good bitter floral and herbal note on the finish. No messing.
Burning Sky/Three Floyds Burial Vault
£4.20/8.4%/330ml
Another from the Rainbow Project, this time a barrel-aged White Stout. KB thought that this one was incredibly smooth with hints of apricot, whilst it reminded Eona of some of the best strong and rich Belgian offerings – she used to live in Belgium, so I really can’t argue with her – with toffee sweetness balanced by savoury flavours and a coriander herbal note on the finish.
Left Handed Giant Lactose Tolerant
£2.70/5.1%/330ml
Many of my early drinking experiences involved stubby bottles of ‘continental’ lager, and as much as many of the – slightly hazy - memories are best consigned to history I still have a fondness for those bottles. So, naturally I was drawn to this cacao laden Milk Stout from Bristol’s Left Handed Giant. Plenty of chocolate, light coffee, dark berries and a little strawberry marshmallow fluff, this was delicious if a little heavy handed on the carbonation. Come for the packaging, stay for the taste.
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