When I was thinking about which beers to feature this week, it occurred to me they mostly have something a little bit different about them, which fits rather nicely with me being a different beer geek for you.
There’s a couple of fruity numbers going on, which will definitely work well if we actually get these "three months of heat" that the news has got my hopes up about. But if not, there’s still a nice, darker style to hunker down with too.
Wild Beer Co. Chronos Foudre Aged Lager (£3.30/ 5.8%/ 330ml).
The chaps at Wild Beer have chosen the Greek god of time as inspiration for this rather curious little lager. Now, that could be a tip of the hat to everyone’s favourite time-lord, who once again graced the nation’s telly screens last weekend – something at least one of us at Clarence Drive is excited about. But probably it’s more to do with it being their first lager that has spent a bit of time (over a month, if you want to know) ageing in a great big American oak foudre. Brettanomyces brings an orangey-grassy note to what is a good, delicately flavoured lager, while the time spent in barrel gives a nice rounded finish that keeps it light but with a bit more going on than your average bottle.
Beerbliotek O/O Sabotage Black IPA. (£3.20/ 6.6%/ 330ml).
A nice Black IPA comes in the shape of Beerbliotek and O/O breweries’ collaboration called Sabotage. Sabotage actually comes from an old French word for a wooden shoe (sabot) that factory workers would throw into machinery to break it when they weren’t content with their working conditions. To be honest, I’m not really sure what this has to do with the beer, but it might help you out in a tight spot at a dinner party. Nevertheless, the beer is just cracking. Pine notes mingle with deep, bready, yeasty aromas that develop into slight coffee hints after a while. The flavour has a bit more coffee; a bit less pine, but manages to stay light and dry with a good bit of hoppy bitterness on the finish.
Marble Beers Earl Grey IPA (£3.20/ 6.8%/ 330ml).
I’ve just realised I’m giving you three different styles of IPA this week, but who cares? They’re all awesome! This instalment is probably the closest to a regular IPA you’re going to get from me, but keeps itself a bit different with the addition of bergamot-heavy Earl Grey tea during the brewing process. Light and floral with good citrus flavours and a very pleasantly hopped finish. You also get a touch of tannin at the end thanks to the tea, which gives a nice dryness that definitely leaves you wanting more. Serve with dainty cakes, finger sandwiches and your finest afternoon tea bonnet.
To Øl Mr Blue Blueberry Saison (£6.30/ 7%/ 500ml).
This was the first in To Øl’s Reservoir Dogs range. I’ve only managed to try blue, pink and orange so far but am looking forward to getting the set. If nothing else, you need to try this just to revel in its glorious blueish-purple colour that looks like you’ve just blitzed up some fresh blueberries in your glass. A slightly sour note on the nose with that distinctive farm yard aroma you get from a saison. Lovely, fruity, blueberry jam flavours with a good balance of sourness make this both refreshing and juicy. But seriously: that colour.
Beavertown Bloody Ell Blood Orange IPA (£3.20/ 7.2%/ 330ml).
Sticking with the fruit theme, we now have Beavertown’s Bloody Ell in stock. I love Beavertown. Their branding always transports me back to my youth, perusing the shelves in Forbidden Planet for my next graphic novel whilst telling myself I really was cool… Anyway, I digress. Bloody Ell is back in season and once again it doesn’t disappoint. Magnum, Citra, Simcoe and Amarillo hops give a fantastically juicy note to what is a really well balanced IPA. The bitterness is there, without being too in your face and an initial hit of sharp citrus gives way to warm fruity blood orange. Basically: this literally does do what it says on the tin.
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