Thursday 31 July 2008

Bath Ales Gem

  • Name: Bath Ales Gem, 4.8%, England
  • Appearance: Dark redish brown. Some off-white head.
  • Aroma: Nice malt and caramel.
  • Taste: Some hops, but more malty. Caramel and fruit. Smooth. Slight bitterness.
  • Bought: Waitrose, 500 ml, £1.79
  • Overall score: 4/6
  • Info: 31/7-2008

Tuesday 29 July 2008

Xingu

Raising my glass to my old classmate KTK, who died last week.
  • Name: Xingu, 4.6%, Brazil
  • Appearance: Dark brown. Little bit of tan head.
  • Aroma: Dark malt, roasted. Hint of chocolate and raisins.
  • Taste: Some malt, slightly sweet. Surprisingly nice.
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 355 ml, £1.29
  • Overall score: 4/6
  • Info: 29/7-2008

Friday 25 July 2008

O'Hara's Celtic Stout

  • Name: O'Hara's Celtic Stout, 4.3%, Ireland
  • Appearance: Very dark brown. Shortlived, tan head.
  • Aroma: Roasted and hint of coffee and metal.
  • Taste: Quite bitter and smokey. Dark malt. Slightly bitter aftertaste.
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 500 ml, £2.29
  • Overall score: 3/6
  • Info: 25/7-2008, 23/300M

Thursday 24 July 2008

The Ten Best Summer Beers (The Independent)

English newspaper The Independent earlier this week listed the Top Ten Best Summer Beers, as chosen by Roger Protz:

Adnams East Green
[Me: 3/6]
Fuller's Organic Honey Dew [Me: 3/6]
Meantime IPA
Shepherd Neame Whitstable Bay [Me: 1/6]
Budweiser Budvar [Me: 5/6]
Duvel [Me: 5/6]
St Austell Clouded Yellow [Me: 2/6]
Young's Kew Gold [Me: 4/6]
Brakspear Oxford Gold [Me: 3/6]
Goose Island IPA [Me: 3/6]

The ones I haven't tried yet have been added to my shopping list.

Wednesday 23 July 2008

Negra Modelo

  • Name: Negra Modelo, 5.3%, Mexico
  • Appearance: Dark redish brown. Slightly hazy. Little bit of off-white head.
  • Aroma: Dark fruit. Some malt.
  • Taste: Malt and some fruit. OK aftertaste. One of the better Mexican beers.
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 330 ml, £1.59
  • Overall score: 3/6
  • Info: 23/7-2008

Thursday 17 July 2008

Traquair Jacobite Ale

  • Name: Traquair Jacobite Ale, 8%, Scotland
  • Appearance: Very dark brown. Very little head. Slightly hazy.
  • Aroma: Dark fruit and malt. Some alcohol.
  • Taste: Malt and spices/herbs. Nice, strong aftertaste
  • Bought: Utobeer, 330 ml, £2.80
  • Overall score: 4/6
  • Info: 17/7-2008, 195/500

Monday 14 July 2008

Birra Moretti

  • Name: Birra Moretti, 4.6%, Italy
  • Appearance: Clear, light golden. Little head and carbonation.
  • Aroma: Hops and malt, some grass.
  • Taste: A bit watery. Some hops and malt. Slightly bitter aftertaste.
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 330 ml, £1.15
  • Overall score: 3/6
  • Info: 14/7-2008

Thursday 10 July 2008

Cobra Premium Beer

  • Name: Cobra Premium Beer, 5.0%, England
  • Appearance: Nice, clear golden. Nice amount of head.
  • Aroma: Not much. Bit of hops and malt. Lemon?
  • Taste: Light. Some malt and hops. Slightly bitter aftertaste. Standard stuff
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 330 ml, £1.19
  • Overall score: 3/6
  • Info: 10/7-2008

Cobra Alcohol Free Premium Beer

  • Name: Cobra Alcohol Free Premium Beer, 0.0%, England
  • Appearance: Light golden, clear. Good amount of white head.
  • Aroma: Grains and sweet. Not typical lager. Artificial.
  • Taste: Quite sweet, and corn again. Best low-alcohol so far.
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 330 ml, £0.85
  • Overall score: 2/6
  • Info: 10/7-2008

Tuesday 8 July 2008

Brakspear Triple

Each bottle has a unique number, mine is A444422. According to their website this means it was brewed 24/04/08.
  • Name: Brakspear Triple, 7.2%, England
  • Appearance: Dark redish brown. Little bit of white head. Low carbonation.
  • Aroma: Dark fruit and berries. Hops.
  • Taste: Fruit, slightly lemony. Some hops. Warming. Bitter aftertaste.
  • Bought: Waitrose, 500 ml, £2.19
  • Overall score: 3/6
  • Info: 8/7-2008

Sunday 6 July 2008

Tusker Lager

Next country; Kenya.
  • Name: Tusker Lager, 4.2%, Kenya
  • Appearance: Light, clear golden. OK amount of white head. Nice, small bubbles.
  • Aroma: Grain, hint of hops. Not much. Metallic?
  • Taste: Standard lager. Hops and malt. Slightly bitter aftertaste.
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 500 ml, £1.69
  • Overall score: 2/6
  • Info: 6/7-2008

Saturday 5 July 2008

Windhoek Lager

My "tour" of Africa continues.
  • Name: Windhoek Lager, 4%, Namibia
  • Appearance: Dark golden yellow, clear. Little head, white.
  • Aroma: Hops and grass. Not much.
  • Taste: Hops and some malt. Fresh. Slightly malty aftertaste. OK, but nothing special.
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 340 ml, £1.29
  • Overall score: 3/6
  • Info: 5/7-2008, 22/300M

Thursday 3 July 2008

Robson's Durban Pale Ale

New country again...
  • Name: Robson's Durban Pale Ale, 5.7%, South Africa
  • Appearance: Orangy golden. Good amount of head. Sediments. Slightly hazy.
  • Aroma: Fruity, some yeast. Caramel.
  • Taste: Surprisingly nice. Fruit, and malt. Some hops. Nice bitter aftertaste.
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 340 ml, £1.79
  • Overall score: 4/6
  • Info: 3/7-2008

Tuesday 1 July 2008

Bintang Bir Pilsener

Country number 51.
  • Name: Bintang Bir Pilsener, 4.8%, Indonesia
  • Appearance: Golden. Almost no head nor carbonation.
  • Aroma: Not much. Bit of sweet malt and hops.
  • Taste: Quite watery. Slightly bitter and sweet. Not bad, just boring.
  • Bought: Beers of Europe, 330 ml, £1.29
  • Overall score: 2/6
  • Info: 1/7-2008