Golden Pints 2017

Yeesh!

     seems like a while since I did this. Am not sure its something one needs inviting to do but whether it is or it isn't it makes no difference, here are my answers (to the questions posed on John Clarke's blog since I don't know who's hosting it this year...). Have also added some I remember from the last time I did it, which occurred in the past, whilst I watched....

Best UK cask Beer.
Contrary to popular misbelief I do drink cask beer, quite a lot. There have been some fantastic beers on cask this year but the two that stand out are Neepsend Centennial and Northern Monk Heathen. The Centennial may actually have been brewed in 2016 by the way. But they are just numbers. It was incredibly well balanced and easy drinking for a stupendously hoppy pale ale and I loved it. The Northern Monk Heathen was over 6% and cloudy as a British summer's day, packed with an excellent hop hit, balanced perfectly by the malts and was overall a fantastic ale.

Best UK keg beer.
I could list many but the Verdant Maybe just one more PSi at 8.0% was a clear winner. Superb, hoppy, fruity, cloudy,  smooth excellence.

Best UK bottle.
Have probably drunk less bottled beers this year but of those that I have the Marble Imp of the Perverse was a highlight, approximately 72% alcohol and sliced when removed from the bottle. Another excellent product was the Weird Beard Holy Hoppin Hell at somewhere in the 9s. A fabulously ascorbic imperial ale with sufficient balance to make each mouthful refreshing and enjoyable whilst your tongue tingles.

Best UK can.
Oof. There is a lot to choose from! It has to be five day fresh Verdant Further for me. A fantastic 8% DIPA bristling with zesty fruit and hops, as easy to quaff as Vimto. The Northern Monk I want to Moob it Moob it was also a top drop, whether you liked the naked man artwork or not is another matter.....

Best cider or perry.
I don't drink much am sorry to say but the Cats Tongue at Shakespeares was very nice if I recall (the maker of which I do not).

Best Overseas Draught beer.
Stigbergets Bryggeri Sweden Amazing Haze IPA, which I tried at Shakespeares' stupidly delicious  beers tap takeover. It was wonderfully balanced and had the perfect blend of hops and malt to make a zingy satisfying hoppy pale ale.

Best Overseas Bottled beer.
I bought a gueuze from Hop Hideout that was rather special and quite rare, possibly a collab between Cantillon and other gueuze brewers. I can't for the life of me remember its name but it was fantastic. Alas this muddle of memories will have to suffice as an answer.

Best pub or bar(s).
Shakespeares. For achingly obvious reasons. Old Workshop as its a very interesting and innovative bar with fabulous beer and food. Beer Engine for virtually the same reason. Bar Stewards and Walkley Beer Co for being brilliant micropubs (amongst many) and Hop Hideout, where you can drink their range of excellent keg beers.

Best beer festival.
Sheffield, and any at Shakespeares. Always excellent!

Best book.
Am guessing beer books exist, so whichever you liked I may have.....

Best bottle or pumpclip label design.
Magic Rock or Odyssey.Excellent label designs from the latter, overall excellent branding from the former.

Best collaboration brew.
Cloudwater and Pilcrow Pub Missing piece IPA. A fabulous double dry hopped IPA from this excellent brewery and a pub I have not yet visited. Superb.

Best Overall Beer.
Verdant Maybe just one more PSi.

Best UK Brewery.
A three way tie alas between Verdant, Deya and Northern Monk. So many excellent brews from theses fine people!

So, there are my half remembered answers to the official and added question for the Golden Pints Awards 2017. I hope the winners of each receive significant adulation.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy