Citra everything

 Evening!

          Last month I bought two cans off Sean from Other Half Brewing. I had become a fan of their stuff, along with Veil Brewing, and other's whom I have temporarily forgotten the names of, for a while now. Despite the height of their prices (remember kids - I do still perhaps pointlessly strive to pay no more than a pound a percent), I managed to order 2 x 6.5% DDH IPA's. Citra everything is the second.

I realise that people - like myself - could suggest that Citra everything should simply be a can filled with green Citra hops - and it wasn't. Luckily I had brought this to enjoy a tasty hoppy cloudy beer. It did not disappoint.

It's actually called small CITRA EVERYTHING and is in a can with a lovely pinky red label. Taking the lid off  I straight away smelled the lovely Citra flavours as they wafted over my nose.I realise that numerous unsavoury undertakings could have taken place at Other Half Brewing, but their lack of more than the most basic information about the brew simply meant that I loved the flavour even more. The only frustration, and even then minimal, was a lack of explanation of the use of the word small....

Aroma wise it was almost all Citra - but despite my poor memory of the specifics of Citra am confident enough to suggest there was a mild, none hoppy, sweetness in there. In the end it mattered not. The overall taste is clean and suppable - so much so that I have had to ignore this half a can that I have left whilst I set up the P.C. After an unusally long 50 minutes in the glass am now convinced that the Citra is even more noticable - but am equally aware that this could be a trick of the mind.

I may have mentioned previously that I have had a mixed series of encounters with American, and recently also Canadian brews - but this ticked almost all of my boxes. Probably but not entirely based  on my not having been to my second home for 7 months, I do remember that the fab staff at Shakespeares supplied a large number of frankly wonderful USA breweries whose products I love - although the only one I can remember is Founders Brewing Co and their Kentucky Breakfast Stout - and I know I have not had that for years.

Finishing the murky soup was a very pleasant and equally long awaited achievement. I know its a tad pricey, but on this basis it's worth every penny.

Next time you spot a few cans I would suggest you grab some!

Your very best of health.

Wee Beefy

Hop City

Artanoo,

           a week before I went on leave, and then into self isolation, I found out from my chum and colleague S.o.J (that's the Sword of Justice - you need to pronounce the w, and everything) that this year's Hop City, had been cancelled. I can confirm that I personally have never managed to attend either this, or it's sister gathering Dark City, previously, so that is something I may have to attempt to achieve next year. In the meantime however, I recently discovered that during a moment of online uncertainty, or just happiness, I had purchased a can of the Northern Monk Hop City. That, alone, is one reason why I hope to attend very soon.....

Hop City is a frankly wonderful collaboration between hosts Northern Monk and other breweries to showcase and celebrate the wonderful choice of hops, and suppliers, in tasty brews. And this year's offering in no way disappointed.

The first thing I noticed on the back of the can was the name and logo of Yakima Chief Hops. As most of you will know this company, based in America (and I may be wrong but I suspect it's based in the West, although my brain states California, so am not sure) who supply, grow, research and release new and existing  brands, of the wonderful ingredients in our luffly bowze. A recent Abbeydale beer featured HBC 472 and HBC 692 in their excellent Deliverance DIPA, and these are new brands, in terms of release at any rate, researched and released by Yakima Chief.

The three breweries collaborating were German Frau Gruber, and a brand I had never heard of before (accept on a Smashing Pumpkins album) that being Soma Beer, as well as another new (to me) enterprise called Popihn in France. With perhaps one or two too many sups in the past, I have to admit that it's very difficult to come across a collaborative brew where I have never previously heard of two of the three cohorts, and am pleased to report that this, as well as the amazing list of hops used, produced a fabulous beast of easy drinking hoppy delight.

Oh - and I should point out that it kicks in at 9.5%. It's described as a double dry hopped (DDH ) DIPA, and looking down at the mesmerising list of products used shows how appropriate the DDH aspect was. When I first started drinking in the 1990's I can confirm that almost all strong beer was brown or black, and anything pale was gruesomely sweet.  Using such excellent ingredients, as well as the knowledge of all involved, completely removes any such fears.

The Hops used were HBC692 T90, Cyro Sabro, Cyro Citra, Sabro T90 and Citra and Simcoe T90. I wrote earlier in the year about my appreciation of Sabro as a hop ingredient, and have always loved Citra and Simcoe, but the combination of all six ingredients produced a simultaneously challenging (in a good way), and ultimately enjoyable, mass of hop bitterness and fruity flavours, rendering this output amazing. I am also aware that I may come across as somewhat easily swayed by "drinkability" but honestly, when you reach that strength and it's as refreshing as beers at 5 or 6%, then I have to say that is amazing.

Overall, whether you are searching for hops, bitterness, fruity citrus flavours or ease of drinking, then you will be very impressed by this brew, and that along with previous occasions of missing out, makes Hop City itself an ideal place to head to when ever it's next on.

In the meantime, your very best of health.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Polly's

Hello again,

        the second of potentially a small number of posts about breweries, whot bruz beer innit. Tomorrow I am receiving a delivery from another local brewery so they may come along next but in the meantime, and without checking my last three years of Faceache posts for details, here are the things I have known, noticed, and, absurdly, actually recalled, about the beer makers of the name in the title.

Earlier I asked folk on Faceache if they could remember the brewery's original name, quicker than it had taken me to do so - since a whole morning of memories was required to confirm they used to be called Loka Polly. Given their Welsh location am guessing that Loka, which I now worry may in fact be Loca, is a word of the welsh language. I understand that whilst distributing beers to a European country (and the name does escape me) they were told that such arrangements could not continue as there was already a massive soft drinks firm in that country with that same name, so they agreed to trim their name to just Polly's. Luckily, the  losing of the first four letters in no way contributed to a decline in quality.

Tonight I am drinking a collaborative brew they did with Big Mountain - at least, am assuming Big Mountain are also a brewery - one surely remembers my mea capra with that Thornbridge beer.....

Luckliy, Big Mountain are based in Chamonix according to the gen on the can, so am happy to continue. This brew, called Oh My, is a truly wonderful, light orangey yellow and fabulously cloudy pale ale at 5.8% and featuring Citra and Sabro hops, Extra pale and Munich malts, oats, wheat and London Ale yeast. As I mentioned on Faceacge earlier, the smell alone made me instantly want to quaff this - but then the wonderful mixture of flavours and desirable smoothness and easy drinkingness has caused me to slow down, and to start writing this. Currently I have a can of their 8% DIPA in the fridge, which I am very much looking forward to supping over the next week....

The beauty of this beer for me is the way the balance unfolds in my mouth - it starts with a good wall of citrussy bitterness but straight away wells up the oat and wheat mixed with the fabulous Sabro hops. I had previously ,mentioned how I had liked all beers featuring Sabro that I had thus far tried and this was no exception -  whether its just that, or the combination of that and Citra, or indeed all of the tastes included, the aroma and taste are of brilliant quality. And at 5.8%, possibly once again related to the Citra and Sabro flavours, its ludicrously easy to drink.

Am thinking now when I first came across this brewery - I am going to boldly claim that it was nearly three years ago, but to be honest I have absolutely no idea. I also can't remember the first place I saw it but I can tell you that back in the early days it took a prominent position in Bar Stewards and has always been a firm favourite of mine in there - even their some times challengingly sour beers which were released last year. That said however I have to say that these latest hoppy beers have been exceptional.

Checking their website here (for the first time ever alas) it states that they launched in early 2018 - at that point I was just getting back to drinking again after my stroke in November 2017 so that is my excuse for misremembering! I can't think of any other breweries from Mold, which we went through en route to Llanfihangel Ng Ngwynfa, obvs, (incorrectly spelled no doubt) but whether I can or not, am perfectly happy that through Alan and Charlie at the Stews I have manged to encounter this fabulous brewery.

Try them and enjoy them!

Cheers!

Wee Beefy  

Being beer (un)wise

Morning,

       Last night, to celebrate the end of a long week, I popped in the Bath Hotel for a couple. It was stickily warm, although a cool breeze was just starting to blow through the pub. I was very thirsty, so wanted a light refreshing beer. It was too much to hope for Melba, but more than that it was too much to hope for something sensible. Yes, I could have drunk Roosters Last stand which is about 4%. But they had Oakham Green Devil IPA on. I think its fairly obvious what happened.

I was rather surprised to spot Green Devil - I'd heard rumours (which lets face it, are a great replacement for facts when your'e not sure what your on about....) that because they couldn't purchase enough citra, Oakham had stopped brewing Green Devil. The thing is, I heard that back in April. No-one indicated it was permanent. Steff assured me it wasn't an aged treasure that Thornbridge had matured for them, so it must be new. This is very good news.

For those of you not anointed at the altar of beer brilliance, Green Devil IPA is really very good. Its also 6%. And its actually not that difficult to neck. Green Devil was my friend and enemy last night. But good God it tastes lovely.

On the downside, as well as my still being hungover more than three hours after getting up (I might have had 7 pints of it. But it could be less...) being a Thornbridge pub The Bath Hotel can be face slappingly expensive. Luckily the staff at the Bath have enough about them to not fob me off with drivel like "Oakham are a really expensive brewery". They just quietly said, before puling a  pint "it's £4.20 a pint though".

Obviously that's not as silly as the Dark Star Porter at the Tap but its getting that way. However, I absolutely love Green Devil so I swallowed the ignominy of paying over the odds for it, then swallowed a number of pints of it. Welcome to another Wee Beefy session! Location - check. Beer - check. Company - check.

Re the latter, having been chatting with Steff and Jason for a bit, I hijacked some innocent bystanders and "forced" them to stay for many pints. Kerry is from Brum, Owen is from Brizzle and they like beer. Proper people. I had such a great time (apart from some rather inescapable olfactory assaults from Owen...*clears throat*) chatting and supping with them that I don't actually know how long we were stood at the bar demolishing Green Devils. Except that I was last customer out to await my taxi home.

I should recommend you go and drink this wonderful beer yourself (there is only one barrel and its been on at least half of Friday) but in all honesty I want it all for myself. But if you did happen to visit the Bath and drink it, that would be a very enjoyable and rewarding co-incidence.

Enjoy!

Wee Beefy

Fully fledged?

Good evening,

    as a relative newcomer to the wider world of blogging, I note that patterns and trends abound. Themes reverberate, topics are addressed, readdressed, shared and dissected, favourites emerge across multiple posts and authors, buzz words come and go, soundbites ebb and flow and sometimes, it seems, at some point during the year any blogger worth his salt must post about one of a set menu of gold standard subjects.

Well, finally, I am pleased to announce that I have now reached the nirvana of writing experience in the world of beer. I am writing a post about having tried a Brodies beer in a pub.

Brodie Marvellous (pun no.3 of 79 that you could make up yourself if required)

The best thing of all is, not only have I tasted a beer produced by one of the "most improved new breweries" (can't remember where I read this, perhaps Boak and Bailey?) for the first time, but its one of their best; flavoured with rave reviews, Google tags and beer writer's barely concealed love.

I have tried their Citra.

Funnily enough, despite the tone of my piece suggesting there may be little more than bombast and hyperbole keeping the reputation of the beer going, its nothing of the sort. It is, in fact, truly a fantastic beer. And I don't even require the caveat "for its strength" because although it may be nearer the duty rebate than HSBD, its a cracking all round hoppy beer with oodles of delicious refreshing Citra hop at its centre. I reckon at a blind tasting it would more than match its rivals at 4 - 4.5%. It was my first beer of the day earlier on, and almost the very best beer of 2012 (the eulogistic nature of this post is alas somewhat undermined by their being an even more amazing beer on sale, ironically from a similarly legendary new "buzz" brewery, Red Willow).

But I digress. The main cause for celebration is that I have now tried a beer that almost everyone who has ever typed a word on a blog about beer has written about. Not only does that provide a great sense of relief, its also an appropriate situation for Brodies Citra to find itself in.

To the King William 1V in that London!


Wee Beefy