Hello,
well, for the 24th consecutive year I have attended the Sheffield Beer Fest, and I think I have to admit that the Kelham Island Museum is my favourite venue. There have been many venues used since 1994, Nelson Mandela Building, St Phillips Social Club, Ponds Forge, Cemetery Road, Darnall Liberal Club (eek!) but the Kelham Island Museum trumps the lot. Its such a great Sheffield place - the museum exudes Sheffield history (as of course it should) and is sufficiently close to, and in, the Don Valley of beer to be ideal.
I was in at 18.00 n Wednesday as I had two arrangements to keep - one was to judge some of the beers, the other was to meet up with Wees K and F, with WF being a long term abstainer for reasons that in the proceeding years thereafter have become unknown. I will say now, I have no idea if WF enjoyed the beer festival, as I haven't spoken to him since, but at least he went and got to see what the festival is all about.
The tasting was for speciality beers. This is a broad church, and the standard was once again poor, which is surprising since every year I have been involved in the tasting I have enjoyed fabulous festival beers and roobish tasting/judging beers. So what did I sup as a punter?
I started on a third of the North Riding and Offbeat DIPA at 8.1% on cask. It was bloody excellent. This is one of only a couple of beers I tried twice. Rather than list (and surprisingly I can) everything I tried I will just concentrate on the best. I had the Neepsend Double Century IPA at 7.2%, also on cask, and it was exceptional - very very hoppy but well balanced and incredibly tasty - must have been the malt....
I also tried the Magic Rock Bearded Lady Dessert version Bourbon Barrel Aged at 10.5%, on keg. Like a meal in a glass, but a very luxurious meal. I tried and enjoyed the Abbeydale and Blue Bee are there hops in hell at 7.2% on keg and it was very nicely hopped with a wonderful aftertaste, and I also tried my favourite beer of this year, the Verdant Maybe One More PSi, also on keg, at a comparatively bargain price of just over £7.00 a pint - alas funds prohibited my purchasing that much.
The Steel City Demons are Back on cask was delicious, but strangely it was clear? What is going on Dave? I also tried the two Siren and To Ol collaborations on keg, the wonderfully hoppy Ten Finger discount at 7.4% and the frankly preposterous Tickle Monster Imperial IPA at 12%, a lupilous monster that currently also awaits me in my fridge. The Alpha state American pale was a surprisingly hoppy Kentish Ale, and the Thornbridge Cortiani, both on keg also, was made entirely with British hops giving a mellow bitterness.
Back to cask I tried the Anarchy Citra Star, which is a punchy refreshing pale, and my two pints of the festival were Fyne Ales Jarl and Buxton Battle Horse, the latter a bit of an unwise undertaking which proved difficult to complete.
Am fairly certain that the keg bar sold out, and when I left at 19.30 or 20.30 on Saturday there wasn't much cask left so am going to suggest the festival was a roaring success in terms of sales. It was certainly a success in terms of beer range, the picking of which is an undesirable art. I like a certain style of beer as you can tell, and not everyone else likes the same - I would have preferred more sours whereas many people I know won't drink them. Overall, for me to enjoy so many beers, shows a very good and varied range was available. There was only one I didn't like, which is why the list is so long.
A final mention must go to Matty whom this year got to wear the coveted red T shirt of a bar manager on the International Beer bar. He certainly enjoyed his shifts and will hopefully be returning to volunteer next year, recommending a no doubt fine selection of bottles and cans once again, or even casks or kegs.
Well done to all of the numerous volunteers who strove to make the festival a success for free, and of course, to the organisers for another exemplary showing, and for once more making Sheffield a fantastic beer festival.
Wee Beefy
Showing posts with label Magic Rock Bearded Lady Bourbon Cask. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Magic Rock Bearded Lady Bourbon Cask. Show all posts
Tuesday, 24 October 2017
Thursday, 13 December 2012
Missing Logo Festival (AKA Golden Pint Awards 2012)
The Golden Pint Awards 2012 "LOGO"
Hello,
after 3 and a half years blogging, initially just for me and Davefromtshop and the dubious benefit of my friends, usually under duress, I have decided to contribute to the Golden Pint Awards 2012. Its tremendously exciting, since it appears that this is what real bloggers do.
That said, Stupid Blogger (for it is they) have still failed to offer me the chance to upload images, so this is no doubt going to be the only Golden Pint Awards post in 2012 with no chuffing logo. So, erm, not like a real blogger after all then....
Anyhoo, that's enough fannying about with caveats and explanations, here's some cold hard listing :
1. Best UK Draught (Cask or Keg) Beer : Magic Rock Bearded Lady Bourbon Cask (Keykeg...) - the end is nigh basically. Liking a Keykeg beer is not something that sits comfortably with a miserable old caskard like me, but I can't get past how incredible a drinking experience it was. Fifty matchless minutes sat in the Sheffield Tap, drinking one half.
2. Best UK Bottled or canned beer : Thornbridge Highland Reserve Imperial Stout (2006). Does this count? Only, I opened it a couple of months back, so despite being brewed in the black and white era, its a beer I opened in 2012. It was my penultimate bottle of six from the batch I purchased at some cost. Not had a bad one yet. Not had any that were less than "wow" beers to be fair.
3. Best Overseas draught beer. Maui Coconut Porter, again at the Sheffield Tap. Took 10 minutes (seemingly) to pour, but was worth the wait, and the price.
4.Best Overseas bottled or canned beer : Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast. Sorry, I know this is a bit like saying that happiness is one of my favourite feelings but BGB is a very rare thing. I really wanted to pick unusual or off the wall choices on the whole but am afraid that having tried this its impossible to pick anything else really. A not bad wallet lightening agent.
5. Best Overall Beer : Thornbridge Halcyon. Because I enjoy it on cask, on Keykeg and even in bottles. That's some crossover.
6. Best Pumpclip or label : Anything by Stroud brewery. Old school ultra traditional and not a lurid colour in sight.
7. Best UK Brewery : Mallinsons. From a shortlist of 5, because everything of theirs I drink I like. And helpfully, some of it is actually incredibly, not just pretty damn, brilliant.
8.Best Overseas Brewery : Nogne. Because I like the sound of everything they do, even if I have only tried about 4 of their beers (and loved every one).
9. Pub/Bar of the Year : well, according to blog mentions/tag cloud numbers, and with one having only being open a year, its a dead heat between Shakespeares Sheffield, and DAda bar. My dream Tuesday line up.
10. Beer Festival of the Year : New Inn Cropton Great Yorkshire Brewery 2012. Just a fantastic occasion.
11. Supermarket of the Year : A question much like "who's your favourite dictator?" See below....
12. Independent Retailer of the year : Always go independent. Try Archer Road Beer Stop for starters.
15. Best beer blog : I like the comments on Boak and Bailey. Am not sure if this is a compliment or not. Also, Timbo at "A Swift One" is concise, like what I want to be.
16. Best Beer Twitterer : @sparklepete - because he writes about pubs. Although mainly on his blog, less so on Twitter. Maybe should have skipped this category in the absence of a relevant answer....
17. Best Online Brewery Presence : Revolutions Brew. Lots and lots and lots of UP TO DATE information. The indecipherable note readers best friend, and nicely themed.
18. Food and beer pairing of the year : A pork pie in the Blake, Sheffield, with any beer they have on.
19. In 2013 I'd most like to : Upload pics to my blog again.
20. Best Tegestological undertaking by a brewery : Brampton's. Beermats that wouldn't look out of place in the 1930's. As all such cardboard advertisements should be.
So that's it then, my first exciting foray into writing down 20/18 things that are good, with a beer theme. I look forward to rubbing shoulders with the beer prose aristocracy as a direct result. Or a few stats. Or just a stat. Please help me....
Wee Beefy
Hello,
after 3 and a half years blogging, initially just for me and Davefromtshop and the dubious benefit of my friends, usually under duress, I have decided to contribute to the Golden Pint Awards 2012. Its tremendously exciting, since it appears that this is what real bloggers do.
That said, Stupid Blogger (for it is they) have still failed to offer me the chance to upload images, so this is no doubt going to be the only Golden Pint Awards post in 2012 with no chuffing logo. So, erm, not like a real blogger after all then....
Anyhoo, that's enough fannying about with caveats and explanations, here's some cold hard listing :
1. Best UK Draught (Cask or Keg) Beer : Magic Rock Bearded Lady Bourbon Cask (Keykeg...) - the end is nigh basically. Liking a Keykeg beer is not something that sits comfortably with a miserable old caskard like me, but I can't get past how incredible a drinking experience it was. Fifty matchless minutes sat in the Sheffield Tap, drinking one half.
2. Best UK Bottled or canned beer : Thornbridge Highland Reserve Imperial Stout (2006). Does this count? Only, I opened it a couple of months back, so despite being brewed in the black and white era, its a beer I opened in 2012. It was my penultimate bottle of six from the batch I purchased at some cost. Not had a bad one yet. Not had any that were less than "wow" beers to be fair.
3. Best Overseas draught beer. Maui Coconut Porter, again at the Sheffield Tap. Took 10 minutes (seemingly) to pour, but was worth the wait, and the price.
4.Best Overseas bottled or canned beer : Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast. Sorry, I know this is a bit like saying that happiness is one of my favourite feelings but BGB is a very rare thing. I really wanted to pick unusual or off the wall choices on the whole but am afraid that having tried this its impossible to pick anything else really. A not bad wallet lightening agent.
5. Best Overall Beer : Thornbridge Halcyon. Because I enjoy it on cask, on Keykeg and even in bottles. That's some crossover.
6. Best Pumpclip or label : Anything by Stroud brewery. Old school ultra traditional and not a lurid colour in sight.
7. Best UK Brewery : Mallinsons. From a shortlist of 5, because everything of theirs I drink I like. And helpfully, some of it is actually incredibly, not just pretty damn, brilliant.
8.Best Overseas Brewery : Nogne. Because I like the sound of everything they do, even if I have only tried about 4 of their beers (and loved every one).
9. Pub/Bar of the Year : well, according to blog mentions/tag cloud numbers, and with one having only being open a year, its a dead heat between Shakespeares Sheffield, and DAda bar. My dream Tuesday line up.
10. Beer Festival of the Year : New Inn Cropton Great Yorkshire Brewery 2012. Just a fantastic occasion.
11. Supermarket of the Year : A question much like "who's your favourite dictator?" See below....
12. Independent Retailer of the year : Always go independent. Try Archer Road Beer Stop for starters.
15. Best beer blog : I like the comments on Boak and Bailey. Am not sure if this is a compliment or not. Also, Timbo at "A Swift One" is concise, like what I want to be.
16. Best Beer Twitterer : @sparklepete - because he writes about pubs. Although mainly on his blog, less so on Twitter. Maybe should have skipped this category in the absence of a relevant answer....
17. Best Online Brewery Presence : Revolutions Brew. Lots and lots and lots of UP TO DATE information. The indecipherable note readers best friend, and nicely themed.
18. Food and beer pairing of the year : A pork pie in the Blake, Sheffield, with any beer they have on.
19. In 2013 I'd most like to : Upload pics to my blog again.
20. Best Tegestological undertaking by a brewery : Brampton's. Beermats that wouldn't look out of place in the 1930's. As all such cardboard advertisements should be.
So that's it then, my first exciting foray into writing down 20/18 things that are good, with a beer theme. I look forward to rubbing shoulders with the beer prose aristocracy as a direct result. Or a few stats. Or just a stat. Please help me....
Wee Beefy
Thursday, 21 June 2012
I really loved a KeyKeg beer - should I kill myself now?
Now then,
I posted a few days ago about one of the best beers I've ever had, Magic Rock Bourbon cask Bearded Lady, on KeyKeg. Since that day, as well as dreaming about finding myself back there drinking it, I have been puzzling over my relationship with the weird expensive cold stuff. Why did I like a beer so much that was served by a method of dispense I don't rate, and crucially, would the beer have tasted as good in cask?
Before I answer that I should point out that me and cask go way back. I started drinking around 1991 and apart from parties, or occasional pubs with no cask when I defaulted to Guinness, I always drank real ale. Its brilliant. Gravity, hand pump, air pressure, electric font but from cask, I love it all. And this statement is still true, even after Saturdays eye opener.
However, over the last few years I've had a few beers on KeyKeg. I still haven't had chance to compare the cask version and the KK version side by side but in most cases I have had both versions at different times, which is a start, at least, in making a comparison.
Like Thornbridge Kipling and Jaipur I didn't like the Kipling on KK because it lacked the depth of the cask and the hops were prominent, but in a way that just made the aftertaste bitter instead of lending citrus flavours to the whole taste. I didn't like Jaipur for similar reasons on KK (and it seemed to take away some of the sweeter balancing flavours, leaving it harsh).
Clearly, these are strong bitter pale beers, and they don't seem to be suited to KK. So these are examples of beers that would have tasted as good, indeed better, in cask.
I have also tried High Wire, Dark Arts, Rapture, Magic 8 Ball and Bearded Lady from Magic Rock on KK. I wasn't mad keen on the High Wire, but that was late in the evening at the Grove for the brewery launch night, the Dark Arts was alright on KK, but the Rapture was the unfiltered version and was brilliant, the Magic 8 Ball was fantastic and the Bearded Lady was unparallelled.
So, these are also stronger beers but mainly darker and the last three that I had have been really good. And heres the contentious bit : I actually don't think the Bearded Lady would have been as good on cask,
because it was too damned heavy and strong and wouldn't have retained sufficient condition in the time it took to drink it.
Yet the 8 Ball and Rapture would be, and in the case of Rapture are better on cask, and definitely so the Dark Arts....
So do I now have a proven formula which will guarantee the KeyKeg beer I'm buying is as good as the cask? No. All this demonstrates is that whilst the old style 1970's and 1980's keg beers were crap because the beer itself was crap, KeyKeg proves that really good beer can taste equally crap or excellent in that format.
I dunno, this KeyKeg stuff is as inconsitent as real ale.....
Wee Beefy
I posted a few days ago about one of the best beers I've ever had, Magic Rock Bourbon cask Bearded Lady, on KeyKeg. Since that day, as well as dreaming about finding myself back there drinking it, I have been puzzling over my relationship with the weird expensive cold stuff. Why did I like a beer so much that was served by a method of dispense I don't rate, and crucially, would the beer have tasted as good in cask?
Before I answer that I should point out that me and cask go way back. I started drinking around 1991 and apart from parties, or occasional pubs with no cask when I defaulted to Guinness, I always drank real ale. Its brilliant. Gravity, hand pump, air pressure, electric font but from cask, I love it all. And this statement is still true, even after Saturdays eye opener.
However, over the last few years I've had a few beers on KeyKeg. I still haven't had chance to compare the cask version and the KK version side by side but in most cases I have had both versions at different times, which is a start, at least, in making a comparison.
Like Thornbridge Kipling and Jaipur I didn't like the Kipling on KK because it lacked the depth of the cask and the hops were prominent, but in a way that just made the aftertaste bitter instead of lending citrus flavours to the whole taste. I didn't like Jaipur for similar reasons on KK (and it seemed to take away some of the sweeter balancing flavours, leaving it harsh).
Clearly, these are strong bitter pale beers, and they don't seem to be suited to KK. So these are examples of beers that would have tasted as good, indeed better, in cask.
I have also tried High Wire, Dark Arts, Rapture, Magic 8 Ball and Bearded Lady from Magic Rock on KK. I wasn't mad keen on the High Wire, but that was late in the evening at the Grove for the brewery launch night, the Dark Arts was alright on KK, but the Rapture was the unfiltered version and was brilliant, the Magic 8 Ball was fantastic and the Bearded Lady was unparallelled.
So, these are also stronger beers but mainly darker and the last three that I had have been really good. And heres the contentious bit : I actually don't think the Bearded Lady would have been as good on cask,
because it was too damned heavy and strong and wouldn't have retained sufficient condition in the time it took to drink it.
Yet the 8 Ball and Rapture would be, and in the case of Rapture are better on cask, and definitely so the Dark Arts....
So do I now have a proven formula which will guarantee the KeyKeg beer I'm buying is as good as the cask? No. All this demonstrates is that whilst the old style 1970's and 1980's keg beers were crap because the beer itself was crap, KeyKeg proves that really good beer can taste equally crap or excellent in that format.
I dunno, this KeyKeg stuff is as inconsitent as real ale.....
Wee Beefy
Sunday, 17 June 2012
Best beer of 2012 spotted in Sheffield Tap
Now Then,
after watching the Docfest films about pubs in the past I decided to go and make my own artistic contribution to the enjoyment of ale. I popped into the Sheffield Tap to partake in a live installation of a man drinking beer, and to simultaneously see what they had to offer.
A couple of real ales caught my eye, not least the excellent Dark Arts from Magic Rock, but it felt early (it was actually about 12.15) so I opted for two halves of sensibly moderate strength beers to begin my worship at the altar of ale.
First up was a half of the St Peters Bitter, along with a half of Brewsters Hophead. I drank the St Peters first as I was convinced that despite a noticeable harshness in bottle it was going to be maltier and sweeter than the Brewster's. It was, but that wasn't to its detriment, it was the perfect starter, a refreshing mellow lightly hopped bitter. The Hophead was an altogether different affair.
Despite being weaker, it packed in a dramatic sackful of dry sharply bitter hops, the prominent flavour was one that I recognised - I have tasted it in Brass Monkey and Grafton Brewery beers to name but a few, and its not my favourite, but I was impressed by the amount of sheer bitter flavour crammed into a beer of this strength.
Aloha to the bank manager
Next things became a but weird, and very expensive. I had a half of the Maui Coconut Porter, 6.0% and £3.30 a half. I understand the cans, which caused a bit of a buzz when they were first spotted over here, retail for a fiver. All this is tremendously silly in terms of cost to the consumer versus cost to the manufacturer, but it was worryingly easy, especially buying halves, to legitimise the expense.
Yes, given its £6.60 a pint you need to at least have a reason for drinking it - I figured my impending birthday and a smidgen of hype, plus innate curiosity of how the two flavours would combine met that requirement. I am, however, fully aware that I paid an absurd sum of money for 268ml of beer (although, it was so lively, that with the kindly proffered top up glass I got more than a half in the end, but shhhh, don't tell anyone).
The Maui porter was exactly as and everything that I had expected. It was a scrumptious luscious creamy porter, a little bit like the Nogne, and it somehow managed to glide elegantly into the sweet coconut flavours like it was the most natural combination in the world. It was not a heavy beer for 6.0%, but nevertheless it was probably not something I'd have a session on. Besides, next I was about to attempt to drink something far stronger.
Bearded Lady
Having purchased a sandwich in preparation for the sudden intake of a bit too much alcohol, and having checked the price of this behemoth in advance (so that I knew beforehand that I was about to buy the most expensive drink of beer I had ever), I was ready to try a half of the Magic Rock Bourbon cask Bearded Lady, 10.5%. I think I might never be able to consider anything a beer of the year again.
Bearded lady bourbon cask stout is an epochal brew. A staggering wall of flavoursome delight which made me want to stay sat where I was for the rest of forever. I bought a half, am not mental after all, and it took me about 50 minutes of persistent sipping to finish it. It did not cloy, it did not wain, it did not disappoint. Christ, it was so tasty that it was barely credible. It is the end of beer.
I think I may struggle to convey the finer points of its taste but having just last week enjoyed the incredible tastes of a 5 year vintage of Durham Temptation I think I'm well qualified to state that this is the best stout I ever tasted. Better even than a 4 year vintage of the Thornbridge Islay cask reserve, even than the 11% headiness of a Rogue coffee porter (yes, I realise that's not a stout). It was like the best stout you ever tasted, but then better again, with an unbelievable satisfying rich and lingering finish, joined by a bite of bourbon which quickly mellowed into a rapturous melee of soothing , comforting malt loveliness.
Tremendous.
I should point out by the way that it was expensive. Very expensive, at over £8.00 a pint. And yes, I remember that I nearly bust a lung with anger at Thornbridge Bracia being over £9.00 a pint, but without tasting that, I would be amazed if it could have equalled the matchless excellence of this immense beer. To put it in perspective, I paid £4.25 to have 50 minutes of unbridled pleasure, and it was legal. What's not to love?
And in other keykeg news
Nicely ignoring the fact that this years finest ale was on keykeg, for which I dislike my self a little, it was unfair play from the Tap to have had such an amazing line up on - St Peters IPA, Odell and Thornbridge Pondhopper and Mikkeller Big Worse Barley Wine were also available on keykeg, for those with an entire day to drink their way through the offerings. Along with Magic Rock Rapture and Dark Arts, and Thornbridge Black Harry, all on cask, this was possibly the best line up of beers I have ever seen.
To the Rutland...
What to do after drinking the best beer ever? Wh-hy, head off to the Rutland to try and better it of course! Entering the quite busy pub I immediately noticed that those scamps at Steel City had brought out another 2.7% beer. Perfect! I thought, and I'll just get a half of that Arbor Ales beer whatever its called. When Paultous charged me I assumed, naturally, that in his youthful exuberance he had made a critical error in ringing the sale into the till. Unfortunately I was wrong. I had just bought a half of a 10% beer. Oh dear.
I jokingly said I'd down it in one and have the Steel City afterwards as I was sure it would be packed with flavour. True to my word I tasted the Arbor Down Deeper Sports IPA, enjoyed its initial bite of hops but perhaps less so its lingering sweet finish, and downed it. Childish it may sound, but I really thought the longer I lingered over it the more my body would remind me that this was all a tremendously bad idea.
The Bolshevik Revolution from Steel City was not as good as Parasite God but still a good lesson in flavour, and I finished off my visit with a half of the Blue Bee Red White and Blue which was in excellent nick. And then I went for a walk.
This was mainly to clear my head and also to search out food, which I did at a disreputable global conglomerate, before sitting down near the bottom of Fargate for a nosh and a brief spell of thinking. Clearly the additives in the distasteful muck I was eating had addled my brain, because I decided to go for a last one.
Ta Dah!
I arrived at Dada much the better for my mastication and perambulation and spotted James on the way in - even though it was not required, I quickly apologised for leaving my three quarters of a pint of Revelation from the night before - details of that yomp to come tomorrow. Once inside, noting that it was still on, it seemed silly to miss out, so I had a half this time, a very pleasing and not exactly out of place given the earlier consumptions, pale ale at £1.65.
I also had a nice half of the Brock, and gleaned some upcoming news about beers at Dada, where they also had Purity Mad Goose on the bar. Apparently, Magic Rock Cannonball, High Wire and their new Wheat beer Clown Juice should all be popping up soon - I can't be certain which ones were on keg so its perhaps best to find out by popping in over the next couple of weeks just to make absolutely certain.
And so ends a tale of strong beers, steep prices and unbounded joy in the hostelries of Sheffield. Wishing myself many happy returns!
Wee Beefy
after watching the Docfest films about pubs in the past I decided to go and make my own artistic contribution to the enjoyment of ale. I popped into the Sheffield Tap to partake in a live installation of a man drinking beer, and to simultaneously see what they had to offer.
A couple of real ales caught my eye, not least the excellent Dark Arts from Magic Rock, but it felt early (it was actually about 12.15) so I opted for two halves of sensibly moderate strength beers to begin my worship at the altar of ale.
First up was a half of the St Peters Bitter, along with a half of Brewsters Hophead. I drank the St Peters first as I was convinced that despite a noticeable harshness in bottle it was going to be maltier and sweeter than the Brewster's. It was, but that wasn't to its detriment, it was the perfect starter, a refreshing mellow lightly hopped bitter. The Hophead was an altogether different affair.
Despite being weaker, it packed in a dramatic sackful of dry sharply bitter hops, the prominent flavour was one that I recognised - I have tasted it in Brass Monkey and Grafton Brewery beers to name but a few, and its not my favourite, but I was impressed by the amount of sheer bitter flavour crammed into a beer of this strength.
Aloha to the bank manager
Next things became a but weird, and very expensive. I had a half of the Maui Coconut Porter, 6.0% and £3.30 a half. I understand the cans, which caused a bit of a buzz when they were first spotted over here, retail for a fiver. All this is tremendously silly in terms of cost to the consumer versus cost to the manufacturer, but it was worryingly easy, especially buying halves, to legitimise the expense.
Yes, given its £6.60 a pint you need to at least have a reason for drinking it - I figured my impending birthday and a smidgen of hype, plus innate curiosity of how the two flavours would combine met that requirement. I am, however, fully aware that I paid an absurd sum of money for 268ml of beer (although, it was so lively, that with the kindly proffered top up glass I got more than a half in the end, but shhhh, don't tell anyone).
The Maui porter was exactly as and everything that I had expected. It was a scrumptious luscious creamy porter, a little bit like the Nogne, and it somehow managed to glide elegantly into the sweet coconut flavours like it was the most natural combination in the world. It was not a heavy beer for 6.0%, but nevertheless it was probably not something I'd have a session on. Besides, next I was about to attempt to drink something far stronger.
Bearded Lady
Having purchased a sandwich in preparation for the sudden intake of a bit too much alcohol, and having checked the price of this behemoth in advance (so that I knew beforehand that I was about to buy the most expensive drink of beer I had ever), I was ready to try a half of the Magic Rock Bourbon cask Bearded Lady, 10.5%. I think I might never be able to consider anything a beer of the year again.
Bearded lady bourbon cask stout is an epochal brew. A staggering wall of flavoursome delight which made me want to stay sat where I was for the rest of forever. I bought a half, am not mental after all, and it took me about 50 minutes of persistent sipping to finish it. It did not cloy, it did not wain, it did not disappoint. Christ, it was so tasty that it was barely credible. It is the end of beer.
I think I may struggle to convey the finer points of its taste but having just last week enjoyed the incredible tastes of a 5 year vintage of Durham Temptation I think I'm well qualified to state that this is the best stout I ever tasted. Better even than a 4 year vintage of the Thornbridge Islay cask reserve, even than the 11% headiness of a Rogue coffee porter (yes, I realise that's not a stout). It was like the best stout you ever tasted, but then better again, with an unbelievable satisfying rich and lingering finish, joined by a bite of bourbon which quickly mellowed into a rapturous melee of soothing , comforting malt loveliness.
Tremendous.
I should point out by the way that it was expensive. Very expensive, at over £8.00 a pint. And yes, I remember that I nearly bust a lung with anger at Thornbridge Bracia being over £9.00 a pint, but without tasting that, I would be amazed if it could have equalled the matchless excellence of this immense beer. To put it in perspective, I paid £4.25 to have 50 minutes of unbridled pleasure, and it was legal. What's not to love?
And in other keykeg news
Nicely ignoring the fact that this years finest ale was on keykeg, for which I dislike my self a little, it was unfair play from the Tap to have had such an amazing line up on - St Peters IPA, Odell and Thornbridge Pondhopper and Mikkeller Big Worse Barley Wine were also available on keykeg, for those with an entire day to drink their way through the offerings. Along with Magic Rock Rapture and Dark Arts, and Thornbridge Black Harry, all on cask, this was possibly the best line up of beers I have ever seen.
To the Rutland...
What to do after drinking the best beer ever? Wh-hy, head off to the Rutland to try and better it of course! Entering the quite busy pub I immediately noticed that those scamps at Steel City had brought out another 2.7% beer. Perfect! I thought, and I'll just get a half of that Arbor Ales beer whatever its called. When Paultous charged me I assumed, naturally, that in his youthful exuberance he had made a critical error in ringing the sale into the till. Unfortunately I was wrong. I had just bought a half of a 10% beer. Oh dear.
I jokingly said I'd down it in one and have the Steel City afterwards as I was sure it would be packed with flavour. True to my word I tasted the Arbor Down Deeper Sports IPA, enjoyed its initial bite of hops but perhaps less so its lingering sweet finish, and downed it. Childish it may sound, but I really thought the longer I lingered over it the more my body would remind me that this was all a tremendously bad idea.
The Bolshevik Revolution from Steel City was not as good as Parasite God but still a good lesson in flavour, and I finished off my visit with a half of the Blue Bee Red White and Blue which was in excellent nick. And then I went for a walk.
This was mainly to clear my head and also to search out food, which I did at a disreputable global conglomerate, before sitting down near the bottom of Fargate for a nosh and a brief spell of thinking. Clearly the additives in the distasteful muck I was eating had addled my brain, because I decided to go for a last one.
Ta Dah!
I arrived at Dada much the better for my mastication and perambulation and spotted James on the way in - even though it was not required, I quickly apologised for leaving my three quarters of a pint of Revelation from the night before - details of that yomp to come tomorrow. Once inside, noting that it was still on, it seemed silly to miss out, so I had a half this time, a very pleasing and not exactly out of place given the earlier consumptions, pale ale at £1.65.
I also had a nice half of the Brock, and gleaned some upcoming news about beers at Dada, where they also had Purity Mad Goose on the bar. Apparently, Magic Rock Cannonball, High Wire and their new Wheat beer Clown Juice should all be popping up soon - I can't be certain which ones were on keg so its perhaps best to find out by popping in over the next couple of weeks just to make absolutely certain.
And so ends a tale of strong beers, steep prices and unbounded joy in the hostelries of Sheffield. Wishing myself many happy returns!
Wee Beefy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)