Shakespeares Stupidly Delicious Beer tap takeover

Now then,

     a few weeks ago posters started to appear in the Shakespeares showing a list of stupidly delicious beers that they were putting on in one night, named as per the title. The main feature of the beers on offer was their renown - many have 100 ratings on Ratebeer or other beer rating apps. They were almost all very strong and many were unique. Since I am broke, I only had enough for a few thirds. Here is what I tasted and experienced.

Arriving at 18.00 I was pleased to see that it wasn't that busy, for a tap takeover at least. Nate, Derek, young man with name, Adam and Chris were ready to serve us and soon after arriving Adam duly walked over and gave me a copy of the evening's menu. Suffice to say, even if I had been able to afford it, I wasn't going to be able to clear the whole list in one night. The challenge was to find which three I would try.

Nate recommended Star Beer, a caramel peanut and chocolate stout from Steel City, Lost Industry and Beer Ink, at 8.5%. I had heard good things about this so went for a third of that, and the Dugges and Stillwater collaboration Mango Mango Mango, a 4.5% mosaic hopped mango sour with two types of mango. Bose in hand I went to find a seat, and bumped into the Dans, Howard, Matt, David and others and sat in the shelter with my two thick, black thirds of monstrous loveliness.

I have to say that interest in and appreciation of the Star Beer is warranted. Despite its slightly sickly list of ingredients its not too sweet but is still reminiscent of the Star Bar that its named after. The Dugges and Stillwater meanwhile was a perfectly balanced blend of sour mango and hops, which was very refreshing whilst not too jaw meltingly sour.

With funds left for just one more third I was planning on having the Noa, but Nate suggested that Noa would be back on again but that Mikkeller Beer Geek Dessert would not. The Noa at 11% was £3.30 a third, and the Mikkeller, at the same strength was £4.00 a third. I decided it was worth a try despite its eye watering cost. I was right.

Its important to point out, lest anyone else wishes to inform me, that this is an expensive beer. However, Shakespeares in my opinion are a very fairly priced establishment. I don't think they would put on any beer at a ridiculous mark up and I can't see the same beer being much cheaper elsewhere. Its a keg, at 11%, from Denmark. It was beautifully balanced, wonderfully tasty and had a sumptuous mouthfeel, and took me an hour to drink. I enjoyed my £4.00 purchase tremendously.

Just before finishing this I met up with Charlie and Al Steward and their mate, who had a name and everything.   He very kindly bought me a third of the Stigbergets Amazing Haze, a Swedish Mosaic hopped IPA. By now the whole place was extremely busy and trips to the bar looked like they would take quite some time to complete.

Charlie and Al also bought me a third of this each (thanks lades!) and this was the last beer I tried. It was brilliant to sit with the three of them supping and sharing stories of comedy, trips away and beers and more. In the end, we loved the Stigbergets so much we all finished on it. The mosaic hops in the IPA were incredibly pronounced yet the beer remain perfectly balanced, making this probably my beer of the night. That said, the quality just of the four I tried was such that its difficult to decide between them.

Many of the beers will remain on for a few days so if you want to try any I recommend you go down and take a look - there is a list on their Facebook page. Well done to the staff, particularly I think Adam, for choosing such a brilliant range of exceptional and distinctive beers for this showcase.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Ilkley, Mikkeller, Fullers, Hardknott, Blue Bee, gold, fine wine, luxury liners....

Hello,

    after my joy unbounded at drinking the Blue Bee Shake Rattle and Roll and Magic Rock Human Cannonball in the Rutland the other night, I figured it would be some time before such a stellar line up could be found again.

This was quite a dispiriting outlook though, so I went back to the Rutland last night, assuming that (hopefully) the price would scare off all but the most determined punters from draining the Human Cannonball keg. Alas, when I arrived this is precisely what had happened. Yet I still ended up having a truly fantastic selection of ales. How could that possibly be?

Well, firstly in the Rutland Arms the Blue Bee Shake Rattle and Roll was still on so I had a couple more pints of that, Mr P opting for a Nectar to start before joining the growing band of this beer's admirers. Continuing the Blue Bee theme we bumped into Brewer Rich, who informed us that the SRnR was brewed with New Zealand hops, mainly Green Bullet but also Summit and Galena. Just another beer that demonstrates the glorious pungency and bitterness in "new world" hops. Good to see K.E Page from the world of writing as well.

Off to the Sheffield Tap next, to find a dangerously good range of beers. From the casks available 3 were from Ilkley; Mr P had a pint of their Fireside Porter and I the Mary Jane IPA (6.0%). This beer was a sumptuous blend of hops and malt that packed a nice punch but was effortlessly easy to drink. I followed this with half a Hardknott Azimuth which was a decent dry, hoppy, pale beer, and the excellent Ilkley Siberia Rhubarb Saison. The prefect foil to the ascorbic bite of the Azimuth, and a beer everyone I was to meet later on was also enthusing about.
 

Mr P sensibly headed home at this point and I went for a last "one" at DAda, where the brilliance continued. I had a fantastic half of Fullers Bengal Lancer on cask (first time I have seen it, and it was fantastic), plus a somewhat unwise pint of Halcyon. I was then treated to two of DAda's best bottled exotica courtesy of a member of staff from another Thornbridge pub who was buying and sharing some of the finer examples of the brewers art. A noble and highly commendable gesture.
 

First up at (£price too high to insert) was a large bottle of Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast. Shared between a handful of us I got a decent sized taste, and wasn't disappointed. Despite its near legendary reputation and high standing in the (wait, am going to heave) "Craft" world, I have had very little Mikkeller output. I had a bottle they did with BrewDog back in 2011 (at the excellent Andersons Bar in Fortrose) and also had a taste of the Big Worse barley wine. Other than that the whole collective Mikkeller-gasm has eluded me.

So you'll forgive me if it all seems like a bit of a late on the boat, heard it all before, well worn refrain when I say that Beer Geek Breakfast was stunning. I was worried that the beer might taste ever so slightly of hype but no, it just tasted of perfectly balanced, excellently delivered bottled coffee stout which I could have drank plenty of. It was the epitome of what a good smooth stout should be, and that's up against some stiff competition. Perhaps this is one of those rare occasions when the hype is in fact just reasonable comment.
 

Up next was Thornbridge/Odell Pond Hopper. I didn't really like it on draught, I found it clumsy and overly sweet and just not , well, balanced enough. In bottle it was better. It was a similar sized helping and was definitely a good choice to finish the night on. I still think that Thornbridge have done better beers but there's no escaping that this was a big statement. Very many thanks to the kindly benefactor who funded these free tastes - although financial ruination now beckons since I am now willing to go out and pay silly money for the Beer Geek Breakfast...
 

So, an impeccable night of local, national and international beer aristocracy was enjoyed, giving me the chance to be blown away by quality and consistency for the second time in a week. A hugely rewarding way to spend 4 hours....
 

Cheers!

Wee Beefy