Hello,
I was really pleased to have sufficient funds to nip out yesterday for a few halves at the title event, which was held at Shakespeares. My second home was full to bursting by 18.30 with the event itself starting at 17.00. Here are details of the beers I tried and folks wot I sore....
I started on a half of cask North brewery pale, with Mosaic and Ekuanot or maybe neither. It was a zesty refreshing opener which woke my palate up perfectly for the somewhat heavier beers ahead. The pub was already busy so I ended up with the corner table of lowness in the Clock room -remembering of course to sit sideways as I can't get my legs under its so low. People I recognise but don't know came in and slowly started taking the other chairs from the table before Dave Unpro and his friend whose surname may have begun with a C came and joined me, eventually with the other guy crammed into the corner.
I had enough money to buy a pint on card so my second was a no brainer - Cloudwater NE DIPA Citra and Mosaic at 8.5%. No surprises in terms of consistency, clarity and citrus hoppiness but the taste far outstripped what I was expecting, no doubt down to the wonderful hops used in the cloudy mix.
Having spotted Ally and Malc and the man whose name I always forget, (sorry Darren, whose name I have now remembered) I saw renowned rapper, MC and Audiologist Professor G-Thame. He said " the main thing is be sensible Beefy" as we discussed the merits versus dangers of supping keg Evil Twin Even more Jesus at 12.0%, which was one of the recent portents of doom which made me a little unsteady. The rugged patois and clanging beats of his advice rang onerously around my head as I surveyed the list, and caused me to decline a half of the 2015 Buxton Tsar at 9.5%. Luckily Wee Keefy who joined me later bought a half and I tasted some of that - it was phenomenal.
Next up, and influenced slightly by the bose choices of those sat around me, I had two more halves, both on cask. One was of the Howling Hops IPA New England Special at 6.9%, and the other was of the Lost Industry and Steel City Mojito sour, which was dry minted to improve the flavour. This was absolutely fantastic. It may have been one of the least beer like beers I ever tasted but the mint against the sourness was a perfect combo and it was obvious that this beer worked best on cask. The Howling Hops was a little disappointing alas.
As it was rumoured to be running out I had a half of Brewski Pango, a passionfruit, mango and pineapple IPA at 6%. The fruits used blended perfectly and there was a really satisfying aftertaste to this unusual but excellently produced pale ale.
By now the Cloudwater had run out and WK having been tasked with fetching it chose a sour - am not sure which it was but the Omnipollo Blanco Mango Lassi gose is as strong a contender as the Wild Blend 2017, a blend of 3 barrel aged sours. This cleared my palate perfectly but was in fact the last beer I tried as I felt I had consumed enough to head home with hops and fruits and souring acids awake and fighting in my mouth.
Well done to Adam and Chris at Shakespeares and their team for once more providing a stellar line up of cask and keg ales to tempt the tastebuds and blow the mind. Hoping to see you all again soon.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Showing posts with label tap takeover. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tap takeover. Show all posts
Saturday, 3 February 2018
Saturday, 24 June 2017
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
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
Saturday, 3 June 2017
Time and Tide Tap takeover at Tshakespeares
Hulloo,
I had rather forgotten about this event, what with trying not to take notice of any beery happenstances whilst still on meds. Now am back at work and on my last box of biotics I am starting to relax a little. Dave Unpro said we talked about the event on Thursday night in that self same pub. I have no reason to doubt him, I just lack the functionality to remember if what he is saying is true....
On arrival I noticed a low strength IPA on my keg line (you know, the one I own with Kernel) and so was somewhat disappointed but Adam passed me the night's reading material and I noticed that there were in fact a number of Time and Tide brewing's beers on. I started on a pint of their excellent All in Jim APA with Sorachi Ace which had a wonderful lemongrassy kick to it with very well balanced bitterness. and went awandering to find a seat. Bumped into the Dans, Howard and Rob, man from nowhere, as well as Charlie and Al Steward, and later Unpro and Mr E who very kindly joined me in the clock room.
Before I finished the Sorachi, which was a very refreshing pale ale, I bought a half of their Domino, an imperial white stout made with tonka beans and coffee at an impressive 8.6%. This is the stoutiest white stout I have ever tasted and the tonka beans gave it a very heavy but rewardingly tasty feel. I actually spent a good 3 hours supping this in small sips, not because I disliked it but because it was such a sensational flavour bomb of a beer.
I had been intending to meet the Nodvogs and Mr G but none turned up which I was a bit miffed about but in the end the beer and those I sat with more than made up for their absence and I was able to offload a few woes onto Mr E whilst supping yet more of the offerings from Time and Tide. Who are Time and Tide brewery I hear you ask? I don't know. Hope that helps. Their brewer has facial hair, so is easy to spot.*
My next beer was Bucky, a 5.4% hogweed and sea buckthorne pale ale with both flavours present. The brewer, who had a name, was explaining when I was at the bar that hogweed is a pale almost see through set of bubbled membranes which tastes vile if you eat it - this is possibly why I only ordered a third. He did however assure us that it tasted fine in a beer and myself and Mr E agreed. Its very difficult to describe this ale since both of its feature ingredients have very unusual flavours. So there.
I finished on a pint of the Brynhilder, a 4.4% session IPA as recommended by almost everyone, and a half an Echo, which was a dry hopped bretted saison. I can't say I really liked the echo - the idea was worrying, and am not a fan of dry hopped saisons and the bretting was a bit too intense. A beer where I disliked the idea, and the product, which was a shame.
The Brynhilder on the other had was perfect. A wonderfully refreshing well rounded hoppy session ale. I like my IPA's plus 6% as you know but I could have drunk this all night. It was a perfect slaker which provided all of the hoppy quality of a strong IPA with much less of the alcohol.
At some point I saw the man from Lost Industry. You know, the one with the head. He asked me if I wanted to try something interesting and gave me a bottle full of their Banana and raspberry sour sundae ale in a glass. It was superb. I know Lost Industry like to experiment with sours (and indeed were planning on doing one with other brewers later) but I didn't expect this to taste the way it did. The man with a head also invited me to join the man with facial hair, Unpro and others to try a Time and Tide bottle of burnt honey Braggert at 11%. Just a trial brew am guessing based on its label written in pen but a really interesting flavoured beer. Twice the strength (almost) of the one I tried at the Blue Anchor in Cornwall.
I finished on a free sample of their imperial white stout before the brewer had to leave and I had to catch my last bus. This final taster rounded the night off perfectly. I got to meet new people, friends of old and a brewer or three and got to try the wares of an excellent brewery all in the same night.
Thanks to Shakespeares for organising the event, to Time and Tide for attending, and to Lost Industry for their kind free sample. Lets hope we see more Time and Tide Brewing beers in Sheffield soon.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
*there's actually a link here to their website should you want any facts......
I had rather forgotten about this event, what with trying not to take notice of any beery happenstances whilst still on meds. Now am back at work and on my last box of biotics I am starting to relax a little. Dave Unpro said we talked about the event on Thursday night in that self same pub. I have no reason to doubt him, I just lack the functionality to remember if what he is saying is true....
On arrival I noticed a low strength IPA on my keg line (you know, the one I own with Kernel) and so was somewhat disappointed but Adam passed me the night's reading material and I noticed that there were in fact a number of Time and Tide brewing's beers on. I started on a pint of their excellent All in Jim APA with Sorachi Ace which had a wonderful lemongrassy kick to it with very well balanced bitterness. and went awandering to find a seat. Bumped into the Dans, Howard and Rob, man from nowhere, as well as Charlie and Al Steward, and later Unpro and Mr E who very kindly joined me in the clock room.
Before I finished the Sorachi, which was a very refreshing pale ale, I bought a half of their Domino, an imperial white stout made with tonka beans and coffee at an impressive 8.6%. This is the stoutiest white stout I have ever tasted and the tonka beans gave it a very heavy but rewardingly tasty feel. I actually spent a good 3 hours supping this in small sips, not because I disliked it but because it was such a sensational flavour bomb of a beer.
I had been intending to meet the Nodvogs and Mr G but none turned up which I was a bit miffed about but in the end the beer and those I sat with more than made up for their absence and I was able to offload a few woes onto Mr E whilst supping yet more of the offerings from Time and Tide. Who are Time and Tide brewery I hear you ask? I don't know. Hope that helps. Their brewer has facial hair, so is easy to spot.*
My next beer was Bucky, a 5.4% hogweed and sea buckthorne pale ale with both flavours present. The brewer, who had a name, was explaining when I was at the bar that hogweed is a pale almost see through set of bubbled membranes which tastes vile if you eat it - this is possibly why I only ordered a third. He did however assure us that it tasted fine in a beer and myself and Mr E agreed. Its very difficult to describe this ale since both of its feature ingredients have very unusual flavours. So there.
I finished on a pint of the Brynhilder, a 4.4% session IPA as recommended by almost everyone, and a half an Echo, which was a dry hopped bretted saison. I can't say I really liked the echo - the idea was worrying, and am not a fan of dry hopped saisons and the bretting was a bit too intense. A beer where I disliked the idea, and the product, which was a shame.
The Brynhilder on the other had was perfect. A wonderfully refreshing well rounded hoppy session ale. I like my IPA's plus 6% as you know but I could have drunk this all night. It was a perfect slaker which provided all of the hoppy quality of a strong IPA with much less of the alcohol.
At some point I saw the man from Lost Industry. You know, the one with the head. He asked me if I wanted to try something interesting and gave me a bottle full of their Banana and raspberry sour sundae ale in a glass. It was superb. I know Lost Industry like to experiment with sours (and indeed were planning on doing one with other brewers later) but I didn't expect this to taste the way it did. The man with a head also invited me to join the man with facial hair, Unpro and others to try a Time and Tide bottle of burnt honey Braggert at 11%. Just a trial brew am guessing based on its label written in pen but a really interesting flavoured beer. Twice the strength (almost) of the one I tried at the Blue Anchor in Cornwall.
I finished on a free sample of their imperial white stout before the brewer had to leave and I had to catch my last bus. This final taster rounded the night off perfectly. I got to meet new people, friends of old and a brewer or three and got to try the wares of an excellent brewery all in the same night.
Thanks to Shakespeares for organising the event, to Time and Tide for attending, and to Lost Industry for their kind free sample. Lets hope we see more Time and Tide Brewing beers in Sheffield soon.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
*there's actually a link here to their website should you want any facts......
Saturday, 25 March 2017
Weird Beard Tap takeover at Shakespeares
Morning!
am late with this as always since it was last Friday, but am going to tell you what I experienced at Shakespeares on the day when people wear hats and act like twats (mostly, but not all). I never like going out on St Patrick's day because of the twat in the hat element. Luckily, with Thrash band Regulus (I think?) launching their new album and playing upstairs, along with the Tap takeover, Shakespeares was T.i.T.H free all night....
Arriving about 18.00 I was not all that shocked to find it absolutely chuffing rammed. I spotted Dan H, Ian and Richard in the clock room which, of course, I own, and having failed to get a seat went and stood with them. Richard loved the Weird Beard Boring brown beer, a brown non boring beer on keg at 9.6% which he was sampling, and went back for another. I meanwhile was on a half of Holy Hoppin Hell on cask at 9.5% and a pint of Mariana trench American pale ale at 5.3. This was going to be a night of hops!
I was soon joined by my friend Mr G and he had a drink whose identity escapes me, whilst I went for halves of Fire, a smoked chipotle Rauchbier, and another half of Holy Hoppin Hell. This is one o the hoppiest beers I have ever had and only just escapes having a paracetamol flavour in the background - there is sufficient fruity tropical notes in the mix along with the giant slabs of bitter hoppiness to make this a beer to savour.
Mr G had a pint of the Little things that kill next, a viciously hopped pale at 3.9%, brilliantly showcasing the, am guessing, astringent US hops used at a very quaffable volume, whilst I had halves of Fade to Black Black IPA and Five o clock Shadow, a 7% American IPA.
By this time we had managed to grab some chairs and a table to sit at, and were enjoying the buzz, and loud thrash coming form upstairs - we even toyed with the idea of going up to watch the band play, where I would have bumped into my mate but in the end we decided about 20.30 to leave and head across the road to the Bar Stewards. It was slightly more quiet here....
I returned on Sunday for another pint of he HHH, and also a half of the Double Perle imperial coffee stout (this and the Five o clock may be the wrong days round by the way....). Given the number of excellent strong stouts available this was an amazingly easy to drink strong stout although the coffee was slightly lost in the overall flavour.
Once more Shakespeares pulled off another Sheffield beer week supershow, and although I did not get to meet the brewers (who may or may not have been there) it was still an excellent showcase of one of my favourite London breweries. Well done to the staff at Shakespeares for a brilliant night and line up of beers and music.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
am late with this as always since it was last Friday, but am going to tell you what I experienced at Shakespeares on the day when people wear hats and act like twats (mostly, but not all). I never like going out on St Patrick's day because of the twat in the hat element. Luckily, with Thrash band Regulus (I think?) launching their new album and playing upstairs, along with the Tap takeover, Shakespeares was T.i.T.H free all night....
Arriving about 18.00 I was not all that shocked to find it absolutely chuffing rammed. I spotted Dan H, Ian and Richard in the clock room which, of course, I own, and having failed to get a seat went and stood with them. Richard loved the Weird Beard Boring brown beer, a brown non boring beer on keg at 9.6% which he was sampling, and went back for another. I meanwhile was on a half of Holy Hoppin Hell on cask at 9.5% and a pint of Mariana trench American pale ale at 5.3. This was going to be a night of hops!
I was soon joined by my friend Mr G and he had a drink whose identity escapes me, whilst I went for halves of Fire, a smoked chipotle Rauchbier, and another half of Holy Hoppin Hell. This is one o the hoppiest beers I have ever had and only just escapes having a paracetamol flavour in the background - there is sufficient fruity tropical notes in the mix along with the giant slabs of bitter hoppiness to make this a beer to savour.
Mr G had a pint of the Little things that kill next, a viciously hopped pale at 3.9%, brilliantly showcasing the, am guessing, astringent US hops used at a very quaffable volume, whilst I had halves of Fade to Black Black IPA and Five o clock Shadow, a 7% American IPA.
By this time we had managed to grab some chairs and a table to sit at, and were enjoying the buzz, and loud thrash coming form upstairs - we even toyed with the idea of going up to watch the band play, where I would have bumped into my mate but in the end we decided about 20.30 to leave and head across the road to the Bar Stewards. It was slightly more quiet here....
I returned on Sunday for another pint of he HHH, and also a half of the Double Perle imperial coffee stout (this and the Five o clock may be the wrong days round by the way....). Given the number of excellent strong stouts available this was an amazingly easy to drink strong stout although the coffee was slightly lost in the overall flavour.
Once more Shakespeares pulled off another Sheffield beer week supershow, and although I did not get to meet the brewers (who may or may not have been there) it was still an excellent showcase of one of my favourite London breweries. Well done to the staff at Shakespeares for a brilliant night and line up of beers and music.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Saturday, 18 March 2017
Serious Lervig
Morning,
I have now managed to attend a further two and a half beer week events in sunny Sheffield. The first of which came on Wednesday when, having planned and then not gone to Huddersfield, I ended up out and about with Tash and went to the Lervig tap takeover at the Rutland Arms.
Chris and Dave have not long ago taken over the Rutland and in my two visits thereafter little has changed - its still kooky, still has an excellent jukebox, still sells an excellent range of beer in all formats, and am assuming the food remains excellent. The other trait continuing is it being chuffing rammed. Always the sign of a good show of ale.
Lervig, or Lervig Aktiebryggeri, are a brewery from Stavanger in Norway with a cool slightly understated logo and who produce very tasty beer indeed. I first heard about them in 2015 when me and Tash went to Indyman beercon. There were four or five of their beers on offer, none of which, of course, I can remember, but I do recall them being very good, against a fairly stunning selection fo ales from elsewhere. That they had a tap takeover at the Rutty was reason to celebrate and of course, attend.
One interesting thing is Tash drank their beers all night. Those of you who know us well will be aware that since June last year she has really struggled to drink beer. She still can't touch more than a taste of cask and limits herself when she feels OK to strong keg and canned beer. Its easy to guess that yeast is the issue, but much of the keg and canned beer I drink is unfined so that's not so straightforward. Whatever the cause, or found solution, Lervig was acceptable to her constitution... #rhyme
When we got there we had already missed the Magic Rock collab Farmhouse IPA. To be fair I would definitely have had a pint, but in its absence we both had a pint of Hop Drop sour IPA. This cloudy 6.5% (remember kids, these are just numbers) sour hoppy potation which hit the spot nicely. On keg it was pricey, in comparison to cask, and crucially for me, was slightly above the horrid pound a percent mark. That said, Norway is a very expensive place to drink in and but beer from, and as the alcohol level became higher the value improved. The beer was, as suggested, terrifically hoppy whilst rejuvinatingly sour in the aftertaste.
Up next was a half of the Sverd I Fjell Double IPA at a whopping 10.5%. A relative bargain for that strength at £7.80 a pint, this was a wonderful strong ale with plenty of hops but a balancing tropical tinge and good malt in the background. It was, worryingly, far easier to drink than its strength suggested. It was am American style IPA so am guessing had American hops but am not sure which but I thin Centennial featured.
Our final finisher was a half each of the Lervig collaboration with Hoppin Frog, Slipping into darkness, a huge 12% imperial stout made with chocolate malt and aged in martini barrels. Sumptuous, wonderful and not that sweet after the first drink it tasted fantastic. Although this was more of a challenge than the previous beers, it was a wonderful way to end our three hour stint at the Rutland, once again as part of Sheffield beer week 2017.
It will be interesting to see if Lervig show up in Sheffield again soon and what ales are on offer - there were three or four others on sale at the takeover. I understand one or two may still be on at the Rutty as well so do pop down and have a try for yourself.
More details of Sheffield beer week 2017 events to follow. Huzaah!
Cheers
Wee Beefy
I have now managed to attend a further two and a half beer week events in sunny Sheffield. The first of which came on Wednesday when, having planned and then not gone to Huddersfield, I ended up out and about with Tash and went to the Lervig tap takeover at the Rutland Arms.
Chris and Dave have not long ago taken over the Rutland and in my two visits thereafter little has changed - its still kooky, still has an excellent jukebox, still sells an excellent range of beer in all formats, and am assuming the food remains excellent. The other trait continuing is it being chuffing rammed. Always the sign of a good show of ale.
Lervig, or Lervig Aktiebryggeri, are a brewery from Stavanger in Norway with a cool slightly understated logo and who produce very tasty beer indeed. I first heard about them in 2015 when me and Tash went to Indyman beercon. There were four or five of their beers on offer, none of which, of course, I can remember, but I do recall them being very good, against a fairly stunning selection fo ales from elsewhere. That they had a tap takeover at the Rutty was reason to celebrate and of course, attend.
One interesting thing is Tash drank their beers all night. Those of you who know us well will be aware that since June last year she has really struggled to drink beer. She still can't touch more than a taste of cask and limits herself when she feels OK to strong keg and canned beer. Its easy to guess that yeast is the issue, but much of the keg and canned beer I drink is unfined so that's not so straightforward. Whatever the cause, or found solution, Lervig was acceptable to her constitution... #rhyme
When we got there we had already missed the Magic Rock collab Farmhouse IPA. To be fair I would definitely have had a pint, but in its absence we both had a pint of Hop Drop sour IPA. This cloudy 6.5% (remember kids, these are just numbers) sour hoppy potation which hit the spot nicely. On keg it was pricey, in comparison to cask, and crucially for me, was slightly above the horrid pound a percent mark. That said, Norway is a very expensive place to drink in and but beer from, and as the alcohol level became higher the value improved. The beer was, as suggested, terrifically hoppy whilst rejuvinatingly sour in the aftertaste.
Up next was a half of the Sverd I Fjell Double IPA at a whopping 10.5%. A relative bargain for that strength at £7.80 a pint, this was a wonderful strong ale with plenty of hops but a balancing tropical tinge and good malt in the background. It was, worryingly, far easier to drink than its strength suggested. It was am American style IPA so am guessing had American hops but am not sure which but I thin Centennial featured.
Our final finisher was a half each of the Lervig collaboration with Hoppin Frog, Slipping into darkness, a huge 12% imperial stout made with chocolate malt and aged in martini barrels. Sumptuous, wonderful and not that sweet after the first drink it tasted fantastic. Although this was more of a challenge than the previous beers, it was a wonderful way to end our three hour stint at the Rutland, once again as part of Sheffield beer week 2017.
It will be interesting to see if Lervig show up in Sheffield again soon and what ales are on offer - there were three or four others on sale at the takeover. I understand one or two may still be on at the Rutty as well so do pop down and have a try for yourself.
More details of Sheffield beer week 2017 events to follow. Huzaah!
Cheers
Wee Beefy
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