Many of you may be aware that I'm a bit of a beer snob. OK. A lot of a beer snob. Frequent conversation:
Me: "Corona is undrinkable muck. In fact, any beer served with a lime is immediately suspicious."
Almost everyone else: "You're crazy. I love Corona."
Me: "Carry on wasting your life so..."
The reason I mention this is that our local off license sponsored a Slimmie-taste-friendly series of events to celebrate Oktoberfest. Each Thursday in October, we gathered upstairs at a local pub for a beer-tasting: for a fiver we tasted 20 different beers from around the world, with a European-heavy selection. Needless to say, Fridays were pretty much a waste of time in October. Following are some of my favourites from this crazy fun event.
Baltika 8 (5%, Wheat ale): This is an unfiltered Russian beer with a bit of a spicy clean finish. Very much like Paulaner.
La Chouffe (8%, Wheat ale): Is another unfiltered beer, re-fermented in the bottle (hence the high alcohol content). A Belgian blonde, it's a bit sweet and citrusy, with coriander notes and a light hop finish. Beautiful.
Baltika 6 (7%, Stout): From the same brewery as the Baltika above, this beer was a surprise favourite. A bit too sweet perhaps, it's a really rich and chocolaty porter that drinks like candy with a punch.
Bee Wyched (5%, Pale ale): A British pale with an absolutely gorgeous aroma, this honey ale really surprised me. I'm not usually one for the sweet beers, but this fairtrade, organic offering balances the honey with a long hoppy finish. It's brewed by Prince Charles' Wychwood brewery: a name that will come up repeatedly below.
Fiddler's Elbow (5.2%, Pale ale): Another offering from Wychwood, this beer is a great bitter, with subtle complex hops and a long quenching hoppy, clean finish.
Circlemaster (4.7%, Pale ale): Yet another Wychwood brew, this one drinks like a lager, with clear, sharp hops notes balanced by a citrus and malty flavour. A great crowd pleaser, especially served near ambient temperature.
Hardcore (9%, IPA): My tasting notes for this powerful and delicious Scottish IPA brewed by Brew Dog were simple: "WOW! Careful lads..."
Fuller's Discovery (4.5%, Lager): One of the thickest, chewiest lagers you'll ever enjoy, with great balance and malty, honey overtones.
Martson's Double Drop (5%, Bitter): A classic British bitter brewed using a very complex process called "double dropping", with tea notes besides its bitter hoppiness.
Goose Island Honkers (4.3%, American Pale ale): The first American on the list, this beer is an American take on the classic British bitter, with a smooth, malty delicious flavour. My notes say: "I could drink a lot of that."
Aspall's Premier Cru (7%, Cider): This British hard cider is a revelation ~ think apple champagne. Very clean and crisp, and delicious.
Hoegaarden Forbidden Fruit (8.5%, Wheat): From the world famous Belgian brewery, this fruity beer with a spicy clove aroma pulls off the impossible: a sweet taste and a dry finish. Absolutely gorgeous.
Liberty Ale (5.9%, American Pale Ale): A famous American brew, this bottle conditioned ale has a fabulous aroma, and an intricate balance of orange, tea, pepper and hops. A winner.
Suffolk Strong (6%, Strong ale): Aged for 2 years, this beer features a caramel finish and a fruitcake aroma.
Rosey Nosey (4.9%, Bitter): a simple, straightforward bitter with a fruity aroma and a hoppy bitter finish. It claims to be an excellent complement to turkey: worth trying with the holiday season approaching.
In other news, welcome to the latest Daley: Benjamin Liam Daley (how's that for a Jewish-Irish name?) was born at 11:01 am November 14th weighing 7 lbs, 10 oz, and measuring 20 inches. The delivery was quick, and Sandra and Benjamin are reportedly doing great. Big congrats and love to Sandra and Eric (and Leah)!
Slainte.
