Camra

[prinnysquad]

Right, gits. Thread resurrection. Bout time we had some proper beer talk round these parts. It'll probably just be me posting in here unless Plough Boy can be arsed, but never mind.


Newbies tried yesterday and today.

New on cask:

At the Market Tavern in fair Durham City:
Tyne Bank Brewery, Monument - 4.1% - 8.5
Westerham Brewery Co, Taylor Walker 1730 Special Pale Ale - 4% - 8
Timothy Taylor's Boltmaker - 4% - 8 (This won Best Beer at the Great British Beer Festival last year. What a load of old toss. It's totally bog standard. Typically wet judging panel.)

At the Head of Steam on North Road:
Hyde's, Provenance Prague - 4.8% - 8.5
Cameron's, Paschal Moon - 4.1% - 8.5

Bottles:
Baytown (Robin Hoods Bay) Squire's Connivance Porter - 5% - 9
Smuttynose Brewing Company in collaboration with Stone Brewing Co; Cluster's Last Stand - 8.3% - 9
Edit: God this beer is amazing. It's strong to taste but very quaffable. It's gone right to my head. Gorgeous stuff. A rare, much sought-after collaboration between two USA craft breweries, apparently.

[BaronSqwelch]

I've taken to guzzling Devils Backbone when I'm in a Wetherspoons. Nice, cold American IPA. Am usually a cider drinker but it has me hooked!

[prinnysquad]

Yes, that's a nice beer. Very quaffable! Only downside for me is it's on draught. I'd prefer it on cask. Wetherspoons organise collaborations, where foreign craft brewers come over to a British brewery and brew their draught beer for cask dispense instead. It's the same recipe, but still brewing in the cask right up to the point of delivery. American recipe in a British style. I've tasted some spectacularly good ales in that format. They're nearly always delicious and the cask gets rid of that gassiness.

[kryss]

Tried the Winter Ale from BigRock the other day, 6.0% with a touch of spice. Nice seasonal just a shame I missed it during the season.

[smouty]

I've taken to guzzling Devils Backbone when I'm in a Wetherspoons. Nice, cold American IPA. Am usually a cider drinker but it has me hooked!

If you like this try the Lagunitas IPA in Wetherspoons. It is bottled only but is one of the best examples of a US style IPA.

[prinnysquad]

Tried the Winter Ale from BigRock the other day, 6.0% with a touch of spice. Nice seasonal just a shame I missed it during the season.

That sounds tremendous. I've still got Christmas beers in the back room. Do I have them now or save another 6 months? Or do I have them over Summer? I'm not a massive fan of the breezy lager-esque Summer beers, so a dark bitter infused with a raisin and cinnamon kick might be just the job to get me through those days. Tough choice.

[BaronSqwelch]

If you like this try the Lagunitas IPA in Wetherspoons. It is bottled only but is one of the best examples of a US style IPA.

Will give it a go next time.
We did a big tour of California/Nevada in 2012 and there were loads of "Micro Beers" all very hoppy and all freezing cold and 6%+. Was a nice surprise seeing as I was expecting bud light style rubbish. I was drunk for the whole trip

Other thing that made me happy was seeing Strongbow in the "Premium" section of the supermarket booze aisles. Wacky Yanks

[smouty]

We did a big tour of California/Nevada in 2012

Very jealous. I've been watching the Brewdog boys TV series - http://tv.esquire.com/shows/brew-dogs
In amongst the Top Gear type nonsense there is some great info on bars and breweries in each city they visit and there were some top place in California.

[kryss]

That sounds tremendous. I've still got Christmas beers in the back room. Do I have them now or save another 6 months? Or do I have them over Summer? I'm not a massive fan of the breezy lager-esque Summer beers, so a dark bitter infused with a raisin and cinnamon kick might be just the job to get me through those days. Tough choice.

I apologise for the factual inaccuracy: it's the Winter Spice Ale.
And was well worth it, but I do think it would have been better in the bitter cold with a bit of steak to go with.

Hoping to get this next: Dunkelweizen

[prinnysquad]

That looks mighty fine. A dark wheat beer sounds interesting! They're often so pale and cloudy.

[kryss]

I'll get some pics on Sunday when I pick it up.

[prinnysquad]

The Old Mill, Metal Bridge

Wadworth, St.George & the Dragon - 4.5% - 8.5
Black Paw Brewery, Paw's Gold - 4.0% - 8

[kryss]

For shame I'm drinking a Bowen Island Sun Chaser "cascadian cream ale".
Budget beer but not quite Co-op Gold Beer (yes, that exists here; no, I have not and will not touch it)
Lacks flavour, basically a slightly fizzy beer-flavoured beverage and something I'm comfortable drinking before work. 5% and barely earns it.

I just needed something to help me type up the monster paper I'm writing for my complex analysis class.

[kryss]

The Dunkelweizen. Probably my new favourite of the Big Rock beers, shame it's a limited run. 5% and easy to drink with...
Yeah I'm **** at this, nice beer 8/10

[prinnysquad]

Superb, Kryss. But why on earth are you drinking from a wine glass? You need a Sweeney-style dimpled mug glass for proper quaffage.

Trip with Plough Boy to Newcastle on Saturday:


Town Wall:
Roosters, Azacca 4.3% 8
Tyne Bank Brewery, Scotch Ale 5.5% 8.5
Out There Brewing Co, Celestial Love 5.1% 8.5
Bad Co, Jaggery Pokery 8.6% 9

Bodega:
Almasty, Smoked Porter 5.7% 9
Cloudwater Brew Co. Pennine Light 3.6% 8.5
Cloudwater Brew Co. Table Beer 4.2% 8.5
The Wild Beer Co, Fresh 5.5% 9

The City Tavern:
Theakston, Masham Four and Twenty 4.2% 8
S.A. Brain and Co, Trickster 4.2% 8.5
Caledonian, City Tavern Ale 4.1% 8
Theakston, Bar Hound 4.1% 8

Dat Bar:
Magic Rock, High Wire west coast pale 5.5% 8
Magic Rock, Magic 8 Ball black ipa 7% 9

Bacchus:
Mallinsons Brewing Company, Hop Tzar 4.5% 8.5
Plain Ales, India Plain Ale 5.2% 8.5
SWB, Union Pale Ale 4.1% 8.5
Yeovil Ales, Ruby 4.5% 8

A glorious session, concluded by PB walking to the train station and declaring, "Wad, wad, probable wad, wad..." as lasses walked past, oblivious.