Eggbert's Travels

PS

A different way to end the year...

UK Beers 2015 – A wandering amateur's dribbling about beer

On 22^nd June 2015 Varena and I arrived in the UK. Our trip was timed so that I could see some of The Ashes cricket test matches, but we also wanted to catch up with friends and Varena's Mum and other relatives, as well as tour around England, Wales and Scotland, with at least one side trip to Europe.

 
Varena is a very keen photographer, so that hobby can keep her amused for ages. I do not have any similar hobbies so Varena suggested that I keep notes of all the different beers that I taste. Thinking that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to sample a great many beers without being chastised I jumped at the chance and applied myself to the task with much gusto. But because I hadn't given this new pastime much thought I had no real plan, so all I started off with was a list.

The range of beers in UK is huge compared to Australia. There are many small and medium brewers, as well as several large brewers, such as Greene King, Badgers and Shepherd Neame. The ales are what I was looking for, as lagers, pilseners and IPAs are the norm back in Australia and I wanted to try local creations. As my beer list grew there were occasions when I was unable to quickly note what beers I had sampled. On these occasions I took a photo of the beer's brand on the pump handle clip using my phone as a memory prompt. But because I had no real plan I actually deleted some of these photos after updating my list. It was only at a much later stage that I realised I should have kept all the photos, and made tasting notes or reviews as well. So that was a missed opportunity, but I persisted with what I had and kept going with the list and also keeping the photos.

My beer quest (or what Varena calls a “holiday”) took us to many counties in England, Scotland and Wales, and also to the Maastricht area of The Netherlands, and to the town of Liege in Belgium. The beer trend in The Netherlands and Belgium was not ale, but mainly lagers and Trappist-style bottled beers. Some of these were very tasty, but seem better for when the weather is warmer. As we were by far mostly in UK I drank the UK staple beverage – ale. And enjoyed it.

I updated my list for the last time 3 days before leaving the UK and noted that I had tasted 141 beers that ranged from okay to excellent. I also noted six beers that I did not like, so my tasting total is 147. I am proud of that grand number, but a little disappointed that the milestone of 150 different beers escaped me. I guess that there is now a challenge for whenever I next make it to the UK.

On my previous visits to UK I enjoyed trying some of the local brews from wherever we happened to be. I still indulged in regular favourites, such as Guinness, Carling, Heineken and Beck's, but would sometimes have whatever ale was made in the area. This time around I barely had any of the regular beers and concentrated on the local ales, which seemed to get darker in colour as the seasons grew colder. For some reason it just seemed to taste right that way for me.

In Australia there seems to be a general thought that UK beers are warm and horrible. I admit it took me a little while to adjust to the beer not being icy cold, but when you realise that most of the pumped cask ale in pubs is at cellar temperature to ensure that the live yeasts stay alive and act as a preservative, among other things, it just makes sense. The cooler weather also means that you are not always seeking a drink that is icy cold. Sometimes 10 degrees is fine for a drink, especially so in the cooler times. I can only recall one instance when I was served a pint that was actually warm. And it was awful. It was actually a beer I had had before so I knew what to expect. But this time it was just served wrong. The few degrees of extra warmth actually help bring out the flavours of the ale most of the time. Sometimes the coolness of coming straight out of the fridge makes the ale taste a bit plain, so pulling a bottle out of the fridge around 30 minutes prior to drinking actually helps the taste. I am not saying that this would work in Australia, but I am saying that after brewing ales in the local conditions for over one thousand years they may have got it right.

There were a couple of beers that I found outstandingly good, and a few that I didn't like. The ones that I was not keen on I only tried the once, so I did not really give them a fair go. There could have been factors with me, such as my moods, being tired, or what I had recently eaten. They may also have been just bad. But the good beers I really enjoyed at the time, and sometimes I bought again when I saw it was available. Among the better ones I would include: Theakston's Old Peculier, The Reverend James: A Taste of the Good Life, Wychwood Breweries Hobgoblin Ruby Red, and Sharpe's Doom Bar was a good constant if I was undecided or if the available range was limited. The Badger's range is also worth a mention, and the Trappist style beers all seem to be tasty too.

Unless I bought a bottle, and I probably tried 60% of the beers from the tap, then the photo I took of the pump handle clip was at the bar. Bars, being excellent places to purchase beverages, and also to sit at, meant that sometimes I had to excuse myself with the pub patrons for a short while as I got a decent angle for a photo. I cannot recall anyone being cranky or unfriendly as I did this, and I would say that most of them started a bit of a chat. This was quite pleasant for me, and obviously it was for them too, as it was a good way to get a feel for the place, and also to hear the regional accents. A Somerset accent is very different to a Nottingham or Yorkshire accent, and they are all different from London Cockney, and the posh plum-in-the-mouth Oxford-style accent. Unfortunately the bar flies only got my Aussie Canberra twang.

Many barkeeps and barflies would also start a bit of a chat with upon hearing me talk. Obviously I was a foreigner. And I was probably Australian. Some of my questioners had been to Australia, and even more seemed to have a relative living there. Unfortunately, despite being asked directly, I did not know any of these distant relations. Australia may only have a small population, but I do not claim to know all 24 million of them.

The most notable drinking place I recall was in Nottingham. Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem claims to be the oldest inn in England, being established in 1189. In this case the word “Trip” actually means stop, as in this is a place to stop while you go on crusade or pilgrimage to Jerusalem. It is also rather unusual in that it is partly in a cave (probably partly dug, but there are lots of caves in the area). That cave is in one of the few hills around the area, and atop this particular hill is a castle (Nottingham Castle)! So I was having a beer in a cave: in a pub that is 826 years old; which sits below a castle; in a town named after a Saxon man called Snot. Amazing! We don't get this sort of thing in Canberra.

Another Nottingham pub we went to was called The Bell Inn, and it is supposedly Nottingham's oldest inn (but what about the Trip to Jerusalem? I have no idea. There is also another pub claiming to be the oldest too!). We went to The Bell for a drink and found that they were having a beer tasting! I was happy with that, and tried a few. Some were good, though the highlight of the evening was getting a selfie with the famous ex-England cricketer and commentator David “Bumble” Lloyd. I also had a brief chat with ex-England cricketer and host of TV cricket master classes Ian Ward, but I didn't know who he was at the time. We were talking about the liquids one may be standing in whilst relieving oneself in the pub dunny. And we agreed that it was unlikely to be beer!

In Norwich we went past what is supposedly the smallest pub in UK, called the Nutshell. Whilst it was not really beer o'clock as we approached I was happy to forgive myself the indulgence and have a drink. There were no customers and only room for maybe three sitting patrons. But with the chilly weather and no staff being visible we wandered on. So this 15 x 7 foot (less than 10m2) pub missed our gracing it with our presence.

A peculiarity of UK pubs is the dogs. In Australia my experience has been that dogs are not allowed in pubs. Occasionally a country pub will have the odd Blue Heeler lying around near the bar somewhere, but it is very rare. In UK it appears that every second patron, in country areas at least, takes his dog for a drive, or even sometimes a walk, and pops into the pub for a drink or meal, taking his dogs with them. Inside. And he will sit at the bar, or at a table, and order drinks and food whilst the dog is at their feet. In non-food areas I really have no complaint. But at the famous Jamaica Inn on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall we hit the jackpot when a bit of rain came along and we ended up with at least ten wet dogs panting away in the restaurant area, stinking the joint up while we tried to have lunch. And at a London pub, in posh Chelsea of all places, while I tried to watch the Rugby World Cup on TV and battled to get a decent seat, we noticed that one of the bar stools was occupied by a small terrier. On the seat. Whilst patrons stood. No-one batted an eye except us.

Being true to the task I had been set I had to get myself to more than a few pubs. We indulged in a meal at many of these pubs and in the main we were happy. I found the prices a bit high, but manageable most of the time. I hate feeling that I am not getting value for my money. The pub food menus were fairly uniform unless the landlord is a knob, in which case you can order food that is small, and over-fussy, pointlessly over-detailed on the menu, and expensive; and then you'd not go back again, because really, you are only there for the cosy old feel of the place and the grog. Fish and chips, burgers, roasts with all the trimmings (Yorkshire puddings and gravy are a must), curries, ham, egg and chips, bangers and mash, and pasta were often listed on the menus. I even managed an occasional steak and kidney pie. And the food was generally good, too. It was often at the food ordering stage when I would change tack and have some wine. There are plenty of beers that go well with food, but my habit is now to have wine with my main meal, so the beer chase would be put on hold to resume at the next place.

We don't have any plans for when we'll next be in UK, but with my enjoyment of this 2015 beer expedition I may just be tempted to give it another go the next time I am in this green and pleasant land.

The tasting story begins.....

Some photos of the beers Geoff sampled.





 

 

The list of beers, favourites, nice & not so great....

GOOD BEERS

1. Two Cocks 1643 Viscount Golden Ale (Birmingham)

2. Palmers 200 ale
3. Sharpe's Doom Bar ale (Cornwall)
4. Fuller's London Pride
5. St Austell's Tribute
6. St Austell Proper Job IPA
7. Dartmoor Jail Ale (at Jamaica Inn)
8. Padstow May Day
9. The Rev. James ♥ A taste of the good life (Cardiff)
10. Brains Dark
11. Cwrw Gorslas
12. Thwaites Wainwright
13. Gerardus Dubbel 7% (Maastricht)
14. Duvell (Maastricht)
15. Trappist Blonde (Maastricht)
16. Trappist Dubbel (Maastricht)
17. Trappist Tripel (Maastricht)
18. Trappist Quadrupel (Maastricht)
19. Brand Imperator (Maastricht)
20. Westmalle Trappist Dubbel(Maastricht)
21. Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel
22. Abbot Ale
23. Wychwood Hobgoblin Ruby Red
24. Theakston Old Peculier - The Legend ♥ (Oxford)
25. Franziskaner Weissbier
26. Betty Stogs Cornish Ale (Radcot)
27. Morland Old Speckled Hen (Horsham)
28. Badger Fursty Ferret
29. Curious Brew
30. Timothy Taylor's Boltmaker (Wolverhampton)
31. Meantime London Pale Ale
32. Meantime Yakima Red
33. Guinness Dublin Porter (Birmingham)
34. Wychwood Hobgoblin Gold
35. Flipside Flipping Best (Trip to Jerusalem Inn-1189- Nottingham)
36. Morland Old Crafty Hen
37. Badgers Legendary Tanglefoot
38. Shipstone's Original Amber Bitter
39. Anspach and Hobday Pale Ale
40. Dirty Stop Out Smoked Oat Stout
41. Pressure Drop Wallbanger
42. Atom Dark Alchemy
43. Badger Golden Champion
44. Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale
45. Guinness West Indies Porter
46. Nook'y Brown Ale
47. Hog's Back Rip Snorter
48. The Nook Tigermoth Porter
49. North Union Dubbel
50. Surrey Hills Brewery Albury Ruby
51. Hogsback OTT
52. Wychwood Black Wych
53. Frothingham Best Bitter
54. Hogs Back Hop Garden Gold
55. Black Sheep Ale
56. Dorking Brewery Red India Ale
57. Great Newsome Frothingham Best (Sheffield)
58. Wharfe Bank Camfell Flame Ruby Ale
59. Saltaire Pride
60. Peak Ales Bakewell Best Bitter (Bakewell)
61. VIP Brewery Village Ghost
62. Jennings Sneck Lifter
63. Wychwood King Goblin Special Reserve
64. Yorkshire Blackout
65. Wharfe Bank Yorkshire Stout
66. Shambles Tavern Stumbler
67. McEwans 70/ (Coldstream)
68. Jennings Sneck Lifter
69. VIP Brewery Village Ghost
70. Ringwood Brewery Old Thumper
71. Cottage Delights Old Farts Dark Ruby
72. Cottage Delight Hairy Potter Ruby Beer
73. Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted
74. Dark Island Dark Ale
75. McEwan's 8o/ (Munlochy)
76. Black Isle Red Kite Ale (Thrumster)
77. Shepherd Neame Spook Ale
78. Innis & Gunn Original Oak Aged Beer
79. McEwan's Signature
80. Broughton Dark Dunter
81. Tennant's Ember 80/
82. Cairngorm Black Gold (Skye)
83. McEwan's Champion
84. Cuillin Brewery Skye Ale
85. Isle of Skye Brewing Skye Black
86. Bellhaven Best (Oban)
87. Isle of Arran Blonde
88. Inveralmond Brewery Lia Fail
89. Belhaven Robert Burns Brown Ale
90. Belhaven Black Scottish Stout
91. Ulverston Fra Diavolo
92. Jennings Cumberland Deep Golden Ale
93. Dent Brewery T'owd Up Stout
94. Acorn Brewery Gorlovka (Ulverston)
95. Stringers Dry Stout
96. Cumberland Breweries Corby Fox
97. Cubanisto Rum Flavoured Beer
98. Newcastle Brown Ale
99. Lancaster Black - Dark Velvet Plush Stout
100. Westerham Brewery British Bulldog
101. Black Sheep Riggwelter Strong Yorkshire Ale
102. Shepherd Neame Double Stout
103. Unsworth's Yard Brewery Last Wolf
104. Unsworth's Yard Brewery Cartmel Peninsula Fine Ale
105. Unsworth's Yard Brewery 800 Magna Carta Freedom Under Law
106. Westerham Brewery Scotney Pale Ale
107. Shepherd Neame Bishop's Finger Kentish Strong Ale
108. Marston's Oyster Stout (Lord's Tavern)
109. Robinson's Old Tom
110. Courage Director's Superior Ale
111. Sainsbury's London Porter
112. Stonehenge Luck of the Irish (a green beer @ The Albert - London)
113. Skinner's The All Blondes
114. Purity Pure Ubu
115. Wells Bombardier
116. Sagres Cerveja
117. Greene King London Glory
118. Badger's Hopping Hare
119. Whitstable Bay Black Oyster Stout (Shoreham Airport)
120. Bedlam Brewery Porter
121. Shepherd Neame 1698 Kentish Strong Ale
122. Young's Double Chocolate Stout
123. Robinson's Trooper (Iron Maiden)
124. Fuller's London Porter
125. Ridgeway Bad King John
126. Bath Ales Barnesy Dark Ale
127. Badger's Poacher's Choice
128. Greene King Rundle County
129. Adnam's Southwold Bitter
130. Adnam's Broadside
131. The Jugged Hare Pale Ale - London
132. Hepworth Classic Old Ale
133. Hepworth Iron Horse Premium Pale Ale
134. Joseph Holt Maplemoon Ale
135. Manchester Star Ale
136. Shepherd Neame Late Red Splendour Ale
137. Hammerpot Brewery Bottle Wreck Porter
138. Naylor's Vintage Old Ale
139. Sunburst Classic Golden Ale
140. Badgers First Call (The Bear - Horsham)
141. Everard's Tiger Best Bitter (The Black Jug - Horsham)

NOT SO GOOD BEERS

1. Adnams Ghost Ship (Horsham)
2. Deuchars (Crowborough)
3. Brakspear (Oxford)
4. Arkell's 3 B (Woolstone)
5. Marston's Classic English Pale Ale
6. Innis and Gunn Rum Finish