Beers of 2015
- Thread starter chilango
- Start date
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
chilango
Hypothetical Wanker
Ooh. Their 8 Ball is lovely. I'll keep an eye out for this.
MrSki
Who am I to say you're wrong
Their Neck Oil is good too. The brewery is round the corner & opens on a Saturday. Will return when it gets a bit warmer.
Went in there yesterday - place was rammed, locals and people from across town and a mob of Norwegians... Great beer...Their Neck Oil is good too. The brewery is round the corner & opens on a Saturday. Will return when it gets a bit warmer.
MrSki
Who am I to say you're wrong
Was it not a bit parky?
We planned ahead and wore the entire wardrobe.
Had the weird experience of meeting someone who went to the same college as me in the year below- he remembered me, I had no idea who he was
MrSki
Who am I to say you're wrong
Was working outside on Friday & the last place I wanted to go was somewhere cold. Plus I was pissed off with the football & didn't want to go out in Tottenham.We planned ahead and wore the entire wardrobe.
Had the weird experience of meeting someone who went to the same college as me in the year below- he remembered me, I had no idea who he was
alsoknownas
some bloke
Extraordinary lineup tomorrow for Beavertown tap room. I'm a big fan of their beers, but they usually (rightly so) have a few experimental and 'out there' brews on, which I have to admit - I'm glad they exist, but haven't really clicked with any of them 
.
But at the moment, for various reasons, they have a lot of brews on that are close to their core range. It might sound hyperbolic to some, but these are some of the very best beers I've ever had, and have really influenced my drinking taste lately.
I know there are some tap room regulars on here, but if you haven't been - it's like having a world class festival on your doorstep every week. Plus the vibe is nice - just this side of over-trendy (though that may change over time
), with lots of friendly chatter and cross-drink-tasting. Also a bleeding bargain at £2.50 a glass (2/3rd pints), especially when you consider the strength of some of the beers.
For the uninitiated let me run you over the menu (from my perspective) -
I'll split them into groups -
Gamma Ray
8 Ball
Black Betty
Although Gamma Ray is listed as an American Pale Ale I think most people would experience this as being very close to a modern IPA, which is why I listed it with the others. It's their flagship beer, and the one that most people rave about. It's won a ton of awards (including best UK beer in a recent magazine competition), and lives up to the hype.
Then there are delicious IPA variants - the rye-infused 8 ball, and the slightly stout-leaning Black Betty, both hoppy monsters.
Then my personal favourite -
Neck Oil
Which is really a little brother to the beers listed above, but at 4.3% is listed as a Session IPA. I love it, and reckon it's been a bit unfairly overshadowed by the Gamma Ray.
Then three extraordinary beers that I would describe as stouts (though I'm not sure that's strictly accurate, but anyway...) -
Holly Cowbell
Heavy Water
Moose Fang
Beavertown seems to specialise in skirting the fault-line between the richness of stouts and the punchy hoppiness of IPA's.
To say these are complex beers would be an understatement. The listing for Heavy Water for example is Sea Salt and Sour Cherry Imperial Stout. But it is a measure of the brewery's skill and confidence that each of these beers tastes like an established traditional brew, rather than some kind of concoction.
Holly Cowbell is, for me, perfectly poised between the warm, comforting stout tones, and the spikey IPA notes. Heavy Water adds space and complexity to that marriage and rewards a bit of concentrating on (geekiness ok in brewery setting
). Moose Fang is a recent collaboration beer that builds on these themes really nicely.
Bloody 'Ell
If you're not aware, this is the big 'hype' beer at the moment, that hipsters are tripping over their moustaches to get hold of. It's a seasonal IPA made with blood oranges - and, yes, it's delicious. Very fresh tasting and well balanced.
Finally two beers that are really good, but don't quite excite me as much as the others -
Smog Rocket
Apellation
Smog Rocket is a Smoked Porter, with quite pronounced smokey flavours. It's really nice with food especially, but you probably won't find me quaffing it at the tap room; not with all those other goodies on offer. It's really popular though, so someone will be around in a minute to diss me for rating it so lowly.
Apellation is a Saison beer, which is a style I really haven't mastered yet (kind of watery and bitter and perfumey in my experience). That said, this particular Saison is the nicest I've tasted, with a pleasant apple base that lends it a scrumpy feel.
So in summary - 2 beers that are pretty good, plus 8 of the very best beers I've ever tasted. That's quite a line-up, with not a dud to be seen
.
Have other commitments tomorrow, so this is largely a public service announcement. But I think it would be great to do an official Urban meet-up sometime over the summer.
.But at the moment, for various reasons, they have a lot of brews on that are close to their core range. It might sound hyperbolic to some, but these are some of the very best beers I've ever had, and have really influenced my drinking taste lately.
I know there are some tap room regulars on here, but if you haven't been - it's like having a world class festival on your doorstep every week. Plus the vibe is nice - just this side of over-trendy (though that may change over time
), with lots of friendly chatter and cross-drink-tasting. Also a bleeding bargain at £2.50 a glass (2/3rd pints), especially when you consider the strength of some of the beers.For the uninitiated let me run you over the menu (from my perspective) -
I'll split them into groups -
Gamma Ray
8 Ball
Black Betty
Although Gamma Ray is listed as an American Pale Ale I think most people would experience this as being very close to a modern IPA, which is why I listed it with the others. It's their flagship beer, and the one that most people rave about. It's won a ton of awards (including best UK beer in a recent magazine competition), and lives up to the hype.
Then there are delicious IPA variants - the rye-infused 8 ball, and the slightly stout-leaning Black Betty, both hoppy monsters.
Then my personal favourite -
Neck Oil
Which is really a little brother to the beers listed above, but at 4.3% is listed as a Session IPA. I love it, and reckon it's been a bit unfairly overshadowed by the Gamma Ray.
Then three extraordinary beers that I would describe as stouts (though I'm not sure that's strictly accurate, but anyway...) -
Holly Cowbell
Heavy Water
Moose Fang
Beavertown seems to specialise in skirting the fault-line between the richness of stouts and the punchy hoppiness of IPA's.
To say these are complex beers would be an understatement. The listing for Heavy Water for example is Sea Salt and Sour Cherry Imperial Stout. But it is a measure of the brewery's skill and confidence that each of these beers tastes like an established traditional brew, rather than some kind of concoction.
Holly Cowbell is, for me, perfectly poised between the warm, comforting stout tones, and the spikey IPA notes. Heavy Water adds space and complexity to that marriage and rewards a bit of concentrating on (geekiness ok in brewery setting
). Moose Fang is a recent collaboration beer that builds on these themes really nicely.Bloody 'Ell
If you're not aware, this is the big 'hype' beer at the moment, that hipsters are tripping over their moustaches to get hold of. It's a seasonal IPA made with blood oranges - and, yes, it's delicious. Very fresh tasting and well balanced.
Finally two beers that are really good, but don't quite excite me as much as the others -
Smog Rocket
Apellation
Smog Rocket is a Smoked Porter, with quite pronounced smokey flavours. It's really nice with food especially, but you probably won't find me quaffing it at the tap room; not with all those other goodies on offer. It's really popular though, so someone will be around in a minute to diss me for rating it so lowly.
Apellation is a Saison beer, which is a style I really haven't mastered yet (kind of watery and bitter and perfumey in my experience). That said, this particular Saison is the nicest I've tasted, with a pleasant apple base that lends it a scrumpy feel.
So in summary - 2 beers that are pretty good, plus 8 of the very best beers I've ever tasted. That's quite a line-up, with not a dud to be seen
.Have other commitments tomorrow, so this is largely a public service announcement. But I think it would be great to do an official Urban meet-up sometime over the summer.
Last edited:
ska invita
back on the other side
which was that one that was 9percent? ill have a pint of that please
Yuwipi Woman
Whack-A-Mole Queen
MrSki
Who am I to say you're wrong
The one that alsoknownas gave me last time cos he couldn't finish it & cycle home, made me swerve all over the car park at Tottenham Hale Retail Park! I was on foot patrol by the way. Been working away this week but might be back in town tomorrow. What time is anyone going?which was that one that was 9percent? ill have a pint of that please
Dr. Furface
One small step for me
What pub was that in? Did it make you feel like a mean muthafucker, sir!
Hoss
...It was the blurst of times...
Ooh! A lovely one tonight.
Very drinkable, floral and smokey simultaneously.
Got sent a can of that direct from the brewery - delicious stuff! Could well be one of the nicest beers I've had this year. Am in Somerset in September so planning a visit to the brewery shop to stock up.
moose
like some cat from Japan
I'm enjoying the output of Red Willow Brewery, in their bar just up t'road.
Wreckless, Headless, Directionless, Smokeless, Ageless, Faithless, Endless, Heartless, Fathomless, Sleepless, Peerless, Mirthless and Feckless.
I like Feckless for every day drinking, and Smokeless if I'm just having one and it's cold out.
http://www.redwillowbrewery.com/our-beers/
Wreckless, Headless, Directionless, Smokeless, Ageless, Faithless, Endless, Heartless, Fathomless, Sleepless, Peerless, Mirthless and Feckless.
I like Feckless for every day drinking, and Smokeless if I'm just having one and it's cold out.
http://www.redwillowbrewery.com/our-beers/
Mogden
I like tea
Has anyone tried the Thornbridge Charlie Brown Peanut Butter ale?
http://www.thornbridgebrewery.co.uk/product.php?s=charlie_brown
It's been listed for Bearded Theory and it looks like it might be of my about 5 pints in 3 days hardcore festival drinking
http://www.thornbridgebrewery.co.uk/product.php?s=charlie_brown
It's been listed for Bearded Theory and it looks like it might be of my about 5 pints in 3 days hardcore festival drinking
moose
like some cat from Japan
Peanut? Butter? Ale?
That ain't right.
Mogden
I like tea
Well yes and no. Intrigued but it seems like a wrong 'unPeanut? Butter? Ale?
chilango
Hypothetical Wanker
MrSki
Who am I to say you're wrong
Where's your local?On tap at my local now. Enjoying it as I type. Beer of the year so far for me!
chilango
Hypothetical Wanker
The Abbot Cook in Reading.
