Brixton - beer, craft ale and brewery news and discussion

[CH1]

Over here the big breweries spent 50 years brewing for their own convenience, so you got abominations like Watney Red Barrel, which tasted equally vile on tap and in a Party Seven, and tinned Double Diamond, which tasted nothing like it's draught brother.

Talking of Party Sevens etc - I've not been particularly impressed by the Lidl offerings (Grafenwalder and Grafenwalder Hefe Weissbier) in the 5 litre cans.
I noticed the other day that Iceland now have a similar product - Bitburger Keg Bitburger Keg 5 Litre

Anybody tried this? It doesn't even seem price competitive, must genuinely be for the party market.

 

[CH1]

I quite like Bombardier - it's fairly consistent. But you just don't get much good bitter anymore do you? It's all hoppy pale.
Harvey's Sussex bitter is always good in the Market Porter.

I would say Greene King Abbot is normally quite a good consistent non-hoppy bitter.

If the Albert is anything to go by Greene King make their profits from pub management not by promoting their own products.
Last time I was in the Albert (at least a year ago) GK IPA was off. The time before that it was on pressurized tap, which offended my drinking companion no end.

The Greene King website says they have a craft range both bottled and draft - anybody ever seen any of these on offer at the Albert?
Craft beers | Greene King and Belhaven Craft beers | Greene King here to help

 

[Twattor]

I would say Greene King Abbot is normally quite a good consistent non-hoppy bitter.

If the Albert is anything to go by Greene King make their profits from pub management not by promoting their own products.
Last time I was in the Albert (at least a year ago) GK IPA was off. The time before that it was on pressurized tap, which offended my drinking companion no end.

The Greene King website says they have a craft range both bottled and draft - anybody ever seen any of these on offer at the Albert?
Craft beers | Greene King and Belhaven Craft beers | Greene King here to help

I grew up on the nondescript rubbish that Greene King pump out so since moving south I refuse to drink it on principal, although I do remain very partial to an Adnams or a Woodfordes.

Hving said that, I accidentally had a pint of the Yardbird not too long ago, possibly at Crown and Sceptre, and it wasn't actually that bad.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I'm sure that will happen as I get older...my tastes have changed over the years and I am getting more into bitters as I go

What do you reckon of Ringwood brewery btw...I'm going on a tour\pints and cheap bottles in a couple of weeks.

As you like pales and goldens, you'll like Boondoggle - the only Ringwood beer I've tried - as it's hoppy and peppery, and really refreshing.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Talking of Party Sevens etc - I've not been particularly impressed by the Lidl offerings (Grafenwalder and Grafenwalder Hefe Weissbier) in the 5 litre cans.
I noticed the other day that Iceland now have a similar product - Bitburger Keg Bitburger Keg 5 Litre

Anybody tried this? It doesn't even seem price competitive, must genuinely be for the party market.

In Germany Bitburger is a very popular beer. If you walk through a German park at a weekend, you'll see loads of Bitburger mini-kegs being tapped. It's a Pilsner style, so it's hoppy, without being "punch you in the face" like some modern pales. It's a step up from Grafenwalder.
At £14.99 it's a decent price, although it'd cost you 10-11 Euros in Germany, so you can see how Iceland are still going to make a profit from it!

 

[twistedAM]

As you like pales and goldens, you'll like Boondoggle - the only Ringwood beer I've tried - as it's hoppy and peppery, and really refreshing.

It's pretty nice though I prefer Ghost Ship. Never been a big ale drinker but like all this American type stuff.

 

[Winot]

I had my first (quick) visit to Canopy on Saturday (are we allowed Herne Hill boozers?). Unprepossessing location under the arches off Norwood Rd (behind Ollies) past the car mechanics and under the... err... canopy.

Just had time for a couple of halves - the small beer and the kolsch. Both lovely (but then beer drank in stolen time away from the kids always is). Left with a keg of the kolsch which wasn't cheap (£28 for 5l) but was very nice (except I fucked up opening it when pissed on Sunday).

Impressive range of ales and a nice atmosphere.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Re: the 5 litre kegs, Iceland are apparently also doing Budvar Budweis for £14.99!

 

[ViolentPanda]

I had my first (quick) visit to Canopy on Saturday (are we allowed Herne Hill boozers?). Unprepossessing location under the arches off Norwood Rd (behind Ollies) past the car mechanics and under the... err... canopy.

Just had time for a couple of halves - the small beer and the kolsch. Both lovely (but then beer drank in stolen time away from the kids always is). Left with a keg of the kolsch which wasn't cheap (£28 for 5l) but was very nice (except I fucked up opening it when pissed on Sunday).

Impressive range of ales and a nice atmosphere.

Actually, the Kolsch price is reasonably competitive, seeing as it's only sold - in Cologne - in 300ml bottles, which usually sell for £2 a pop over here! I might have to give that a try!

 

[Mr Retro]

I heart ghost ship and anything from Adnams and the old schools bitters in general. The lighter the colour and more bitter the taste the better I like them.

The IPA's that have come out in the last years give me a crampy stomach for some reason.

 

[alfajobrob]

Took a cask of Downton Brewery's Hopoholic on a camping trip last weekend. It went down very well

Doing a full cask next month.

I had my first (quick) visit to Canopy on Saturday (are we allowed Herne Hill boozers?). Unprepossessing location under the arches off Norwood Rd (behind Ollies) past the car mechanics and under the... err... canopy.

Just had time for a couple of halves - the small beer and the kolsch. Both lovely (but then beer drank in stolen time away from the kids always is). Left with a keg of the kolsch which wasn't cheap (£28 for 5l) but was very nice (except I fucked up opening it when pissed on Sunday).

Impressive range of ales and a nice atmosphere.

Ta for that - i just went down today bought a keg 5l and 16 beers...I think any brewery is ok to mention.

 

[discobastard]

Heavily-hopped pales are "fashionable" at the mo, both here and in the US, especially ones using North American hop breeds like Citra. Give it a couple of years, and the fad will move onto something else, perhaps even "traditional" bitters!

Maybe even Mild will make a comeback!! Spent most of my youth drinking Tetley Mild...

 

[discobastard]

I had my first (quick) visit to Canopy on Saturday (are we allowed Herne Hill boozers?). Unprepossessing location under the arches off Norwood Rd (behind Ollies) past the car mechanics and under the... err... canopy.

Just had time for a couple of halves - the small beer and the kolsch. Both lovely (but then beer drank in stolen time away from the kids always is). Left with a keg of the kolsch which wasn't cheap (£28 for 5l) but was very nice (except I fucked up opening it when pissed on Sunday).

Impressive range of ales and a nice atmosphere.

I was there Sunday drinking Magic Rock Ringmaster. It's a nice little spot to visit.

Then round the corner for my first visit to Bullfinch, similar beers but more refined. Also a nice space. I'll be going back to both.

 

[alfajobrob]

Hmmnnn.....

 

[leanderman]

London Beer Lab really is worth visiting in Nursery rd.

Especially now they have extended their range, and opening hours.

Some of their Citra stuff is great, as is that by Beavertown and others stocked there

 

[Twattor]

London Beer Lab is worth visiting in Nursery rd.

They have extended their range, and opening hours.

Some of their stuff is great, as is that by Beavertown and others stocked there

Absolutely. Only discovered it last week. Love the fact that people were just walking in and using their brewing facilities, and love the way they sell the random bottles of beers that people have brewed in their tap room shop (£2.50 for 330ml, IIRC).

 

[alfajobrob]

Maybe even Mild will make a comeback!! Spent most of my youth drinking Tetley Mild...

Reports post!

and then makes a half mild and stout....my nan would be proud.

 

[leanderman]

Doing a full cask next month.

It's surprising how long a cask remains cool, post-brewery.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Maybe even Mild will make a comeback!! Spent most of my youth drinking Tetley Mild...

Banks's is nice. Cellar temperature it's great. Fortunately, the concrete floor in my flat does a good approximation of cellar temperature, so I just leave bottles on the floor!

 

[ViolentPanda]

Reports post!

and then makes a half mild and stout....my nan would be proud.

Mild and bitter was the false teeth mob's drink of choice when I was a teen (70s), with younger blokes drinking light and bitter, and wastrels drinking Guinness and sweet cider half/half.

 

[cuppa tee]

Guinness and sweet cider half/half.

aka Black Velvet ?

 

[Mr Retro]

I'm currently supping Adnams mosaic pale ale, which to my delight is on in the local in Walthamstow. Or one of my locals .

 

[alfajobrob]

I'm currently supping Adnams mosaic pale ale, which to my delight is on in the local in Walthamstow. Or one of my locals .

I was supping old rosie in wetherspoons earlier at £3.05 a pint....it was then I decided my day wasn't really going anywhere...but still managed to get the beers on way back...that's a win for me.

The mad squirrels apa was really good from not too hoppy but a bit of wood at 2.50 a bottle from canopy...I'm just about to try a canopy sunray pale ale now.

 

[leanderman]

Stir coffee shop on Brixton Hill is now stocking 'craft' beers, notably Beavertown.

 

[CH1]

Maybe even Mild will make a comeback!! Spent most of my youth drinking Tetley Mild...

I used to live in an area with Hydes pubs in Manchester. Most people would drink Hydes mild rather than the bitter.

About 5 years ago Imperial College Union used to have Green King mild as a low cost option like Ruddles Bitter is in Wetherspoons - rock bottom price and low strength (but actually quite nice to drink). Unfortunately more recently the union bar had a revamp with real ales now served on gas, and an offering of Belhaven keg beers as well (Bellhaven is owned by Greene King). A bit like the Albert?

The Beehive have occasionally had milds on offer at the so-called beer festivals. But I haven't kept tabs on this recently.

 

[CH1]

Mild and bit was the false teeth mob's drink of choice when I was a teen (70s), with younger blokes drinking light and bitter, and wastrels drinking Guinness and sweet cider half/half.

I worked in a Youngs pub back in the late 1970s and a lot of the regulars either had Light and Bitter or Ram and Special is they wanted more of a kick.

 

[Mattym]

Bitter is pretty much a sub-species. If you want to, it's easy to avoid. TBF, there's few draught bitters I'll actually drink in London - just Young's Special!

There are so many excellent bottled beers - from ales to Pilsners to ESBs to Kolsch to Stouts to Milds to Goldens and Ales, that you can avoid bitter ever passing your lips, if you wish to.

If you ever want to experiment, online retailers like Beers of Europe do some very good mixed cases. The prices can be a bit hairy, but you can try some stuff that never usually makes it onto off-licence and supermarket shelves. A poster on here who'd tried a dark wheat beer (dunkel weisse) in Munich, but had never found it for sale over here was made up when I recommended the site to him, and he found that they sold it, albeit at £2.50 for a 500ml bottle!

Beers of Europe is good, but beerhawk offer free delivery on orders over 50 quid. I haven't checked whether they charge slightly more & make the money back that way though.

 

[Winot]

Beers of Europe is good, but beerhawk offer free delivery on orders over 50 quid. I haven't checked whether they charge slightly more & make the money back that way though.

Will remember that cheers - just ordered from Beers of Europe and was a bit put off by the delivery charge.

 

[twistedAM]

Stir coffee shop on Brixton Hill is now stocking 'craft' beers, notably Beavertown.

Did you notice F Monday has a licence application in its window?
Wetherspoons are doing carry-out craft stuff now. I assume the price would be a lot more reasonable.

 

[leanderman]

Did you notice F Monday has a licence application in its window?
Wetherspoons are doing carry-out craft stuff now. I assume the price would be a lot more reasonable.

Interesting. They had a temporary evening restaurant for a few months, a year or so ago.

Makes sense to share the rent.