Somehow this Summer really got away from me in terms of keeping up with reviews and the blog. In total honesty, I haven’t had much time to sit and type up a lot of stuff I would have liked to – being incredibly busy in work and also outside, along with taking up a gig of doing reviews for Liverpool Confidential (I’ll probably no longer be doing restaurant reviews on here for the foreseeable future as a result, focussing on beer mainly). Anyway, it’s time to catch up a bit! I will have the June review lined up, will be merging the July and August blogs (as I didn’t do an awful lot of drinking at home over that period, with so much going on out and about). September will follow on and hopefully I will find time to complete a blog on Wild Beer Co., their food pairing sensibilities and the excellent Oktopus (who have just recently been given a lovely accolade from Marina O’Loughlin in the Guardian). It’s been a busy year and has no sign of letting up!
And that is that for another month's review. Hopefully this will have provided some inspiration for your next selection of beers for the coming weeks, but until the June Review, take it easy!! Pedro.
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This may be something of a case of preaching to the converted, but it’s still something that might be a cathartic exercise for me. Fresh from a weekend of traipsing along the Bermondsey Beer Mile, picking up a few bottles for home and then reading Tony Naylor’s latest foray into the Guardian’s Beer articles (along with the hilariously uninformed masses that seem to flock to post below the line on what ‘beer should be’), I felt somewhat compelled to put my (admittedly, mixed) feelings and views down into black and white. [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/12/pub-drinkers-craft-beers-small-breweries-supermarket#comments] It has been pointed out frequently, not just by myself, but many other industry experts, writers both professional and through to more amateur levels, that we are in a very good place for beer halfway through 2017. Not just in terms of quality, quantity and scope of styles, but brewery numbers and even choice at the supermarkets where we do our domestic shopping. Picking up something above what is a cooking lager (so to speak), with a full hop compliment and ‘craft sensibility’ whilst picking up bathroom cleaner, frozen fish fingers and toilet rolls is now an easy score. Just a few weeks before writing this, Northern Monk and Atom Beers announced their presence in Morrisons and ASDA respectively; this is good thing in the main. Good for the brewery to have a steady income stream and good to have a potentially massive market reach. These deals on the face of it are for core range-easy to find beers only, which is fine for customers; getting good barbeque beers will be much easier for everyone. However, this leads onto two negative routes for the beer market (and for our beloved smaller brewers/independent bottle shops).
It’s a desperately complex and tricky situation to negotiate and for anyone who is just getting into ‘craft beer’/real ale and wants to support smaller businesses, it can be pretty confusing and there is no real right or wrong answer. The waters are as muddy as they have ever been, especially where there have been a plethora of blogs, articles, musings and essays on how to adequately define what ‘craft beer’ really is. The truth is, every set of strictures that has been espoused has its omissions, its gaps and exceptions to the rules. It is a thankless and probably impossible task. Although that isn’t stopping SIBA wading into the matter with its proposed quality mark (which on first viewing also appears to have its flaws and fudges).
The tricky path from all of the considerations are the tangents that spin off from each facet, there are so many individual arguments and those who care about their beers each have a slightly different opinion spanning all the way across the spectra. One sure fire way to get your beers from a source that is either desirable from the viewpoints discussed above, is to buy direct from the brewer, either from their premises or online. Buying from a specialist bottle shop is another way to get your hands on the one-off beers and to support a local business. For me, going in to see what new beers they have on the shelves and chatting at length about them is a proper treat. There is something irreplaceable in going into a shop and having the palpable tangibility on display; it’s the same for buying records, having the sleeve notes and the physical item there in front of you, something feels lost in translation looking at pictures on a computer screen and clicking to buy, before sitting and waiting for a box to be delivered. Don’t get me wrong, the enterprise of many online retailers, I find admirable, not to mention the selections they accrue for their customers. But I much prefer the weight of bottles in my arms, walking back to a car happy that these are now mine, ready to be taste, consumed, shared and written about. I have also frequented supermarkets for beers, I too am a consumer and as such, price sometimes governs where I will shop for my ‘go to’ type beers, beers for barbeques and for guests that visit and beer we’ll consume in quantity. I make no bones about this and am aware that there is some level of hypocrisy in not buying from independent retails, whilst singing their virtues and touting for support. But there are some that stock great beers at a very affordable price, making ignoring the value very difficult (for example, buying Mikkeller, Magic Rock and Roosters beers at Booths or buying Wild Beer Ninkasi 750ml and Fuller Vintage ales in Waitrose). Alas the purchase of beers direct from breweries, direct from the premises or online, is not without its drawbacks for retailers down the line. When consumers ordering online from the breweries direct, that's money bottle shops are missing out on. When less money comes into a specialist shop, there is invariably less money for investment in stock; to buy a good spread of beers to offer to their customers. If every brewery offered off-sales from premises or inline, then it is a real possibility that many bottle shops would eventually close. There just wouldn't be the same need for them. With something that's already happening to wholesalers and for those people who are loyal to bottle shops, is because breweries are selling their one-off beers online or as part of a pack, there is inevitably less of that given beer available for trade, so bottle shops customers may have to scramble to buy the rationed beer due to the hype surrounding any launch.
Any customers after such a rare brew were thus forced to buy from the brewer direct or online rather than from the specialist shop. Potentially this could create a vicious feedback on breweries, who in future may not have bottle shops to buy their beers anymore for onward trade. Nothing is certain, but it is potentially a bleak future for specialist bottle shops (and brewers and consumers) if the conditions all turn in favour of the above scenario.
Depending on the set up of your local (or nearest) bottle shop, some will hold organised tastings, whilst others can even provide keg or cask services to fill bottles, growlers or crowlers for takeaway purposes to make that session beer a decent one and provide a quantity to sustain most party goers for their evening of fun. It’s this flexibility of service, a large range of styles and breweries (especially if the manager is a passionate one about their stock) and often a fair pricing structure for beers that would otherwise be impossible to get outside of a specialist bar which is often much more expensive (due to overheads etc). The old adage of use it, or lose it has never rung truer. Whilst we have local bottle shops, they are really worth supporting; it’s a sure fire way of getting your hands on beers you’ll have never tried before, getting good recommendations and in some cases, as mine if you are lucky enough, making some great friends and acquaintances. Pedro. Edition five, done, dusted and bundled into a neat compartment somewhere in everyone who attended's mind, probably in a box of 'good memories'. That's definitely where my thoughts on the event reside, however, these days I suppose I am more invested in the event than most, especially given my involvement with the Liverpool Beer Collective and us having a bar at the event, hosted by the five local breweries (3 Potts, Connoisseur Ales, Glen Affric, Melwood and Top Rope Brewing) who managed to each shift a fair bit of beer over the course of 4 days. In the run up to the event, there were murmurings circulating that there may be some beer festival fatigue setting in amongst the populous and that the beer list didn't quite look as exciting as it could have been. The murmurings were ushered away some weeks before the event with the announcement of some excellent and very solid breweries joining the bill at the Constellation's held festival. There were some pretty big talking points and notable things about this Expo; I will get to each of them individually, because I know how much people love a list, this will go neatly alongside a second list of my top ten (I struggled to keep it down to only ten...) beers from the event too. Suffice to say, at the end of the event, I personally (along with the rest of the Collective bar members and especially our hosts in the Expo Team) was exhausted and couldn't even contemplate putting the thoughts and feelings into an article for your consumption... not even a week later, so perhaps there is a bit of lag time here, but it's often better to ruminate than to make snap decisions on things which benefit from reflection. So, those notable things... 1. The Takeover of Greenland Street It was announced relatively shortly before the Expo that they would be releasing an extra 100 or so tickets for the Saturday sessions to cope with demand and the expansion of the Expo site was set. Spilling out onto the top end of Greenland Street (the northern end is already blocked off by bollards and pavement from the rest of the road network), this gave extra space for row of another set of bars, taken for a ten-tap rotational and by Brewdog, Northern Monk, Lines and Gipsy Hill (along with Wild Beer, as covered below). This expansion added some more space to allow Expo-goers some elbow room, places to sit and stretch their legs and given the weather (again, below) this was exceedingly welcome. However, there was the feeling that this possibly detracted from the bars inside experiencing some additional attention and atmosphere. Hopefully next year, this expansion will be retained or perhaps event added to again! 2. Wild Beer Company's Massive Container Having spent a couple of hours working with Andy, Theo, Theresa and a lovely energetic volunteer called Anna, the Wild Beer Container was a bit of a feature for the Expo. Piecing together various conversations with people, it wasn't particularly cheap to get it to Liverpool from their Somerset base, but it was truly welcomed. Slinging out beers left, right and centre was the order of the day, not to mention how many Gin and Tonics were shifted in the sunshine (using Wild Beer's own Sleeping Lemons Gin), it was good fun, if a little exhausting. One minor criticism (from a servers point of view) was the fobbing (for the uninitiated, foaming from the tap) of the beers, which made serving a bit of a slow process from time to time with certain beers. I really hope to see the container present again next Expo. 3. The presence of a large number of New England/East Coast Murky IPAs Rather than dredge up an argument that has been fermenting across the Atlantic in the United States (no pub intended) over whether East Coast/New England IPA is actually a style or not, the fact that so many brewers are now aping what (apparently) Alchemist started with their Heady Topper is not surprising given the amount of fruit and ease of drinking that these beers impart. There were a number of beers brewed to this style at the Expo this year, with the likes of Ad Hop, Lervig, Wild Beer, Top Rope and Black Lodge all putting these beers out over the course of the event. The best thing about it was that they were all discernibly different from one another, some more savoury in the finish, some juicier, some cleaner as less residual. It was good to see a number of beers based around one 'style' given so many levels to enjoy and not just make a beer based on throwing in as many aroma hops as physically possible. 4. The continuing dominance of Barrel Aged Imperial Stouts Judging by the enthusiasm with which some of the higher abv beers were received over the course of the Expo (admittedly, including by myself), there is still an appreciation for the style even when the weather is hotting up and the beers themselves offer huge leaps in quality and complexity to the enthusiast. AB22, 3 Bean Stout, Parabola and the Lord Smog Almighty all made some of the people I chatted to very, very excited about what was in their glass. Barrel aging of bigger, darker beers has been around for a few years now, but the push to get more complexity, smoother textures and more subtle structured beers is continuing judging by the reception and indeed, the number of these 'bigger beers' that were tapped. Anecdotally (and yes, I accept this is not the be all and end all for a study!), it seems most people's top 5 beers from the Expo this year would probably contain one if not two to three of this style. 5. The need for more food... A bit of an issue judging by the grumbling from both Expo-goers and volunteers; two food stalls wasn't really enough given the queues and minor chaos around the stalls from Friday to Saturday evening. Though the food in the main was good, there were insufficient outlets to enable people to eat without disruptive queuing (especially for volunteers) taking anywhere between 15 and 40 minutes in some cases. One big loss this year was the absence of any beer snacks (Kumar... and your Karkli where were you?!), which hopefully is something that can be remedied in time for future iterations of the Expo. 6. The weather played its part It was hot, it was sunny (aside from really weird 30 second shower on the Friday) and it helped the beers fly out to people; thirst quenchers went out when the Expo sessions kicked off, with people becoming more adventurous as they wore on. Nearly perfect weather (I prefer it to be a little cooler, plus helps keep the beers cooler for serving). 7. The breakout of new and smaller breweries The Expo always throws a curveball or two my way in terms of new breweries that I haven't heard of and beers I am yet to try. Last year, London Beer Factory rocked up at the Expo with their dispensing taxi, which was fun - their beers were actually pretty handy too. This year, the presence of Mondo Brewing and Lines was a nice addition and gave me a chance to try out some gear from breweries I had yet to read about, try their beers and have a chat with. Sadly, I didn't get round to having much interaction with Lines, but the presence of Battersea's Mondo Brewing Company was most welcome and they had some excellent brews, not least their session IPA, Little Victories, their DIPA (Sitting Bull) and the Blueberry Wit beer. Other first timers that attended, albeit more established ones, in North Brewing and Gipsy Hill provided a few talking points over the weekend too, with the latter covered a bit further down in my top ten! Lastly on this point, I would be remiss to leave out the growth of the local scene in Liverpool, with more local breweries represented than ever before at the Expo. Neptune and Chapter added to things with their own bars, along with established Expo mainstays like Black Lodge, Ad Hop and Liverpool Craft (Love Lane), whilst some other local breweries banded together under the Liverpool Beer Collective to host a bar stocked full with local brews. Great work from 3 Potts, Connoisseur Ales, Glen Affric, Melwood Beer and Top Rope over the course of the weekend! I think we can all expect things to push on a fair bit in the next twelve months from these local brewers. 8. Beery Afterparties Two main bars took the party on into the wee hours. Black Lodge Brewery was the official after party location, with Tap Takeovers on each night from Thursday to Saturday (one each from Beavertown, Firestone Walker and Kernel) at the brewery and tap - brewers from the Expo were even spotted getting behind the turntables and inciting dance riots (Dave from Wylam, I am looking at you). Dead Crafty also hosted a number of people, as they did last year, taking many Expo goers later on into the night with a number of beers from their week's festivities (hosting launches of Fourpure Juicebox and quiz, a Hawkshead Tap Takeover and a Founders loves Left Hand event). A surprise tap takeover was dropped on the premises from Sierra Nevada on the Friday, with a keg of Hoptimum (triple IPA) making its way out of the taps very, very quickly! Next year has a lot to live up to for post-expo exploits. ------------------- I did actually speak to a few people and try to see what their impressions of the Craft Beer Expo were after a period of reflection, luckily I did get some words back from a few people and this is what they thought; Richard Gormley, Liverpool Round Table: "The atmosphere and the unique venue and location. A bit different than the norm. I think the good weather helped too. It would have been a different experience if it was raining! There was a great selection of beers and other drinks to try out. We all tried something different and were spoilt for choice. The pricing isn’t too bad either. Not sure what could be improved. Would live music go down well? Different styles of music playing? I must admit I am terrible at remembering the names of the beers especially after the number we consumed but the lads did enjoy visiting the Love Lane bar and the Liverpool Beer Collective bar in the outdoor area. I did enjoy the 3 Potts Short Circuit kiwi beer and the Melwood Marmalade Skies; I seem to be going through a fruity beer phase at the moment! I thought the event was ran really well. There was a relaxed feel to the whole event with everyone enjoying themselves. I will be back for more next time!" Emma C'Ailceta and Andrew Crawford, Expo goers: "We had quite few beers from the outside area, as the weather was amazing. There was so much choice, we just didn't get round to trying as much as we would have liked, but had a few from Brewdog and from Love Lane, there was also a mango beer which totally blew us away! A few notes on the programme would have possibly been helpful in making our selections and navigating the Expo, but the atmosphere was brilliant and good natured for our session on Saturday day." Joe Rimmer, Liverpool Echo and Londis Penny Lane: "The Liverpool Craft Beer Expo was probably at its very best this year. Aided by the weather, the Saturday evening slot was great fun. As always, time seems to fly by so quickly, but isn't that the way when you're having fun. It was great to see the Expo extended further into the street, and I can only hope that it creeps further and further.. Some beer highlights were Chapter's collab with Fourpure,a celery sour. Couldn't quite get enough of that one. Fantastic to see Lervig there, a personal favourite of mine and Top Rope continue to make some cracking beers too. In terms of what could be better, maybe some more food options at better prices, wouldn't go amiss. Perhaps a little more music. Oh and less of the Prosecco. It's a Beer Expo!" Now for another list and one that you are more than entitled to disagree with if you think something has been missed out (as always, express your displeasure or otherwise below the line in the comments section!), but here are the top ten beers (that I tried) at the Liverpool Craft Beer Expo... 10. Mondo Brewing - Global Heresy v2 A blood orange saison, brewed in collaboration with Heretic Brewing from California. This was one of the first beers I managed to get my tastebuds around at the Expo and it stuck in my mind, so much so that a repeat taster was needed. Another refreshing saison that made its mark with grassy herbal notes, a lightly peppery finish and quite a bit of rich citrus along with sour and refreshing hints at the edges. There was something very satisfying about this beer, again, like many of the other top ten, there was possibly a sense of place for it at this year's Expo. 9. Beavertown - Kneadless Violence A 1.9% strength Kvass brewed from a sourdough culture yeast and infused with fennel, caraway and lemon zest, this remarkably refreshing brew is part of the Tempus Project (in collaboration with 35 bakery for wasted London). Loads of citrus on the nose, a quite complex background in the finish and a sour edge make something which raised quite a few eyebrows at the Expo. A 200 year old sourdough culture is not to be messed with lightly! 8. Blackjack Brewery - Bretted Full House DIPA A highly unusual beer here in the flavour, having tasted it initially blind (I wasn't told what it was before the sniff and taste) I thought it might have been a cider or perry, given how much character was similar to a wine (though in my defence, I did have rather a lot else to drink too beforehand!). The aromas and flavours are very citrus driven, but the mouthfeel was pretty heavy and residual along with a very wine-esque dry finish. Complex and really rewarding. Clever stuff and great use of a brettanomyces yeast, aging in red wine barrels and generous hopping. 7. Wylam - Sticky Bud DIPA Back in the Expo top ten again, Wylam make a habit of making some brilliant beers that make their way onto the taps once at a year at Constellations. This hefty double IPA is brewed using similar materials as the Magic Rock tall boys that have been doing the rounds recently, using the T90 Lupulin powder blend, but with having the back bone malt bill to stand up and make this beer really work in balance. There's loads of fruit and loads of depth and it's all a bit too easy to drink in the sunshine despite the 8.7% strength. 6. Lervig - Perler for Svin Another big and juicy 6.3% New England IPA, brewed with Azacca, Mosaic and Simcoe, Perler for Svin is a cloudy orange brew with loads of tropical fruit present in the aroma and the taste. As with many of the other pales in this top ten, it was almost perfect for the conditions at the Expo; fruity, light and only lightly residual, it was a great refreshing hop-loaded IPA without too much of a coating character. 5. Wild Beer Company - Fixer An infinitely drinkable New England IPA from Wild Beer; loads of fruit, heady tropical and juicy aromas and a lovely mouthfeel to give something which was again, perfect for the weather and the occasion and a lovely balance. I found myself drawn to the tap on a few occasions, especially when giving Wild Beer a hand on their bar. With a strength of 4.5%, it meant that it wasn't wiping you out in one or two drinks either! Solid and enjoyable work once again from the Somerset outfit. 4. Chapter Brewing vs. Fourpure - Roadside Picnic A 4.3% celery sour beer, which on the face of it sounds like quite a few people's worst nightmare. Bare with me though; this was probably the biggest surprise of the weekend, since the premise sounds quirky enough and despite the talent for such a new brewery and the unquestionable quality from Fourpure, this really was an excellent collaboration brew (as for me, around 7/10 are usually below expectation). Refreshing, tart and with a delightful savoury tang, this was absolutely spot on for the weather and the event. Bravo guys, bravo. When are the cans coming out? 3. Lervig - 3 Bean Stout A big, big stout with unbelievable depth and structure, the 3 bean stout is brewed with cocoa, Tonka bean and vanilla present and it tells, especially when used in tandem with a very competent malt bill. Expect massive amounts of chocolate, spice and coffee in the aroma, leading through to a silky and hefty body with a very pleasing finish. Incredible and a beer revisited by many, despite the strength (13%), the hefty token tax and the warm weather. 2. Gipsy Hill vs. Deya - Ramblers
A thick and very rewarding 8% Double IPA collaboration brew laced with oats and loads of late addition stateside grown hops gives something of one is frequently called a 'juicy banger' by many. What I experienced was something remarkably enjoyable to drink, having covered many bases of refreshment, good structure and complexity. The tidings that this beer is available in bottles fills me with glee if I am totally honest! 1. Firestone Walker - Parabola A beast (14.5% - wow) of a Russian Imperial stout full of coffee, chocolate, vanilla and many other elements, Parabola is an impossibly dark proposition and frequently rated amongst the best beers on the planet. It's easy to see why with the 2017 edition; aged for 12 months in Heaven Hill barrels it has a depth that is often unmatched and despite the big alcohol content and sharper notes in the stout the body remains tempered by silk and satin, it has a superb all round character from the aroma, right through the structure of the beer. Brilliant, brilliant stuff. --------------------------------------------- In summation, it was great fun once again, with some things to perhaps rectify, but a lot to enjoy and therefore a lot to probably look forward to for the sixth edition of the Expo next year. Until next time, Pedro. Into July we head and I am only just getting my April beers into your consciousness... for that there is only a shrug and an apology, given how hectic the last couple of months has actually been. The backlog of writing has come about in the main due to the Liverpool Craft Beer Expo and attending other events (including Beer Street in Southport, Gin launches, reviewing restaurants for online magazines and a few other bits and pieces). I'd say it's a hard life, but it isn't really... it's just difficult finding time to attend, cogitate and then write about everything that is going on! Anyway, I have another tidy selection of eight varied style beers to taste and convey thoughts on, just keep reading...
And that's the lot for this month, apologies that it is running a bit late - though that's price you pay for no firm deadlines and a million and one other pots boiling on the stove. Hopefully the reviews will be a little more steady in the coming months with the other articles coming along between! Pedro. In 1962 at 461 Smithdown Road, the Handyman Supermarket came into being. Its bright yellow signs and horse's head have been a recognisable façade on the thoroughfare for over 50 years and under the stewardship of Roy Wilson for some time. The tenure providing locals with various hardware, tools, key cutting and other odds and ends came to a close at the end of 2016. Thankfully, as one door closes, another one opens... or at least a window does, or something along those lines. Step forward the Emporium Collective; a group of individuals who have come together gradually over time through academic acquaintances, professional or friendships and have finally stumbled on a suitable premises for their vision; a locally iconic landmark to host a brewery and brewtap to fit into the local landscape. With Smithdown Road undergoing something of a renaissance of late; Craft Taproom, Defend Vinyl, Naked Lunch co-operative café/restaurant and a host of other solid independents, this is another promising addition to the road. I was lucky enough to catch up with a few of the Emporium Collective members at the launch of their first brew in collaboration with Manchester's Runaway Brewery in Kelly's Dispensary and again a bit later with Patricia O'Callaghan who was kind enough to sit and entertain a few questions regarding their exciting project… Hi Tricia, so, have you got a firm opening date in mind (I seem to recall a July estimate)? “Yes we will be opening in July. We don't have a firm date unfortunately until we start work but envisage an 8-10 week build. We are hoping for a soft open on 8/9 July or 15/16th at the moment. Though we must open then as we have LIMF after party booked in following weekend and want to tap into the crowds at that!” Other than Colin Stronge from Buxton Brewery, the guys at Blackjack and Mark from Runaway, do you have any other firm commitments from brewers to come in and get involved in producing beers for you? I am assuming that Suzie (formerly of Liverpool Organic Brewery) is the permanent fixture brewer too? "Yeah, Suzie and Colin will be chief brewers in place for all our brews. They both are shareholders in brewery side of business. In relation to other brews we have done another collaboration with Blackjack this time; A pale ale at 4.3% abv. We don't have any others lined up at present but would love to do some with Liverpool breweries. The focus has been on festival opening so we will hopefully start some negotiations once that is over." Have you got any ideas about the beers that you're going to brew and those that you are going to stock when you open? "In terms of stock we will be stocking white hag a brewery from Sligo. Suzie recommended them. She has brewed a coffee porter and peaches and cream ale for festival too. These will also be featured regularly. We also intended to stock cloud water, ABC, we haven't firmed up who else at minute. Waiting on prices for line installations before deciding." What made you choose the location, given the area hasn't, in terms of recent history, been a massive rich vein to tap (the Brookhouse/Dispensary/Wilowbank excepted...) on the face of things? There's a bit of a student population at the moment, but they aren't exactly cash cows...? “We choose the area mainly due to the building and its character, it has heart and soul.also having a good customer knowledge of the area and listening to feedback. Smithdown is up and coming and people want diversity in terms of what the area has to offer. We hope that what we offer will attract people and if we get it right it will become a destination. Also properties in town are difficult to secure.” How big is the place going to be (how many people are you looking at accommodating)? ”With regards to capacity we hope to accommodate 120-150 people, with around 60-70 covers in front bar and 70-80 in the back bar/ cutting room. We are keeping the name in there too. This space will be very versatile with removable furniture.” What size/specs is the brew kit that you're going to be using? ”The brew has just been upscale actually from 200l to 400l (2.5BBL) kit as we have more room for kit than first expected and also due to the response we have had with our initial brew of the IPA. In terms of spec it will be clad with stainless steel and will be visible to the public above the bar in front.” What made you all get together and decide that you'd be doing a brewpub/micro? ”We all came together through our individual jobs and friendships really. Toby, Luke and Andy are all architects and do a lot of bar refurbs and new ventures in Liverpool, London and Leeds for their clients and wanted to tap into this for themselves, after seeing their ideas flourish for others. Myself and Kev both have bar backgrounds for 15 plus years and the dream is always to have your own bar and do it for yourself. Getting to create the Handyman from scratch is just mind blowing. Kev knew the other boys from his university days and I obviously work for him in Kelly’s Dispensary on Smithdown Road and hold the licence there. The 3 boys also met Colin through his time at university, when I think he studied to be an architect too. Then Suzie met the boys when she was planning a venture of her own (a micropub in Crosby, North Liverpool) that they were doing the plans for, sadly it fell through. However, it has brought us all together which is a happy ending and we all gel really well together. I think each of us brings something different to the table; many connections to breweries and local musicians between us all. So basically our passion for beer and amazing spaces made us want to find a bar. The five of us have been looking for a premises for over two years, we came close with a few but nothing felt right until we found the Handyman. Due to the sheer volume and scale of the premises this allowed us to incorporate a brewery. This also adds another dimension to the bar and taps into the skills we have on offer within the group.” Have you experienced any difficulty with the planning process or any local opposition with what you are looking to do? ”Sadly yes, we did have some objections but nothing too serious or insurmountable. One example was with the Council; they were cautious that deliveries are scheduled outside of peak hours to minimise traffic disruption to locals, they want us to open daytimes as well as nights because they don't want Smithdown full of shutters in daylight. The bin storage area is indoors now too, as they were concerned about large waste containers outside that would contain glass, which sadly could be used to cause damage to the public or property by vandals, this also ensures the area is kept tidy. We’re going comply with all this and ensure all precautions are taken to reduce noise pollution so we will insulate parts of the building and must maintain the vestibule entrance and two doors. The landlord has replaced the glazing in the roof so it is efficient and reduced the glass panels above bar area to minimise sound escaping. All pretty standard stuff really.” So have you any plans that might placate or bring locals on board or ways in which you are looking to do some 'public engagement'? ”We want the building to be as versatile as possible. That's why the two zones will really work. Midweek, the space could be used by community groups if they approach us, maybe mother and baby classes etc. On May 6 & 7th we returned the building to its former use as a Picturedrome. We worked with Empty Spaces Cinema to show three films during the course of the weekend that are under the hammer and nail theme, Withnail & I (Saturday) sold out quickly, Wreck-it Ralph is a kids film that showed on the Sunday at 3pm with free arts and crafts session from 2pm, then we had The Hound of the Baskervilles in the evening. We want to offer something for all ages. We are also planning further cinema events during summer and in October for Liverpool Irish festival, Halloween and Christmas. We would also like to do a carol service around Christmas and maybe even incorporate some local schools choirs. We intend to be a part of the community and hold fund raising events periodically too. The cutting room will also be available for hire for parties and functions (funerals, birthdays, christenings, baby showered, graduation etc).” I recall that there was a bit of a chat about the buoyancy of the brewing scene over in Ireland at the moment; is there going to be any plan to get some of their beers over here? Given Liverpool's historic and immeasurably strong Irish ties, it seems odd we've never had much come over other than obviously, Guinness and the odd bit of craft stuff coming online at 23 club in the city. ”Yes we are having an Irish beer festival in October that will run along Liverpool Irish Festival (Dates and details to be confirmed soon!). This is a growing event year on year and Smithdown has a huge Irish population as well as myself, Suzie and Colin influencing this beer festival in Handyman. I have been in discussion with a couple of breweries who are going to come and showcase some of their beers and do a meet the brewer event. We are currently in talks with plenty other breweries in Ireland who we would like to do a tap takeover with. You’ll have to stay tuned to our media channels to see what’s coming up, but it’s very exciting!” Do you have any current plans for say, MTB events/Food Pairing nights/Quizzes etc? ”We will have live acoustic music weekly and have some mellow tone events scheduled as well as the LIMF after party I mentioned earlier. With regards to quiz nights I can imagine we will but we haven't got down to that type of planning as yet. We have a French film night pencilled in after being approached by a member of French community who would like arrange this for fellow French people to network and get to know others in the area. We are open to all suggestions and the Smithdown Festival will be a great chance to meet the locals and potential customers and hear their ideas. We may use the back room to screen events, but will never put screens in front bar!!! The screen will be retractable and only down when in use. We will do beers from around the world events and wine & cheese tasting events in collaboration with our wine merchant. I think we will also run a gin festival too at some point, we want the room to be used as much as possible and would like a mini market to showcase local independent produce, maybe on a monthly basis. As previously mentioned we will obviously do MTB events with Colin and Suzie and have had many enquiries from home brewers who want to come down and help already. On the food front we are hoping to keep it simple; just some rustic homemade food, things like Scouse, pies, homemade soups etc. We endeavour to keep produce local where possible. We have so many plans but nothing written in stone yet but we will keep you in the loop as we know more so will you!” So now you know, Handyman will be up and running and will be doing some very interesting, tasty and exciting things from this Summer onwards. I for one cannot wait.
Pedro. -------------------------------------------------------------- Handyman Supermarket (and Brewery) 461 Smithdown Rd, Liverpool, L15 3JL. Twitter: https://twitter.com/handymanbrewery and https://twitter.com/handymanSmarket Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handymanbrewery/ And so the season for some excellent beery goings on is hurtling towards us at a rate of knots! The Liverpool Craft Beer Expo looms on the horizon and there is much buzz about things and many other events taking place around Merseyside and Liverpool over the same period; as such I have made an attempt at trying to ringfence everything and corral the information into one location for you lovely people... just so there is an 'at hand guide' for the following weeks. The date spread is from the first weekend in June and through until just after the Craft Beer Expo finishes, so read on and see if there are any places that you think you need to be in June! Saturday, June 3rd Brewery Open Day and Tap at Connoisseur Ales, St Helens (12pm until 10pm). Over in St. Helens, the first Saturday of most months sees family run Connoisseur Ales open their doors for impromptu brewery tours and a chance to try reasonably priced and brewery fresh cask or bottled beers from their range. Entry is free and there is usually a range of up to eight cask beers on, only a 30 second walk from St Helens Central train station. [Wolverhampton House, 121-125 Church Street, St Helens, WA10 1AJ] [email protected] / www.connoisseurales.com Monday, 12th June Founders Love Left Hand - Summer of Love Event at Dead Crafty Beer Company will be taking place, with representatives from both Founders and Left Hand breweries present from 7pm onwards, ready to chat and with many of their beers for attendees to sample (2 are included in the ticket price). [98 Dale Street, Liverpool. L2 5TF] www.deadcraftybeercompany.com Tuesday, 13th June Dead Crafty will be hosting another round of the Dead Good Bottle Society, Ben from Top Rope Brewing will be presenting and talking through a selection of beers stocked in the Dead Crafty fridges. The event starts at 8pm prompt and includes at least 4 beers to try. Tickets are £15 per person and the more people attend the tasting, the more beers there are to try. [98 Dale Street, Liverpool. L2 5TF] www.deadcraftybeercompany.com Wednesday, 14th June The Wildly Different Dinner event - Oktopus will play host to Bristol’s Wild Beer Co.; there will be a paired dinner with beer from the brewery consisting of 5 plates and matched beers. The event takes place at Oktopus restaurant in Hardmans Yard from 7pm until around 10pm and costs £30 per person. Wild Beer Co’s Andy Gibson will be on hand to compere the event. The link for tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-wildly-different-dinner-tickets-35015536412?utm-medium=discovery&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&aff=esfb&utm-source=fb&utm-term=listing [Hardmans Yard, Hardman Street, Liverpool. L1 9AX] https://www.oktopus-restaurant.com/ The Dead Crafty Beer Company is hosting the Liverpool leg of the Juicebox500 tour from Fourpure Brewing Company. The event will launch the brewery's excellent IPA - Juicebox and there will not only be the beer to try, but merchandise and cans available as part of the event, which will coincide with the ever fun Dead Crafty Quiz night starting around 7-8pm. There will be a fee for participation in the quiz, to be confirmed. [98 Dale Street, Liverpool. L2 5TF] www.deadcraftybeercompany.com Also on the 14th June, Brewdog Liverpool have got a Tap Takeover and Meet the Brewer Event taking place at their bar featuring beers and representatives of Danish outfit, Dry and Bitter. The event starts at 6.30pm and runs all evening; admission is at the very agreeable price of... free! Beers likely to feature are the Christian Bale Ale, Citra Bale Ale, Body Pillow APA and many more! https://www.facebook.com/brewdogliverpool/ Thursday, 15th June - Sunday, 18th June The Liverpool Craft Beer Expo takes place at Constellations on Greenland Street in the Baltic Triangle area of Liverpool. Sessions include Thursday evening, Friday evening, Saturday day, Saturday evening and all Sunday. This event usually sells out (in fact at time of writing, the Saturday afternoon is full), so get tickets rather than chancing it on the door. The event is one of the best beer festivals around with a great atmosphere, excellent beers from around the UK, Europe and the US and a mix of indoor and outdoor areas means a chance to mix things up if the weather allows! [35-29 Greenland Street, Liverpool. L1 0BS] www.constellations-liv.com / www.liverpoolcraftbeerexpo.com Across the same range of dates as the Expo, Deva Craft Beer are hosting a four day Best of British beer festival at their Deva Taps in Chester. The festival will feature over 30 beers on keg and cask along with a range of ciders and gin. The event starts at 3pm on the 15th June. Keep an eye out for some newer Deva beers including a smooth mango IPA and also get ready for their new menu launch soon too with plenty of food at the festival! [121 Brook Street, Chester. CH1 3DU Tel: 01244 401777] www.devacraftbeer.co.uk The afterparty for the Expo will take place at Black Lodge for another Tap Takeover in Liverpool, this time by Beavertown; the event is free to attend and the Black Lodge will be open for business until 3am. Brave and thirsty? To make that time you will need to be! [4 Kitchen Street. L1 0AN] http://www.blacklodgebrewing.co.uk/brewery/ Dead Crafty Beer Company will also play host on this evening to Hawkshead Brewery for a Beers with the Brewer event. A six-tap (allegedly with some special kegs) takeover will be launched at 7pm, with the representatives from Hawkshead talking through their beers and brewery. Tickets are £5 per person and includes a beer on arrival for the event. [98 Dale Street, Liverpool. L2 5TF] www.deadcraftybeercompany.com Friday, 16th June The Black Lodge Tap Takeover part two is hosted by Firestone Walker; as ever, loads of their beers will be on and the venue will host an afterparty and be open til 3am. No door tax either. [4 Kitchen Street. L1 0AN] http://www.blacklodgebrewing.co.uk/brewery/ Saturday, 17th June Red Star Ales host a Brewery Open Day and Tour at their site in Formby. The brewery tour will start at 1pm and runs until 4.30pm, the tour costs £20 per person and includes food and unlimited cask beer to go at, brewery fresh. [54b Stephenson Way, Formby. L37 8EG] www.redstarbrewery.co.uk Black Lodge will host its final Tap Takeover afterparty event for the Expo, with the lines being handed over to The Kernel for their beers to be poured. As ever, Black Lodge will be open late and entry to the event is free. [4 Kitchen Street. L1 0AN] http://www.blacklodgebrewing.co.uk/brewery/ Sunday, 18th June This Father's Day Brewdog Liverpool will be hosting a Stone Berlin Beer and Whisky Pairing with Zippo from Stone Berlin. The tasting will include 5 Stone Berlin beers, 5 amazing whiskys, and lots of paired German-style small plates. All that, with a branded glass to take away as a memento for each attendee. Tickets are limited and on sale at £31.85 per person. The event runs from 7pm until 10pm approximately: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/beer-whisky-pairing-with-stone-berlin-tickets-34321388196 [8 Colquitt Street, L14DE.] https://www.brewdog.com/bars/uk/liverpool Good luck to everyone planning on attending all that – physically impossible as it may probably be, but there is something to whet your appetite for beers going on thick and fast over the coming weeks around Liverpool and the Northwest (including some things over at Manchester Beer Week – post-Expo). Hope you found this guide useful! Pedro. Spring has sprung and we are now about (or have just been - depending on when you read this and when I get round to publishing it!!) to be treated to some seasonally influenced brews like quite a number of blood orange IPAs which are making waves for people, not to mention some of the bigger double/triple and even quad strength IPAs which are making their way into our bottle shops. For the purposes of this review however, we'll keep things broad and slightly easier to procure (depending on where you are!). In other news, Liverpool has seen the arrival at the end of March/start of April of two new beacons of beer, with Sanctuary opening on Lime Street, possibly on the same spot of former computer games lovers paradise, Liversoft (for those of use who remember Saturday afternoons browsing local shops for new software!) and also a new establishment on the former Moparts premises on Smithdown Road in the form of CRAFT Taproom. Both these newcomers have different remits, with Sanctuary looking to appeal to CAMRA members and those who prefer a cask-dispense (boasting six lines, along with a few keg) and CRAFT catering for keg-dispense only. Though both places offer a significant line in bottles and cans to broaden their appeal to the city's drinkers. A piece on CRAFT Taproom has been written and will be published soon! For now... on with the reviews:
And that's your lot for the March Beers - until next time! Pedro. It was rather fitting that this Meet the Brewer Event for Tempest Brewing Company took place in The Clove Hitch/23 Club, since it was the first time I was exposed to the beers from Tempest (notably at the same time as trying their Scottish counterparts, Cromarty's beer for the first time too) via a generous helping of Long White Cloud. Fast forward some four years or so and waiting for Clove Hitch to open for the event, Graeme Martin appears weighed down with display stands and boxes of extra bottles for the event; this left me thinking that this MTB was going to go an extra mile, or two. Before the inception of Tempest, a meeting over food and beer between Scottish Chef Gavin and New Zealander Annika in Whistler at the end of the 1990s led to a move over to New Zealand and some experimental garage brewing. This in turn led to a move back to the UK and up to Gavin's native Scotland. Tempest began life as a brewery in Kelso in the Scottish Borders around 30 miles South of Edinburgh, brewing beers for a bar/restaurant that Gavin and Annika decided to take on a few years prior to Tempest's birth in 2010. It was soon found that moving up to a ten barrel plant meant the ability to supply pubs in Edinburgh and soon, extra capacity was needed once again. Following a move to Tweedbank 2015, Tempest now works on a 30HL kit, currently they have 3 full time brewers allowing Graeme to concentrate on other matters for the brewery. All the beer is what is defined as 'Real Ale' or 'Live Beer' and though Tempest started brewing exclusively for Cask dispense, they have a bottling plant and send much of their beer out into the UK in kegs, not favouring one dispense over another. The range of beers that Tempest Brewing produce is quite surprising for some, given that they have a quite muted presence, at least down in Liverpool (and fingers crossed, more of their beers will find their way further South). Having spent a fair bit of time up in Edinburgh over the last few years, I was exposed to some particularly good beers and knew we were in for a treat on this MTB. So what were the beers like? Dawn of Justice This 3.6% session IPA is a golden coloured ale with a soft white head thanks to the cask serve, on the nose it has a lot of citrus including a slightly burnt orange note along with a lot of malt presence, there are fragrant hints of a coriander-herbal nature and some floral honey notes. The body is light and the mouthfeel is slightly residual and very smooth. The finish comes through with the malt bill driving things and hints of light spice and citrus. This is the newest beer that Tempest have brewed on cask and they've plied it with plenty of Centennial and Simcoe hops to try and bring a rounded character to the beer - something which is a massive theme and that Graeme was explicit about for all the beers of the evening; and he wasn't wrong. Balance is key and was noticeably present in all the beers. The Pale Armadillo Another cask dispensed pale ale, this time it carries a bit more of the marmalade character and bitter orange through than its lighter counterpart. The body of the Pale Armadillo has been bolstered too in comparison to the Dawn of Justice. The finish has a touch more sweetness present too, making things very rounded and enjoyable. Harvest IPA/Saison A keg-dispensed hybrid beer hopped up with loads of Victorias Secret (in the dry hop) and weighing in at 6.7%, this saison and IPA hybrid is golden in colour and has only a trace of head. This iteration uses the same kettle hops as other version of the Harvest beers, but the late addition of Victorias Secret changes things via the aroma and dry hopping. It is characteristically fermented very slowly to potentially reduce the esters in the beer and make for a smoother brew, but it remains a pretty complex beer. There is loads of pepper and green fruit on the nose, along with some banana like spice and a slight earthiness, the bitter malts and dry fruity nature of this beer mean it is a very easy drink all the way down the glass and there's a great balance and mellow finish to boot. In the Dark We Live A 7.2% kegged Black IPA which apparently during the brewing process, begins its life as an iteration of Brave New World only to be sparged with the addition of dark malts. A robust malt bill and plenty of hops give rise to a fragrant and robust tasting beer with plenty of complexity in the structure. Aromas of blackcurrant, blackberries, liquorice and cassia bark along with more roasted flavours are followed by flavours which are much the same. The mouthfeel is very juicy, fresh and acidic but has enough body to balance things out; it's a very dry and light beer given the colour. Not that it may be immediately obvious, but the IBU count is higher in this beer than in many of the IPAs that Tempest produce - mainly due to the presence of the darker malts. Marmalade on Rye A 9% Double IPA on keg which has loads of character and fits the bill nicely to be an end-of-the night beer and pairs very well thanks in part to the residual sweetness with a cheeseboard or some desserts. Graeme said that this beer was made with the aim of getting a marmalade on toast kind of flavour and the addition of rye, citrus peel and ginger gives plenty of subtle flavour and aroma to tick the boxes needed. Marmalade on Rye started out life as a one-off collaboration brew with Brewdog in 2012 and as a toasted IPA, it has evolved to something far richer, jammy, balanced and quite decadent. It's a full on experience drinking this beer, but despite that slightly alcohol strong burn you can sometimes feel drinking a DIPA, this remains very rounded and a well structured brew. Red Eye Flight A fully-fledged coffee/mocha porter keg ale weighing in at 7.4%, Red Eye Flight is a staple of Tempest's brewing roster and has been a winner at Scottish Beer Awards of which Tempest can be rightly proud. Brewed using espresso beans from local supplier, Steampunk, this is a remarkably smooth beer, balanced and flavoursome. It is very acidic and fruity on the nose, backed up by a full roasted malt and coffee character giving way to a full body, bitter chocolate and coffee flavour twinned with chestnuts, hazelnuts and toast. Delicious and a great end of night beer to work with heavier puddings, chocolate and darker desserts. The food on the evening was once again provided by Oktopus, who now have their own premises (at time of writing!) on Hardman Street in the old Picket Courtyard (adjacent to the Old Blind School). The food was simple and stunning once again, with maximum emphasis on the flavours and quality of ingredients – something that will no doubt be showcased in the new premises, which will be paired up with Black Lodge beers. I believe, as ever, that is your lot for this installment of the blog. Tempest are available locally infrequently sometimes, but when 23 Club have run out of their keg and cask, there is always Crosby Beer Bottle Shop which carries a significant range of what Tempest produce. Their beers are highly recommended if you have not already given them a shot; in particular Long White Cloud, which is one of the flagship brews and quite possibly a modern pale ale classic. Until next time! Pedro. ------------------------------------------------ Tempest Brewing Company Block 11, Units 1 & 2, Tweedbank Industrial Estate, Galashiels, TD1 3RS. Tel: 01896 759 500 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.tempestbrewco.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TempestBrewCo Oktopus has finally opened its doors on Hardman Yard; an unassuming location and a fairly unassuming launch given it has had a bit of a run as a pop-up on the premises of the Baltic Triangle's Black Lodge Brewery and also hosted the kitchen for two Meet the Brewer events at The Clove Hitch. Hardman Yard, for those not familiar, is the location of Buyer's Club and Wild Loaf, formerly playing host to live music venue, The Picket. Stand by the Old Blind School or opposite the Flute pub on Hardman Street and you're about there. This is a venture put together by the minds behind the Black Lodge and showcases Head Chef Chris Ineson's skills in the kitchen; the preview along with previous Meet the Brewer food hints at that being quite considerable. The premise is quite simple; 'Sea and Shore' is the motto, with ingredients and inspiration being taken from quality produce taken from the environs of the motto. The focus on small plates for sharing, snacking and especially pairing with the Black Lodge beers (amusingly dispensed from a bespoke and garish Welsh-dresser) were all lovingly prepared to please the eye and tastebuds. Elementary but complimentary combinations are presented in a contemporary fashion and the flavours do indeed point to an additional caring on the source of the individual parts of each dish. The popcorn mussels are dangerously addictive; crisp, meaty, savoury and sweet and a I firmly believe a gateway for those who usually shun shellfish to partake in good way to showcase mussels. The carrot was a spin on the dish tried at the Hawkshead Brewery Meet the Brewer event [http://electrokemistcuisine.weebly.com/blogs/meet-the-brewer-hawkshead-brewery-the-clove-hitch-liverpool] and was every bit as good as it was then - an exercise in how to make the simplest of ingredients sing by sourcing good produce and providing complimentary plate-mates. The cabbage dish was a bit too drenched in caper berries, any brassic character was drowned out a bit, although this made for a good palate refresher. The lemon sole and beef onglet with purple broccoli dishes were both splendid too; cooked perfectly and prepared in an unfussy manner and will pair very well with quite a few of Black Lodge's beers. The final salvo for the preview was the chocolate nemesis, which was incredibly rich and screaming to be paired with an equally robust and characterful stout. There will be some follow up visits to look into the rest of the menu (shown on the Oktopus website) and some scrutiny from other media outlets to come, but this is a very, very welcome addition to Liverpool; finally a restaurant which provides a fairly diverse menu which is simplistic, well thought-out, well prepared and much to many people's pleasure; puts pairings with beers at front and centre.
Until next time! Pedro --------------------------- OktopusHardman Yard, 24 Hardman Street, Liverpool. L1 9AX Web: https://www.oktopus-restaurant.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/hello_oktopus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Oktopus-1101343593327705/ It's good to get packages of beer through the door, especially ones which are a bit of a lucky-dip. I've had such an experience again recently when Bradgy Conwy Brewery asked for a review and write up on some of their beers in line with having a bit of a push on their brand with possibly a few bloggers and beer writers. Admittedly, I have had very limited exposure to Conwy Brewery's beers; they are quite plentiful on cask in North Wales and through to Wirral, but haven't been as visible across the Mersey in Liverpool to date, though it is likely the case that I have just missed them when they have been on. Thanks to some handy pamphlets provided with the beers, I have got some source information to pass on regarding Conwy's origins and where they profess to currently be in terms of their brand. Having started in 2003 by Gywnne and Adele Thomas, Conwy's inception was propagated by fermenting beers in an airing cupboard (and coming from a home where my own Dad did exactly the same for his homebrewing, I know the warm spaces needed have to be taken where they can!) before moving up to proper premises, which have since been left behind for the hills above Old Colwyn. The brewery boasts quite an extensive range of beers, with some newer emergents popping up between a raft of old and classic styles of brew. Black IPA styles, American hopped pales, best bitters and porters all nestled together brewed based on seasonality, local Conwy ales and West Coast US styles. The brewery offers a few different days out too from a pre-booked tour, to a brew day and even the chance to brew your own recipe at the premises and take some of the beer home (a bit later, given fermentation and conditioning needed of course). As mentioned at the head of this piece, I was sent a few of the beers that Conwy have brewed for sampling and review and honestly, I wasn't disappointed. Given that they are approaching 15 years in business, it should be expected that they have nailed down many of their beers; and they certainly have. I tried four of their bottle conditioned beers and they were as follows: Welsh Pride A 4.3% Copper coloured ale, which is bright and well carbonated thanks to good conditioning, upon pouring the beer carries a thin bubbly white head. The aromas on Welsh Pride are of bitter orange and honeyed lighter citrus with woody, floral and toasty maltier notes hovering at the back of the bouquet. The flavours carry through on the promise of the nose; malty orange with gentle strokes of honey and a slight woodiness. The body is around medium and ever so slightly slick; there is some cloying and this leads through an orangey, slightly spicey, crisp and bitter finish with a balanced level of acidity. A good solid sessionable bitter style brew. San Francisco A label professing to carry a 'quad-hopped US IPA' is always something that piques my interest and San Francisco does actually deliver quite a lot of character that is expected. There was a bit of concern on the level of carbonation at the pour of San Francisco, it was seemingly a little flat at first, but does gradually build into thin and fluffy white head. It appears a ruddy brown to gold colour and lightly hazy. The aroma is fruity, citrusy (mostly lemon, but with some hints of orange coming through) and has some lesser tropical notes along with more wood and pine at the back end. The flavours carry rounded and gently bitter notes throughout thanks to the balance of the citrus and tropical fruit along with more wood and gentle cereal elements. The mouthfeel is pretty round; juicy, mouthwatering and a subtle acidity mean an easy beer to keep returning to, with a bit of length in the finish. Very good balance to this beer. Rampart A dark malty 4.8% ale which pours from the bottle a red-brown colour with a well structured and soft beige head on top. The nose is of floral orange, raisins and toasty malt along with subtler metallic malt notes at the back. The flavours of Rampart come through initially with a tangy toast-malt at the front followed by raisins, cereal and a return of the metallic malt tang that eventually leads into caramel and light toffee. The body is medium, with a hint of chewiness present along with a slightly residual tone in the finish. As with the other beers, balance is present here with the dry and crisp cereal-driven finish lingering on the middle of the tongue. Riptide Conwy's Black IPA is a little lower in abv than most others in the style at around 4.6% and it pours a very dark brown to black colour with a beige head, which sadly sinks shortly after the pour. The aroma profile is actually quite unusual but definitely not unpleasant; sweet malty notes are followed briskly by bitter fruit and then into dried stone fruit notes, there is also a subtle hum of bread afterward down the drink. The flavours are driven by toffee malts, caramel and other elements reminiscent of a best bitter, but these lead into crisp cereal and onto dried red fruit, there are also hints of green fruit lingering at the end with some wood and pine. This is probably the most complex of the four beers I tried and certainly the most interesting. The body is very round and smooth, especially considering how light the mouthfeel actually is. The finish in Riptide is treacly and very dry, which thanks to the effervescence is actually quite balanced in rounding off the malt drive. And that's it for this article. Hopefully you're thirsty enough to go and seek out some beers of your own (responsibly as ever, of course) and should you want to try any of the brews I have reviewed above, the contact details for Conwy Brewery are below. Take it easy! Pedro. Disclosure: The beers reviewed in this article were kindly provided without charge by Conwy Brewery. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bragdy Conwy Brewery Unit 2, Ty Mawr Enterprise Park, Tan y Graig Road, Llysfaen, Conwy, LL29 8UE. Tel: 01492 514 305 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.conwybrewery.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/conwybrewery Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Conwybrewery/ |
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