Imagine you’re sat at a table, that you have an empty cardboard box in front of you, one that had previous carried beers to you from whichever brewery you’ve most recently ordered online from. There are twelve empty slots in this box, separated by thick padding. You’ve recently had someone contact you and express interest in what the UK Beer scene is all about, so you decide to put together a showcase of twelve beers brewed across the British Isles to give this person a flavour of exactly what brewing in the UK is all about. How do you pick... just twelve? *WARNING – before reading on, this contains opinions you may disagree with; that’s fine, just don’t be a tool about it, eh?* It’s something I’ve pondered on a number of occasions, sat in a bar, pub or brewtap, with company or out flying solo. There is always a temptation to go for a larger number, but that would make for less interesting reading and water down what is a stringent selection process. Okay, so I have also borrowed a little from the section of the Wine Show, where Joe Fattorini tasks his two oenologically green co-hosts with going forth to pick a brace of wines (usually there are only around three iterations from a region they choose from, with each of the wine-seekers selecting a champion) from which he selects for a slot in a velvet-lined case. This in itself is not completely original in the genre which is somewhat associated with ‘Desert Island Discs’ ubiquity. However, with the wine that is picked there is a sought after sense of place, a provenance or a root into a community’s history. This is a criterion I certainly am going to uphold, as putting together a case of beers solely on quality is just a cold headed exercise in opinion and subjectivity. So let’s set some ground rules for this, something to pare things down beyond the limit of twelve individual beers. A breadth of styles should be reflected from across spectrum of British brewing, given we all have a preference, seeing six IPAs and six Imperial Stouts wouldn’t really be true to what’s British and what Britain has given to the world in terms of brewing technique, recipes and styles. For clarity, these are the categories I am going to insist on: Two of Bitter / Best Bitter / Golden or Pale Ale An IPA (American or British) A Double IPA or New England Style IPA A Porter or Stout An Imperial Stout A soured beer A barrel-aged Beer (any style) A Barley Wine A lager Two more from any category above or not mentioned In addition to the restrictions on picking beers based on their style, the beers must be brewed in the UK and the recipe must have been commercially brewed within the last 30 years and the brewery from which it originated must not be defunct. Ideally, someone would be able to go out and put this case of beers together in a realistic timeframe. There were a number of beers that would be considered incredible in terms of their quality, but if the brewery doesn’t exist anymore, it takes away some of the purpose of this article – to get you, the reader, excited for an extant beer you may not have tried. The last rule is that this beer has to be something you have personally tried – it’s all well and good pretending to know a beer by hearsay and scouring the internet or whatever app is flavour of the month for beer ratings, but ultimately it is a bit fraudulent to throw in a beer to the twelve without having tried it yourself. Another thing to importantly bear in mind, before anyone gets all hot and bothered about any of my choices or those of anyone else – it’s an opinion, just an opinion, as to what beers made this list; don’t sweat it too much! The Selection Bitter/Best Bitter/Golden or Pale Ale Since we have two selections to make here, it’s going to be easier in some respects having two – there are inevitably going to be beers that are very close to one another in quality and in terms of their heritage and cultural value. But, the sheer breadth of quality in these categories means it is painstaking picking something out. I know it was a nightmare for me, coming back to this once I had made a selection and picked others in other categories, second guessing myself, third guessing myself, asking the wall. Yeah, tricky. The process involved picking out a few that had really stood out to me over the last two decades and beyond, then trying to whittle each of these down based on criteria such as overall quality, how enjoyable they were to drink, their ubiquity (how easy could I get them now?), their consistency not just from batch to batch but over years. In the end, I managed to push it down to five or so, dropping some real humdingers such as Pendle Witches Brew, Loweswater Gold, Black Sheep and Theakston’s due to a mix of availability and some personal experience of drop-off in quality. Then there are the sad losses – Mad Hatter’s Penny Lane Pale was a stunningly good beer, along with the original iteration of Liverpool Craft’s Love Lane Pale which are not around anymore and not the beer they once were, respectively. Bass is obviously iconic (and despite its’ turbulent recent ownership history, when in good condition a wonderful beer) and made the cut, along with Timothy Taylor’s Landlord given the reverence it is held in by many non-UK brewers and I, having personally sunk several down the years at the Stanley Arms in Aughton near where I grew up. Batham’s Best (which I had tried on cask a couple of times and wanted more, more, more; thought it isn’t widely available up north from what I can see) also came through this rigorous mental wrestling match along with Buxton Spa, which is a simply excellent pale and was equally pleasurable to drink on cask, keg and indeed in bottle. Finally, Pint (aka Metric) from Marble Brewing snuck through ahead of its stablemate, Manchester Bitter. Having made a beeline for Pint on numerous occasions not only at the Marble Arch, but at Cask Micropub in Liverpool, it really is a very good pale ale and does everything this style of beer should. Ideally, these beers should be sessionable, flavourful, comforting and able to prime a drinker for whatever they want to drink next. However, in light of recent news regarding the Small Brewer’s Duty Relief proposals, I cannot bring myself to push forward beers from breweries that seem to be dead set on pulling up the ladder on their lower volume cohort. I’m not going to dwell too much on this, given other people have written more completely and succinctly about it. The debate still rages and at time of writing, our government is sadly still considering pushing on with damaging legislation. That lot in succession are really something to consider and a whole article could be dedicated to extolling the virtues of each. There aren’t the column inches, so I’m letting experience pull rank for me here. First in, no messing about, is Anspach and Hobday’s ‘The Best Bitter’. A beer which I have drunk many times now, it feels like a comfort blanket; a familiar but enjoyable flavour that aroma which ignites memories of what beer used to be, could be and should be. Given that was a relatively easy decision, the second was much harder. Bass and Batham’s both have heritage, with the former probably once the most famous beer in the world, but sadly relegated to an odd brewed-under-license limbo at Marston’s with no real identity*. I think based on personal experience, Marble’s Pint needs to go into to the case of twelve. It really is a fine ale that is worth revisiting repeatedly, especially in the Marble Arch. *Pete Brown covers this rather succinctly in this article: [https://www.petebrown.net/2018/11/12/bass-ale-is-back-i-wish-i-was-more-delighted/] IPA (American or British) Here we go, into probably even more turbulent waters when it comes to opinions. Given the prominence of IPAs in beer over the last 15 or so years, there is staggering number out there, some may wear the label, but they aren’t necessary true to the original style. Throw into that all the subsets of session IPAs, west coast, east coast, dry hopped, double dry hopped, DIPA, TIPA, QIPA any number of adjunct IPAS, and black IPA it’s a bit of a mess trying to keep up. Here we’ll settle for things that are more traditional; something very hoppy and north of session strength (upwards of 5% or thereabouts arbitrarily). Since the exposure of beers like Longhammer, Stone IPA, Sierra Nevada and Pliny the Elder in the UK, recipes have adapted and flowed, giving rise to almost hedonistic levels of experimentation and quality. We now have beers like Brewdog’s Punk IPA and Thornbridge’s Jaipur IPA, along with beers that have followed the first wave of heavily hopped ales. In this mix things like Cromarty's Rogue Wave, Tempest's Long White Cloud (and the longer one), Rooster’s Baby Faced Assassin, Buxton’s Axe Edge, Beavertown’s Gamma Ray, Magic Rock’s Cannonball, High Wire and Wylam’s Jakehead have all brought joy to pubs across the land, with superbly flavoured and balanced IPAs. We’ve seen a few beers in this vein also come and go; a massive favourite around Liverpool was Liverpool Organic’s Shipwreck IPA, which was very true to British style and massive on flavour and mouthfeel. Another big favourite for me from the dormant stable, was Ace Edge; the Sorachi Ace variation on Buxton’s Ace Edge. An excellent use of a very controversial hop, which sadly (for me at least) doesn’t get brewed much anymore. Even putting all those superb and almost ubiquitous names into the same paragraph gives me a bit of clarity, but also makes me think that we take some of those for granted. Generally, they are all as good as they ever have been and it’s a little bit crazy that we kind of take them for granted. The clarity, for what it’s worth, tells me to give this one to Thornbridge’s Jaipur IPA. It has won countless awards around the globe, was a game changer for the UK when it came out and is a great beer which is wonderful on any occasion. I’ve also had very memorable and pleasurable occasions with this beer, including trying both dispense (cask and keg) at a meet the brewer event and being able to taste a great beer side by side with itself and experience the wider spectrum of what it can offer. Double IPA/New England Style IPA Since the rise to prominence of Alchemist’s Heady Topper and several other stronger versions of IPA from across the Atlantic, the lines of what an IPA could be have been blurred even further. Additions of more and more hops as a dry hop and a big drop in the quantity used in bittering means there is more hazy and fruit juice-esque beer than there has ever been. It seems to be the ‘go to’ for all new ‘craft’ breweries in terms of gaining a foothold in the market. Double IPAs gained recognition a little earlier on the UK circuit, with even more hops piled in (usually) than a standard IPA, with a higher abv (usually upward of 7%) it made beer enthusiasts really sit up and see how much flavour really could be packed into a beer. UK breweries have kicked out some excellent versions of NEIPA and Double IPA; not so long ago, Cloudwater Brewing had many people waiting on the release of their ‘V’ series, culminating in number 13 before they decided that was enough. Of course, they still make Double IPAs. Beers like Buxton’s Kingmaker and Two Ton, Brewdog’s Mixtape 8 and Jackhammer (amongst others) and Magic Rock’s Human Cannonball set a high bench mark for many to follow with DIPA. New England IPAs have been an odd phenomenon; there’s resentment to them from many drinkers, who dislike the lack of bitterness and question the depth of these beers, often perceiving an ubiquity to the flavour profile, balance and mouthfeel in the style, regardless who brews the beer. That said, Verdant’s Putty is a very memorable beer in this vein and often generates a bit of release day fervour. Whilst there are some stunning NEIPAs and Double-NEIPAs and versions which are anywhere in between, it does feel like you could name any number of them and pull out something of great drinkability and quality. The likes of Verdant as mentioned, DEYA and Burnt Mill making some excellent beers in the category, but balancing out (as outlined in the start of this article) the heritage, quality and sheer impact on brewing over the last four to five years, the Cloudwater ‘V’ series is the one that sits most prominently, edging out the urge to pick Buxton’s Wyoming Sheep Ranch and Thornbridge’s Halcyon. Given that three V beers immediately jump out at me from the selection of the 8 or 9 that I remember trying, the three that stand out are the V3, V5, and V6 with, finally the Cloudwater Brewing DIPA V3 the one that stands out most. The things I remember (aside from the hype) are the incredible aroma and the mouthfeel along with a very balanced beer introducing incredible hop-juiciness for the first time once I had cracked that can and poured the promise within. Don’t get angry now. I had to end this section somehow. Porter/Stout There are a number of sub-categories again within the world of dark ales. Oyster stouts, milk stouts, Irish style, Baltic (which is technically could be a lager...), chocolate, dry, oatmeal and so on. How to pick one? Is any of these sub-sets any more individually British than the others or does one stand out above all the rest. Bluntly, no. There are some absolutely phenomenal examples across each of these and depending on what mood you’re in, they would be the ‘go to’. You want something sweeter, you go for a milk stout (unless your vegan or lactose intolerant, of course), you want something dry and tannic, you’d go with a dry style or Irish style. Admittedly, I nearly railroaded myself on this selection based on what I thought most people would want to see take the slot in the case. Picking something that has picked up numerous awards such as Elland Brewery’s 1872 Porter would be quite easy, but it’s never grabbed me personally. A classic choice would be Fuller’s London Porter here, or perhaps less popular but no less short on the heritage stakes, the Taddy Porter from Samuel Smiths. But I am going to shy away from these. Whilst there is undeniable quality to these beers, or there has been to date (having tried both within the last 18 months or so, both are still very enjoyable and tick all the boxes you would expect for the style), there are some superb brews now front and centre for the stout and porter styles. Here’s the confetti moment; in writing out the contenders, I found even more swimming around my brain than I had on the blocks for the IPA category. Throw in dark beers of sheer quality with those that I have tasted in memorable moments and it’s busy. The likes of Camden Ink made an early impression on me, as I’d never really considered the virtues of a kegged stout before and this did change that mindset for me. Young’s Oatmeal stout, drunk on cask in a London pub (sadly I forget the name and location, just recalling the beer and being surrounded by a lot of dark wood and brass – meaning it must have had real quality) was a contender. Red Star Brewery’s Havana Moon in bottles and a moment of cask in Liverpool’s The Grapes where there was a moment of departure from all other thoughts due to a feeling of dark-perfection. Five Points’ Railway Porter, Siren’s Broken Dream, Tiny Rebel's Staypuft and Northern Monk’s Winter Star have all provided memorable moments, the common denominator being that they were dispensed on cask (at least they were in those moments) providing a smooth and wonderful mouthfeel. Another local favourite in Liverpool and one which is brilliant from a can, from keg or indeed decadently handpulled from cask is Neptune Brewery’s On the Bounty, which marries a subtle strength, wonderful mouthfeel and a chocolate coconut driven comfort. It’s stablemate, Abyss, also creates plenty of buzz when available, which is sadly not as often as many would like. The slight emergent from this selection is the one that occupies the designated space in the case. I went for a sweeter stout and one with undeniable quality. Although it might not be to everyone’s tastes, it is often the one I think of (on cask where possible, gladly on keg and happily in bottles or cans) when judging many other stouts these days. Wild Beer Company’s Millionaire feels like it has been around for much longer than it actually has, but it has provided some wonderful moments with friends and has never disappointed. The first time I tried this beer at the Liverpool Craft Beer Expo many years ago, I immediately went back for a second glass, eyes wide and taste buds yearning. That rarely ever happens. Imperial Stout/Porter Conversation about Imperial Stouts often drifts towards Alesmith Brewing Co.’s Speedway Stout, it was a beer which certainly was the first of its kind, but it seemed to be one that made people pay attention to this style which was barely ever seen in UK pubs until around a decade ago (I seem to remember Brooklyn’s Black Chocolate Stout making an appearance pre-2010 at a pub in Liverpool and being a personal revelation). British Imperial stouts and porters are of course, much easier to get hold of now, given that most craft-sensibility breweries will have a recipe in their locker for a stronger stout. These higher abv brews always seem to form part of the hype bedrock at Craft Beer Festivals and draw enthusiasts to the pumps as soon as they are tapped, especially if it’s a limited edition version of a known quantity of quality with some confection or other thrown in. Which one is worthy of the case though, given the undoubted effort many UK brewers have now put into the recipes for these robust beers? Courage Brewery’s Imperial Russian Stout has a rich tapestry, being brewed for the best part of two centuries before a wobble during the 1990s. I stumbled upon it for the first time in a specialist beer shop around in Ormskirk where it was *very* reasonably priced given the strength and promptly snaffled three bottles. Even the late, great Michael Jackson gave this beer a double page spread in one of his texts. When Wells and Youngs acquired the brand circa 2007 they didn’t brew IRS immediately, waiting until around 2011. By this point, it didn’t seem like it was the same beer it had once been and had variable levels of hopping down the years*. Back on subject of course, it was enjoyable – meaty, bitter, chocolately and decidedly grown-up, but despite the heritage points it’s not exactly pulling up trees these days for me. Beers like B.A.B.S from Wild Beer, Campfire Strannik from Northern Monk, Tiramisu from Hawkshead and Tempest Brewing’s Mexicake all conjure up recollections where the overwhelming feeling is warmth – each of these brought a feeling of comfort and memories of big flavours. Bearded Lady from Magic Rock has had its moments too, but sifting my notes and memories, it wasn’t as important to me as some of the other beers I have tried in this style; others have been more startling, flavoursome and have something intangibly classic about them for me. Two heavyweight stablemates that were in mind before I reached decision time on this beer in Rain Shadow and The Living End (in their various barrel-aged guises) were and are incredible beers, they have been solid since their inception. Buxton Brewery’s Rain Shadow edges things for me. The first time in trying this beer in Liverpool’s sadly lost 23 Club; this Imperial Stout stopped me in my tracks. The complexity, the aromas and flavours, the huge body, in such a beer things could be a cacophony – but everything here is superb, the balance and structure are judged perfectly and it is to me and hopefully many others, a modern classic. *Source: Martyn Cornell’s Zythophile Blog: [http://zythophile.co.uk/2012/02/21/courage-irs-a-40-year-vertical-tasting/] Soured Beer Once upon a time, all beers possibly had a detectable acidic tartness to them due to difficulty in retaining yeast purity. They were not necessarily sour and certainly not to the acidity of many of the beers we are about to discuss*. Sour beers such as lambics, wild and mixed fermentations, berlinner weisse and flanders red all found a fertile bed in the US craft beer scene in the last 15 or so years and this has in turn led to a revival of brewing such styles here in the UK. There are a few breweries which have made some beers which could be regarded as modern classics, with a focus on producing sour beers due to their excellent potential as pairings with food and a propensity for a depth of flavour in cases of mixed fermentation and aging on wood. The likes of Wild Beer Company, Chorlton Brewing and Burning Sky have had a focus on producing sour beers for a while, now being joined in recent years by outfits such as Little Earth Project, Vault City and Brewdog Overworks. Into the hat go the likes of Calypso from Siren Craft, Sourdough, Modus Operandi and Wild Goose Chase from Wild Beer, Monolith from Burning Sky and of course, were it still in operation you’d have to add in Tzatziki Sour from Mad Hatter (though the beer lives on via Paul Spraget’s endeavours at Orbit Beers in London). Each is different and has its virtues in terms of style, for example, Modus Operandi is a blended and oak aged red ale which really comes into its own with a food pairing, but (admittedly I am not the biggest sour beer fan) for me it isn’t a beer I particularly enjoy drinking on its own. Calypso was one of the first sours in the UK and has its undoubted virtues, but another beer that came along around the same time is going to take the slot in the case. The Kernel’s London Sour is usually excellent, refreshing and drinkable and has a gentle complexity which works as a food pairing. There are a number of iterations and deviations from the first lactic yeast recipe, with the addition of fruit such as damsons, herbs, various dry hop varieties and varying strengths. The core brew however, was quite brilliant when it came on the scene and sticks in my memory. The fierce acidity, the sharp aroma and citric freshness all provide something enjoyable for a pursuer of low pH. * [https://www.garshol.priv.no/blog/306.html] Lager A category totally open to trolling here in picking a lager, which is representative of British brewing. I mean, the UK has an illustrious history of brewing some terrible macro-scale lagers under license and during the 1970s and 1980s their popularity exploded as ale’s waned, but we’re going to stick with the spirit of picking what is best in show. I’m going to do it without any impulse to use the phrase ‘cr*spy-b*i’ too. There are a number of UK breweries that now have really taken to brewing pilsners, helles, kellerbier, vienna (and Kolsch, although not technically a lager) and a host of darker styles and doing them really well. As is often stated, with styles such as helles and pilsners, from a technical brewing point of view there is virtually no place to hide for mistakes, faults or brewing aberrations. There are even some breweries which have a very strong lager game in that is what they are known for, especially Freedom Brewery and Bristol’s Lost and Grounded. In terms of scoring points for heritage, there aren’t a great number of breweries in the running on that note. Samuel Smith’s Alpine lager has been brewed since the 1960’s, with Taddy Lager and Double Four being more recent introductions to their roster. None of these has ever really captured my imagination down the years, with the stouts being much more memorable tipples. Wrexham lager is reputedly the first lager to be brewed in the UK (disputed, as there is evidence of Edinburgh having lager brewed there before this)*, over 130 years ago and it had something of a resurrection just under a decade ago, but as with the Samuel Smith’s brews it never really hit the spot. Modern takes on lager have really come on over the last few years; the likes of Camden making a helles which captured the imagination, Freedom brewing lager, helles and pils of quality since the mid-90s, Thornbridge with the excellent Lukas (which I am drinking as I write this very section), Manchester Union with their elongated mash process brewed (and delicious) Lager and very recently Neptune with their outstanding helles style brew, Evenflow. It’s so much better than it has been, I even remember a period in the late 90s and at the turn of the millennium a lager labelled as ‘GB Lager’ (brewed by Whitbread on a bit of research) which was dispensed from a font that looked like a traditional bath tap. I seem to remember it actually being quite drinkable too, but then I was a student and with a limited frame of reference. There are even some excellent dry hopped lagers around; I always make a beeline for William’s Bros Caesar Augustus when I can. It makes it a very tough choice to pick one. We are spoilt now with the quality available. That said when it comes to selecting a champion, I have gone with the specialists named further above in this section. In Lost and Grounded, we are very blessed to have a stable of excellent lagered beers available to us (in varying degrees around the UK of course). Rather more controversially, I won’t be picking the keller pils (I can already hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth) as the All the Cool Cats Helles just takes me to another place. On every occasion, it’s brought a smile to my face and it always seems to be outstanding. It is superbly structured, clean and refreshing and everything a helles should be, short of being Augustiner. * Although perhaps the headline meant ‘oldest still being brewed’? [https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2011/11/14/Britain-s-oldest-lager-re-launched-in-north-Wales] – Credit to Ron Pattinson for this article: [https://www.beeradvocate.com/articles/7144/britains-first-lager/] Barley Wine/Old Ale Setting up for this section, I had two beers firmly in mind. One is often the first and last word in this category for most people and the other is Coniston Brewing’s No. 9 Barley Wine. Coniston’s effort sticks in my mind having tried it on cask on a few occasions and from the unusually sized 275ml bottle (330ml would have just been fine, I mean it’s only 8.5%?) and on each occasion, I have not been disappointed with it. On consulting my own tasting notes from the last time I had this barley wine, the brandy, marzipan, orange and a whole other gamut of adjectives abound. It’s good, but, is it the best out there? There are a number of US breweries that have explored Barley Wine, although there is a distinct divide in the style, with the US slant being a more bitter brew, with a larger hop presence. The English style is certainly sweeter and whilst hops are presence, the malt tends to be the primary driver of the flavour. Just to ensure I don’t end up down another rabbit hole, I’m sticking with the English style. Thinking longer on the matter of Old Ales and Barley Wine and what the difference actually is, it makes for a whole other argument (where we have to look at Mild, too and the whole solera system on which some Old Ale is actually derived from). Beers like Robinsons’ Old Tom (named a ‘strong ale’ rather than a Barley Wine), J.W. Lees’ Harvest Ale (which sadly I have never tried) have received big plaudits, but one that sticks in my mind having tried it twice and alluded to at the start of this section is Thomas Hardy’s Ale. Having the distinction of being brewed by three different set ups (Eldridge Pope, O’Hanlons and now the Vecchiato brothers), I have tried two vintages; 1995 and 2005. Both were excellent and given the quality and renown of the beer it makes for a relatively straightforward choice in filling the slot. Barrel Aged Beer Another category in which I am likely to invite the ire of many drinkers is that of barrel aged beers. Admittedly this isn’t a style in its own right, given there are a variety of styles that can be barrel aged (though there are also many that probably shouldn’t). Saisons, Old Ales, Sours, Imperial Stouts and even some IPAs have been put into a variety of barrels by breweries over the last few years. The barrels themselves are also a variable to consider; virgin oak, sherry, bourbon, rum, brandy and so on. The combinations give rise to a staggering number of beers which over the last decade have shown the dedication of some UK breweries to be experimental, clever and downright controversial for the sake of it. There’s a real learning curve and still a lot to be discovered and mastered by many breweries who have undertaken barrel aging programmes. Wild Beer Company have undertaken an deep foray into looking at barrel aging beers, from their flagship beer, Modus Operandi to the old ales aged in burgundy barrels, bourbon barrels and being annually blended for their Beyond Modus releases. Burning Sky are another UK brewery at the forefront of aging beers on wood, introducing oak into their bright and spritzy saisons, encouraging wild and spontaneous fermentation to generate complexity in their beers. Away from saisons and soured styles, Siren Craft and Buxton have aged many of their darker and stronger beers in barrels. Indeed, at time of writing, Siren Craft are kicking their programme back into gear and releases are imminent. One of my favourite, if not my single favourite beer from any UK brewery left Siren’s premises many years ago but sadly doesn’t seem to have had a rebrew. Bones of a Sailor Pt III is an Imperial Porter, flavoured with raspberries, cacao nibs and vanilla with aging in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks. Everything about it was layers and deception. You think following a pour you’re going to get chocolate with hints of fruit and a wave of gentle vanilla. Instead its lightness of mouthfeel, a sour cleansing hit of red fruit before the chocolate and vanilla drift in like a warm breeze. That complexity and yearning for more means it takes the slot in the box. Maybe I have built this beer up a bit much for myself, but no other beer has made me sit up and take notice more, since last tasting it. Wild Cards
Given the picks for individual styles have probably thrown up some disagreements from readers so far, we still have two more slots to fill to add some of what I regard as modern examples of excellent British brewing. This time I can plump for two beers irrespective of style and given that the primary styles I enjoy are pales and IPAs, I am picking a brace of beers that I expect quite a few people will agree with. In recent times, DEYA’s Steady Rolling Man has become something akin to a byword for ‘instant go to beer’ when it is present on the bar. It is what DEYA regard as their realisation of a perfect pale ale and I am inclined to agree (aside from when I would really love to see how it translates into cask). Massively hop driven character provides a number of fruity aromas and flavours, with palates picking out peach, lemon, pineapple, apricot and grapefruit along with grassier notes and a gentle malt backbone. It does what all pale ales should strive for; slake thirst, provide a refreshing and easy beer and provide a talking point on quality regardless of where you are in your drinking cycle. It takes its spot with aplomb. The second pale ale to take the wild card slot and one which in the North west has like Steady Rolling Man become a standard starting point for anyone wanting to ensure a quality start to an afternoon or evening with beer. Track Brewing’s Sonoma comes in at a lower abv to Steady Rolling Man (at 3.8% as opposed to 5.2% as standard) and has a distinct advantage (at least for me) of being available on cask as well as in keg and can. Again, it provides an exemplar of the style. A simple malt base allows the combination of Mosaic, Centennial and Citra Hops to ‘do their thing’ and push forward a juicy, bright and thirst quenching brew. It truly is an excellent bit of brewing. ------ Thanks for reading, I do hope that there’ll be some comments and that if you have yet to stumble on any of the beers I have discussed in this article you’ll manage to seek them out soon. There is a wealth of excellent beer produced here, providing great nods to our heritage as well as to modern influence from abroad. Pedro. ------- Some images used in this article have kindly been provided by the breweries mentioned. All use and replication is protected by copyright and their use without consent prohibited.
6 Comments
11/28/2020 01:56:52 am
found this via boak and bailey's weekly links - a great concept and some very worthy beers picked - i'd maybe like to have seen something wild/ spontaneous included as a "wildcard" given the increase in breweries entering this area in recent years and perhaps a saison/ belgian style too but I get that with limited slots you have to plough your own furrow - perhaps a harder challenge would be to only use core range/ year round available beers which would maybe free up a couple of slots too...
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Pedro
11/28/2020 10:59:56 am
Hi Steve,
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Jon Jones
11/28/2020 04:22:18 am
A fine read and great idea.
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sheffield hatter
11/28/2020 09:51:20 am
Nice idea. I have a quibble or two, though. You mention several beers that you have enjoyed in a pub when served from a cask. In my experience, many well known cask b eers, especially bitters, suffer from being bottled - Timothy Taylor Landlord would be one such, and I hazzard that Black Sheep Best would have been another, except that Black Sheep don't bottle their Best Bitter!
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Pedro
11/28/2020 11:16:48 am
Hi SH,
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sheffield hatter
11/28/2020 11:46:46 am
Hi Pedro,
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