Wednesday 30 January 2013

On the Offer of Stouts...

Is it just me or when you are offered stouts that they should really have more than Guinness?

This has happened to me a few times over the wintery season, that and finding the only beers available are summery citrus beers instead of warming stouts, porters or even roasty milds. Ok, I know that if the pub's client base are more likely to buy IPAs then that is what you are going to want to sell but surely there is room in your range for a different guest?

Guest beers seem to be mainly similar to the main range too. Maybe it's me...

Tuesday 22 January 2013

Christmas Paradox 2012

15% abv

Brewdog Special

This was part of my christmas present haul after a not so subtle hint on twitter to my other half. :)

First off, if you don't like rum then really don't try this. The rum really comes though with the raisins sweetening the whole beer wonderfully, the smell is quite powerful and as someone who likes their dark rums this is fine by me.

The beer itself pours completely opaque with a deep tan head that soon disappears leaving a very faint lacing, it has as you would expect from an imperial stout a nice body to it. The alcohol itself doesn't really come though despite both the abv and the rum aging but it is strong tasting and flavoursome so more a sipping beer.

All in all, one of my best presents. :)

If you are quick there were some of these left online.

Tuesday 8 January 2013

Orkney Brewery's Dark Island

4.6% ABV


This ended up being beer of the day for January 1st, we had headed to the pub for a relaxing lunch but ended up having both lunch and dinner whilst chatting and enjoying the first session of 2013.

To be honest, I don't normally rate Orkney Breweries beers mainly as each time I have had them they have never been kept particularly well. Not a fault of the brewery I agree before anyone comments thus, but kudos to The Falcon in Clapham Junction for doing well in not only keeping it well but over a barrel change as well. This time the beer looked good and tasted good too.

Tastewise this is rather quaffable for me, chocolately carmel flavours with a slight coffee edge, I didn't get the fruit and figs that Orkney mention on the website but as someone who can be a bit funny about the fruit in beer thing this is not a problem for me. It does have a good aftertaste of coffee hops which I enjoyed as many of the bitters I have been drinking tend to finish suddenly tastewise like lager which isn't what I'm after when drinking beer.

Good beer and now I can see what some have been saying when they mention these guys.


Wednesday 2 January 2013

Happy New Year!

Another year gone and departed.

As many of you know there is a campaign for a dry January running at the moment but personally I won't be following it. Drinking will continue in the Meer household, it would have been a better idea to promote sensible drinking rather than not drinking at all but this is something run by a biased group so...

I was quiet in December not due to running amock with booze fulled nights and days but with revision for exams then I got two bad colds including whooping cough (which was not fun at all) and a chest infection so blogging took a backseat as did many of my favourite past times but I'm back now albeit with an irritating sore throat but that can't be helped.

Anyways you all with be hearing more from me in the next few weeks as I have notes for reviews plus the odd bit of beery nonsense.

Hope you all had a good year and here's to 2013.