The BeerCast

The concept of seasonality is now one of the hallmarks of modern cooking, pushed to the general public by the ranks of TV chefs and foodie magazines. Everything has a ‘time of year’, whether it’s the British asparagus, salty samphire, or humble mackerel (as one BeerCaster asked for in a fancy Edinburgh fishmonger’s, only to be embarrassed in front of a queue of shoppers when told there were none in the sea at that time of year). But can this approach be transferred to beer? Hops are seasonal, certainly, but after the harvest they can be dried and used at any time. It’s down to the styles and types of beer that can be varied depending on what the calendar says.

Now that Autumn is on us, it’s time to change the attitude and go for something different. The long summer (or in our case, short summer) is over, so the time for light hoppy pale ales is over. No need for urgent, tingling refreshment on a hot day now the clocks have gone back (or forward, as I put mine by mistake). Autumn brings crunchy leaves, darker nights, cool windy afternoons – and should be celebrated by the glorious British bitter. There can’t be another brewing nation on earth that can put out a finer nutty, foaming brown ale than us Brits – and now’s the time to partake.

So until the winter arrives and we all move on to warming stouts and porters, and then Christmas beers with alcohol and spice (before celebrating the return of Spring with zesty golden ales), take time out for a fruity, toffee-ish best bitter. Let the rich mouthfeel and malt characteristics reward you after that long Autumnal walk, or spot of Christmas Shopping (it’s never to early – and most breweries have online stores). Here are five choice Scottish beers for the season – Bitters, Ruby Ales, ESB’s, Amber Ales – all styles are well suited to this time of year. As we head towards November – have a seasonal beer on us.

1. Maverick (4.2%abv)
Fyne Ales, Cairndow, Argyll.
Classic fruity mahogany ale from BeerCast favourites Fyne Ales.

2. Red Kite (4.2%abv)
Black Isle Brewery, Munlochy, Black Isle.
Technically an amber ale, organically brewed north of Inverness.

3. Red Squirrel (3.9%abv)
Arran Brewery, Brodick, Isle of Arran.
Nutty, malty beer that donates to Red Squirrel charities on Arran.

4. St Magnus Ale (4.5%abv)
Highland Brewing Company, Swannay, Orkney.
Another nutty one, but with more roast than the Red Squirrel.

5. Red MacGregor (4.0%abv)
Sinclair Orkney Brewery, Quoyloo, Orkney.
Fruity ruby ale, current silver medal Champion Beer of Scotland.

(looking slightly further afield, five English beers that would go down very well on an Autumn evening are Bath Ales Barnstormer, York’s Yorkshire Terrier, Bristol Beer Factory No.7, Fuller’s ESB, and Daleside Old Leg Over).

One of Europe’s most overlooked brewing nations has to be the Netherlands, sandwiched between the thirsty Germans on one side and the traditional Belgians on the other. The Dutch may be overlooked for a reason, as according to Centraal Brouwerij Kantoor 95% of their national output is pale lager. Yikes. Dominated by Heineken and Grolsch, the Dutch export half of all beer brewed in the country, which apparently is the highest export percentage of any brewing nation in the world. Anyhow, we managed to track down some interesting and lesser known ales (and one lager) from this noble, low-lying country, and our BeerCast Dutch special begins with Lindeboom Pilsener (5.0%), to see how their take on the famous lager style differs from others. Next we sample the three-time champion beer of the Netherlands, Christoffel Blond (6.0%) from Roermond. Our third beer is a much darker offering:- Budels Capucijn (6.5%), before we finish on one from the only Dutch Trappist brewery – La Trappe Quadrupel (10.0%). On the panel this time are Richard, Andy and Grooben.

1. Lindeboom Pilsener (5.0%abv)
Lindeboom Bierbrouwerij B.V., Neer, Limburg.
500ml glass bottle

Lindeboom are a small family brewer from the southernmost Dutch province of Limburg, where they were founded in 1870 by farmer Willem Geenan. He named his first effort – a dark, spicy ale – ‘Geenan’s Bier’, and it proved such a success that he threw away his farming tools and took to brewing full-time. Renaming his output after a lime tree that stood in his courtyard, the Lindeboom Brewery were born. The signature lime tree was apparently planted in 1806, and remains there on the brewery premises to this day.

What They Say – “Het fameuze Lindeboom Pilsener wordt gebrouwen met kristal-helder water uit eigen bron, kwaliteits-hopsoorten en mout van uitgelezen zomergersten. Alleen de beste tweerijige zomergerst-rassen komen voor onze brouwmeester in aanmerking.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Grooben – If I was sitting in France I’d like it 6
Richard – It’s dry but there’s also a sweetness I’m not keen on 5½
Andy – There are more interesting beers to drink than this 3½

2. Christoffel Blond (6.0%abv)
Bierbrouwerij St. Christoffel, Roermond, Limburg.
330ml glass bottle

The St. Christoffel Brewery are relatively young, having been founded in 1986 in the former coalmining-town of Roermond in Limburg. Named after the local patron saint, they produce all of their beers according to the German Reinheitsgebot purity laws, and all are also unfiltered and unpasteurised. When first produced, it was known simply as “Christoffel Bier”, as it was the only thing they produced – but once Christoffel ‘Robertus’ was released, it was renamed Blond. From 1990 onwards it was awarded the status Champion Beer of the Netherlands – a title it retained for the following two years.

What They Say – “Christoffel Blond is a 6% bottom fermented golden-coloured beer with a full body, a very balanced taste and a beautiful bitterness due to a generous addition of fresh hop during the brewing-process. The aroma is fruity and has a fresh taste with a pleasant, hoppy finish.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard – It’s a tremendously drinkable beer for 6% 8½
Grooben – I don’t usually like bottom fermented beers but it doesn’t have any pungent unpleasantness 8
Andy – Zingy and orangey, I like the way it’s natural 6

3. Budels Capucijn (6.5%abv)
Budelse Brouwerij, Budels, North Brabant.
330ml glass bottle

The Budelse Brouwerij were established in 1870 and were initially called the ‘Brouwerij de Hoop’ – The Hope Brewery – as the founders weren’t exactly sure how it was going to turn out, and ‘hoped’ it would succeed. As it happens, they were right, and Budelse are still going over 130yrs later, still owned by the same family. The symbol of hope is, apparently, an anchor – so they added one of these to their brewery coat of arms. The town of Budel is in the province of North Brabant, 25km from the city of Eindhoven. Back in the day, there was a monastery in Budel housing Capuchin monks, hence the name given to this dark, abbey-style beer.

What They Say – “Abdij bier, robijnkleurig, bovengistend bier, blinkt uit door zijn zachte smaak en het geweldige aroma. Dit bier dankt zijn naam aan de Franse Capucijnen, die in begin van de vorige eeuw in Budel een klooster hadden.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard – There’s a big spicy malt afterkick to it, with some richness 7½
Grooben – A bit much but as it warms up it gets more interesting 7
Andy – It smells like an unopened fridge and tastes of leather, flat coke and brown sauce 0

4. La Trappe Quadrupel (10.0%abv)
Brouwerij de Koningshoeven, Berkel-Enschot, North Brabant.
330ml glass bottle

Also to be found in North Brabant is the small twin village of Berkel-Enschot, near which is the imposing Abbeye Onze Lieve Vrouw van Koningshoeven. This large gothic building is the only Dutch Trappist brewery, which was opened in 1884 in order to generate some income for the monks and the charitable causes they supported. The abbey did very well out of this, and soon began running the operation as a commerical enterprise, leasing taverns in the area and producing a dark lager. In 1999, due to the difficulties the ageing monks were having keeping up with demand, their entire brewing process was subcontracted to an offshoot of the giant Bavaria corporation, causing a dispute with the International Trappist Association as to the commerical nature. They were subsequently stripped of the ‘Trappist’ tag, and did not retain it until 2005, when a re-structuring saw the monks retake an active role in the brewing.

What They Say – “The strongest beer of La Trappe with a beautiful amber colour. The warm taste is full and well-balanced. A little bit sweet and pleasantly bitter. La Trappe Quadruple is also fermented and aged in oak barrels. This gives the oak-aged Trappist beer an even fuller taste with a special wooded scent, which is comparable to wood-aged red wine.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Andy – There’s a little bit of cinnamon and banana in there 7
Richard – Can’t really taste oak, just a vague woody bitterness 7
Grooben – Packs a punch but there’s a hefty dose of sweetness 5

Panellists – (from top left) Andy, Grooben, Richard

BeerCast panel verdict
Christoffel Blond (23½/30)
La Trappe Quadrupel (19/30)
Lindeboom Pilsener (15/30)
Budelse Capucijn (14½/30)

Pubs come in many shapes and sizes, and are to be found in many unusual and varied locations. I’ve been to several great pubs near water, but never actually visited one on water before – until I set foot aboard the Grain Barge in Bristol, that is. As the name suggests, it used to ply a trade ferrying barley and wheat from Bristol to Cardiff across the Severn Estuary – being towed, as a ‘dumb’ barge it had no engine of its own. Built in 1936, it used to be moored in the Hotwells area of the city adjacent to a more famous rival – Brunel’s SS Great Britain. In 2007 the derelict hulk was bought by the Bristol Beer Factory and converted into a floating pub, with a dining bar above and a function room below. Nudged over to the other bank to a permanent mooring, it now overlooks Brunel’s marine masterpiece.

The Grain Barge is no gimmick; it was voted best bar in Bristol within a year of opening. The real ales on offer are all supplied by the Bristol Beer Factory, who are based in nearby Ashton. They began life in 2003 when a local architect bought the 100-year-old Ashton Gate Brewery and decided to resurrect production on the site. They have five core beers with a few seasonals, one of which (a 5.2% ESB called Exhibition) was on the night I visited the barge. Their regulars are Bristol Gold, Bristol Red, Milk Stout, No7, and Sunrise. The Milk Stout is multi-award-winning, but sadly wasn’t around when I was (although their Bristol Stout was) – with a tough choice I went for the Autumnal flavours of the No7 bitter and then the Bristol Red.

No7 (4.2%) is a premium best bitter – surely the most British of beer styles, and one which is perfect for a slightly chilly October evening. The BBF website states it goes brilliantly with food – and the £7 ‘pie and a pint’ deal was too good to pass up. Unfortunately the No7 was poured totally flat, the lovely dark chestnut colour untroubled by any trace of a head. That said, it was quite fantastic – the classic Fuggles aroma paired very well with the Challenger hops on the palate, and with the slight traces of ripe fruit, vanilla and toffee in the aftertaste, it was seriously drinkable, at a perfect session strength.

Bristol Red – or just Red (3.8%) was, as expected, darker ruby in colour than the bitter, and a bit spicier. Personally, I usually prefer bitters to red ales – and these two were no exception – but the Red was also very drinkable (and unlike the previous beer retained a decent head). It was sweet and caramelly, but with none of the cloying edges that some 80/- beers from up here in Scotland sometimes contain. Bramling Cross give the aroma to this one, instead of Fuggles, and I think impart a nicer smell as a result. Sadly after this second beer, it was time to leave – but if I ever find myself back in Bristol I’ll re-board the barge to try some more.

The Grain Barge, Bristol
Bristol Beer Factory

In an industry plagued by news of pub closures and faltering breweries, Cornwall’s St Austell are one major success story. They have flourished from small regional producer to one of the largest in the country, and have done it largely off the back of a single beer – Tribute. Their flagship 4.2% amber-coloured ale is found over most of England and Wales (although rarely in Scotland). This is something of a shame, as it’s extremely good and currently sits in our top four beers of 2009, and could well take it’s place in our Beer of the Year Show at the beginning of January.

St Austell are far from a one-trick pony however, and have recently increased their output with the addition of a new beer – Smugglers Ale. At 6%abv, it’s a rich ruby coloured beer, evoking the history of smuggling and wrecking on Cornwall’s coasts. Interestingly, it’s actually a blend of an un-named dark ale and an oak-aged barely wine, which is then returned to the whisky casks and matured for a further minimum three months. According to St Austell’s head brewer Roger Ryman, Smugglers Ale is a “truly complex beer with hints of whisky, creamy vanilla, toffee and spice.”

It pours with a fast-dispersing head, and is highly carbonated with a small amount of sediment in the base of the bottle. Roger isn’t kidding when he says it’s complex, the first thing I got from the smell was dandelion and burdock, but that may have been the tang of the Fuggles mixing with the oak aged aromas. As you’d expect, the roasted malts come out strongly in the taste, along with sugary molasses and the highlighted toffee. It doesn’t taste 6%, the vanilla sweetness shields the alcohol flavours in particular.

It’s very tasty indeed, strong yet drinkable – you can certainly tell two different beers have been blended together as the sweet malts hit the ruby whisky flavours. That’s actually what it reminded me of towards the end, a ruby malt whisky ale. Crucially – and this is where a lot of the more bespoke whisky ales fall down – the sweetness is balanced and not overpowering. It’s very good indeed, and so is a real pity that Smugglers Ale is currently only available in the South West of England. We were kindly sent some to sample, but might have to get more smuggled up to us somehow – it’s worth the risk.

St Austell Official Website
[Smugglers Ale is also available from St Austell's online shop]

Lagerboy doesn’t like to restrict himself, as any long-time readers will know – but if he did maybe he could do worse than become Kölschboy for a short while, he’d probably be very satisfied. There are fourteen producers of this highly specific category of lager in the Cologne area, with a few more scattered nearby – not to mention the breweries further afield who produce Kölsch-style beers. The 1986 Kölsch Convention made sure that only the city-based producers could market themselves as true Kölsches however, but even that many would take you a while to get through.

Gaffel Kölsch (4.8%) is one of those fourteen, and the brewery took their current form in 1908 when two brothers by the name of Becker took over a struggling brewing tavern in the shadow of Cologne cathedral. They renamed the enterprise ‘Gaffel’ after the medieval trade unions who controlled the various guilds (Gaffel meaning two-pronged fork). Today it’s still run by the same family, the fifth generation of Beckers to produce Kölsch for the local populace of Germany’s fourth-largest city. They only bottle 30% of their flagship product, as the rest is kegged for consumption in and around their home city.

For a Kölsch, this one is pretty much bang on the money. It has a delicate green hoppy smell, like (forgive me) an alpine meadow. Lightly carbonated, it has that distinctive straw yellow colour of the style. Nobody drinks Kölsches expecting punishing flavours, and Gaffel is no different. It’s mild and slightly sweet, but having said that it finishes with a small but noticeable dry aftertaste. It lacks the earthy bite of a good pilsener, but as a beer style all Kölsches do. They are uncomplicated gluggers designed and brewed to be refreshingly knocked back in tall thin glasses. If you want to experiment with that particular beer style, Gaffel Kölsch is one of the very best examples.

Privatbrauerei Gaffel Becker & Co Official Website