The BeerCast

We’ve been spoiled a bit on the BeerCast recently when we cast our minds to the subject of Imperial IPA’s. Those intensely hopped, low malt pale ales that originated in the USA are a favourite here (and a favourite of many other beer lovers on both sides of the pond). Over the past few months we’ve sampled Stone’s Ruination IPA, Great Divide’s Titan IPA, not to mention a pair from BrewDog – Atlantic IPA and Hardcore IPA. Well, now we managed to get our grubby little hands on one of the undoubted champions of the category – Dogfish Head’s 90 Minute Imperial IPA (9%).

Consistently ranked at or near the top of online beer polls, the Delaware craft brewery push a single, persistent ninety-minute hop addition into this beautifully hazy amber beer – they have other versions hopped for different lengths of time. We’re well aware that Dogfish Head are one of the most commonly-quoted and reviewed US craft brewers, it’s just that it can be so hard to track down their products in the UK – when you manage to get hold of a bottle, it needs to be savoured.

And savour is the word; every drop of this stuff is precious. It pours a hazy caramel colour with a menacing hue – the aroma is astonishing, massive hops, warming alcohol tingles the nose. The mouthfeel is also very warming, which disproves my theory about dark spicy beers working best in the chillier months. You need to chew your way through it, but it’s absolutely worth it. At the beginning it won’t affect your tastebuds the way a 9% beer should – later on though, they surrender and it really drinks to its par, coupled with a fantastic rising bitterness on the aftertaste. Simply one of the greatest beers in the world.

Dogfish Head website

Scotland has given many things to the world relating to drink – single malt whisky, Shetland gin, Irn-Bru, Rabb C Nesbitt – but also the distinctive Scottish Ale, and the Shilling scale of classification. Growing our beer knowledge in Scotland, from young students knocking back subsidised £1.20 pints of McEwans 70/- in Uni bars, we’ve become highly familiar with the classic range of beers and their increasing heftiness. Originally relating to prices charged per barrel – 60, 70, 80 and 90 shilling beers are characteristically Scottish (as are their alternate names – Light, Heavy, Export and Wee Heavy).

Trouble is, they are often also characteristically awful. They tend to have very similar flavours – dominated by general malty sweetness and overpowering caramel tastes. Our first ever BeerCast podcast was a discussion on 80/- ales and their tendency to be syrupy and cloying, yet weak and strangely unsatisfying. Personally, I take a wide berth from local market-leader Caledonian 80/- these days (although that could be down to many rough Sunday mornings during my campus days). But as a brewing style (or series of styles) they should be cherished, if only for historical reasons – much like the controversial British Mild.

Like milds, many breweries have turned their backs on Shilling ales – although the natural patriotism of Scottish brewers has meant many of them still produce at least an 80/- in their range. Some are even turning back the clock and re-discovering the humble Export. One such brewer are Alloa’s Williams Bros, who made their names reviving lost styles of Scottish beer, so are a natural choice to tempt “modern” ale drinkers (if we can call ourselves that) to take a punt on an 80/-. Launched in time to co-incide with the 2009 Sainsbury’s Beer Competition is Williams 80/- (4.2%). [It ended up making the final shortlist].

I’ve always thought the best thing about an 80/- is the smell – sweet, malty and a bit like toffee ice cream (at least this is what I get from the William Bros’ version). These are beers that need to be served only slightly cool – or chilled and then left to get back to room temperature before drinking. It pours carbonated, but with no head, just a thin lacing of bubbles and with a dark ruby, almost blackcurrant colour. As expected, the twin tastes that come at you are malt and sweetness, plus a touch of fruit – although we’re not into the fruitcakes of darker ales. It’s sweet though, and it gets sweeter as it warms – which is the problem I used to have with shilling ales, I think. There’s a slight taste of something akin to dandelion and burdock, which might just be me – anyway, it’s a nice beer, very drinkable, which for a style I’m not keen on probably means it’s much better than I give it credit for.

Williams Bros website

Hello again! This time it’s the London office’s turn to  fire up the ole garageband and get recording another instalment of the never ending story of wonder and intrigue  that is The BeerCast. We reunited the dreamteam of Andrew Hayes (Key keyboard and bitter consultant), Nick Fraenkel (Chief Japanese and Sanchen adviser) and old stalwarts Andy and Jess of Andy and Jess.

It’s another rollercoaster mystery pic n mix surprise episode with none of the usual theme guidelines to keep us on course. As a result we do off-road a fair bit but it’s all in the pursuit of beery excellence. Oh and garageband stopped twice during recording so look out for special sound effects during the episode – Enjoy! Andy

1. Peter Scholey’s Organic English Beer (4.1%abv)
Ridgeway Brewing, South Stoke, Oxfordshire.
500ml glass bottle

Ridgeway Brewing was formed by a former head brewer from Brakspear. Described as a cuckoo brewer because this organisation does not own a brewery but contracts brews, primarily bottled beers for other breweries on other people’s plants mainly at Hepworth. A few beers have also appeared under the name Ridgeway Brewery.

What They Say – “The English Target hops, coupled with its unpasteurised condition, help give this great ale outstanding clarity of aroma and intensity of flavour.” [Vintage Roots]

What We Say…
Andrew – I’d drink significant amounts of it in any kind of garden 7.5
Nick – Elderflowers and honey, i’d like it with some burnt bread 7
Andy – Smells flowery but it’s not too sweet 7
Jess – Lots of honey and lemon, lovely 7

2. Riggwelter Black Sheep Ale (5.7%abv)
Black Sheep Brewery, Masham, North Yorkshire.
500ml glass bottle

Established in the early nineties by Paul Theakston, 6th generation of Masham’s famous brewing family, the brewery has grown from strength to strength and in early 2007 it was proudly awarded ‘Brewery of the Year’ by The Good Pub Guide for the second year running. In addition, Black Sheep Bitter was chosen as the North East’s favourite cask ale in the 2007 Best of British Beer Awards hosted by Cask Marque and the Daily Telegraph.

What They Say – “Brewed with many generous handfuls of choice Golding hops, it is full flavoured premium ale with a rich fruity aroma. The bittersweet malty taste is followed by Black Sheep’s uncompromising long, dry and bitter finish” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Andrew – Surprisingly clean, hits you in the eyes a bit though 6
Nick – Bitter foretaste, not much of an aftertaste, not as complex as it should be 5
Andy – I would struggle to drink a bottle of it 5
Jess – Quite interesting, I’m getting Riggy with it 4

3. Little Creatures Pale Ale (5.1%abv)
Little Creatures Brewery, Fremantle, Western Australia
330ml glass bottle

Andrew picked this little gem up in from a wine shop in west London no-less. Beer websites tend to be bobbins but Little Creature’s website is a pleasure to visit, I’d really recommend it – (link). The brewery looks to be run very much in the spirit of the Innocent smoothie brand, with happy looking employees all having a say in the company’s progress and not a one of them sitting doing accounts on the computer. The result? Lovely beers. There’s a lesson there i think..

What They Say – “Bag loads of whole Chinook and Cascade hop flowers that we source from Washington and Oregon in the US as well as some local flowers from Tasmania are thrown at this beer, creating an intense citrus and grapefruit aroma and flavour that we balance with a careful selection of specialty malts and a local pale malt made to our own specifications.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Andrew – Lychees, pineapples, I’ll open the second bottle 8
Andy – Smells like a bag of pot pour at your aunties 8
Jess – It’s downright floral, but a nice bitter grapefruit edge 8
Nick – Tastes like lychees and lollies (Chupa Chups) 5.5

4. Gale’s Seafarers Ale (3.6%abv)
Fullers, The Griffin Brewery, London.
500ml glass bottle

Fullers say they donate 5 for every barrel of Seafarers ale sold to Seafarers UK, the leading martime charity. The ale was only released in the bottle on Sep 10th 2009. The press release from Fuller’s says “Seafarers Ale is an extraordinary cask ale, developed as a tribute to Gales’ close association with all who sail the seas. Launched as a year-round beer in April 2009, Seafarers Ale has already sailed past the 1,000 barrels sold mark, resulting in a donation to Seafarers UK, the leading maritime charity, of £5,000″ That’s pretty good, but do good intentions translate to good beer tastes?..

What They Say – “Seafarers is brewed to 3.6% abv and is a delicious, thirst quenching ale. The secret of the hugely satisfying, refreshing taste of this light, amber beer is in the blend of finest quality English malt, Admiral hops and the unique Gales yeast.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Andrew – It’s not slapping me in the face like the sea, but it has an edge of sulphur i quite like  5
Andy – A little bit watery (pun intended) 5
Jess – Disappointing, thought it would be more robust like a sailor 5
Nick – Smells like sea air, couldn’t tell the difference with Fosters 4.5

No then.

Panellists – (from top left) Andy&Jess, Andrew, Nick

BeerCast panel verdict
Little Creatures (29½/40)
Organic English Ale (28½/40)
Riggwelter Black Sheep (20/40)
Seafarers Ale (19½/40)

“Wie das land, so das Jever” is the motto of Lagerboy’s latest tempter – Jever Pilsener (4.9%). Being an internationally renowned lager expect and contributor to ‘What Shandy?’ magazine, he has to know a smattering of German to get by (not to mention Czech, Polish, Dutch, American). Loosely translated as something along the lines of ‘The Beer Like the Land’, Jever hails from the northern German principality of Friesland in Lower Saxony. As their official website reveals, Friesland’s soft water means they can add more hops into their beer, to give a slightly more bitter flavour than other pilseners – although that could just be ‘das marketing spiel’.

The “Friesische Brauhaus zu Jever” was founded by Diedrich König in 1848, yet it wasn’t until 1934 that their main product was christened after the town itself. Another of their slogans is ‘Friesisch Herb’, which translates as ‘Frisian Herb’ – possibly an indication of something else added to the beer. It pours a perfectly clear golden colour with a pillowy white head – it’s extremely carbonated and pulses with bubbles. The smell is crisp and hoppy, which comes through on the taste. It really is bitter – not Imperial IPA bitter, but bitter for a pilsener – and maybe there is something else in the taste. It could be wishful thinking given the suggested hint of herbs on the label, though. The extra zappy influences of the hops and mystery yes/no herbs lift Jever Pilsener above many of the others on the market, it’s really drinkable indeed.

Jever Official Website

Beer in cans has come a long way since the days of Stones bitter and anonymous 4%abv Eurolagers. Here in the UK we’re still subject to a great deal of tasteless bilge, but now the cans come with a space-age floating widget to aid carbonation. However, as ever when it comes to brewing the Americans do things differently, and producers there that choose to can their beer have rightfully ignored the widgets and concentrated on the product instead. On the 23rd of October the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno saw the inaugural canned beer festival – CANFEST – attended by many notable US brewers who are turning their backs on glass.

But why? You’ll find a list of reasons on the website of practically everyone who chooses to do this – almost as if they feel the need to reassure the drinking public that it is possible to put something decent into something metallic. The major plus point is that cans eliminate oxidation, keeping the cardboardy flavours away. They are obviously lighter and easier to transport, they are easier to chill and stay colder, and the newest generation of cans have a upgraded coating to prevent the beer coming into contact with the aluminium, and therefore unwanted harsh, tinny tastes of previous years.

So the BeerCast decided to put this to the test, and got hold of a couple of the USA’s foremost can pushers, Steamworks Third Eye Pale Ale (6.5%), and Caldera IPA (6.1%). This wasn’t easy – they may transport well, but they are pretty hard to track down in the UK (try Beers of Europe for both or Bar Pivo in York for Caldera’s beers). Both poured highly carbonated – take that, widget people – although after a while the heads had fizzled out. Both had characteristic strong US hop aromas, the Third Eye Pale Ale reminded me more of an IPA, it had a punchy hop taste and a very long, biting aftertaste. It was refreshing, but would maybe get a bit much after a while with that thick finish.

The Caldera IPA on the other hand was stunning, the array of Pacific coast hops gave an incredible bursting hop taste that was wonderful. Simcoe, Centennial and Amarillo (I had to look them up) combined beautifully on the palate. The alcohol was modest for the above session abv, and the aftertaste was piney and very easy. The crispness of this beer was fantastic, with some citrus fruit you’d expect from an IPA coupled with a touch of sweetness that really makes it stand out. It’s one of the nicest IPA’s I’ve ever sampled, without doubt – and the fact that it comes in a can proves (as if any proof were needed) that canned beer is absolutely no different to its glass-dwelling cousins.

Steamworks Brewing Co
Caldera Brewing Co