Reviewing a beer brewed by other beer writers is a new one for us here on the BeerCast – and something of a minefield too. Not that we’re putting ourselves in the category of the three chaps responsible for BrewDog’s Avery Brown Dredge (7.5%) – the multi award-winning trio have the pageviews and Wikio rankings we can only dream of. But the dilemma still stands – love the beer and it sounds suspiciously like the ‘bloggerati* boys club’. Hate it and it’s because we wish it had been us raking out the mash tuns in Fraserburgh instead.
In case their work hasn’t reached you – Zak Avery is the spirited proprietor (and now owner) of Beer Ritz in Leeds, Pete Brown the respected author and 2009 Beer Writer of the Year, and Mark Dredge is the New Media writer of the year 2009 and 2010. Clearly, these guys know what they are doing – and they also know their history. So when BrewDog approached them to make a beer, the style they chose was an Imperial Pilsner – a re-imagining of the classic Czech beer that started so many of us on our beer journeys.
You can debate the merits of selecting the three most affable and engaging beer bloggers of the moment to brew a beer – clearly there’s plenty of free publicity in it for BrewDog. But free publicity is what BrewDog do so well – and any blogger would give their left arm and favourite tasting glass to see their name on a beer label. Not me, I hasten to add. MrB smashed it during one of our podcasts (the glass, not my arm – but that’s another story). A beer like ABD creates a terrific buzz. Bloggers are never shy of a bit of self-promotion, and as the Fraserburgh outfit aren’t either, everybody wins.
Until they get to the beer, that is. It looks lovely, a clear gold with a perfect peaky mid-European head. The aroma is bitingly strong – ABD showcases the Saaz hop, and with 50kg used per brew it strips the nasal passages. There’s some sweet malt in there on the taste, but from start to finish you get sharp, bitter hops. It’s seriously oily at the same time, which combined with the alcohol burn results in something like grain alcohol at times.
Thankfully there’s a fruity edge that helps cushion this, but it’s puckering like lemon juice, packing one hell of an oily punch on the aftertaste – I can see why Glyn at Rabidbarfly christened it SpecialBrewDog. I can understand the reasoning of Zak, Pete and Mark – when let loose in BrewDog’s hop store I’ll bet the sky’s the limit – and I really wanted to like it. I promise this isn’t bloggers’ envy, but for me Avery Brown Dredge – lovely chaps that they are – was too much.
We’re rapidly approaching the end of May – which draws to a close the only month on the British beer calendar with a designated style. CAMRA have a stated aim to protect traditional varieties of beer – one of the most threatened of which is currently the humble Mild. To publicise the risk this beer faces they introduced a Mild in May campaign – encouraging brewers to produce the style, and punters to drink them, during the current month.
It’s an idea with the best of intentions – one of the reasons that Milds are sliding from view is that many drinkers today see them as old fashioned, and associate them with times gone by. Humble Northerners in the 1950′s drank mild, flat cap in the other hand, down their local. Today things have moved on. I used to be of that persuasion, having had a couple of truly awful Milds a few years ago.
At their worst they can be utterly bland and insipid, dark in colour but devoid of any flavour once the first slightly roasted notes have passed over the tongue. But there are some great Milds out there – proving that subtlety needn’t be at the expense of quality. Highland Dark Munro and Kelburn Dark Moor, for example, both have a lovely toasted malt backbone – and are well worth seeking out.
Beers such as these two give hope to the Mild enthusiasts – but there are also a couple of other reasons to think that a resurgence could be on the cards. Ironically, one is the increased experimentation of modern brewers. As they become more prolific, many turn their hand to recreating historic styles of beer – such as Milds. Rarer versions – such as the Strong Mild (with an ABV of around 6%) – are becoming popular, and dare I say it, fashionable.
One such beer is a collaboration produced by London’s Kernel and Redemption breweries. Their Strong Dark Mild rocks up at 6.1%. It has the big roasty liquorice notes you’d expect from a beefed-up Mild, plus the signature hop edge of the Kernel Brewery. When the alcohol arrives on the finish, the whole thing ends like a chewy strong porter.
CAMRA should be applauded for trying to retain one of the UK’s native beer styles, which although not to everyone’s taste is definitely worthy of saving. As brewers follow their lead and put out more quality traditional Milds, together with the appearance of beers like the Kernel/Redemption offering (also traditional, of course) things might just be looking up. The Government reducing duty on beer under 2.8% can’t hurt, either.* Maybe come May 2012 there will be more Milds to tempt us to rediscover the style…
*Not that it was done with the intention of saving the Mild, of course…
Beer is one of the oldest creations of mankind, stretching back thousands of years to when the properties (if not the exact science) of fermentation were discovered. Whether a happy accident or not, crude recipes were devised to create drinks that made people feel bolder, more relaxed, or just forget about themselves for a few hours (or days). Fast forward to current times and some of these ancient styles are enjoying a renaissance at the hands of creative modern brewers. In our latest BeerCast, we sample four of these Beers of Yesteryear (title inspired by this article written by Mark Dredge on the subject).
We begin this podcast with Daleside Morocco Ale (5.5%), which dates back to Elizabethan times. We then move back 2,700 years to a tomb in Turkey, where the recipe for Dogfish Head Midas Touch (9.0%) was discovered. The Vikings are up next, as we sample the pine and spruce ale Alba (7.5%), resurrected by Heather Ales – the traditional arm of Alloa’s Williams Brothers. We finish on the mighty Thornbridge Bracia, a 10% old ale loosely based on an indigenous British beer from Celtic times. Buckling up on this Bill and Ted style adventure are Richard, Shovels and BeerCast debutant Blair…
1. Daleside Morocco Ale (5.5%abv) Daleside Brewery, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
500ml glass bottle
Back in the mid-19th Century feasts were all the rage amongst British landowners and the wealthy elite. Levens Hall in Cumbria hosted a shindig in May of every year – at which they served a beer that had been brewed and left to mature for 21 years. At the time, Charles II had married Catherine of Breganza – who brought with her as part of her dowry the city state of Tangiers. Things Moorish became popular, so this dark, spicy ale was named Morocco Ale. When originally served at Leven’s Hall guests were required to stand on one leg, drain a large glass and then recite “Luck to Levens whilst t’Kent flows”. With this version, recreated by Harrogate’s Daleside Brewery, our panellists merely have to score it out of ten…
What They Say - “This is a very dark, rich and mysterious ale brewed to an ancient recipe dating back to Elizabethan times. Full bodied, malty with spicy overtones this complex beer is only brewed occasionally.” [Official Website]
What We Say…
Shovels – Slightly spicy, like a milder Old Peculier 7
Richard – Fruity but missing alcohol oomph 6½
Blair – Watery and sessionable, I’m looking for more 6
One of the kings of the American Craft Beer movement, Dogfish Head pride themselves on their pioneering spirit. With that (and ignoring the oxymoron) they have turned to the past for inspiration. With the collaboration of molecular archaeologist Dr Patrick McGovern (a world expert on ancient beverages) they established a line of historical beers. One of these is Midas Touch, based on an ancient Turkish recipe developed from the residue found on drinking vessels recovered from the tomb of King Midas. Will it turn to gold in the hands of our panel?
What They Say - “Our recipe highlights the known ingredients of barley, white Muscat grapes, honey and saffron. Somewhere between a beer, wine and mead, this smooth, dry ale will please Chardonnay or I.P.A. drinker alike.” [Official Website]
What We Say…
Blair – To hit as many home runs as them you take a couple misses 6½
Richard – Tastes like Battenberg cake, sweet and flat 5
Shovels – Well-balanced but I’d not want a lot of it 4
3. Heather Ales Alba (7.5%abv) Williams Brothers, Alloa, Scotland.
330ml glass bottle
Our third ancient ale predates the arrival of the mighty hop on British shores. Back in the day, people who wanted to make beer flavoured it with the natural ingredients they could find around them – herbs, spices, plant extracts. The Vikings (who liked to work up a thirst) added spruce and pine to their alcohol, and as these ingredients are endemic to Scotland that type of beer was soon copied here. Shetland spruce ale was said to “stimulate animal instincts”, and if women drank it they would give birth to twins. With the podcasters on board today, anything could happen…
What They Say - “Alba is a triple style ale brewed to a traditional Highland recipe from Scots pine and spruce shoots pickled during early spring. A tawny brown strong ale with spruce aroma, it has a rich malt texture, complex wood flavour and lingering finish.” [Official Website]
What We Say…
Richard – Resinous sappy flavour, I quite like it 7
Blair – I get a lot of raspberry jam from this 7
Shovels – Sweet, caramelly, quite interesting, bit too sweet 5
The first Thornbridge beer to make it onto one of our BeerCasts (although we have featured them on the website before), Bracia is a powerhouse of flavour containing six malts, four hops, roasted barley and Italian Chestnut honey. The original recipe vanished into the mists of time with the ancient Iron Age Celts (reference to Bracia was found in name only, inscribed by Romans at a Derbyshire fort). A honey beer high in alcohol, Thornbridge have recreated it pretty much from scratch, head brewer Stefano Cossi sourcing the honey from the Alps himself (possibly using elephants, we aren’t sure)
What They Say - “Aromas are of chestnut, honey, cappuccino, white chocolate, dark fruits, vibrant fresh peel. The mouthfeel is velvety and rich, with notes of coffee, chocolate, liquorice and hazelnuts with warming alcohol, cocoa and a little peat in the finish Bracia can be cellared for up to one year, maybe longer.” [Official Website]
What We Say…
Blair – Big bodied, the alcohol comes out well, really good 8
Richard – Every sip gives something different, just lovely 8
Shovels – Quite medicinal, really complex aftertaste 7½
Panellists – (clockwise from top left) Shovels, Blair, Richard
BeerCast panel verdict
Thornbridge Bracia 23½/30
Daleside Morocco Ale 19½/30
Heather Ales Alba 19/30
Dogfish Head Midas Touch Golden Elixir 15½/30
Please keep those comments and emails coming in, and check back in a couple of weeks for our next podcast. We have two brewery showcases lined up – our Northern panel sample four beers produced by the Hardknott microbrewery in Cumbria, and our London crew tackle the beers of Robert Knops…
Last night Edinburgh’s local gypsy brewer Robert Knops unveiled the first bottles of his newest beer – Knops IPA – in a WWE style head to head contest against three flash opponents from the USA. The Smackdown pitted each of his bottled offerings with a similar (as much as possible) beer from across the pond – which is always an interesting process, even if the intention was not to directly copy another product. Ash from Appellation Wines was the ringmaster, and as Robert strode into the ring, all eyes turned to the beers in his corner…
Round 1
First on the card, Knops California Common squared up against the Big Daddy of the style – Anchor Steam. Looking confident having owned the term Steam Beer for decades – and seen off many challengers – the American opened up with a sweet caramel malt introduction, before following with a crisp hop finish. Rob’s version came out of the blocks a tad sweeter, more fudgelike, bamboozling the Anchor with a touch more carbonation. Both tried to get the upper hand as the round drew to a close, but it went to a points decision.
The Result – a good showing from the local entrant. However, the crisp edge to the incumbent sees a narrow points victory. Winner – Anchor Steam.
Round 2
As Ash’s glamorous assistant Blair departed with the board for Round 2, it was time for the heavyweight battle of the evening – Knops Musselburgh Broke against Odell 90/-. The American rolled into the ring bringing 5.3% of rich, treacley malt – looking as if it would ride all over the Scottish challenger. But Musselburgh went for broke with a brown sugar and toffee caramel move, before a decisive one-two of carbonation and a chocolate edge had the lumbering 90/- on the ropes.
The Result – finding the Odell’s weakness, the challenger nimbly sidestepped the sweet richness to win by a wide margin. Winner – Musselburgh Broke
Round 3
Once the wolf-whistles for Blair had died away, the top billing had arrived. Goose Island IPA against Knops IPA. A winner takes all hopslam. In the red corner – the American. Experienced, swaggering, and with a new trainer recently arrived on the team. In the blue – a brand new beer, only recently bottled, from a man brewing on rented time in Stirling. Goose Island opened with a fizzy, lemon sherbet aroma, with a creamy palate and a bitter, hop finish. There was a slight weakness – the slightly soapy edge to the hops – that Knops IPA looked to exploit.
As the challenger came out, it was with a total blindside – a sweet caramel aroma. Little hop on the nose was a major surprise for the behemoth-backed US IPA. The surprises continued – sweet, toasty, slightly woody notes – before the hops arrived as a subtle choke hold at the end of the combo. Playing the long game, the 40 IBU’s sought to give the Knops entrant a sessionability the Goose Island could never hope for. Utterly incomparable, the two beers grappled to a stalemate, before retiring, swathed in condensation, to their respective chiller cabinets.
The Result – Very tough to call, as both are so different. Goose Island is the trash talking top hat-wearing preening type. Knops IPA the traditional Saturday afternoon Queensbury Rules nothing-below-the-belt offering. Winner – a convenient Draw
…rumours spread around the Appellation Arena of a winner takes all rumble between an as-yet untrained Knops Porter and Three Floyds Darklord. We stress these are, at this stage, unconfirmed.
Some things take their time to filter up to Scotland, particularly if they hail from the other end of the country. A couple of months ago, bloggers were in rapture about a collaboration beer brewed in Cornwall – Sharp’s Monsieur Rock (5.2%). Leigh from the Good Stuff: “Quite unlike anything I’ve drunk before”; Dave from Taste Sensations: “The first beer I have drank more than one in a row for a long long time”; Beer Reviews Andy: “One of the most delicious and drinkable beers I have ever had”.
Finally Monsieur Rock made it north of Hadrian’s Wall, and having read reviews like that we pretty much pounced on it. The culmination of a meeting of minds between Sharp’s Stuart Howe and Jean-Marie Rock of Orval – two men with more than a few natty ideas between them – the genesis of the beer began when Stuart visited Orval last year. Learning as much as possible about the techniques practiced at the iconic Trappist Abbey, Stuart invited head brewer Jean-Marie back to Cornwall in return.
From these visits over the course of last summer, Monsieur Rock was born. Hopped solely with Saaz, as something of a showcase, the brew was lagered for two months before bottling. It pours a clear pale gold and sports a fluffy white head. The aromas that result are just fantastic – soft citrus, a touch of grassy herb, almost perfumed. Creamy lemon comes out on the taste, with some Belgian herbal notes, before the dry, citric finish. Others noted a ginger touch to it, but I got mostly pale grassy lemon.
It’s so hard to pin down – it looks like a lager, but tastes almost like a Belgian Golden Ale. But then there’s not much bitterness, instead a creamy softness dominates – which is the wrong word, as nothing dominates this beer. Then there’s the 5.2% alcohol, I have no idea where that goes, the finish is really crisp and with a sudden touch of sharpness – like a lager. Which brings us full circle. Any way you cut it, Monsieur Rock is outstanding, and my colleagues from down South are spot on.
