The BeerCast

Our first podcast in 2010 takes place back in our regular Edinburgh haunt, after the excitement of our BOTY Show had subsided. No 32%abv beers on offer tonight, as Grooben and MrB join Richard for a last-minute BeerCast decided on the spur of the moment. Richard dashed to Morrisons at lunchtime to come up with four beers - hence the title of the podcast (and also homage to a truly great television programme of old). First up in our aisle foraging special - Everards Tiger (4.2%) from the award-winning Leicester producer. We then move slightly south-east as we sample Wychwood’s Circle Master (4.7%), and debate it’s ‘Golden Pale Ale’ description. Our third beer is from Cumbria - Jenning’s Sneck Lifter (5.1%), and we finish on a slightly stronger note with Greene King’s vintage ale Abbot Reserve (6.5%). Stay tuned also for discussions on driving, Richard’s story about the time his Grandad almost punched Tommy Cooper, and a heartwarming tale of cross-border teen romance from MrB.

1. Everards Tiger (4.2%abv)
Everards Brewery, Leicester, Leicestershire. 500ml glass bottle

Tiger is the flagship ale from one of the East Midland’s most successful family brewers. Everard’s were established in Leicester back in 1849 when one William Everard purchased the South Street Brewery. Over the years they have expanded and developed, and today are in the hands of the fifth generation of William’s descendants. Their current home is Castle Acres in Narborough, and was purpose built to push the company into nationwide levels of production. Tiger combines Maris Otter malt with the classic British bitter combination of hops - Goldings and Fuggles.

What They Say -
“A true award winning best bitter with universal appeal. Tiger Best Bitter is a classic example of getting the perfect balance between sweetness and bitterness. Crystal malt gives the beer its rounded toffee character.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Grooben - It’s not as interesting as it makes out 5
Richard - I’ve had this on cask and I liked it a lot more 5
MrB - Malty and watery with a bit of toffee 5

2. Circle Master (4.7%abv)
Wychwood Brewery, Witney, Oxfordshire. 500ml glass bottle

Wychwood are one busy brewer. Alongside their varied and expanding range of ales, they also contract brew all bottled beers put out under the Duchy Originals label, not to mention their acquisition of the troubled Brakspear. There are two brew plants at their Witney headquarters to cope with the demand, which is understandable. In 2002 (the same year they bought Brakspear), they were themselves taken over by the pithily-named Refresh UK, a subsidiary of Marstons plc. Their most popular beer is Hobgoblin, famed throughout real ale circles for it’s “…afraid you might taste something?” advertising.

What They Say -
“Whole leaf target hops, naturally grown in a single garden in Kent, are added to create a beer of exceptional taste and character. The Circle Master conducts a melody of refreshing citrus and delightful malt flavour, rounded off with a spicy bittersweet finish.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard - They may be stuck between two styles here 7
Grooben - There’s an extremely lingering dry aftertaste 6
MrB - Bitter and fizzy, too much like a lager 6

3. Sneck Lifter (5.1%abv)
Jennings Brewery, Cockermouth, Cumbria. 500ml glass bottle

Like Everards, Jennings are another 19th Century family brewer - they began in the village of Lorton, between the Cumbrian towns of Keswick and Cockermouth. In 1874 the Castle Brewery in the latter of those two towns was purchased, and Jenning’s moved to increase production. Cockermouth made global news in November 2009 when enormous floods caused by the rising rivers Cocker and Derwent inundated the town to a depth of eight feet. The Jennings Brewery - situated on Brewery Lane almost at the confluence of the two rivers - was also flooded, but has since re-opened for production.

What They Say -
“In northern dialect sneck means door latch and a sneck lifter was a man’s last sixpence which enabled him to lift the latch of a pub door and buy himself a pint, hoping to meet friends there who might treat him to one or two more. This dark beer with a reddish tinge, derived from the use of coloured malts, perfectly balanced with specially formulated brewing sugars and English aromatic hops.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard - I love the smokiness that gives way to bitter taste 8
MrB - Once the smokiness goes down the hops come out 7
Grooben - I didn’t expect it to be this complex 7

4. Abbot Reserve (6.5%abv)
Greene King plc, Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk. 500ml glass bottle

Greene King aren’t a family brewer - but they do have a history, as they claim to have started production in 1799 in the Suffolk town of Bury St Edmonds. Having a head start seemed to help, as they are now the largest British-owned brewery in the UK. Trading on the ftse stock exchange, they have helped their position by an aggressive series of acquisitions of smaller brewers - Morland, Ruddles and Ridleys have all been bought and closed, and they also own Dunbar’s own, Belhaven. We sampled their 5.0% flagship beer, Abbot Ale way back in BeerCast #4 in September 2007, where it scored 36/60 (60%).

What They Say - “Abbot Reserve has an abv of 6.5% and is a perfect winter warmer on a cold night. It is a distinctive full-bodied smooth and mature beer, bursting with rich fruit cake and toffee flavours.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Grooben - A brown sugary blast, not offensive but not pleasing 5
Richard - Fruitcake taste but nothing else to give it substance 4½
MrB - Gets far too sweet as it warms up 4½

Panellists - (clockwise from top left) Richard, MrB, Grooben

BeerCast panel verdict
Jennings Sneck Lifter (22/30)
Wychwood Circle Master (19/30)
Everards Tiger (15/30)
Greene King Abbot Reserve (14/30)

Stay tuned for our next podcast, as our Southern studio get together for BeerCast #46 - a celebration of Mexican beer….

Ho Ho Ho, and Merry Christmas from all at the BeerCast! As with any other time of year, there are no shortage of seasonal ales that can be used to celebrate the festive period, so we’ve collected several for our Christmas Special. This episode is actually our third festive outing, and as with last year we celebrated by ramping up the number of beers. We begin with Naylor’s Santa’s Choice Winter Warmer (4.9%) from Yorkshire, and then move down to Suffolk for St. Peter’s Winter Ale (6.5%). Our third beer follows BeerCast tradition - Anchor’s Our Special Ale 2009 (5.5%), following on from the three previous Christmas vintages that have featured in our podcasts. Next up we sample Bad Elf (6.0%) from the Ridgeway Brewery, before finishing on Goose Island Christmas 2009 (7.0%) from the Chicago-area producers. On the panel for our festive special are Richard, Grooben, and the returning MrB.

1. Santa’s Choice Winter Warmer (4.9%abv)
Naylor’s Brewery, Keighley, West Yorkshire.
500ml glass bottle

Keighley’s Naylor Brewery were founded in 2005 by two long-time friends who decided to purchase and renovate a local pub, the Old White Bear. As their success grew, they outgrew the homely surroundings in Crosshills and had to open a bespoke brewery to keep up with demand. They produce beers under the Naylor’s name, and also a range of Pinnacle beers, named after a local pointy landmark. We sampled their Ginger Beer in BeerCast #23, our unusual ingredient special. Their festive offering might weigh in at under 5%abv, but it’s a self-styled ‘winter warmer’.

What They Say - “Chestnut in colour, with a hint of Christmas fruit and spice. This traditional ale is a real winter warmer” [Official Website]

Label Christmas Rating - 8/10

What We Say…
Grooben - I fail to see how it’s a winter warmer at all 5
Richard - Too watery to be warming, it tastes like a shandy 4
MrB - Santa on the label has a beer - I bet it’s not this one 4

2. St Peter’s Winter Ale (6.5%abv)
St Peter’s Brewery, Bungay, Suffolk.
500ml glass bottle

The small East Anglian village of Bungay used to be renowned for tales of a sinister feral dog called Black Shuck that terrorised it’s medieval inhabitants – but these days thankfully it’s a brewer that has put it back on the map. St Peter’s produce a wide range of beers from their Suffolk base, and supply a single – but outstanding – pub in London, the Jerusalem Tavern (link for our visit). We’ve also featured the brewery on the BeerCast, tasting their Golden Ale in a summery-themed show last year, BeerCast #19. This time we take on their Winter Ale, and see how it compares to others that have also been brewed for the season.

What They Say - “A deep, ruby red strong ale with an excellent balance of malt sweetness and hop bitterness. A classic example of a ‘winter warmer’; high in alcohol and rich in taste.” [Official Website]

Label Christmas Rating - 0/10

What We Say…
Richard - Dark, deep and rich, but cloyingly sweet 6
Grooben - That’s some malty business, not for the faint-hearted 5
MrB - Too fizzy, and I don’t associate liquorice with winter 3

3. Our Special Ale 2009 (5.5%abv)
Anchor Brewery, San Francisco, California.
355ml glass bottle

It wouldn’t be a BeerCast Christmas Special without the latest special festive ale from Anchor. Each year they produce a highly secret recipe, slightly different from all previous years – the 2009 vintage is the 35th in the series. The 2006 edition topped our beer rankings for a long time, and was eventually crowned beer of the year in our 2007 Beer of the Year show, (during which we also tasted the 2007 one). The 2008 version also scored well last year, so as ever we have high hopes for the 2009. There are never any tasting notes as the San Francisco concern keep the exact ingredients classified, but expect spices, piney freshness and all kinds of winter flavours.

What They Say - “The Ale’s recipe is different every year—as is the tree on the label—but the intent with which we offer it remains the same.” [Official Website]

Label Christmas Rating - 3/10

What We Say…
Richard - No cloves or spice, it just tastes of juniper 7
MrB - Very bitter – lemon-juice bitter, not hop bitter 7
Grooben - I would have like a bit more warming spice, I’ve got a vague sense of disappointment 6

4. Bad Elf (6.0%abv)
Ridgeway Brewery, South Stoke, Oxfordshire.
500ml glass bottle

Ridgeway can be loosely pushed into two pigeonholes – as a phoenix brewery, and a cuckoo brewery. They were founded from the ashes of a defunct producer, as ex-Brakspear head brewer Peter Scholey left and managed to start up another company in his own right. He named the new operation Ridgeway, after the ancient upland pathway that meanders along the South Downs, first trod by the Druids. They contract brew, so Peter leases time from brewers with the capacity to spare, most commonly Sussex’s Hepworth. They export a lot of their beers to North America, and revel in the use of elf puns, increasing in strength from Bad Elf through Very Bad Elf, to Insanely Bad Elf.

What They Say - “Olde England meets the New World in this strong, warming golden ale. A generous amount of famous English malt is masterfully balanced with an astounding 45 ounces of fresh hops – including English Cascade – per barrel.” [Official Website]

Label Christmas Rating - 3/10

What We Say…
Grooben - Not a Christmas beer, but it’s the kind of beer I like 7
Richard - Hoppy at the start, then the taste vanishes 6½
MrB - A smoky IPA, smokier than an American pale ale 6

5. Goose Island Christmas 2009 (7.0%abv)
Goose Island Brewing Company, Chicago, Illinois.
750ml glass bottle

Anchor aren’t the only American craft brewer that produce a seasonal beer with slightly varying recipes each year. Chicago veterans Goose Island also put out a festive ale along those lines, and we’re really pleased to have finally tracked down a bottle. The company started off based in a Chicago brewpub, one of the first in the United States, but like Naylor’s Brewery they became too successful for their fledgling space, and had to open larger premises. We delighted in their amazing India Pale Ale (5.9%) in BeerCast #36, our IPA special. In fact, before we started our Christmas Special the IPA was in our top four beers of the year, and heading for the Beer of the Year Show.

What They Say - “Specialty Belgian malts create a deep garnet color and a truly rich old European flavour in our classic Christmas Ale. And the generous amount of crystal hops adds that extra spicy aroma to your pint, perfect for a wintry night.” [Official Website]

Label Christmas Rating - 7/10

What We Say…
MrB - It’s like a special Goose Island IPA, sooo good 9
Richard - Hoppy, bittersweet, smooth, warming, fantastic 8
Grooben - Anchor’s more of a seasonal beer, but this is nicer 8

Panellists - (clockwise from top left) Richard, MrB, Grooben

BeerCast panel verdict
Goose Island Christmas 2009 (25/30)
Anchor Christmas Ale 2009 (20/30)
Ridgeway Bad Elf (19½/30)
St Peter’s Winter Ale (14/30)
Naylor’s Winter Warmer (13/30)

As that concludes our 2009 BeerCast season, stay tuned for the announcement on which four beers have made it through to our Beer of the Year Show in early January. Reigning champion and 2008 BOTY Hop Back Summer Lightning will be displaced…but by what…?

We like to run a democratic ship here on the BeerCast, so when panellist Grooben requested a chance to go foraging for beers, we gave him full reign and unlocked his cage. He managed to pull together four ales – all varying styles – so we cobbled together a podcast in his honour. We begin with a gluten-free beer, Green’s Herald (4.0%), to see how these special ales for people with intolerances actually taste. Next we head to the US to sample Juju Ginger Ale (6.0%) from Left Hand Brewing. Our third beer is the first of a BrewDog double-header. The Fraserburgh duo have been much in the news of late, so we try their 1.1% protest beer Nanny State, before we finish on a stronger one brewed in collaboration with San Diego’s Stone Brewery - Bashah Imperial Stout (8.6%). On the panel this time are Richard, Shovels, and of course Grooben.

1. Green’s Herald (4.0%abv)
Green’s Gluten-Free Beers, Shipley, West Yorkshire.
500ml glass bottle

Coelic disease is a very serious disorder of the small intestine whereby sufferers are intolerant to a gluten protein found in wheat. Of course, as a result of this beer is something off-limits to most. However, these days there are a number of producers who create beers specifically for people who can’t drink beer made the traditional way. Green’s of Shipley are one such company, using ‘pseudo-cereals’ such as sorghum, millet and buckwheat instead. They have a range of ales and lagers, including a Belgian-style dubbel and an amber ale. Herald is their English-style bitter, although there’s little information as to exactly what it contains.

What They Say - “Inspired by strong European beers and developed to a closely guarded secret recipe, the specialist beers are brewed with a strong body, crisp taste and a refreshing flavour, losing none of the taste but all of the allergens.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Grooben - There’s a reason why barley was chosen to go in beer 5
Richard - Not particularly nice, tastes as if something’s missing 4½
Shovels - It smells like apple strudel and tastes like cheap cider 3

2. Juju Ginger Ale (4.0%abv)
Left Hand Brewing Co, Longmont, Colorado.
330ml glass bottle

On Christmas Day 1990 Dick Doore was given a homebrew kit as a present by his brother, which began a passion for brewing. Three years later he moved to Colorado and met an old school friend called Eric Wallace. The two of them founded a brewery in November 1993 in a former meat packing factory in Longmont. Naming themselves the Indian Peaks Brewery after some local mountains, they were undone by copyright issues and renamed themselves after local historical Indian chief Niwot – ‘Left Hand’. We sampled their Imperial Stout in BeerCast #34, and this time take on their subtler ginger ale, Juju.

What They Say - “Juju is a pale ale brewed from a relative low gravity, with some of the hops which would normally be used in the beer replaced by freshly ground ginger root. The beer is light in body, lower in alcohol, has a distinct ginger aroma, and has a very crisp finish. It was initially brewed as a refreshing alternative to the plethora of wheat beers which are popular in the summertime. Popular demand turned it into a year round beer.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Shovels - Sweet, sticky ginger taste, it’s quite smooth 7
Grooben - Toned down a lot, I was expecting sharpness 6½
Richard - Ginger can overpower anything but at least it’s subtle 5

3. Nanny State (1.1%abv)
BrewDog, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire.
330ml glass bottle

There can’t be a more newsworthy brewer in Scotland (or maybe the UK) at the moment than Fraserburgh’s BrewDog. James Watt and Martin Dickie started the operation to counter the establishment, and with regular wacky press releases and PR stunts they are certainly being talked about. Their strong oak-aged imperial stout Tokyo* (18.2%) hit the headlines for it’s hefty abv, so as a two-fingered gesture Martin and James produced a protest beer called Nanny State, which at 1.1% is below the legal classification of beer, and so not subject to duty. This podcast was recorded on the night that James announced he had complained to the alcohol industry watchdog Portman Group about the strength of Tokyo*, in a publicity stunt to highlight what he thought was their double standards. BrewDog have since announced they are producing the world’s strongest beer, Tactical Nuclear Penguin (32%). As of 03/12/09 the Portman Group recommended British retailers removed Tokyo* from their shelves.

What They Say - “Nanny State is an extraordinary little beer. It contains more hops than any other beer we have ever brewed. There is over 60 kilos used in our tiny 20HL batch. It contains more hops than any other beer ever brewed in the UK. It has a theoretical IBU of 225. It is jam packed with our favourite hops and already tastes amazing.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Shovels - Still tasting it even though I finished three minutes ago 6
Grooben - It’s like drinking lemon juice, but isn’t all that bad 6
Richard - I would urge everybody to try it as an experiment - is it a beer? Yes. Is it nice? No 3

4. Bashah (8.6%abv)
BrewDog, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire.
330ml glass bottle

The second beer from BrewDog on the podcast tonight was brewed in conjuction with one of the heavyweights of the American craft-brewing scene, California’s Stone Brewery. Seeing as they currently top our BeerCast rankings with the peerless Ruination IPA, we were certainly expecting something from their collaboration - a Belgian black double IPA.

What They Say - “This particular beer has refused to succumb to the illusion of meaning or allow capricious parameters to have any influence on it’s own fermented fate.” [Label Tasting Notes]

What We Say…
Richard - Combines a nice strong alcohol kick with sweetness 8
Shovels - Strange one, it’s very hoppy and portery and maybe it should be one and not the other 6
Grooben - It’s a lot to take - I’m just not sure it’s to my taste 5

Panellists - (clockwise from top left) Shovels, Grooben, Richard

BeerCast panel verdict
Bashah (19/30)
Left Hand Juju Ginger Ale (18½/30)
BrewDog Nanny State (15/30)
Green’s Herald Gluten-Free (12½/30)

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)

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)