The BeerCast

Yesterday we brought you one of the breakout brewers of 2011 – Kelso’s Tempest Brewing. For the next of our best new beers of the year, we move on to the breakout brewer of 2010 (and possibly 2011 as well) – London’s finest; the Kernel Brewery. Evin O’Riordain and his team are capturing the attention of not just bloggers, but people who’s opinions actually matter.* They released some stunning beers this year, one of which had to make our list…

Kernel IPA 100 Centennial (10.1%)
The Kernel Brewery, London
(bottle, released June 2011)

Attempting to limit the Kernel’s contribution to our best new beers feature was pretty tricky. They’ve put out some crackers over the last twelve months – IPA Double Black, Pale Ale Riwaka, IPA Borefts Rye, IPA Super Alpha Pacific Jade. In fact, there’s your top five new Kernel beers of the year, right there (when put with our choice – IPA 100 Centennial). In the interests of fairness, we’re limiting everyone to a single entry in our feature (look out for the beers that nearly made it, after our sixth and final winner).

This particular IPA has a nice story behind it – being an inventive chap, Evin decided to celebrate his 100th brew by producing a 10.0% Centennial-packed IPA. In the end, he missed the abv by 0.1% (in typical Kernel style, by going over – not under). We wrote about it in August – conveniently for our 300th post. As a brewery, they are astonishingly prolific – some would say maddeningly so. Hardly ever producing the same beer twice, it keeps the tickers on their toes – but it makes it harder to latch on to everything that comes out from the Bermondsey arches.

This brewing potency is down to a few reasons – most obviously a lack of brewspace on their current kit, and the sheer creative talent that obviously abounds there. Whatever they put in their coffee, I could do with (it’s probably hops). The 100 Centennial smelled like sweet orange syrup, laced with plenty of booze. Powerful alcohol flavours, finished off an almost jam-like hop marmalade taste – with the Centennial fighting back with a touch of dryness. A tremendous sipper – it was a suitably amazing celebration, and deservedly one of the best new beers of the year.

Join us tomorrow for our next choice – we have only two left, and it’s off to the North-West of England for selection number five. In 2011, the Kernel also celebrated winning SIBA Champion Bottled Beer of Britain (Export Stout London 1890), and then Brewery of the Year by the British Guild of Beer Writers. What will 2012 bring for Evin and the team – Olympic glory?

* To paraphrase the Simpsons

The halfway point of our best new British beers feature sees us in June, at the Scottish Real Ale Festival in Edinburgh. Last year, the SRAF introduced us to the wonderful Fyne Ales Jarl – hopes were high for a similar Eureka moment in 2011. As it happened, the very first beer to pass our lips on the trade session was just that – from a small brewery in the Scottish Borders…

RyePA (5.5%)
Tempest Brewing Co, Kelso, Scottish Borders
(cask, released June 2011)

The last twelve months have been quite something for the Tempest Brewery. Having been founded in the middle of 2010 by Gavin Meiklejohn, the brewing arm of Kelso’s Cobbles Inn has become a hive of activity. Customers at the Cobbles had been asking Gavin about the lack of local beer for years, before he decided to take the plunge and provide for his drinkers directly. Having been homebrewing for a while, following a spell at the Whistler Brewing Company in Canada, Gavin set about creating a few interesting ales for his punters, produced in the remains of a nearby dairy.

Fast forward eighteen months or so, and Tempest have now produced 16 beers (including such notables as a smoked vanilla porter and a similar dark beer spiced with chipotle chilli). From supplying the local Inn, you can now find their beers as far away as London – and in cask, keg and bottle. Showing no sign of slowing down, Gavin’s latest release is another porter – the bottled Red Eye Flight Mocha Porter – which is sitting in my cupboard ready to go. However, way back in June, it was a beer lighter in colour that really stood out.

30% of the grist bill for RyePA was malted rye, and to let it really influence the beer, the majority hop addition was done as dry-hopping rather than in the kettle. The result was a fabulous toffee, caramel and toasted bread aroma, with some orange edges from the hops. The balance of RyePA was perfect – the nutty, grainy element of the adjunct mixed with the floral, fruity hop. If this came from the USA blogs like ours would be raving about it – and with good reason – it’s a fabulous beer.

Join us tomorrow as we continue our series of best new British beers of 2011 – we move to the UK’s capital for another brewer who made waves this year [answers on a postcard]. RyePA was the first beer to be bottled by Gavin and his team, so keep an eye out at your local bottle shop…

Yesterday we announced the first of our pick of the best British beers launched in 2011 – Sharp’s Monsieur Rock (5.2%). Today we bring you our second (these are roughly in order of release). A beer we tasted at FyneFest in early June – but not from Argyll’s champion brewer – it was merely a guest at Fyne Ales’ festival…

Evenlode (6.2%)
Thornbridge, Bakewell, Derbyshire
(cask, released April 2011)

It’s a BeerCast double for Derbyshire’s Thornbridge brewery, as they also featured in our best new beer awards in 2010. The peerless imperial stout St Petersburg (which had been launched in the bottle that summer) was an obvious highlight of last year. Thornbridge Evenlode is a 6.2% brown porter, and it stole the show at this summer’s FyneFest. Even more impressively, it was a debut brew from a new member of the Thornbridge team.

Back in March, Thornbridge Hall had just been successfully renovated. Amongst other improvements, their small-scale brew kit was again ready for action. Used alongside the main Riverside facility as a development brewery for beers such as the Alchemy series, it was inside the hall that ex-intern Giada Simioni formulated her first solo beer. Having joined British brewer of the year Stefano Cossi in late 2010, Giada’s first beer became Evenlode.

Looking every inch the classic porter (the photo above is my ‘half’ at FyneFest), it had a big roasty malt aroma, with a touch of almost spicy hop in evidence. Quite toasty on the palate, this beer was one of the smoothest I had all year. A milk chocolate mocha, slightly nutty and smoky at the end – and as with the Monsieur Rock, incredibly drinkable for 6.2%. So easy to go overboard with this one – if St Petersburg hadn’t been there on cask I’d have stayed on Evenlode all night – it was that good.

Join us tomorrow for the third in our series of best new British beers of 2011, as we head back to our Scottish homeland. Since producing Evenlode, both Giada and Stefano have left Thornbridge – but the Derbyshire juggernaut shows no sign of slowing down…

If 2010 saw the release of some wonderful beers on both sides of the Atlantic, this year has been even more memorable. As the range of imported beer increases, British breweries have been defying the recession and the taxman, to produce some fantastic new beers. Over the next six days we’ll be highlighting our pick of British beers launched in 2011, in order of their release. We begin all the way back in January – the epic snows were still cloaking Scotland, but down in Cornwall the product of a partnership was breaking the thaw…

Monsieur Rock (5.2%)
Sharp’s Brewery, Rock, Cornwall
(500ml bottle, released January 2011)

Back in 2010, Sharp’s wonderfully experimental head brewer Stuart Howe departed these shores for a continental brewtrip of a lifetime. The man that brought the world Jellyfish Red and Offal Beer (amongst many, many other things) spent a significant amount of time with one of the grand old dukes of European brewing – Orval brewmaster Jean-Marie Rock. Their collaboration – produced in Cornwall when Jean-Marie came over to the UK – was Monsieur Rock.

A Saaz showcase, Monsieur Rock was lagered for six weeks amidst sackfuls of Czech hops. It was then run past the tasting panel at the Abbaye Notre-Dame d’Orval, not to mention their state of the art laboratory. Having passed with flying colours – and more importantly having been personally approved by the original Monsieur Rock – the beer that bore his name was released to the British drinking public.

Almost immediately, response on the blogs was overwhelmingly positive – and with good reason. Soft, grassy citrus aromas, before a creamy, lemon flavour with a lovely herbal edge from the Saaz. As we said in our review, it was hard to pin down into any particular category – it felt like a Belgian golden ale, but looked like a lager. The balance was beautiful – giving that softness that made it so drinkable. A fantastic beer, and a great way to start the year.

Join us tomorrow for our second best new British beer of 2011. Shortly after releasing Monsieur Rock, Sharp’s announced they had been taken over by Molson Coors UK – the implications of which have yet to fully pan out…

The first podcast of any year is always one to look forward to – as tradition dictates it’s our BeerCast Beer of the Year show. As highlighted in our recent preview, the four highest scoring beers we could find from the podcasts recorded in 2010 are re-sampled, and a winner picked. Previous winners are Anchor Christmas Ale 2006 (2007), Hop Back Summer Lightning (2008) and Stone Ruination IPA (last year), so whichever beer came out on top this time, it would be in good company. Re-tasting is always an interesting experience, as a second go often brings a different result from last time – and so it was to prove. The four beers in our BOTY show were Tryst Raj IPA (5.5%), Odell Isolation Ale (6.1%), Kernel IPA C.S.C. (7.1%), and BrewDog Abstrakt AB:01 (10.2%). On the extended panel – Shovels, MrB, Andy, Richard, Jess, Grooben and a debut for panellist Katie, all of whom were seconded to a remote location to sharpen the tastebuds…

1. Raj IPA (5.5%abv) 500ml glass bottle
Tryst Brewery, Larbert, Scotland.
BeerCast#49 scored 32½/40 (81%) 3rd June 2010
Originally tasted by Richard 8½; Grooben 8; Shovels 8; MrB 8

What They Say – “This India Pale Ale marks a slight change in direction of Tryst Ales, away from low alcohol session ales to rather more substantial and serious Real Ale. This IPA is hopped with three popular British hops to produce a deep lingering taste, complementing the underlying malts for a memorable pint.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Jess – It’s quite sour and strong but I really like it
Grooben – Has a great balance of bitterness and sweetness
MrB – A great Scottish session IPA
Richard – Lot of bitterness from the three hop types
Katie – It’s maybe too bitter but I’d have it again
Shovels – I’d drop it to a 7½ but it’s still good
Andy – Tastes like old shoes that have been left in the garage

2. Isolation Ale (6.1%abv) 355ml glass bottle
Odell Brewing Co, Fort Collins, Colorado.
BeerCast#55 scored 33/40 (83%) 22nd December 2010
Originally tasted by Shovels 8½; MrB 8½; Grooben 8; Richard 8

What They Say – “Available each winter from the first of November until it runs out, Isolation ale is amber in color, malty and strong. We consider it a traditional winter warmer, without the addition of fruits or spices.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Andy – Needs no tweaking as the balance is perfect
Richard – Malty and fruity, with almost a caramel sweetness
Jess – It’s almost nutty, absolutely delicious
Grooben – Odell beers are always very well balanced
Shovels – Their beers have that fantastic aftertaste
Katie – I’d definitely have this again in the Autumn
MrB – Odell just don’t make a bad beer

3. Kernel IPA C.S.C. (7.1%abv) 330ml glass bottle
Kernel Brewery, Bermondsey, London.
BeerCast#52 scored 34/40 (85%) 27th October 2010
Originally tasted by MrB 9; Richard 9; Shovels 8; Grooben 8

What They Say – “American hops meet English malt. Burnished golden colour. Aromas of tropical fruits, hints of grass. The sweetness of the malt gives them the impression of fruit salad on the palate, juicy, then followed up with a big bitterness, with some pepper and spice.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Katie – There’s a bit of floral that balances the bitterness
Richard – Fantastic piney IPA smell, it’s outstanding
MrB – I don’t want to drink this, I want to savour it
Shovels – A really fantastic IPA
Grooben – Balanced so it doesn’t taste crazy for 7%
Jess – I prefer this to the Raj IPA
Andy – Would be difficult to drink a lot given the strength

4. Abstrakt AB:01 (10.2%abv) 375ml glass bottle
BrewDog Ltd, Fraserburgh, Scotland.
BeerCast#50 scored 32½/40 (81%) 16th July 2010
Originally tasted by Shovels 8½; Richard 8½; MrB 8½; Grooben 7

What They Say – “Abstrakt will only ever brew and release a beer once. BrewDog’s Abstrakt is about exciting, progressive and conceptual beers, beers which not only push the boundaries but smash them up completely.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Shovels – You can taste the vanilla more, but I still like it
Grooben – Sweetness has taken over, it’s a bit one-note now
Richard – The flavours have definitely developed with aging
MrB – I’m trying to work out why I gave it 8½, I don’t like it
Jess – First taste it lovely, but it gets overpoweringly sweet
Andy – I like sweet beers but that’s some sugary ass sh*t
Katie – I can taste some liquorice and parma violets

So that was the thoughts – or re-thoughts – of the panel during the tasting of the four beers that had made it through to the final. The next thing to do was go round the table and give a first and second choice for beer of the year, plus a beer each that we enjoyed over 2010 and felt deserved a special mention…

Jess
“For me, Isolation Ale was outstanding, and then the Kernel IPA. The best beer I had this year was a Wherry’s in Norfolk, from local brewer Woodforde’s, that I really enjoyed.”

Shovels
“My two picks are Isolation Ale and then Kernel. My beer pick for 2010 was Wold Top Gold – a blonde ale on tap and in the bottle is very good.”

Katie
“First choice is Isolation then Raj IPA. I’ve drunk more Sierra Nevada than anything else this year but also enjoyed St Lupulin and Wold Gold after a bike ride.”

MrB
“Kernel C.S.C., it has to be – because it’s the best one. My second choice is Raj IPA. My beer of note would have to be Tripel de Garre in Bruges.”

Grooben
“It’s really really close, but Isolation number one and Kernel number two by a very small margin. I can’t think of any beers that have busted my chops – but discovering lambics has been interesting and my mind is starting to open to Belgian ales.”

Andy
“Isolation Ale was a country mile ahead of the others, Kernel IPA second. My beer of note would have to be Shovel’s homebrew 6D.”

Richard
“My favourite from tonight and my beer of the year was Kernel IPA – I love Evin’s approach to brewing. My second is Abstrakt because I love how it has changed character over the months. My notable beer is also Tripel de Garre – probably my favourite beer of all time.”

The comments during the tasting made it look like a close run thing – but when it came to the judging there was a runaway winner. Five of our seven panellists went for the same first pick, making Odell’s Isolation Ale (6.1%) our 2010 BeerCast beer of the year. Congratulations to Doug and the team, their amber malty winter warmer is the fourth winner of our BOTY – and interestingly the third American beer to come out on top. Kernel IPA CSC (7.1%) came out second, with unfortunately the local entrants in third and fourth. Maybe 2011 will be the year a Scottish beer comes out on top…

Our panel also tasted a fifth beer – a surprise bought by Richard and smuggled to the podcasting under the strictest secrecy. On the Isle of Wight, the Yates brewery have combined with a nearby garlic farm to produce a 4.1% Garlic Beer. Listen to our tasting after the BOTY voting, and check back to the website in a few days for a full review post on a beer that truly united the panel…