The BeerCast

Our 54th BeerCast revolves around the theme of names – and highlights five unusually titled-beers. Our panel also discuss the wacky real ale stereotypes of such (genuine) examples as Crafty Shag and Hairy Helmet. Thankfully the examples tonight aren’t quite as extreme – although we do begin with Old Slap and Tickle (4.0%), produced by Integrated Bottling Solutions in Gloucestershire. We follow that with Marble Dobber (5.9%) from Manchester, and then head over the Pennines to Tadcaster for Samuel Smith’s Yorkshire Stingo (9.0%). Our fourth beer is Criminally Bad Elf (10.5%) from Ridgeway via Hepworth’s, before we finish with a bonus beer – the newly released Kernel Brewery IPA S.C.A.NS. (7.7%). On the panel today are Shovels, Richard, Grooben, and back for his third BeerCast appearance – Stuart.



1. Old Slap and Tickle (4.0%abv)
Integrated Bottling Solutions, Coleford, Gloucestershire.
500ml glass bottle

Integrated Bottling Solutions – or Branded Drinks – are a contract brewery previously known as the Wessex Craft Brewery Co-op. Based in Gloucestershire, most of their beers have unusual names (Jockstrap, Old Gee Spot, Old Shag) and ‘cheeky’ labels. They also used to brew beers for other producers, such as Freeminer. Old Slap and Tickle is a 4% bitter.

What’s In a Name? – Slap and Tickle -
A British euphemism for sexual activity, informal playful kissing or caressing, foreplay, or, now, often, sexual intercourse. Also refers to a funky style of bass guitar. “Slap And Tickle” was the fourth and final single released from Squeeze’s second album, Cool for Cats. [yourdictionary.com]

What They Say -
“Hops, malt & water slapped together. Enough to tickle anyone’s tastebuds.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Shovels – Smells slightly smoky, and of burnt caramel 5
Grooben – Manages to be sweet and really bitter at once 4
Stu – Didn’t like the first taste, second not too bad 3
Richard – Soapy and medicinal, I don’t like that in any way 2

2. Marble Dobber (5.9%abv)
Marble Brewery, Manchester
500ml glass bottle

The Marble Arch on Rochdale Road is one of the most heralded pubs in Manchester. Nestled behind the main building is a small five barrel plant microbrewery, which many beer writers tipped to be worth watching in 2010. So it proved, as their range of organic and vegetarian-approved beers have been winning fans all over the blogosphere. Visitors to the pub can watch the brewing equipment operating behind glass display doors, and they produce a range of bottled beers for drinkers around the country. Dobber is one of their strongest, at 5.9% abv.

What’s In a Name? – Dobber -
A tool used to play bingo, a member of the working class in Scotland with poor taste in clothes and no social skills, an Australian who informs on others, a small electrical device that plugs into a larger one, a float used by anglers, a type of wasp, Scottish slang for the male genitalia, and…a large marble. [Wikipedia]

What They Say -
“The balance of hops provides a great aroma which follows through in the taste and lasts long afterwards. A massive beer in all senses and a perfect IPA.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard – Big citrus hops, really can’t taste much alcohol 6½
Shovels – Hop stuff I like but grapefruit aftertaste I don’t 6½
Stu – Not as smooth as other IPA’s but I am enjoying it 6
Grooben – Gone too far with the citrusy acid thing for my taste 6

3. Samuel Smith’s Yorkshire Stingo (9.0%abv)
Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery, Tadcaster, Yorkshire.
500ml glass bottle

Taddy is home to two giant brewers – the distantly related John Smiths and Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery. The former are owned by Scottish and Newcastle, the latter are still independent – although they were started by members of the same family back in the mid-19th Century (Samuel being a cousin of John). These days, Sam Smith’s use Yorkshire square fermenters and retain their links to tradition by delivering their products on a shire horse-driven dray (within a certain distance of Tadcaster).

What’s In a Name? – Stingo -
”A fashionable slang word of the eighteenth century for strong beer originating in the North of England. It was first mentioned in literature before 1700, and derives from the word sting.” [encyclo.co.uk]

What They Say -
“Yorkshire Stingo is aged for at least a year, matured in these well-used oak casks in the brewery’s underground cellars deriving fruit, raisin, treacle toffee, Christmas pudding and slight oaky flavours, before being further naturally conditioned in bottle.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Stu – I’m a man with a sweet tooth so I’m enjoying that 7½
Richard – Syrupy sweetness with some sherry in there as well 7½
Grooben – I’m usually dead against this kind of beer but it works 7
Shovels – Smells whisky-like, with some prunes. I was expecting it to be bad, but it’s quite well balanced 7

4. Criminally Bad Elf (10.5%abv)
Ridegway Brewery, South Stoke, Oxfordshire (brewed at Hepworth’s, Horsham, West Sussex)
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. We featured Bad Elf on last year’s Christmas Special podcast.

What’s In a Name? – Criminally Bad Elf -
It turned out to be a case of mistaken identity, of course – wrong place at the wrong time…but Claus was soon back on the street with the polite apologies of the authorities – no questions asked. All’s well that ends well, surely, but still, the reporters wanted to know…it takes its toll, doesnt’t it? “Indeed” sighed Claus, “my elf is going crazy, and I fear I shall soon go crazy as well” And with that he hoisted a great flagon of his favorite barleywine-style ale, silently contemplating the future and straining to remember why he got into this particular line of work in the first place. [Official Website]

What We Say…
Shovels – Not quite criminally bad, but bad enough 3½
Grooben – Unpleasant aftertaste is not sitting right with me at all 3
Richard – Thick, syrupy, medicinal barleywine kick 3
Stu – Tastes like cough syrup and Special Brew, It’s not good and I’m not enjoying it 2

5. Kernel IPA S.C.A.NS. (5.5%abv)
The Kernel Brewery, Bermondsey, London.
330ml glass bottle

Two podcasts ago we featured London’s Kernel Brewery in a Kernel Showcase, after paying a visit to Evin O’Riordain’s Bermondsey brewery. If Marble were one to watch for 2010, Kernel are undoubtedly one to watch for 2011 – their mix of traditional recipes and strong abv’s without doubt appeal to craft beer fans everywhere. When you consider that Evin does everything himself – even hand-stamping each label – it’s a remarkable operation. In ordering some Kernel IPA C.S.C. (7.1%) for our upcoming Beer of the Year show, Evin told me his newest IPA – called S.C.A.NS. was even better. Clearly, we had to get some to find out…

What’s In a Name? – S.C.A.NS. -
Evin names his IPA’s after the hops that he adds to them – his IPA C.S.C. contains Centennial, Simcoe and Chinook for example. It makes a good quiz for hop fans (play along at home) – S.C.A.NS. contains Simcoe, Chinook, Apollo, and Nelson Sauvin.

What They Say -
“One of the finest Double IPA’s on the market from the up and coming Kernel Brewery. Drawing “wow” from brewers and beer lovers from afar, even hop-head Californian brewers. I can’t express how impressive this beer is. Hopped with Apollo, Simcoe, Chinook and Nelson Sauvin for a good hit of fruit over a refined malt body.” [BeerMerchants.com]

What We Say…
Richard – More bitter punchiness than CSC, there’s a bit more malty sweetness 7½
Shovels – How good a smell is that? Not as citrusy as the Dobber 7
Stu – One of the best beers I’ve ever smelled, this would make a great Glade plug-in 6½
Grooben – I think I preferred CSC, this one may be too far for my personal taste as it’s slightly too bitter 6

Panellists – (clockwise from top left) Richard, Shovels, Stuart, Grooben

BeerCast panel verdict
Samuel Smith’s Yorkshire Stingo 29/40
Kernel India Pale Ale S.C.A.NS. 27/40
Marble Dobber 25/40
IBS Old Slap and Tickle 14/40
Ridgeway Criminally Bad Elf 12½/40

Thanks to Jeff Pickthall at Pump Clip Parade for the photos of wacky beer names and pump clips. You can also visit Jeff’s regular beer blog – It’s Just the Beer Talking

Please keep those comments and emails coming in, and check back next week for our fourth annual Christmas Special – half a dozen festive warmers for our panel to enjoy, before the excitement of our 2010 Beer of the Year Show in January. Will any of the Christmas beers make a late surge into the final four? Stay tuned…

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…?

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)

“A BeerCast of all the talents”

“Ask not what The BeerCast can do for you, but what you can do for The BeerCast”

“We have nothing to fear but beer itself”

These are just a few of the inspirational quotes from (then minister) Richard’s call to arms when he took the high office of BeerCaster in chief in the summer of 2007. It was with this spirit of public service, that the London constituents of The BeerCast sat down to record our thoughts on The BeerCast’s Beers of the Year 2008 (or BOTY for short).

This was our first BeerCast flying solo. The professionals up in Edinburgh have perfected the art of pre-recording warm-up beers, and so we started off a little stilted but we soon loosened up (especially after the Hardcore IPA!) and started to meander wildly off-topic, as is the BeerCast way.

We only managed to source 3 of the 4 BOTY beers and so decided to throw in a random 4th beer for fun, with surprising consequences. Listen out for factiods from BeerCast first timer Francis Booth, meanderings into BeerCast favorite topic – labels, musings on hampster bedding and what exactly is a ‘two stemmed glass’?

1. Theakston XB (4.5%abv) 500ml glass bottle
Theakstons Brewery, Masham, North Yorkshire.
BeerCast#17 scored 25½/30 (85%) 19th Jun 2008
Originally tasted by Tom 9; Shovels 8½; Richard 8

Jess – I’ve got no complaints 7
Francis – Tastes like a 9 volt battery 7
Andy – It’s fine, but it’s not bowling me over 5

2. Summer Lightning (5.0%abv) 500ml glass bottle
The Hop Back Brewery, Salisbury, Wiltshire.
BeerCast #19 scored 27/30 (90%) 4th Aug 2008
Originally tasted by Shovels 9; Grooben 9; Richard 9

Francis – Less complex than XB, but perfect for summer 6
Andy – Zesty, but slightly watery 7
Jess – I find it very bitter 5

3. BrewDog Hardcore IPA (9.0%abv) 660ml glass bottle
BrewDog, Fraserburgh, Scotland.
BeerCast#15 scored 33½/40 (84%) 27th Apr 2008
Originally tasted by MrB 9½; Richard 9; Grooben 8; Shovels 7

Francis – It’s a bit syrupy, i see what they’re doing though 8
Jess – I find it too sweet, you can feel it on your teeth 4
Andy – I quite like it actually, but it’s a bit full on 7

4. Ridgeway Blue (5.0%abv) 500ml glass bottle
Ridgeway Brewing, South Stoke, England

What They Say - ”Bottled. Copper colour with small white head. Aroma is sweet fruity hops at first, then turns quite earthy and grassy. Flavour is very dull fruity, grassy, earthy and some butter & yeasty notes. Not very pleasant.” [ratebeer.net]

What We Say…
Jess – Ahh, this is lovely 8
Andy – Fruity and refreshing, but i preferred Summer Lightning  6
Francis – This would dovetail with my evening nicely 8

Panellists – (from top left) Andy, Francis, Jess

• Listen to the episode here:BeerCast #29 – London BOTY extra
• Subscribe to the podcasts in iTunes or our site feed

BeerCasting is a fine art and the London branch has just set up it’s easel.

We disagreed with Edinburgh HQ on the beers, scored them even though Richard told us not to and ended up almost unable to speak. It was a thoroughly enjoyable 40 mins though, i hope you enjoy it too and we’ll be back with some more very soon.