The BeerCast

With the latest RateBeer tasting coming only a few days after the end of the GBBF at Earl’s Court, it always threatened to be a big one. So it proved, as a combination of guest bloggers and GBBF-engorged suitcases resulted in twenty-five beers being drunk over the course of six hours. 25! Thankfully it was a week-end, so the tasting became relatively consequence-free. I say relatively, of course. Many thanks, as ever to Craig for hosting and providing most of the beers, also several from Steve at Beers I’ve Known were really good indeed.

We began with one of those – Holgate The Empress (10%), hailing from a Victoria brewery that few around the table (Australians excepted) had heard of. What a way to start – a chocolatey imperial stout, with a sweetness that gave it a chocolate brownie flavour. That may get a touch sweet after a while, but on a sample it was tremendous. We followed that with another couple of dark ones – Sierra Nevada Fritz and Ken’s Stout (9.2%), and Deschutes The Abyss 2010 Reserve (11%). The latter was a touch bourbony for me, but the SN was lovely.

Into the specials next, with the raspberry juice flavours of Redoak Framboise Froment (5%), the lemon juice flavours of Pretty Things Jack D’Or Saison (6.4%), and the Demerara sugar flavours of Sierra Nevada Brewer’s Reserve Grand Cru (7.8%). Other highlights included the remarkable O’Hanlon’s Special Reserve 2010 (12.9%) – walloping booze mixed with sweet, woody caramel – and New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red (4%), which reminded me of the triangle of mulchy jam in a cherry Muller Fruit Corner.

Next up, 3 Fonteinen Oude Gueze 2007 (6%) – a violently fruity Belgian sour, which was more dry than puckering – and very lime cordial-esque. The darker beers then came back – we fired through Brooklyn Black Ops (10.7%), Struise Pannepeut 2006 (10%), SKA Nefarious Ten Pin (8%) and Avery Czar Imperial Stout (11.6%) in short order – the Brooklyn being the pick, extremely well-balanced throughout – unlike the Ten Pin, which didn’t really do it for me.

British beers came next, as we sampled Marble’s Manchester Tripel (9%) – very nice, quite zesty. Tasted like a strong IPA at first, but the Belgian flavours appeared on the aftertaste. Kernel Pale Ale Riwaka (4.9%) showcases a hop I’d not heard of until recently, but it was lovely. Refreshing citrus and grapefruit. However, Kernel’s Pale Ale Mount Hood was frighteningly bitter – so much so that it dominated every other component, and was overly sharp. I think that’s my seventeenth different Kernel beer, and finally I found one I don’t like.*

The next slab of dark American beers came and went – Full Sail Imperial Stout (7.5%) was a highlight, a classic roasty coffeeish boozefest. South Oregon Pinup Porter (5.5%) and Pelican The Perfect Storm 2009 didn’t quite match up – the Pinup because of the abv (although it would make a terrific session porter – we’re not alcohol whores here). The Pelican was a barrel-aged barley wine, a style I just can’t get along with – whisky, syrup and woody sweetness in spades.

That was about it – by now it was approaching 1am and the tasting notes were getting a little out of focus. I’d also sustained a minor shoulder injury after being shot by the cork from one of the Sierra Nevada reserves (ceiling ricochet – we all accept the risks in this business). We had time for an Imperial Rye Munich Ale – which is a new style in my book (Short’s Brew Ginger in the Rye), and a very nice big NZIPA from Epic (Mayhem at 6.2%). To be honest, ‘very nice’ is about all I can remember.

Thanks again to Craig for hosting – you can get a second opinion of the tasting at Steve’s blog here. Considering I’d put away 25 beers, I felt pretty chipper – a new record…!

*Not that I was looking, of course. 16/17 is a pretty outstanding strike rate

BeerCast 58, and on this particular podcast we deal with some extremely lengthily-titled Americans. Shovels went on a pre-Christmas sun trip to Florida, and as we’re never off-duty brought back a selection of strong American craft beers for us to review – not to mention the receipts for a $130 round trip to get them. We open up the show with Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest 2010 (6.7%), before moving up the west coast to Oregon for Rogue Dry Hopped St. Rogue Red Ale (5.2%) – a malty red ale to balance the pale-heavy podcast. Next beer up is Hoppin’ Frog Hoppin’ to Heaven IPA (6.8%) from Akron in Ohio, before we finish on the strongest of the night – Southern Tier UnEarthly Imperial IPA (11.0%). Will his expensive beer run have been worth it? Joining Shovels are Grooben, Richard, and MrB.




1. Southern Hemisphere Harvest 2010 (6.7%abv)
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co, Chico, California.
22oz US glass bottle

On the 5th of November 1980, the Sierra Nevada brewery produced the first batch of their now-famous Pale Ale. Founded just the year before in Chico by ex-homebrewer Ken Grossman, they have gone on to become one of the largest and highest rated breweries in America. We wouldn’t be any kind of beer website not to feature plenty of SN output – we sampled their Porter in BeerCast #21 and their Estate 2009 in BeerCast #50 – the autumnal version of the beer we sample tonight. Fresh hops from New Zealand are freighted to California for a spring Harvest ale from the Southern Hemisphere.

What They Say -
“Robust hop character presents an intriguing floral-citrus aroma leading to layers of fresh-hop spiciness. Enjoy!” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard – Has a vinous, winey character and I think it’s very very nice 9
Shovels – I shouldn’t compare to the Harvest, but I just prefer that 8½
MrB – SN grow hops, so why ship them from NZ? Is there that striking a difference? I’m loving the beer but I’m not getting the point 8½
Grooben – Tough to distinguish from the other, I’m not complaining 8

2. Dry Hopped St. Rogue Red Ale (5.2%abv)
Rogue Ales, Newport, Oregon.
22oz US glass bottle

Rogue began life in the Oregon city of Ashland in 1988. A group of college friends decided to make the familiar jump from homebrewing into something more serious – it must have helped that one of them was also an accountant. After less than a year in Ashland they relocated to larger premises in coastal Newport, and have since gone from strength to strength, having produced over sixty beers, and won countless awards. Fond of long names, we sampled their Morimoto Black Obi Soba Ale in BeerCast #53, and this time we get to grips with their dry hopped red ale, St Rogue.

What They Say -
“Reddish copper in color, a roasty malt flavor with a hoppy sprucy finish.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Grooben – It’s not strong, but has a beautiful rounded maltiness 8½
MrB – I wish there was a bit more sparkle to it, but it’s amazing 8½
Shovels – Subtle and mild, I really love the aroma 8½
Richard – I like that sweet maltiness that doesn’t take over 8½

3. Hoppin’ to Heaven IPA (6.8%abv)
Hoppin’ Frog Brewery, Akron, Ohio.
22oz US glass bottle

Continuing our theme, Hoppin’ Frog were founded in 2006 by another ex-homebrewer, Fred Karm. After brewing his own back in the 90′s, he worked for Akron area microbrewpub Thirsty Dog, until they ceased production in 2005. Spotting an opportunity, Fred bought the brewing gear and set up on his own. Having been nicknamed ‘the frog’ because of his mastery of hops, he named the new venture Hoppin’ Frog. Within two years, Fred had to expand to premises three times the size to keep up with demand.

What They Say -
“A classic, robust American IPA with a spicy, assertive citrusy American hop character balanced with a full-bodied, rich malt taste.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
MrB – Hoppy, sweet and sparkly – almost Belgian-esque 8½
Richard – Love that hop flavour, really effervescent on the palate 8½
Shovels – There’s a narrow intensity that’s really nice 8
Grooben – Sweet with big floaty chunks, love the frog 8

4. UnEarthly Imperial IPA (11.0%abv)
Southern Tier Brewing Co, Lakewood, New York.
22oz US glass bottle

The far south-western pointy corner of New York State is known as the Southern Tier – and back in 2002 Phineas DeMink and Allen ‘Skip’ Yahn decided to bring brewing back to the tier. Their two early flagships were a pilsner and a mild, but things really took off for them with the release of an IPA. They produce a staggering array of Imperials – an imperial extra pale ale, imperial red ale, imperial black ale, imperial hefeweizen, oak-aged imperial IPA, imperial oatmeal stout, imperial pumpkin ale, imperial lager, and an imperial crème brulee milk stout. Tonight we sample their imperial IPA UnEarthly, the abv of which varies depending on the batch – ours charges in at 11%.

What They Say -
“An Uninhibited Infusion of Hops. We continue our commitment to innovation with our most aggressive offering yet. Unearthly is a manifestation of the brewers crafts, skilfully balancing art and the forces of nature to produce a divine liquid.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
MrB – It moves slower than water – I don’t like sweet things in the slightest but the hops are just enough 8
Richard – It’s like drinking pineapple hop treacle 7½
Shovels – It’s harder core than Hardcore IPA, that’s for sure 7
Grooben – Struggling with this one, it’s just too syrupy everywhere 5½

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

BeerCast panel verdict
Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest 2010 34/40
Rogue St Rogue Dry Hopped Red Ale 34/40
Hoppin’ Frog Hoppin’ to Heaven IPA 33½/40
Southern Tier UnEarthly Imperial IPA 28/40

Please keep those comments and emails coming in, and check back in a couple of weeks for our next podcast – a showcase special featuring Warwickshire’s Purity Brewery. Stay tuned…

We never thought that we’d make it all the way to fifty podcasts – and if you’ve listened to our first few then probably you didn’t either – but here we are. Three years and 181 beers later and we’re having a mini celebration in honour of our half century. We thought long and hard about what to do for a 50th show, eventually deciding on the popular ‘bring a beer’ theme, only with a more explosive feel to it. Podcast regulars Richard, MrB, Shovels and Grooben were tasked with sourcing an unusual, rare or liver-trembling beer to put to the panel, and the results were pretty spectacular.

We ended up with (literally) some real corkers, as we begin with Grooben’s offering – Neuzeller Anti-Aging Bier (4.8%) from Germany, containing specific ingredients to actually make you younger. Apparently. Next up was Richard’s choice – the limited edition BrewDog Abstrakt AB:01 (10.2%), a vanilla bean-infused Belgian-style quad from Fraserburgh’s finest. Third on the podcast was Sierra Nevada Estate 2009 (6.7%). Provided by Shovels, this wet-hopped ale is pretty rare this side of the Atlantic. Finally MrB rounds things off in enormous fashion, unveiling Brasserie d’Achouffe’s Big Chouffe Anno 2010 (8.0%), a magnum of their famed La Chouffe blond ale. Thanks to all for providing, and special thanks to everybody who has downloaded, listened to, or commented on one of our podcasts over the years. Here’s to fifty more!

1. Neuzeller Anti-Aging Bier (4.8%abv)
Klosterbrauerei Neuzelle GmbH, Neuzelle, Brandenburg, Germany. 500ml glass bottle

There are well-established health benefits of drinking good beer – the high levels of Vitamin B6 can protect against heart disease, for example – but the claims on a bottle of Neuzeller Anti-Aging Bier (4.8%) take things even further. Several bizarre-sounding adjuncts have been added, resulting in an elixir of youth – this beer actually claims to make you younger (although this may be as a result of the beer acting on the antioxidant Vitamin E in the body). Flavonoids are naturally found in hops, but by adding more in their beer Klosterbrauerei are really pushing the anti-carcinogen properties of the nation’s favourite drink. But just when you’re sold on the idea, discovering the beer has algae added as well sounds very strange, and when a quick check of their website reveals Klosterbrauerei also make a Badebier – ‘bath beer’ – ”for outside application as bath salts and for internal application as a beverage”, then the mind really boggles.

What They Say -
“We have now formulated an “anti-aging” beer. Having consulted with several universities and health institutes, our beer contains: Water from hotsprings, rich in minerals, flavonoids, beer (malt, water, hop, yeast), and spirulina (Algae).” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Shovels – I quite like that, it reminds me of Erdinger Dunkel 8
Grooben – I wanted to find something completely different! 7
Richard – Smells a bit portery but with that extra vegetable hint that must be the algae 6½
MrB – Presumably all other beer is pro-aging? 6

2. BrewDog Abstrakt AB:01 (10.2%abv)
BrewDog Ltd, Fraserburgh, Scotland. 375ml glass bottle

BrewDog are without doubt the most talked-about brewery in Scotland, with their charismatic press releases and wacky ideas. Not afraid to experiment, at times they produce some fantastic beers – and at others some pretty duff ones. But there’s no denying they always elicit strong opinions. What is often overlooked amidst all the hoo-hah over 41% beers and Portman Group-baiting is that they have only been going for just over three years. The first BrewDog brew rolled off the Kessock plant lines in April 2007 – which by a rather neat co-incidence was the exact month the BeerCast began as well. So with that in mind, and given the numerous BrewDog beers featured over the years on these pages and podcasts, it would be remiss of us not top try their newest (at time of press) offering – the limited edition Abstrakt AB:01, the first of a new concept brand from the Aberdeenshire duo.

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…
MrB – The first taste was lovely, it’s like a Belgian tripel 8½
Richard – Sweet full mouthfeel but the alcohol balances it out 8½
Shovels – Subtle for BrewDog, not much aftertaste apart from alcohol 8½
Grooben – It’s got sweetness but I wouldn’t have guessed vanilla 7

3. Sierra Nevada Estate (2009) (6.7%abv)
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co, Chico, California, USA.
710ml glass bottle (24oz US)

Sierra Nevada are one of the cornerstones of American craft brewing, and as a result have almost unrivalled access to types and strains of hops. Hailing from California, their mighty reach spreads all the way to the hopgrounds of Washington State, where they conduct research into new strains and varieties. They also like to experiment, and a few years ago came up with the idea of brewing a seasonal ale using only freshly-picked hops, rather than waiting for dried or using a combination of dried and fresh. This ‘wet hop’ ale is produced every Autumn, and as you’d expect has a pretty hefty hop whack about it. We sampled the 2009 Estate vintage, purchased from the excellent UtoBeer stall in London’s Borough Market, which only contains ingredients sourced from the Sierra Nevada estate in Chico.

What They Say -
“This Estate Ale is rich with the flavors of the valley—featuring hops with earthy, grapefruit-like flavors and layered spicy aromas and barley with mild sweetness and smooth, toasted flavors. Together, these crops grow alongside the brewery to make a truly unique brew.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard – It’s wonderful, there’s a little bit of a spicy edge to it 9
Shovels – More IPA than double IPA, really hoppy but not overpowering 9
MrB – Has extra bitterness compared to sweeter Torpedo IPA 9
Grooben – There’s no way I’m not going to like this 9

4. La Chouffe Big Chouffe (8.0%abv)
Brasserie d’Achouffe, Achouffe, Houffalize, Wallonia, Belgium.
1500ml glass bottle (magnum)

Grape lovers will possibly know the fact that a magnum is 2 standard bottles of wine, or 1½ litres for the metric types amongst us. In Belgium – as pretty much every grain lover knows – they do things just a little bit bigger and better, so why not have a magnum of beer? Brasserie d’Achouffe’s bending gnome (‘Chouffe’ in Walloon dialect) grins out from beer fridges and bottle-shop shelves throughout the beery world. Their flagship 8% blond ale La Chouffe is released every year in a hefty magnum, which is branded Big Chouffe, and has a customised alternate label drawn by a famous comic artist. The 2010 vintage collected by MrB (from the Brasserie itself, in person, no less) was illustrated by Johan de Moor, son of legendary Belgian cartoonist Bob de Moor.

What They Say -
“La Chouffe is an unfiltered blonde beer, which is refermented in the bottle as well as the keg. It is pleasantly fruity, spiced with coriander, and with a light hop taste.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
MrB – Had it on draught and liked it, it’s just as good in the bottle 8
Richard – I can taste the coriander and cloves in there 7½
Grooben – Doesn’t taste 8%, I give it an extra point for the bottle 7
Shovels – I usually have a problem with Belgian beers because of the alcohol strength, but it’s drinkable for a wheat beer 7

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

BeerCast panel verdict
Sierra Nevada Estate 2009 (36/40)
BrewDog Abstrakt AB:01 (32½/40)
Brasserie d’Achouffe Big Chouffe (29½/40)
Neuzeller Anti-Aging Bier (27½/40)

Stay tuned for our next podcast, as we get back into the more regular swing of things with BeerCast #51, an episode revolving around some of the other things MrB brought back from his trip to Alsace and Belgium ….

Back for more at the GBBF, after yesterday with a better idea of what to expect and what to go for. One major change was the number of people, apparently 19,000 visitors in a single day – far, far more busy than the previous day. Great news for CAMRA, less good for us thirsty punters, but the queues weren’t really that bad. Joining me for this session was Mark, BeerCast deputy for the day and committed hater of anything with a bitter aftertaste. Anyway, on with the sampling…

1. Pictish Brewer’s Gold (3.8%) Lancashire

As yesterday the first beer to start with should be something lightly hoppy to get the palate adjusted – perfect time to try Rochdale brewery Pictish’s Brewer’s Gold – a classic British summer ale, with slight nuances of hops, malt, and bitterness. So it proved, it was fantastically well-balanced with that fruity hoppiness up front and a delicate backbone of malt. I could have drunk this all night, to be honest.

2. Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest (6.7%) California

As with the previous day the number of American cask ales on offer was pretty disappointing (but to be expected given the logistics, I guess) – but seeing one I’d been waiting to try for a while, I went straight for it. Chico’s Sierra Nevada have been featured several times on the BeerCast, but not the newest addition to their seasonal harvest range – Southern Hemisphere Harvest. Made with Pacific Hallertau, Motueka and Southern Cross hops all sourced from New Zealand, this is a fresh hop ale for the spring (as hops are normally harvested in Autumn). But the Southern Hemisphere has just been through Autumn, so the hops are at their freshest. You pick this up in the flavour, after a mild hop start they increase wonderfully in the aftertaste. The beer is a lovely dark caramel colour, and it doesn’t really taste 6.7%, so this great beer could sneak up on you.

3. Welton’s Pride ‘n’ Joy (2.8%) West Sussex

The next beer was slightly different – but it had also intrigued me in the pre-festival beer list. Welton’s Pride ‘n’ Joy is deliberately brewed at only 2.8% but according to the brewer is ‘consistently thought to be 4.0%abv in tastings’. It’s a great idea, but on tasting I’m not sure if they have pulled it off, as it tasted very weak and insipid, with no aftertaste at all. However, this could have been down to the Sierra Nevada previously, but I’m not sure if it could have been mistaken for 4% as there was no taste upfront or afterwards. It was refreshing though, and would be nice outside during summer.

4. Jersey Mary Ann Christmas Ale (4.8%) Channel Islands

As I keep banging on, beer festivals are about trying new things – although it can backfire as Mark discovered trying a beer he judged to have an aroma like “a stagnant canal”. That wasn’t a Jersey beer though, but as I’d never sampled anything from the Channel Islands before I decided to go for their Christmas beer. Somewhat incongruous for a rainy August night, but the promised ‘Christmas pudding taste’ sounded interesting. Apparently it features currants, spices, raisins, orange zest and sultanas – which maybe explains the mixed tastes going on. It tasted a bit confused, slightly roasty, a bit malty, some fruityness – but sadly I couldn’t detect any of the special added ingredients. It was nice though, just not very Christmassy.

5. Backyard Brewhouse Nipin (4.6%) Staffordshire

Walsall’s Backyard Brewhouse had only one beer at the festival – Nipin, their flagship 4.6% American-style Pale Ale. That description sold me on the spot, even without the suggested crisp citrus tastes. Mark had already tried arguably the greatest American Pale Ale in the world – Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (his first time ever, too), so I was keen to have a go at a British attempt. It was slightly hazy and very dry, with a nice hoppy zing coming through. Not much citrus though, but it was a very good beer indeed.

6. Lancaster Black (4.6%) Lancashire

Always finish on at least one stout, so the final beer I tried was Lancaster Black, from the brewery named after it’s home city on the River Lune. Like Backyard, this was the only one of their beers on offer at the GBBF, with a coffee smell and soft dark chocolate taste. This was pretty much exactly what I picked up, it fell firmly towards the chocolate end of the spectrum on the palate. Smooth and very well executed, an extremely drinkable stout – definitely one for the coming Autumn months.

That was it, the end to the BeerCast’s first GBBF adventure. Beer of the second day was Pictish Brewer’s Gold, with a very tough choice between it and yesterday’s Marble Lagonda IPA. I think on balance the IPA would come out on top, however. The CAMRA tasters voted for their beer of the festival on Wednesday, picking Yorkshire brewery Rudgate’s Ruby Mild as the 2009 Champion Beer of Britain. Congratulations to them, and to CAMRA for the success of the festival – and we hope to pay another visit next year.

As everybody knows, the legal drinking age in the United States is 21, and by a happy co-incidence our 21st podcast takes in four beers from that very country. America dominates the global brewing market, but there is a spirited craft beer scene that floats just under the mass-marketed bilge usually available over here. ‘Brewed to taste light’ – no thanks. The BeerCast foursome travel from sea to shining sea, and begin with a classic from the west coast – Anchor’s Liberty Ale. We then zip around a thousand miles inland to the Mile High City of Denver, and Great Divide’s Titan IPA, which we discover during recording is unfortunately three months out of date. So maybe the scores should be listed with an asterisk, or something. Our road trip east continues as we pitch up in Boston for Harpoon’s Winter Warmer, before enlarging our carbon footprint even more by returning to California to end with Sierra Nevada Porter. On the panel this week with Richard and Shovels are MrB and Grooben.

1. Anchor Liberty Ale (5.9%abv)
The Anchor Brewery, San Francisco, CA.
355ml glass bottle

The Anchor Brewing Company are a well-known feature of San Francisco, and started life in 1896 under the resourcefulness of two German immigrant brewers (Ernst Baruth and Otto Schinkel), who acquired the Pacific Brewery which had recently been started by another German ex-pat. After renaming it Anchor – the reasons why having been lost in time – they survived many tragedies and eventually overcame prohibition to become one of America’s most eminent producers. However, the 1960′s brought hard times, and they almost closed for good until being rescued in 1965 by a man named Fritz Maytag. San Franciscans certainly have much to thank him for.

What They Say – “Liberty Ale uses a special top-fermenting yeast to give subtle flavours and characteristics. Carbonation is produced by an entirely natural process called ‘bunging’, which produces champagne-like bubbles. Dry-hopping is also used to impart a unique aroma to the ale.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
MrB – It’s an amazing beer which I really, really like 8½
Grooben – Very robust strong flavour, hoppy not overpowering 8½
Shovels – A beer with character, nothing insipid here 7½
Richard – Not really drawing me in as much as it should 6

2. Titan IPA (6.8%abv)
Great Divide Brewery, Denver, CO.
355ml glass bottle

5280ft above sea level is apparently one mile – and just so happens to be the elevation of the USA’s 26th most populous city, Denver. In 1994 brewer Brian Dunn saw a gap in the market for a new producer in this outdoorsy (and predictably thirsty) city, and opened the Great Divide Brewery. They have since won 12 Great American Beer Festival medals (the first only 3 months after brewing their first batch). Producing 13 different beers, over half of them are self-styled “big beers” – imperial stouts, barley wines, and double IPA’s. Titan IPA falls into the latter category.

What They Say – “Brewed for hop disciples, Titan IPA is a big, aggressively hopped India Pale Ale – starting out with piney hop aromas and citrus hop flavours, and finishing with a rich, malty sweetness that is balanced with crisp hop bitterness.” [Label Tasting Notes] “Ruby red grapefruit juice, with touches of orange zest, backed by a bracing, minerally bitterness and finishing with a caramel sweet malt zing.” [Rocky Mountain Brewing News]

What We Say…
MrB – It tastes of bread 7
Shovels – Initial alcohol taste but then other flavours come out 6½
Richard – Pretty awful but nicer when I’ve had it before 5
Grooben – Tastes bitter and kind of strong, but what’s the point? 4

3. Harpoon Winter Warmer (5.5%abv)
Harpoon Brewery, Boston, MA.
355ml glass bottle

Boston’s Harpoon is said to be the largest craft brewery in New England, having been established in 1986 by three men, one of whom wrote a business plan for a brewery whilst at Harvard Business School. They expanded steadily in the late 1990′s, and in 2002 imported a state of the art brewhouse that had been built specially in Germany and shipped over. Harpoon produce four regular ales, plus a Hefeweizen called UFO (UnFiltered Offering) – Winter Warmer was their first seasonal beer to be developed, back in 1998, and is only available in the States between November and January.

What They Say – “When you bring a glass of this dark copper ale to your lips to take your first sip you will notice the aroma of cinnamon. There is no aromatic hop added that might overpower the distinct spice scent. The medium body of this beer is formed from caramel and pale malts, which create enough body to support the spices without making the beer excessively rich. Bittering hops are added to counter the sweetness of the malt and spice, and the finish of the beer is a blend of cinnamon and nutmeg. The combination of these two spices results in a balanced, pumpkin-pie flavor. The overall character is a smooth, medium bodied ale spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard – Only tastes of cloves, it doesn’t really cut it 4
MrB – No body whatsoever, it badly needs a better base 4
Shovels – It smells of a lot and tastes of not so much 4
Grooben – Needs to be more robust to cope with the spices 3

4. Sierra Nevada Porter (5.6%abv)
Sierra Nevada Brewery, Chico, CA.
330ml glass bottle

On the 5th of November 1980, the Sierra Nevada brewery produced the first batch of their now-famous Pale Ale. Founded just the year before in Chico by an ex-homebrewer called Ken Grossman, they have gone on to become one of the largest and highest rated breweries in America. Ken studied Chemistry at California State University (which is in the aforementioned town), and after graduating remained to open a homebrew shop. Once he took the plunge and moved up to a brewery proper, the plaudits and awards soon followed.

What They Say – “Dark and rich, Sierra Nevada Porter is a delicious, medium-bodied ale with a creamy head. The Porter’s smooth flavour (malty with a hint of caramel) comes from a blend of deep-roasted barely malts.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard – Two different sweet malts make it cloying, but nice 6
MrB – Might be one of the smoothest porters I’ve ever had 5
Grooben – Decent but perhaps overly sickly for my taste 5
Shovels – Takes over the mouth with the sweet smoothness 5

BeerCast panel verdict

Anchor Liberty Ale (30½/40)
Titan IPA (22½/40)
Sierra Nevada Porter (21/40)
Harpoon Winter Warmer (15/40)

Panellists – (from top left) Shovels, MrB, Grooben, Richard

• Listen to the episode here: BeerCast #21 – USA
• Subscribe to the podcasts in iTunes or our site feed

We’ll be back in a couple of weeks with our 22nd episode, a showcase edition on Gloucestershire’s Wickwar Brewery. Stay tuned for details…and please leave us comments on the blog or iTunes, or emails. Cheers!