The BeerCast

“Legend” is a word that can be overused in today’s fawning celebrity culture, and is increasingly being applied to almost anyone and everything – even, of course, beer. As a county, Yorkshire is never shy about promoting locals to legendary greatness, whether it’s Captain Cook or Fred Trueman. However, the website of Masham brewer Theakstons claims their 5.6% ale Old Peculier is simply ‘The Legend’. Canny self-promotion? Or genuine accolade? Well, we do like a Theakstons beer on the BeerCast, as Theakston XB made it to our first ever Beer of the Year show, narrowly losing out to a festive stunner from San Francisco’s Anchor.

We tend to write one-off reviews about new, unusual or far-flung beers, as by their nature we’re compelled to try them and report what we find. But I’ve been drinking Old Peculier for years, so it’s almost unusual to try and put into words a summary of what the flavours are. It’s also quite hard, as Theakstons say in the marketing speak it has a “mysterious and distinctive flavour”. From the bottle – and it is much nicer on cask, as most things are – it’s very dark ruby, almost black, with a highly carbonated head lasting for some time. It has a rich, sweet molasses aroma, similar to the smell from a can of treacle, although with some hop and malt aromas added.

This darkness continues into the taste, the syrupy molasses cover your palate – it’s a fireside beer if ever there was one. There’s some malt components on the tongue as well, although no roast or burnt caramel flavours at all - Old Peculier is very thick and very sweet. It reminds me of a Scottish 90/- wee heavy – although at 5.6% it falls under the ceiling for those stronger beers. It’s very full-bodied though, and if anything it gets nicer as it warms because the sweetness fades into the malt. That’s where the shilling comparison ends, as they characteristically get sweeter as they warm to room temperature, but this one becomes more balanced. I don’t know if I’d go so far as to bestow legendary status on it, but as Fred might have said, it’s blooming tasty.

“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.

Since our highly enjoyable Beer of the Year Show 2007 where Anchor’s Special Ale 2006 was crowned our first ever BOTY, we have tried and tested all manner of ales here on the BeerCast. Nine different panellists sampled their way through 73 different beers over the course of 2008, spread over 16 podcasts. As tradition now dictates, we ended up with a ‘final four’ - those that scored the highest marks last year - which we then pitted against each other to see who would take Anchor’s crown.

We had intended to record the podcast just before the turn of the new year, but unfortunately a procurement issue meant we had to delay until the end of January. After a few weeks we managed to find all four beers once again, and the BOTY show could take place. The worthy finallists were - Thwaites Double Century, Hop Back Summer Lightning, Theakston XB, and BrewDog Hardcore IPA. As scoring had been done in each individual BeerCast, for the final we re-sampled each one and gave our general thoughts, before going round the panel and simply picking a winner. For this BOTY edition, the panel consisted of Richard, Shovels, Grooben, and the Hopmeister Tom. First up, Thwaites Double Century…

1. Double Century (5.2%abv) 500ml glass bottle
Thwaites Brewery, Blackburn, Lancashire.
BeerCast #12 scored 26/30 (87%) 23rd Feb 2008
Originally tasted by MrB 9; Stuart 9; Richard 8

Grooben - Very dry and bitter at the end
Richard - Great hoppy session beer with a hint of orange
Tom - Really nice but gives you ‘hangover tongue’
Shovels - I don’t get the wow factor but it’s decent stuff

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

Grooben - It’s a summer beer, maybe a bit incongruous for winter
Richard - Very hoppy and pleasant, but you can’t tell it’s 5%
Tom - I’ve tried this before independently and it’s really quaffable
Shovels - On tap it’s one of my favourites and I always look for it

3. 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

Grooben - Nicer than I would have expected, but a bit sweet
Richard - Just one would be very nice, bit molassey and treacly
Tom - No nasty aftertaste, it’s a lovely session ale
Shovels - I really like it, the sweetness isn’t too much

4. 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

Grooben - It must be very difficult to make a beer as strong as this but as palatable
Richard - You’d have to savour this one almost like a trappist ale
Tom - This one really stands out because of it’s individuality
Shovels - It’s like an American IPA but tastes less hoppy

So the beers had been re-tried and thoughts given - but only one thought counted, the overall winner of the four. The final step of the Beer of the Year show was to go round the table and pick the one that stood out the most…

Grooben
“I’ve never had XB and darker sweeter beers aren’t for me, but I really liked it. The Hardcore IPA was a bit much for my personal tastes, and was above the other two, but overall the XB was the best.”

Tom
“Hardcore IPA was the only beer that was trying to do something different, and you aren’t going to forget your first taste. The others would eventually become forgotten I think. Hardcore IPA made me stand up and take notice so I vote for that.”

Shovels
“My favourite was Summer Lightning as of the four I’d drink a lot of it either in the pub or from bottles, it’s a really great session ale - light and refreshing.”

Richard
“My favourite had to be Summer Lightning, it’s the kind of beer you can really drink. Hardcore IPA is tremendous but you can maybe only savour it - you can get pleasure from Summer Lightning all throughout the year.”

So that was it. A depleted panel compared with last year maybe, but the responsibility of selecting our beer of the year was still just as great. In the end, our winner was Hop Back’s Summer Lightning, a superb golden ale in the classic English tradition. Congratulations to them, and thanks to all the panellists for their opinions over the course of last year.

• Listen to the episode here:BeerCast #27 - Beer of the Year 2007
• Subscribe to the podcasts in iTunes or our site feed

We’ll be back soon with another podcast episode. Stay tuned for details…and please leave us comments on the blog or iTunes, or emails. Cheers!

After the excitement of our London recording last time out, for the 17th BeerCast podcast we return to our roots - almost literally for one of the panellists. Back in our glittering Edinburgh studio we sample four beers from North Yorkshire, acquired during our Easter time-ish break to York. We begin with Copper Dragon Challenger IPA (4.8%) from Skipton, before moving to the small town of Masham (with a silent H) and try a beer from each of the major brewers there - Theakston XB (4.5%), followed by Black Sheep Ale (4.4%). Finally we end on Suddaby’s Auld Bob (6.0%), which Shovels - North Yorkshire born and bred - knows very well. Joining him and Richard on the panel is the welcome return of the Hopmeister, aka Tom.

1. Copper Dragon Challenger IPA (4.8%abv)
Copper Dragon Brewery, Skipton.
500ml glass bottle

Copper Dragon were originally known as the Skipton Brewery, and first opened in 1816 near the towpath of the Leeds and Liverpool canal. Initially powered by a water wheel, the brewery continued until the start of the 20th Century, when it was taken over by Bentleys of Woodlesford and closed. But in 2002 Steve Taylor and Ruth Bennett reopened the concern after a two-year feasibility study. They renamed it the Copper Dragon Brewery and now own ten pubs, whilst producing 250 barrels a week.

What They Say - “A truly traditional premium ale brewed to revive flavours enjoyed by our Victorian ancestors. Full bodied and fruity with subtle overtones.” [Official Website]; “Amber coloured, this is a best bitter in the traditional style. Initial maltiness gives way to fruit, hops, and a growing bitter, dry finish.” [Good Beer Guide]

What We Say…
Richard - A bit malty for an IPA but nice and drinkable 7
Shovels - More bittery than the usual IPA tastes 7
Tom - There’s a hint of ashtray towards the end 6

2. Theakston XB (4.5%abv)
Theakstons Brewery, Masham.
500ml glass bottle

Theakston’s are one of Britain’s real success stories when it comes to breweries. ‘T&R Theakston Ltd’ was founded in 1827 at the Black Bull Pub in Masham. In 1919 they acquired and closed the town’s other brewery, Lighfoot’s, and concentrated production. Always a family business, eventually operations were conducted by four of the Theakston brothers, but sadly in 1987 financial constraints led to a takeover by Scottish & Newcastle. Happily, however, in 2004 the four Theakstons bought the business back from corporate S&N and it is now in family hands once again.

What They Say - “A premium strength, ruby coloured ale with a rich flavour and full body. The balance between bitterness and fruitiness from the Bramling Cross and Fuggle hops used to give XB the distinctively complex aroma, making it the beer to savour.” [Official Website] “There are more flavours in the beers brewed by Theakston in Masham than there are from an entire wine growing region in France.” [Roger Protz]

What We Say…
Tom - I could get fired into that of an evening, my favourite beer I’ve had on the BeerCast 9
Shovels - Subtle and enjoyable aley caramel flavours 8½
Richard - It’s just as good as beers from the NorthWest 8

3. Black Sheep Ale (4.4%abv)
Black Sheep Brewery, Masham.
500ml glass bottle

After S&N acquired Theakston’s in 1987, one of the family became so dispirited that he decided to do something drastic. Paul Theakston left the business to start his own brewery, setting up in the old Lightfoot’s premises over the road. However, S&N had trademarked the name so he had to come up with another name. Apparently it was his wife that suggested the name ‘Black Sheep’. So once again Masham supported two large brewers (the town has a population of about 1300), with Black Sheep concentrating on cask ale (70% of their production). Their familiar ram’s head logo is a common sight over the Yorkshire Dales.

What They Say - “Our most famous bottled beer, Black Sheep Ale is fermented in the unusual Yorkshire Square system to produce a distinctive robust taste. Brewed with many generous handfuls of choice Golding hops, it is a full flavoured premium ale with a rich fruity aroma and an uncompromising long, dry and bitter finish.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard - Very different to XB, tastes like a standard bitter 6½
Shovels - Slightly disappointing, I much prefer it on draught 6½
Tom - Very different to the draught ale, far too dry for me 5

4. Suddaby’s Auld Bob (6%abv)
Suddaby’s Brewery, Malton.
500ml glass bottle

The Suddaby family name has gone hand in hand with the North Yorkshire market town of Malton for over a century. Suddabys has once again been voted “Rural Pub of the Year” by Scarborough CAMRA - this is the eighth time in nine consecutive years that the pub has scooped the award. The Suddbay beers, however, are produced under license by the Brown Cow Brewery in Selby, as there are no production facilities in Malton.

What They Say - “Suddaby’s award winning Auld Bob is a rich dark full-bodied ale brewed with a combination of two dark hops and the finest English malt to produce a full flavoured and unique ale.” [Official Website] “Deep ruby strong ale with a rich velvet finish.” [Good Beer Guide]

What We Say…
Shovels - We used to need Coca Cola chasers to stomach this 5
Richard - I want to like it but I’m struggling 4
Tom - It’s every bad drink you had as a kid that made you sick 2

BeerCast panel verdict

Theakston XB - 25½/30
Copper Dragon Challenger IPA - 20/30
Black Sheep Ale - 18/30
Suddaby’s Auld Bob - 11/30

Panellists - (from bottom left) Richard, Shovels, The Hopmeister

• Listen to the episode here: BeerCast #17 - North Yorkshire
• Subscribe to the podcasts in iTunes or our site feed

We’ll be back in a couple of weeks with episode 18 - our second BeerCast Japanese Beer special. Stay tuned for details…and please leave us comments on the blog or iTunes, or emails. Cheers!