The BeerCast

For our latest podcast, we started off drinking beers that didn’t seem related – but by the end a very definite theme had developed. Two chestnut red ales, the second of which was billed as having hints of a certain yellow fruit, were followed by two that had very serious hints of the same thing. We’re not sure if any other beer website has tried a Banana special before, but we started ours with White Horse’s Dragon Hill (4.1%) from Oxfordshire – which admittedly has nothing to do with bananas. We then move on to one from our side of the border – Williams Red (4.5%), from the eponymous brothers based in Alloa. Our third beer moves towards the theme, as we sample Wells Banana Bread Beer (5.2%) from the Wells & Youngs Brewery in Bedford. Finally we finish on the ultimate beer for the flavour – Mongozo Banana Beer (4.5%), from the Chokwe people of Africa, via Belgium. This edition sees a joining of our two panels, as Andy and Jess jet north to Edinburgh to join Richard and Shovels.

1. Dragon Hill (4.1%abv)
White Horse Brewery, Faringdon, Oxfordshire.
500ml glass bottle

The White Horse Brewery are a small producer based in the valley of the same name in rural Oxfordshire. Faringdon is a market town on the edge of the Thames Valley, and it’s here that Andy Wilson founded his brewery. They attempt to use local produce as much as possible for their ales, such as White Horse Bitter and their fiery, aromatic Wayland Smithy. Dragon Hill takes it’s name from the small chalk hillock nearby, upon which legend has it St George did his noble deed to resolve a problem with a large reptile. It’s also near the Uffington White Horse, a 300ft long prehistoric outline carved into the ground that forms the company logo.

What They Say – “Just like Saint George making his stand on the Dragon Hill many years ago, this beer is chestnut red in colour, with a dry biscuit after taste and a hoppy finish. As the start to the New Year has passed, it is time to re-define those taste buds with this early season beer made with the finest English malt and traditional hops.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard – It’s very dry, with quite a biscuity aftertaste 7
Jess – I can drink it although there’s nothing rich in the taste 5
Shovels – A bit like bottled Deuchars, it’s underwhelming 5
Andy – The John Major of beers – not offensively bad, just so middle of the road it’s without merit 4

2. Williams Bros Red (4.5%abv)
Williams Bros, Alloa, Clackmannanshire
500ml glass bottle

The family-run company started in 1992 by brothers Scott and Bruce Williams first produced eclectic traditional Scottish beers brewed to historic recipes – such as Fraoch Heather Ale, (first produced in 2000BC). In 2004 they took over larger premises in Alloa and formed a new line of beers under the brand ‘Williams Bros’ – Gold, Red, Black, and Joker. The last couple of years has seen them expand into many more brands, such as the excellent Midnight Sun and Good Times. 2009 has seen the affable brothers score four beers in the finals of Sainsbury’s Beer Challenge – Birds & Bees, Williams 80/-, Ceilidh Lager and Williams IPA, which are all seriously drinkable (particularly the IPA). However, for this episode we sample one of their oldest lines – Williams Red.

What They Say – “Williams Red is a rich ruby malt ale, medium dry with hints of toffee and banana. Balanced with fresh spicy hops to give a zesty peppery backdrop, Williams Red is a warming full flavoured beer to be savoured.” [Label Tasting Notes]

What We Say…
Richard – I don’t get toffee or banana, just general sweetness 6½
Shovels – As malty red ales go it’s the right side of the 80/- line 6
Jess – I would have liked it more if it was more bitter 6
Andy – Just a bit too much for my fragile taste buds 4

3. Wells Banana Bread Beer (5.2%abv)
Wells & Youngs, Bedford, Bedfordshire
500 ml glass bottle

Charles Wells was born in Bedford in 1842. At the age of 14 he left school and boarded a frigate bound for India. By the time he was Chief Officer he had courted and proposed to a woman named Josephine Grimbley. However, her father had no desire to see her married to a man who would vanish for months on end at sea, so Charles abandoned his naval career and decided to open a brewery. He found a site on the River Ouse, sank his own well on a nearby limestone hill, and got started. Today, following a 2006 merger with London’s Young’s concern they are the largest privately owned brewer in the UK. Their Eagle Brewery in Bedford brews many beers under licence, such as Kirin, Cobra and Red Stripe. Their flagship brand is Bombadier, and they also own an estate of over 250 pubs.

What They Say – “It’s flavour unfolds with a sensual sparkle and a smart crispness, which balances its aroma perfectly. Tropically fruity; its ripe banana flavour, emphasised by a hint of bitterness, comes from the addition of real fair trade bananas and finishes with an emphatic, steely dryness.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Andy – For an odd beer with stuff in, it’s as good as it gets 8½
Jess – It’s like drinking beer and having a lovely slice of home-made banana bread 8
Richard – Bananas come through in the smooth aftertaste 7½
Shovels – Tastes like banana bread with a fizz at the end 7½

4. Mongozo Banana (4.5%abv)
Brouwerij Hughye Melle, Belgium
330 ml glass bottle

Several years ago, Henriqe Kabia’s mother had a problem. Belonging to the Chokwe people of Angola she would follow tradition by passing on her grandmother’s palm nut homebrew recipe to her oldest daughter. Trouble was, she didn’t have any, so it was Henrique that got the know-how instead. When he moved to the Netherlands in 1993, he decided Europeans should get the chance to sample traditional African beer. After a struggle, he teamed up with Jan Fleurkens and persuaded the Belgian Brouwerij Van Steenberge to let him experiment – and it proved to be a hit. Today Brouwrij Huyghe (of Delirium Tremens fame) produce Mongozo under licence, and there are five flavours available – Coconut, Quinua, Palmnut, Mango, and last but not least, Banana (based on the Masai drink mbege). Henrique was killed in a car accident in Switzerland in 2003, but the beer survives and is increasing in market share throughout Europe.

What They Say – “The word Mongozo means ‘to your health!’ in the language of the Chokwe people of Africa. Banana, as already indicated by the name, is the unmistakeable flavour of Mongozo Banana. The beer flavour only comes through in the aftertaste. It goes without saying that Mongozo Banana is the yellow colour of ripe bananas.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Andy – It smells like you just opened a tub of pick n’ mix 5
Shovels – Should be called Monsweeto, a 3yr old would love it 4
Jess – No beer in it at all, it tastes like a fizzy drink 3
Richard – Tastes like colossally sweet banana cordial, it’s a poor excuse for a beer and just isn’t nice 1½

Panellists – (from top left) Andy, Jess, Richard, Shovels

BeerCast panel verdict
Wells Banana Bread Beer (31½/40)
Williams Bros Red (22½/40)
White Horse Dragon Hill (21/40)
Mongozo Banana Beer (13½/40)

The London office has opened it’s doors again for a second podcast, this time welcoming BeerCast newbies Andrew Hayes and Nick Fraenkel to the bar to share their thoughts. Nick and Andrew play with Jess (of Andy & Jess) in an electro-band called The Unrecorded and so it was a pretty cosy and raucus affair. So much so in fact that we’ve had to add the explicit tag to this one!

Unusually for The BeerCast we didn’t have a theme for this episode, instead we asked Nick and Andrew to bring along a couple of beers of their choosing to sample, and we added a couple of random ones into the mix.

We sipped and slurped our way through five beers on the night, not always staying on the beer theme – the conversation meandered into the sedimentary pork geology of Melton Mowbray, summertime wee, blackcurrant Vitamin C tablets, egg filters and famous metallic air of Bath. It was a very spirited and slightly surreal episode and we look forward to having Nick and Andrew back soon.

Enjoy!

1. Melton Red (4.3%abv)
Belvoir Brewery, Old Dalby, Leicestershire.
500ml glass bottle

The lengthily titled Belvoir Brewery, Sample Cellar, Exhibition and Visitor Centre lies in the centre of England, near the border between Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. Pronounced ‘Bee-vor’, it was established in 1995 by Colin Brown, who learned his trade at the now defunct Shipstones Brewery in Nottingham. They specialise in malty bitters, with two of their staples being Star Bitter and Beaver Bitter – the former winning a Bronze in the Best Bitter category at the 2005 GBBF. The latter is known as Beaver Bitter when on cask, but Melton Red when bottled – unless it’s the bottle-conditioned form, in which case it’s Beaver Bitter. I think.

What They Say - “A premium full flavoured and well balanced smooth malt beer with a subtle blend of hops leading to a pleasant rounded finish.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Andy – Not as exciting to drink as it is to smell, a bit chalky 5
Andrew – Good, but not exciting me 5
Jess – It’s a little bit like herbal tea 4
Nick – Tastes like soluble blackcurrant Vitamin C 4

2. Kew Gold (4.8%abv)
Wells&Young’s Brewery, Bedford.
500ml glass bottle

The Ram Brewery in Wandsworth started commercial brewing in 1581 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and produced ale for the local hostelry called the Ram’s Inn. The brewery distributed by horse and cart to the local area until 1803 when the world’s first public railway opened from Wandsworth to Croydon enabling transport by rail. In 2004 Young’s (as they had become) announced a “review of brewing operations” and two years later on the 25th September 2006 closed their Wandsworth concern and moved outside the city to Bedford. Here they merged with Charles Wells’s Eagle brewery and renamed the operation Wells & Young’s Company. Kew Gold is ‘inspired’ by hops grown at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew.

What They Say – “Rather lively and fizzy, making the mouthfeel more harsh than it could be. Flavours are soft pale malt notes with a little hop bitterness and a hint of citrus. Finish is dry, but with an underlying syrupy touch.” [bottledbeer.co.uk]

What We Say…
Andy – Quite dry, quite fresh but not exceptional 6
Andrew – There’s a little bit of wee in there, but in a good way 6
Nick – Grassy fresh taste 5
Jess – Yeah, not too bad 5

3. Hopping Mad (4.7%abv)
Wood’s Brewery, Winstanstow, Shropshire.
500ml glass bottle

The Wood Brewery in Winstanstow is very much a family affair – it was founded in 1980 by brothers Anthony and Edward, together with their father Basil. Like many small English rural breweries, it began with the conversion of outbuildings near a country pub – in this case the abandoned stables next to the Plough Inn. They seem to be firm supporters of worthy causes, historically brewing ‘Hedgehog Bitter’ for the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, they have now released ‘Air Ambulance Ale’ to benefit the local flying doctors. They also rescued the Sam Powell brewery, and brew for the Welsh concern that folded in 1991.

What They Say – “Hopping Mad uses just one single hop variety, Progress, to achieve its appealing aroma, its pleasingly bitter taste and its delightful sparkle. We believe the result is uniquely enjoyable. So did the judges at the Beauty of Hops Awards, who awarded it a Silver Medal.” [Official Website]

What We Say…

Andrew – I can taste the lemon in there 6½
Nick – Tastes a little bit like a swimming pool 6
Andy – You’d struggle with more than a pint of this 5
Jess – It’s like being in a room for too long 4½

4. Organic Best Ale (5.0%abv)
Samuel Smith’s, Tadcaster.
500ml glass bottle

Tadcaster in North Yorkshire is home to independent brewer Samuel Smith, and the much larger Scottish & Newcastle owned John Smith’s. This is no co-incidence – they were also started by the same family. In 1847 Samuel Smith (a Leeds butcher) funded his son John in a brewery takeover of the Hartley Brewery, originally opened in 1758 (and the oldest in Yorkshire). John moved his business to new premises, so his cousin – also called Samuel – re-opened the vacated original buildings and started brewing in direct competition with John, under his own name.

What They Say – “a delicately flavoured golden ale in which the subtle fruity esters from the old Samuel Smith yeast strain interact with a background of maltiness and fresh hops.” [beersofeurope.co.uk]

What We Say…
Nick – The smell of a nice bath 7
Andrew – Orangey biscuity, chocolatey notes 6½
Andy – Very floral, citrusy but there’s something in it i’m not keen on 5
Jess – Hey there! tastes a bit like Soreen, too sweet though 4

5. Tom Paine Ale (5.5%abv)
Harveys Brewery, Lewes, East Sussex.
500ml glass bottle

Georgian wine merchant Jon Harvey produced his first batch of ale in 1790 on the banks of the River Ouse in Lewes, East Sussex. In 1838 he built a new eight quarter brewhouse on a site at Bridge Wharf which he had purchased for £3,707, going into business with his three sons. It was Henry Harvey who took over the brewing – he was producing stout, ale and porter in the mid 19th century. Today their beers are incredibly popular on the south coast – there’s currently a two-year waiting list for their brewery tour – and Harvey’s Best is a two-time GBBF winner in the bitter category. Tom Paine Ale is named after the radical writer and philosopher who lived in Lewes, but went on to become one of the founding fathers of the United States, co-draughting the Declaration of Independence.

What They Say – “Hazy golden ale with a small, creamy, off-white head. Good retention. Sherry-like nose with additional notes of caramel and red apple. The flavor is malty with esters of honey and toffee. Hopped just enough to prevent cloying sweetness. Medium-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and soft carbonation. Lengthy, creamy finish.” [ratebeer.com]

What We Say…
Jess – Quite metallic and bitter, but well balanced 7
Andy – Best beer of the night 7
Nick – It becomes more bitter & less complex the more I drink 7
Andrew – It’s metallic but not like drinking a ship 7

BeerCast panel verdict
Tom Paine Ale (28/40)
Samuel Smiths Organic Best Ale (22½/40)
Young’s Kew Gold (22/40)
Hopping Mad (22/40)
Melton Red (18/40)

Panellists – (from top left) Andy & Jess, Andrew, Nick

• Listen to the episode here: BeerCast #32 – The Unrecorded
• Subscribe to the podcasts in iTunes or our site feed

We’ll be back in a couple of weeks with our next podcast. As always please leave us comments on the website or iTunes, or emails, Twitter or any other method of communication you fancy.

Cheers!

Our fourteenth podcast features beers from London, and was recorded in December 2007. At the time our Christmas and Beer of the Year specials had to take priority, but now it’s time to delve into the archives, as the ales we sampled deserved recognition – for once on the BeerCast, all four seem to meet with our approval. Panellists Richard, Shovels and Grooben tackle Young’s Special London Ale (6.4%) – which is now no longer brewed in London – before moving on to Fuller’s London Porter (5.4%). The third item on the beery menu is Meantime’s award-winning Chocolate Stout (6.5%), before we finish on a fruity note with Fuller’s Jack Frost (4.5%). Not really one for early April – but in December, far more apt…

1. Young’s Special London Ale (6.4%abv)
Wells & Youngs, Bedford.
500ml glass bottle

The Ram Brewery in Wandsworth started commercial brewing in 1581 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and produced ale for the local hostelry called the Ram’s Inn. The brewery distributed by horse and cart to the local area until 1803 when the world’s first public railway opened from Wandsworth to Croydon enabling transport by rail. In 2004 Young’s (as they had become) announced a “review of brewing operations” and two years later on the 25th September 2006 closed their Wandsworth concern and moved outside the city to Bedford. Here they merged with Charles Wells’s Eagle brewery and renamed the operation Wells & Young’s Company. So sadly Young’s Special London Ale is no longer brewed in London – but it has been CAMRA’s Champion Bottled Beer of Britain three times (1999, 2004, 2005).

What They Say – “Special London Ale is an absolute classic, a winner of many awards. Why? Despite its strength it’s sublimely drinkable. The malty richness is countered by huge amounts of hops to create a perfectly balanced, wonderfully aromatic, dry, fruity flavour.” [Label tasting notes]

What We Say…
Shovels – I quite like it, this would creep up on you 7½
Richard – Dark and strong with the higher alcohol tastes 7
Grooben – Malty and nice, with a definite fruitiness 7

2. Fuller’s London Porter (5.4%abv)
Fuller’s Brewery, Chiswick, London.
500ml glass bottle

The Griffin Brewery has been sited in a leafy corner of Chiswick for over 350yrs. Popular with rowers and boating clubs, the Hounslow location by the Thames is on the site of a late-medieval cheese fair (from which the name Chiswick derives). Fullers – full name ‘Fuller Smith and Turner plc’ are one of London’s success stories, having won the coveted CAMRA Champion beer of Britain award five times in it’s 25 year history. Their flagship brand is London Pride, which is available pretty much everywhere in the south of England. They also produce a honey beer which we sampled in episode four (although the panel didn’t really take to it), and a London Porter, which we are trying in this episode.

What They Say – “Fuller’s London Porter is smooth, rich, and strong (5.4% a.b.v.), and is brewed from a blend of brown, crystal and chocolate malts for a creamy delivery balanced by traditional Fuggles hops.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard – Dark and strong but really nice right from the off 8
Grooben – Classic burnt chocolate and coffee flavours 8
Shovels – Flavourful without being overpowering – a fine porter 7

3. Meantime Chocolate Stout (6.5%abv)
Meantime Brewery, Greenwich.
330ml glass bottle

Founded in 1999 by a group of friends in London, production at the Meantime brewery first started in April 2000. It was the only British brewery to win medals at the 2004 World Beer Cup (for it’s Viennese lager), and repeated the feat in 2006. They went considerably better in 2007, collecting five ‘world’s best’ at the World Beer Awards, then having four of their range included in the International Beer Challenge’s 50 best beers in the world. One of the heralded varieties is their Chocolate Stout, which was one of the five to win at the aforementioned World Beer Awards. Will our panel think it’s a world beater?

What They Say – “A silky-smooth suppertime beer, created using dark malts and chocolate. Pronounced vanilla notes fuse the chocolate and malts together to give a rich, warming, flavour that also works well as a complement to fruity desserts, summer puddings and autumn berries.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Grooben – Not to be glugged at but I’m pleasantly surprised 8
Richard – Chocolatey bitterness in the aftertaste, it’s really nice 7
Shovels – Cold drinking chocolate, I preferred the Fuller’s 6½

4. Fuller’s Jack Frost (4.5%abv)
Fuller’s Brewery, Chiswick, London.
500ml glass bottle

Our final beer is another from the Griffin Brewery, London’s most successful independent producer. But moving past London Pride, ESB, or any of their regular beers (which are all pretty good – ESB in particular), the BeerCast tackle one of their seasonals – Jack Frost. An impressively dark reddish beer with added Blackberries (or Brambles, if you’re from north of the border). We’re unsure if this counts as a bona fide fruit beer, or is just a beer with fruit in. We’re not even sure if there’s a difference – but are we sure about Jack Frost?

What They Say – “Full flavoured, deep red in colour and exceptionally moreish, Jack Frost is the perfect accompaniment to many a cold winter’s day. Brewed with crystal malt and a dash of blackberries, Jack Frost delivers a fruity, robust yet refreshing flavour that lingers long on the palate.” [Label Tasting Notes]

What We Say…
Shovels – Clean, refreshing, all year round this would sell well 7
Grooben – Not really that blackberryish, doesn’t justify itself 6½
Richard – No warmth, nothing to draw you in 6

BeerCast panel verdict

Fuller’s London Porter – 23/30
Young’s Special London Ale – 21½/30
Meantime Chocolate Stout – 21½/30
Fuller’s Jack Frost – 19½/30

Panellists – (from bottom right) Grooben, Richard, Shovels

• Listen to the episode here: BeerCast #14 – London Beers
• Subscribe to the podcasts in iTunes or our site feed

We’ll be back in a couple of weeks with episode 15 – a romp around the world of Scottish IPA’s. Stay tuned for details…and please leave us comments on the blog or iTunes, or emails. Cheers!