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To Ølekalender

As much as I love chocolate, these days I much prefer a nice beer. In a self-indulgent spur of the moment, I decided to splurge on an advent calendar from one of my favourite breweries: To Øl.

To Øl are a danish gypsy brewery run by the exceptional Tobias Emil Jensen and Tore Gynthe. Their beers are continually pushing the boundaries of what defines a beer, using high quality ingredients to offer innovative takes on a variety of styles.

Here is my rundown of my thoughts on each individual beer, as well as my thoughts on the advent calendar as a whole:

Day 1: Hundelufter Bajer

A really nice pale ale, with tons of beautiful mosaic coming through. I could drink this by the gallon on a hot summers day.

Day 2: Final Frontier

A lovely pithy IPA that’s practically a core beer in To Øl’s range - but one I’ve never had before. It’s the first time it’s been produced in cans and it’s great!

Day 3: Kaffe og Røg

This was one of my favourite beers from the calendar. It had a gorgeous coffee taste which was exceptional in its own right, but what made the beer unique was the underlying smokiness to it. It prevented the beer from being too one dimensional and made it complex and decadent.

Day 4: Sur Yule

Surprisingly, this was one of the few beers I had drunk before from the calendar. When I tried it I was a bit underwhelmed, so I was interested to try a fresher version. It’s a cherry sour, but I’m not sure to what extent it really works. In the fresh bottle the cherries were much more accentuated which was great, but it’s not a match for To Øl’s other sours.

Day 5: Sessions: Cloud 3 Wit

I initially thought this was just a filler beer, but it was actually really quite nice. It’s a witbier with orange and mango, so it was incredibly refreshing, but it was unfortunately devoid of any lingering aftertaste.

Day 6: Raid Beer

I seldom drink pilsners these days. Many are by-the-numbers lagers, and attempt to pander too much to a casual beer drinker. However, this was fantastic. It’s SO hoppy and floral. This is what a pilsner should be like, showing that flavour and taste need not be a mysterious concept when making a pilsner.

Day 7: Santa’s Hibernation

This was like an amped up version of Cloud 3 Wit. A very nice wheat beer, at a spritely 6%.

Day 8: My Pils

This was quite disappointing for several reasons. Despite the excellence of Raid Beer it was a bit of a shame to have another pilsner so soon, especially when this pales in comparison to it. Moreover, To Øl are a brewery famed for their innovativeness and creativity in beer, so a period of 4 days of quite samey beers made day 8 an especially dark (albeit pale) day.

Day 9: Sur Amarillo

I find single hopped beers a bit underwhelming sometimes, but To Øl have mastered this range of single hopped sours. Indeed, I’ve tried a few single hopped sours that taste very soapy, but this avoids that unpleasantness entirely and highlights the beauty of Amarillo

Day 10: Black Ball

This was a roasty imperial porter perfect for the Christmas season, but it unfortunately exploded on me upon opening. As a result, what should of been quite a smooth porter was a bit overcarbonated and thin to be truly excellent for me.

Day 11: Gose To Hollywood

Another beer I have had before, but I’d be more than happy to drink forever. It’s potentially one of my desert island beers, and one I could wax lyrical on for 2000 words. It’s sour and punchy with essences of saltiness. It’s only 3.8%, so it’s insanely drinkable, but it packs so much vibrancy and taste. I adore the artwork as well.

Day 12: My Sour Pils

After the lacklustre My Pils, I wasn’t particularly excited about this one. I was pleasantly surprised to find it was much much better and tastier. The sourness gave a complexity that was absent in the normal version, and defibrillated what was quite a lifeless beer.

Day 13: Say What?!

One of the problems of trying a range of one breweries beers in a short period of time is that you’re able to compare similar beers quite easily, as your fresh memory highlights what would usually be subtle differences. As a result, Say What?! compared slightly unfavourably to the better Final Frontier. Both atypical American IPAs, but this was a little less rounded.

Day 14: Brett & Butter

This was a beer that sounded really interesting on paper. Firstly for its excellent name, but also for its style. It’s a traditional Belgian table beer which is kettle soured and fermented with brettanomyces. However, in flavour this was quite unremarkable. Despite being quite tasty, the funkiness usually found through brettanomyces was nonexistent.

Day 15: Gose North

To Øl’s goses are mostly incredible and this was no exception. A salty gose with the interesting addition of quince and seabuckthorn was great. It was puckeringly sour yet devilishly drinkable.

Day 16: Frost Bite

I found this more interesting than enjoyable, and I think that’s down to my personal preference when it comes to pale ales. As seen in the photo, this was quite dark for a pale ale and I prefer them to be pale and juicy. This had the addition of pine needles and orange zesty to create a spicy Christmas pale, but one that was a bit too heavy for me.

Day 17: !!!PA Simcoe & Mosaic

I hated this. I especially hated it as I had been anticipating a nice strong beer from the calendar for a while and what I received was practically undrinkable. It was 13% and didn’t hide its strength at all. Again, my dislike is almost definitely personal preference. I just don’t think triple IPAs are very good, and needlessly strong as the strength delimits and negates the subtleties of other flavours. Indeed, many triple IPAs verge into the category of barley wines, which poses the question of “why not just make a barley wine?”

Day 18: Don’t Gose Towards The Light

As stated previously, To Øl make brilliant goses and I was especially looking forward to this dark blackberry edition to counter the woes of the previous day. Unfortunately, as the label states, the sadness will indeed seemingly last forever, as this didn’t work for me. The dark malts combined with the fruitiness of the blackberries gave the beer a very weird juxtaposition. Furthermore, I was expecting the blackberries to provide a sweet and tartness to the beer, but they tasted almost like they had gone off. Very strange.

Day 19: Totem Pale

Look... I don’t want to sound overly negative, but after two disappointing beers I needed something to cheer me up. An insipid 2.8% gluten free pale ale was unsurprisingly not the answer. If I was a teacher at a parents evening, I would tell the parents of To Øl that they had started the month well, but they’ve become distracted and their work has suffered.

Day 20: Tripel Trouble

Thankfully, To Øl raised their game towards the end of the advent calendar and provided a really solid tripel. I think tripels are really hard to get right, and despite this being far from perfect, it was full of honey loveliness. Indeed, despite it’s 7% strength it was very easy-going.

Day 21: Sur Galaxy

This was a ridiculous beer! Without sounding horribly pretentious, this is a beer that challenges perception. It’s antagonistic and challenging, and ultimately a great beer. I’ve no idea to what extent I liked it or disliked it. It’s a single hopped black sour, and it’s extremely weird! In contrast to Don’t Gose Towards The Light, it creates a juxtaposition between sourness and roastiness in the best possible way!

Day 22: Black Bauble

One of the problems with the advent calendar was the lack of stouts, which I believe are perfect for the winter season, and a style that To Øl are generally fantastic at. This was a much needed imperial porter, with added cardamom and orange peel. Christmas beers are often on the wrong side of spiciness or fragrance, but this was really complementary towards what was a luxurious beer.

Day 23: Santa Gose F&*% It All

A really nice gose, again. This time with passion fruit, guava and mango. A bit less salty and sour in comparison to their other goses, which I think was a good idea to subsequently accentuate the juiciness of the added fruit.

Day 24: Snowball Saison

I think overall this was quite a disappointing finisher for Christmas Eve. To Øl do many fantastic big beers which would’ve been perfect (not least their lovely imperial stout Jule Maelk) to celebrate the end of the calendar. The beer itself was thankfully a really good take on a saison, but unspectacularly so.

Overall, I really enjoyed the experience of the advent calendar. To have a curated selection of beers from one of my favourite breweries, all fresh, was great. Moreover, it’s been really fun to look at it critically and analyse each one for this blog post. However, I’m not sure it has represented great value. There was a complete lack of stouts and higher abv beers in favour of few duds which do not really represent the quality of the brewery. Despite this, advent calendars are definitely hard to get right, as there’s no way you can appease everyone. I think To Øl managed to counter this by providing a fairly diverse range of styles, with most of the beers having quite a unique and innovative twist.

[thehymnforthealcohol]

2017s Top 5 Breakout Breweries

When writing my Golden Pints winners, it became apparent how little I’ve tried from new breweries. It unfortunately seemed that I relied heavily on established UK breweries, or beers from breweries I had always wanted to try from abroad. The UK beer industry is expanding greatly, which is great, but in some ways this can lead to an already flooded market becoming waterboarded with new breweries. However, by the same token, this ultimately forces new breweries to be different, to be courageous and make beer that is genuinely special. Breweries that make golden ales with the same hops, the same malt, with the same boring taste won’t be able to survive. The market demands authenticity and quality. Personally, I’m really looking forward to where a lot of breweries are heading, and I’m determined to support and delve deeper into the enigmatic exoticisms of new and upcoming breweries. Here are my five breweries that I feel we should all keep a firm eye on in 2017:

1. Lost and Grounded

Lost and Grounded are a new brewery from Bristol who only started brewing in July 2016. Indeed, they seem to epitomise what I was explaining in the previous paragraph. Bristol is a city that is inundated with breweries, and a lot of them are brilliant. Wiper & True, Arbor, Left Handed Giant, and Moor are all hugely successful nationwide, so where is there space for a new brewery in Bristol? Lost and Grounded’s answer is through taking inspiration from the meticulous art of German lagers and pilsners, as well as the distinctive brewing style of Belgian beer. Instead of building their brewery on the framework of light pales and stouts, Lost and Grounded have started off with an unfiltered 4.8% Keller Pils which is further complemented by an 8.8% Belgian Tripel. Already hugely ambitious with their beer styles, Lost and Grounded have collaborated several times with Cloudwater, creating a spritely Hopfen Bock at 7.2%, with new beers from both coming out this year

2. Verdant

Hailing from the beautiful Falmouth are Verdant, a brewery that blew up on everyone’s radar towards the end of 2016 with hoppy pales and IPAs. When I visited Falmouth many years ago I was quite surprised by a relatively thriving craft beer scene. Pubs such as Beerwolf proudly eschew typical Cornish cask offerings, whereas HAND bravely brings keg to a county rife with cynicism. However, neither of these compare to the courageousness of Verdant who seemingly exclusively brew to combat Cornwall’s cemented brewing traditions by producing beers that are hazy, in cans, and have flavour. IPAs often receive a lot of hype, but I can’t think of many things better than a pale ale. Roy, I Want A Hillux at and Headband are two 5.5% pales from Verdant and really represent their versatility. The former is a dank orangey marmalade pale where as the latter is a juicy stone-fruit medley. Underlining both is their ruinously drinkability. 

3. Deya

Very similar to Verdant are Deya, who also produce hazy unfiltered beers in cans. However, Deya one-up Verdant in the craft credentials by producing their beers in 500ml cans. Deya are perhaps the brewery I know least about on this list, but arguably the one whose beers I’m keenest to try. Indeed, without even commenting on the beers, there is so much to be intrigued by. Head brewer Theo Freyne apparently has a wealth of experience in brewing, but is also highly studious when it comes to US brewing techniques. Moreover, like when Cloudwater first started, Theo begun Deya by purchasing top of the range kit from much bigger brewers Harbour, suggesting an unequivocal determination for quality. Their core range focuses on crushable quenchers such as their pale ale Steady Rolling Man at 5.2% and hoppy wheat ale Cala Deia at 4%, so it would be really interesting to see how they diversify in 2017. I also adore the gorgeous branding and artwork. It’s really unique and doesn’t really follow conventional artwork for many other UK breweries  

4. Little Earth Project

A lot of the breweries listed so far have set about with the framework of nailing perfect sessionable beers. Juxtaposing this is Little Earth Project who proudly make farmhouse inspired sour and wild behemoths. For example, their Organic East India Pale Ale at 7.9% is an IPA like no other, utilizing wild yeast and whiskey barrel aging to give the beer an authentic taste. Furthermore, it takes even the most experienced brewers to fully comprehend the complexities of Brettanomycyes, but with their Organic Stock ale at 10.5%, Little Earth Project highlight their mastery. Another thing I really like about Little Earth Project is their sustainable brewing, showing that it’s easy to brew in an ecological manner, using recyclable material to build anything and everything, whilst also using green energy companies.

5. Torrside

Thornbridge have a long-standing dominance in Derbyshire, but Torrside are showing themselves to be worth adversaries. Unlike Thornbridge and many others, Torrside reject the notion of ‘core’ beers, which provides them the license to continually adapt and experiment with beer styles. Indeed, I’d say Torrside are arguably the most diverse brewery on the list, ranging from hoppy greats such as West of The Sun 4.5%, to deep smoky rauchbiers like their incredible Fire Damage at 5%. As well as this, their ‘Monsters’ series demonstrates their crazed genius as they create brutish barley-wines in a multitude of ways, ranging from traditional English styles to the more American inspired. Their flexibility in styles means Torrside are able to maintain a equilibrium between traditional and contemporary brewing styles, showing that other breweries need not feel they have to pledge allegiance to one particular side.

[thehymnforthealcohol]

Golden Pints 2016

This is my first ever ‘Golden Pints’ and it’s a post I’ve laboriously worked on. Not in terms of editing and proof-reading, but rather through heated internal debates on what beer should receive what accolade. From the deaths of great musicians to death of humanity’s common sense, 2016 has been utterly abject. However, the ascent of craft beer hasn’t faltered as UK breweries continue to get bolder and better with their beers. It’s truly been a tough decision on each category, but there’s been one brewery that has dominated my awards. 

If 2017 is half as good as 2016 has been in terms of beer, we’re in for a very exciting future in the craft beer world 

Best UK Cask Beer: Cloudwater’s Vermont E.S.B. 

After spending most of 2016 in Manchester, I’ve only occasionally had cask beer due to amount of brilliant keg offerings in many bars. Despite this, upon a visit Port St Beer House I tried a rare cask of Cloudwater’s Vermont E.S.B., their modern take on a classic, traditional style. Their extra special bitter was gorgeously nuanced and rounded, yet made all the more extra special by the unique vermont ale yeast which completely accentuated all the beer’s incredible properties.

Best UK Keg Beer: Cloudwater’s IPA Citra

This year Cloudwater have become renown for their DIPAs by taking inspiration from all corners of America to produce innovative and unique DIPAs. However, it is their dangerously sessionable IPA Citra that really shone through for me on keg, scoring extra points for the relatively widespread distribution of it. More than anything, it was the ‘mouthfeel’ on this that made it so tasty. The beer had a strange juxtaposition of intense tropical Citra hops, combined with a texture that mimicked the velevetyness of a imperial stout.

Best UK Bottled or Can Beer: Cloudwater’s DIPA v3

Cloudwater have had a truly inspired year for me, and their DIPA v3 is emblematic of all their success. It’s in a similar vein to their IPA Citra, but amped up. Indeed, like their E.S.B., the vermont ale yeast gives a creamy thick texture to beer, creating this opaque luxurious haze. Flavour wise there’s tons of apricot combining with lots of tropical fruits. It is for me, the juiciest and best DIPA in their series. What made this the best bottle is the magnificent artwork on the label; striking, abstract, and evocative.

Best Overseas Draught Beer: Dugges’ Tropic Sunrise

The best beer experiences are the ones you don’t expect. On one my last nights living in Manchester, my girlfriend and I decided to head to Heaton Hops for a little drink in Stockport as it was somewhere we had never been before. Dugges are a brewery I’ve heard a lot about, but had yet to try much by them. I opted for Tropic Sunrise, and the rest is history. The very first sip was a revelation, tasting like nothing I’ve ever had before. Frankly, it tastes more like an alcopop than ‘beer’, which may be off putting for some, but for me the tropical fruit juice flavours were luscious and ruinously quenching.

Best Overseas Bottled or Canned Beer: Alesmith’s Speedway Stout

I think 2016 saw quite a rise in interesting imports from abroad. Highly sought after beers from highly sought after breweries are becoming easily attainable as the demand and market for craft beer continues to increase. Indeed, as a result, this year I’ve had many excellent wild and lambic beers from the likes of Crooked Stave and Mikkeller’s Spontan series, as well as lots of incredible IPAs from America, but everytime I tried to narrow down a choice I kept coming back to a beer that has been relatively easy to buy here for a while: Alesmith’s Speedway Stout.  The beer embodies the essence of what an imperial stout should be. It’s smooth and decadent, with the bold flavours of coffee softened and complimented by gorgeously indulgent chocolate. It’s a beer that will always be a favourite of mine, and is unlikely to be surpassed.

Best Collaboration Brew: Lervig/Way Beer and 3 Bean Stout

As well as imports, it seems like more and more collaborations have happened this year, so this category has been fiercely competitive. 3 Bean Stout is my champion though, an inspired imperial stout that maintains classic flavours and viscosity with its own unique twist. Lervig are a brewery who have completely nailed their imperial stouts, and most are excellent. What sets this beer apart is the use of Tonka beens which creates a completely original aroma and flavour that is hard to pinpoint. Almond and vanilla becomes highly accentuated to provide a lingering sweet aftertaste that I will remember for years to come.

Best Overall Beer: Cloudwater’s DIPA v3

What makes this the best overall beer for me is the subsequent impact the beer has had on UK IPAs. One might argue that Cloudwater have simply imitated many New England IPAs that are on trend at the moment, providing juiciness in favour of bitterness and haze instead of clarity. But this is reductive, as this is a beer that is unique and special in its own right. Indeed, I feel this beer has acted as a catalyst for many other breweries who have since attempted make juicy IPAs with their own independent stamp on it. Cloudwater, and their DIPA range in particular have inspired breweries, excited beer geeks and new drinkers alike, and as such are surely at the epicentre of all that is great in the industry at the moment.

Best Branding, Pumpclip or Label: Omnipollo

I love Karl Grandin. He is the genius behind much of Omnipollo’s branding and artwork and highlights the importance of imagery within the industry. Grandin’s beautiful abstract imagery serves to complement the beer, echoing certain characteristics within the each beer. For example, Mazarin has a melting candle on it, that connoting that it’s a beer to savour, and mull over. Grandin’s work is truly a refreshing change from a lot of breweries, showing that bold and distictive artwork can be attained through simplicity. The artwork has become as representative of Omnipollo as much as their beer has, and goes to show that beer can be about the overall experience and aestheticism as much as the taste.

Best UK Brewery: Brew By Numbers

Despite all my praise for Cloudwater, my best brewery of the year is Brew By Numbers who have seemingly mastered the art of each style. Like Cloudwater, this year they have introduced their own DIPA range with rotating hops which have been consistently excellent. Likewise, their turbid pale ales which look like chicken soup are glorious and perhaps the tastiest beers they’ve ever made. Yet perhaps more interesting is their newer range of mixed fermentation saisons and barrel-aged beers. It’s rare for a brewery to be as ambitious and innovative across a vast range of styles, but Brew By Numbers have continually nailed it for me.

Best Overseas Brewery: Omnipollo

I love Omnipollo. They are quite possibly mine, and many others, favourite brewery at the moment. Though it may be sacrilege to say, some of their beers recently have left me a little cold, such as their Anagram Blueberry Stout and Maple Candied Almond Pale Ale. But when they get it right, they get it deliciously perfect. Their Noa Pecan Mud Cake Stout is as decadent as can be, with a viscous chocolatey texture. Indeed, their barrel-aged version of this is a rare example of the barrels complimenting, rather than altering an already brilliant beer. Moreover, their Raspberry/Mango/Blueberry lassi gose’s are some the most quenching and striking beers I’ve ever tasted, and their stalwarts Mazarin and Fatamorgana are both pillowy soft pales that are gorgeous. They’re a brewery that will continually excite me, and I can’t wait to see where they head next in 2017.

Best Newcomer: Wild Weather Ales

I think a new year’s resolution for 2017 is to try more beers from smaller breweries rather than relying feverishly on those I know and love. There’s a lot of new breweries this year that have had a lot of people excited, but I’ve unfortunately missed such as Verdant, Lost & Grounded and Little Earth Project. However, Wild Weather Ales are a new brewery that have really impressed me this year and seem to be getting better and better. Their Fraise Et Poivre was a standout; a peppery saison with strawberries which was excellent. What I really like is their ability to straddle a line between traditional and modern, with their classic red ale Five Fifteen matching the quality of their Peach of a Weekend, a sour with copious amounts of fresh peach.

Best Pub/Bar: Beermoth Cafe

Opening towards the end of last year, Beermoth Cafe has been continually excellent, managing to find its own place in an already brilliant Manchester pub scene. The prices are always reasonable, and there’s always at least one or two ‘rare’ beers available to have. Moreover, their bottle list is perhaps the best of any bar I’ve ever been to. Though I’ve never indulged in buying one (as most are 750ml, and are therefore quite expensive), there’s something to cater for everyone. Yet most importantly, it’s a fantastic atmosphere to have a drink in. It’s a huge space that’s elegantly decorated, and never feels claustrophobic. It’s only been open for just over a year, but Cafe Beermoth has already cemented itself as a Manchester gem.

Best Beer Festival: London Craft Beer Festival

LCBF was the only beer festival I went to this year, so the accolade of ‘best’ is a bit unfounded due to lack of competition. However, I had a really great time and drank some fantastic beers. Initially I was a little sceptical at the upfront price of the festival, whereby you pay for the ticket and are entitled to unlimited ‘taster’ fills, but it allowed for a seamless evening with no queuing for beers. It was amazing to have a ludicrously fresh Otra Vez from Sierra Nevada, as well as some mammoth beers such as Bearded Lady Barrel Aged Bourbon Dessert Edition from Magic Rock. Everyone was friendly and it was a really feel-good atmosphere. My only regret is singing and dancing too much to Justin Timberlake and embarrassing my girlfriend.

Best Independent Retailer: The Epicurean

Living in Manchester this year has really allowed me to delve further into the craft beer world, and this is largely down to having such a fantastic bottle shop that was practically on my doorstep. The Epicurean has an excellent range at reasonable prices. Notably, and importantly, is the heralding of local beers from the likes of Track, Blackjack and Cloudwater. Indeed, a dedicated Manchester section of the shop is a great feature especially due to the quick ascension and improvement of many Manchester based breweries this year. Their international range is equally as brilliant and diverse. Indeed, many of my purchases from here hold a special place in my heart for introducing me to new styles, new breweries, or beers I had always sought after, such as Founder’s KBS. I don’t really want to know how much money I’ve given this shop over the past year, but I’m reassured in knowing that my money has gone to a good business.

Best Online Retailer: Hoptimism

In contrast, moving back home to Essex has in some ways felt like going into a time-warp, and entering a universe where craft beer is a seen as witchcraft. As a result, I’ve had to rely more on online retailers, and Hoptimism is by far the best. A consistently exceptional range is matched by an exceptional service. In one instance, after making an order, owner Rob Doyle contacted me to let me know that he would be unable to ship my beers until the following week because he was on holiday. This incredibly minor inconvenience was compensated through an additional beer chosen by Rob, and added to my order for free. Furthermore, after trying to buy some limited edition beers to no avail, I contacted Rob to ask when they would be available on his website. He quickly offered to hold one of each back for me to ensure I could get them. Rob runs an excellent business and it’s namely because his business is built on compassion and a love of great beer.

Best Blog: Matthew Curtis - Total Ales

When I started beer blogging it was because I felt that a lot of the blogs I read were a bit of an echo chamber, all offering various hot takes on the latest hot new beer. Matthew is different though. He has a eloquent writing style that really accentuates the joys of beer, whilst simultaneously being informative and insightful. Significantly, I’ve really enjoyed his writing on the accessibility of lager and pils, whilst also showing the bad reputation the style maintains despite the time and skill it takes to make one. It’s these subjects that I find interesting, as it’s a topic that’s not particularly on trend, and I hope Matthew continues to write about the whole range of styles across the world, and each one’s unique beauty.

[thehymnforthealcohol]

Russian River Brewing Co - Pliny The Elder

When I was first getting into craft beer, I remember that every time I visited York from nearby Hull, I would always try and go to The House of Trembling Madness to buy some interesting beers. Usually, ‘interesting’ was defined by myself as anything that wasn’t a lager, or anything that looked remotely contemporary in design. However, there was one time when I scoured the internet for ‘The Best Craft Beers’ and discovered many universally heralded beers. I then went with a list on my iPhone with such rarities as Westvleteren XII and Pliny The Elder. Of course, I found neither and the shop staff broke the disappointing news to me that I’d be unlikely to ever find them in the UK.

Since then, my knowledge of beer and distribution has increased, along with my desire to obtain and try Pliny The Elder. To my great luck, I happened to know someone who was visiting San Francisco and pleaded with them to try and acquire some for me. The brewery that makes this elusive beer is located in California, so I assumed it would be relatively easy to pick one up. However, they revealed that despite this, it was still a struggle, as the shop owner from the place they managed to get one from revealed that when they get a new shipment of Pliny The Elder in, there’s queues from early in the morning, and they sell-out within minutes.

I was joyous and ecstatic at the news they had managed to get one. Years and years of sanguine expectation was gradually dissolving, and I gradually accepted I might not ever try it. That had all changed. With my life surely to become exponentially better from trying this beer, my brain then attempted to deprive myself of any resemblance of happiness, by posing the question: “What if the anticipation and hype has ruined the beer for you? What if you don’t like it?”

Reader, I loved it. To my surprise, it’s a very aromatically complex beer. It was juxtaposingly floral and dank, but smelled utterly wonderful. Upon the first sip it became apparent just why this beer is so sought after and heralded. It has such a bold and distinctive taste, yet it’s incredibly balanced. There’s a sharp dry bitterness which is complemented by a nice orange and pine flavour brought about through the hops. One of the potential worries I had before trying the beer was an issue I have with many West Coast IPAs. I find that sometimes they can verge on highlighting the malt more than the hops, to the extent that what you’re left with is a very bitter beers that tastes very alcoholic, and very much like caramel. Pliny The Elder avoids this completely and instead the malt provides a much lighter note of biscuity-honey. Moreover, at 8.6%, the alcohol provided a warming comforting stroke as it went down the throat, rather than a harsh burn. All of these aromatic aromas and tantalising tastes meld together, and nothing overthrows or underwhelms each specific component. Pliny The Elder’s brilliance lies in each accentuation of each part of the beer. It is ultimately perfect.

Overall, was this one of the best beers I’ve ever had? Yes, probably. But it didn’t provide the transformative experience I was hoping for all those years ago when I visited York. The reason for this, is a good one. Craft beer in the UK has been accelerated forward recently, with numerous breweries making consistently fantastic and innovative beers. Previously, there had always been a dissonance between the UK and the US in relation to beer. While America was producing hop-forward IPAs, the UK rested on its laurels of twiggy brown beer. That is clearly gradually changing, and things are becoming a bit more even. Specifically, Cloudwater from Manchester’s DIPA series are getting to a point where their beers are of similar ‘holy grail’ semblance as Pliny The Elder. Indeed, I remember specifically in their early days of creating the series, they researched USA’s best IPAs to see what they could learn from them, and since then they’ve improved and redefined what a DIPA can be. Likewise, Magic Rock’s Cannonball, Human Cannonball and Unhuman Cannonball provide mastery in US inspired IPA, as well as London’s Brew By Number’s DIPA series which features different hops for each edition to provide a vastly different experience each time. Even comparatively smaller breweries like Wild Weather Ales are producing jaw-droppingly good DIPAs, such as their wondrous Skadoosh.

If I could speak to myself all those years ago in that bottle shop, I would implore him to seek out Pliny The Elder, but also reassure him that one day there will be something just as good on the shelves near him, that might be brewed 5 miles away, instead of 5,000.

[thehymnforthealcohol]

Northern Monk’s Patrons Project 1.01, 1.02 and 1.03 Coffee Porters

Whilst watching the horror of the U.S. election unfold on Tuesday night, I treated myself to Northern Monk’s Patrons Project Coffee Porters. What initially was intended to be a nice beer before bed, turned into two, and then three, as the burgeoning evil darkness of Trump begun to eclipse the darkness of my porter, as his influence spread from state to state. With my eyes transfixed on the television screen, all I had was my thoughts, and my beer, to take my mind off of things.

Northern Monk’s Patrons Project centres around collaboration with local artists and creatives. For each beer, Northern Monk have showcased the abundance of local talent in Leeds by using the fantastic artist Tom Joy’s design for each of the three beers, whilst using three different blends of coffee from North Star Coffee Roasters to create a different flavour profile on each. In conjunction with this, Northern Monk imprint their brilliance on each beer by making each one distinctive in its own unique way.

Firstly, Patrons Project 1.01, which uses Rwanda Gashonga coffee, is perhaps exactly what one would want from a coffee porter. 1.01 has the most intense coffee aroma and flavour out of all of them, with a mouthfeel that imitates a brilliant espresso, coating the mouth with bold, oily bitterness. I love porters, but I find so many of them can be hit and miss, with quite a few being thin and flavourless, or rather resembling a Black IPA. For all three beers, Northern Monk have really nailed what a porter should be about in each beer, and the beautiful coffee used in this one made this a standout of the three for me.

After taking my first sip of 1.02, I was surprised at how different it was. Gone was the boldness of coffee, and instead what replaced it was a subdued mellowness. Coffee was prevalent, but it was smooth and gentle. What could therefore be deemed simplistic is undercut by overtones of milk chocolate and dark fruits. This is a comforting beer; a beer that cocoons your throat in chocolatey reassurance, and ultimately one that was much needed given the context in which it was drunk.

If 1.02 surprised me, 1.03 had me astonished. The aroma smelled exactly like chocolate orange, and the flavour matched this perfectly. Not set on producing a two contrasting, but brilliantly refined and distinctive porters, Northern Monk clearly decided to test the limits of what a porter can be with this final beer in the series. 1.03 blends and amalgamates the syrupy acidic flavours of 1.01 and the smooth sweetness of of 1.02. However, despite the innovativeness, I felt flavours of aniseed slightly overshadows the decadent chocolate orange at times. It didn’t quite hark back to necking shots of sambuca in my Fresher’s Week, but did slightly remind me of these once repressed memories.

Each beer therefore provided a personal respite, and a silver-lining to what was unfolding in America, but it also symbolised a greater message for me. Upon waking up to the dismal news that Trump had officially won, I was totally bereft. It didn’t feel real. It just feels totally unimaginable that people could vote for such a man. It may sound trite, but to drink these three fine beers, each underlining an ethos of cooperation and unity to produce something inspired, was a much needed reassurance for me and indicates a hope that the world may not be as terrible and divided as it often seems.

[thehymnforthealcohol]

The Pubs That Made Me

I’ve recently moved from Manchester, back to Essex, where good beer is often scarce or non-existent. I am in a period of mourning for Manchester’s brilliant pubs and bars, but it has got me thinking about what my favourite pubs are around the country. Upon reflection, I’ve realised that many of my favourites wouldn’t be considered craft beer meccas that are often sought after. Instead, they each hold a particular resonance and significance for me that is brought about through the combination of excellent beer and atmosphere. Pubs are not just a vessel for supplying beer, but should be a place to challenge perception, inspire, and cement a love of beer. In one way or another, the following have all achieved this for me.

1. Port St. Beer House, Manchester

Port St. Beer House has a huge reputation, and one that is undoubtably deserved. It has eighteen draft lines, and seven hand-pumps, so it is obviously exceptional for beer. Indeed, they have provided me many life affirming halfs during my many visits, from the 10.5% Mexican Cake by Westbrook, an indulgent imperial stout, to the 1.6% Udder Madness by Cromarty, a mind-boggling milk sour. However, as well as the amazing beer range, it’s the subtle brilliance of the place that ensures it will always maintain a place in my heart. The staff are excellent; friendly, informative and devoid of pretension or aloofness that can often come with craft beer bars. They also continually manage to put on special events, such as tap-takeovers, or more recently, art exhibitions. Moreover, it’s just a brilliant environment to have a beer in. I’ve spent hours there enjoying beers with friends in the spacious and cosy upstairs room, sometimes even playing one of their many boardgames that can be rented out.

2. The Carpenters Arms, Maldon

Maldon is my hometown, and until recently, was pretty absent of anywhere to have a nice beer in. The Carpenters Arms used to be a bit of a rubbish pub, that housed many irritatingly immature 18 year olds (myself included). In 2013, new landlords Julia and John renovated the decrepit pub and turned it into something contemporary and exciting. This new look was matched by the beers on offer. Indeed, I remember one of my first visits after the change in ownership I spotted Dark Star’s Imperial Stout in the fridge and my jaw immediately dropped. Now, the place is a genuinely beautiful pub and offers a continually rotating cask line that highlights the best of Essex, such as Maldon Brewing Co and Mighty Oak. It proudly represents something different, but something that has always been needed for Maldon. Furthermore, they have recently dedicated some attention to cider, with the likes of the brilliant Thistly Cross holding prominence in their fridges.

3. Larkin’s, Hull

It is no myth that university marks a coming of age point for many students. I came to university with an already ‘subversive’ taste in beer, choosing the likes of Tyskie, Zywiec and Lech over Carling, Fosters and Stella. However, it was in my second year where an interest in the true wonders of beer began to ignite. For an English Literature student coming from a sleepy Essex town, Larkins was a haven to be explored, and offered a range of beer I’d never even thought was possible. Indeed, Larkin’s only ever had three cask pumps, and one rotating keg, but it was their bottle selection that introduced me to a whole range of new tastes. I remember fondly trying Founder’s Centennial IPA and Thornbridge’s Wild Raven for the first time there and it opening my eyes to how flavourful beer can be. Rarely changing their bottle selection meant I could work my way through the menu, ultimately acting as the perfect framework to find out what I liked and disliked.

4. The House of Trembling Madness, York

If Larkins ignited an interest in the diversity of beer, The House of Trembling Madness threw logs upon the fire. It’s the cosiest pub ever; large candles upon their antique holders complement various interesting animals adorning the walls. Indeed, this eclectic atmosphere is matched by the beers on offer where Brooklyn Lager would be on draft alongside a sour fruit beer. Moreover, as well as a pub, the place is equally heralded for its bottle shop downstairs. In this regard, the pub acted as a brilliant gateway for pursuing different beer. It maintained the comfort of familiar favourites, as well as innovativeness in its draft and bottle range. The place was therefore had many juxtapositions yet they all worked together to form it’s unique atmosphere, and somewhere I’m constantly craving to revisit.

5. The Old Coffee House, Soho

Echoing the idiosyncratic decor of The House of Trembling Madness, this Soho pub has managed to avoid the surrounding gentrification of the area. Staff are uncompromisingly no-nonsense, and the furniture is frayed but fantastic. Instead, The Old Coffee House serves as a setting to highlight the wonderful beers from Leytonstone brewery Brodies. The pub offers a vast range of their beers, both on cask and keg, spanning from the strong 7% Dalston Black IPA, a tropical rush concealed beneath a dark malt, to the more sessionable 3.1% Kiwi, a delicate New Zealand pale ale. Moreover, it’s a rare example of a pub selling excellent beer that also shows football on the tv. The tasty beer more than makes up for the many times I have endured watching my beloved Arsenal capitulate yet again.

[thehymnforthealcohol]

Be(aver) My Valentine: Beavertown Turns Four.

Beavertown have a firm place in my heart. They’re a brewery that ignited my passion for craft beer, and opened up the creativity and innovation that’s possible within brewing. On a weekend of love and appreciation, it seemed only appropriate that my girlfriend and I attend their brewery in Tottenham to celebrate their birthday.

The event was free to attend, with all beers being priced at £2 for a third. As a result, we decided to aim to get to the brewery 30 minutes early before it got busy.

Anyone who has read anything about the event since will know that Beavertown have attracted a substantial amount of criticism. When we got there, there was a minimal queue and we did not have to wait too long to get in. By the time we had collected our glasses and our ‘beaverbucks’ and headed back outside, the queue had tripled. This continued to be the main problem of the day. Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of people who arrived, many had to be turned away, leaving a number of people understandably disgruntled.

There’s been a lot of arguing on social media since the event, with people at the event claiming people should’ve just got there earlier, and those who were not allowed in claiming that Beavertown couldn’t organise a piss-up in a brewery. Beavertown have since issued a statement apologising to those that did not get in, stating that they completely underestimated how popular the event would be. They continued to note that they have learnt a lot of lessons for the next time they hold an event of that magnitude. For me, this was the perfect response to what is a very difficult situation. When you get something wrong, the best you can do is hold you hands up and learn from your mistakes.

Furthermore, considering this, the event made me aware how popular Beavertown have become. Indeed, the event marked their birthday at the tender age of four, with their tap-room having been open a mere year and a half. Despite this, even in the depths of my hometown of Essex it is relatively easy to find a pub or bar that would sell a can of Gamma Ray. Despite how disappointing it must of been for those who did not get in, the vast queue signifies how far Beavertown have come, and ultimately how far they can go.

However, for all the perceived flaws (there was also an issue with a lack of toilet facilities which seemed to be an oversight), the focus has to be on the incredible selection of beers Beavertown had curated. Despite being an incredibly murky day, it was the beers that shone through. Usually I’m against the meticulously planned beer lists that many people feel the need to make when they attend beer events, but today a vague plan seemed a necessity. With only one keg per beer, I had to prioritise some ‘must haves’. As a result, The day began with Omnipollo and Buxton’s Chocolate Ice Cream Brown Ale. I’m not usually into brown ales, finding them all a bit mediocre. However, this completely changed my perception of how flavourful a brown ale can be. Next was WarPigs’ Mo’Saic Mo’Problems, which was a nice IPA, if a bit disappointing. After visiting Copenhagen last summer, nearly everything I had from WarPigs was outstanding. This wasn’t up there with their best, with the mosaic coming across a bit soapy. Still, very nice, but within the context of an event like this, one becomes a bit more discerning. After a lunchtime pizza, it was back to the beer. I opted for Alvinne’s Cuvée Sofie Alvino 2015, which was my beer of the day. An absolutely incredible sour beer, that was simultaneously super complex but wonderfully well-rounded that provided a lusciously lingering taste of white grape. With this hard act to follow, I tried Lervig’s Big Ass Money Stout, an imperial stout made with pizza and money, and Redchurch’s Sauvage Blanc. At 17.5% I thought Lervig’s beer was going to be a bit gimmicky. A beer to shock rather than enjoy. However, it was lovely. I didn’t really get the pizza, nor the money, but it was a gorgeous imperial stout from a brewery that really have the style nailed down. Redchurch’s beer was nice, but a lack of subtly in taste gave a rather imbalance of flavour.

It was at this point where things started getting really busy, and consequently, the choice in beer was beginning to dwindle. Attending the event with my girlfriend who isn’t very much into beer, I recommended Birra del Borgo’s Equilibrista - a champagne ‘beer’. My girlfriend enjoyed it, whereas for me, innovativeness of the beer perhaps surpassed how much I liked it. As it was Beavertown’s birthday, I thought I should probably indulge in one of their own. I decided on their new beer S’presso, and god, what a lovely beer it was. Probably the most coffee forward beer I’ve ever had and it worked sublimely. To end what had been a brilliant day, my final beers were both sours. Brekeriet’s EKG Sour was a brilliantly crafted well-balanced beer, and Birrificio del Ducato’s Kiss Me Lipsia was a salty gose. The type where you can run your tongue over your gums and still taste its brilliance.

Overall, I have no real complaints about the day. There were of course noticeable flaws, but in no way did they play on my mind or delimit the day. It was a fantastic event and the volunteers helping out were a credit to themselves and the brewery. It would be easy and even callous and cynical to discredit Beavertown for their event, but there were so many great moments and positives that they completely negate any negatives. An event like this is only as good as you make it, and for me, the combination of incredible beer and great company provided a day that I will always cherish, alongside a brewery where the love of its fans is completely reciprocated.

[thehymnforthealcohol]

Vocation’s Naughty & Nice

Chocolate has been an ever present indulgence in my life. The dawning of my adoration, like many, stems from childhood. This was a period where the humble Freddo would provide vast amounts of joy for me and many others for the paltry sum of 10p. The simplicity of that chocolate frog has remained as I’ve grown older, where a square of Dairy Milk continues to echo the pleasure it evoked in primary school. It’s just nice.

Despite this, like many things in life, as one grows older we develop a more sophisticated palate. My obsession with twee indie music in and around 2007 has subsequently paved the way for a more subversive taste today. Though my taste in 2007 will still provide enjoyment, the music I listen to currently provides a more substantial pleasure.

Indeed, this applies to chocolate. Passion-fruit pralines and tiramisu truffles provoke my interest more than Dairy Milk these days. I by no means dislike Dairy Milk, but it does not rouse me in the way it once did.

Moreover, I now attempt to tame my chocolate carnality in other forms.

Vocation’s Naughty & Nice is the Hebden Bridge brewery’s seasonal chocolate stout, weighing in at a punchy 7.5% abv, and one I was eager to try. On the whole, stouts and porters maintain a taste-amalgamation of coffee and chocolate. Beers such as Marble’s Chocolate Stout and Wiper & True’s Milk Shake utilise chocolate malts to produce a luxurious sweet, chocolatey taste, that is insanely quaffable. However, a beer that explicitly incorporates chocolate into their mix beers often straddle a thin line between decadent and gimmicky. Wild Beer Co’s Wildebeest is an absolutely incredible beer that is made with Valrhona cocoa nibs, producing a full-bodied beer that provides an eruption of flavour. In contrast, Saltaire’s Triple Chocoholic left me wanting more (but not of the beer!), with its use of chocolate essence leaving quite an unpleasant artificial taste.

Worryingly, Naughty & Nice states on the back of its beautifully designed can that it uses chocolate essence too, and my excitement dwindled ever so slightly. The beer pours jet black, with a gorgeous light brown head that laces the glass beautifully as I pretentiously swirl it around. The smell is subtle. Of course, the prevailing smell is obviously chocolate, but there’s also touches of dark fruits. The taste replicates, rather than amplifies this smell, though the dark fruits become more prominent. It’s not the most full-bodied beer I’ve ever had, but I don’t think that should be held as a criticism, as the result is an incredibly drinkable beer.

Naughty & Nice is by no means a bad beer, and its use of chocolate essence is in no way objectionable. However, the name seems to indicate a more complex beer than what we are provided with. The can states, “it’s a beer to sip and savour... for contemplating”, but I think I disagree. In comparison to stouts previously mentioned, one can only feel a bit uninspired. As a result, in this regard, Naughty & Nice reminds me of my faithful Freddo. It’s a pleasure, but there’s nothing that really makes it stand out in an increasingly innovative craft beer scene. Vocation’s Life & Death was a brilliant example of an IPA, as are many of the new brewery’s beers, but this is perhaps “just nice”.