Monthly Archives: December 2015

Red Cat Brewing – Mr M’s Porter

Hampshire, My 5* Rating, Porter, Red Cat Brewing, UK, Winter Ale, , ,

Red Cat Brewing – Mr M’s Porter 4.5%

Red Cat Brewing – Mr M’s Porter

This is a dark brown ale with a strong roasted aroma of coffee notes and a dark head. The taste is sweetish with good strong coffee notes.  
This is a good winter ale with rich coffee taste and aroma but equally good whatever the season. It gives a good punch of the best of well roasted malts and a sweet base but without the bitter notes normally characteristic of the very dark chocolate or black malts.
The Brewery notes also indicate the ale has a low hop level which also allows the sweeter malt taste to predominate, without going for a strong ale.
Well worth looking for when in the Winchester area. A really enjoyable porter ale that gets my 5* rating.
Red Cat Brewing ales

Brakspear – Triple III

Brakspear, Oxfordshire, Strong Ale, UK, Winter Ale, Wychwood, ,

Brakspear – Triple III 6.7% 

Brakspear – Triple III

This is a chestnut coloured ale with good fruit and molasses rum aromas, with a hint of vanilla. It has a rich malt, dried fruit and citrus flavours, leading to a bitter aftertaste. A good warming winter ale. 

The Brakspear Brewery was a traditional brewery in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. In 2002 brewing ceased and the brand and equipment were sold to the Wychwood Brewery Company, now part of the Marston brewing group and the Brakspear range of ales are now brewed under the Brakspear name at the Wychwood Brewery in Witney.

Brakspear historically had many pubs around the Henley, Maidenhead area as a local brewer and now supplies bottled beers to the general market as part of the Marston range.

Hatherwood – The Winter Warmer

Christmas Ale, Hogs Back, Surrey, UK, Winter Ale, ,

Hatherwood Craft Beer Co (Lidl) – The Winter Warmer 5.5%

Hatherwood Craft Brewing – The Winter Warmer

This is a dark red ale with an aroma of sweet spice and coffee. The taste is immediately sweet and spicy, with hints of spicy stewed apple and a biscuity coffee follow-on. This is a true Christmas ale giving warmth and spiciness.

This ale was brewed in conjunction with Michelin Starred Chef Kevin Love. It is brewed with the addition of a special spicy mulling syrup making it a truly spicy Christmas ale.

Hatherwood Craft Beer Co. is a Lidl own label, supplying a range of craft bottled ales. This excellent Christmas ale has been brewed for Lidl by the Hogs Back Brewery in Farnham Surrey.

Jennings Lakeland Ales – Red Breast

Bitter, Christmas Ale, Cumbria, Jennings Lakeland Ales, UK, Winter Ale, ,

Jennings Lakeland Ales – Red Breast 4.5%

Jennings Lakeland Ales – Red Breast

This Christmas ale is a dark chestnut, ruby coloured ale, with a spicy aroma and sweet fruit notes. The taste is malty, with dried fruit notes and a quick following hop bitterness and aftertaste. 
This winter ale is brewed using pale malt and traditional Fuggles and Goldings hops, celebrating the Victorian postmen called ‘Robin redbreasts’.

 A good Christmas ale but may be a little too hoppy for some tastes.

Jennings Lakeland Ales Brewery is part of the Marston’s Group.

Weird Beard – Decadence Stout

Barley Wine, Craft Beer, London, Stout, UK, Weird Beard Brew Company, , ,

Weird Beard Brewery – Decadence Stout 5.5%

Weird Beard Brew Co – Decadence Stout

This is a black ale stout, with a characteristically strong cream coloured head. It has dark toffee and toasted dark malt aromas. This stout is typically dry, with a toasted taste from the dark malts and a long lasting, dry bitter aftertaste.
 
The claim of this stout is that it is naturally primed and not subjected to the usual nitrogen priming found with the mass produced stouts.
The Weird Beard Brew Company is based in Hanwell, west London.

 Weird Beard Brew Co

De Konninck

Autumn Ale, Beer, Belgium, De Koninck, Pale Ale, Real Ale, , , ,

De Korninck 5.2% Antwerp Pale Ale

De Koninck Antwerp pale ale

De Korninck Brewery is based in Antwerp Belgium and its Antwerp pale ale is its primary beer. It, like all Belgian beers is traditionally served in a chalice shaped glass specific to this beer, called a ‘bollecke‘. In Antwerp the order is “a bolleke de Koninck“.
It is a light chestnut coloured ale with toffee and malt aromas. It has a pleasant caramel malt taste. A very pleasant ale not as heavy as some Belgian brune ales.