Yorkshire Ales Part 12 - Saltaire Brewery

It is nearly ten years now since brewing began at Saltaire Brewery.  The brewery can be found in West Yorkshire close to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Saltaire village.  The brewery is situated in a beautiful tall Victorian building that was once an old generating hall.  This provides ample room for both the 20bbl plant and a mezzanine bar.  There is also a brewery tap and a beer club to keep their loyal drinkers satisfied and I can imagine this is hugely popular.

I first became aware of Saltaire Brewery a couple of years ago when I discovered their superb Triple Chocoholic Stout (4.8% ABV), the smoothest, chocolatiest stout you could ever imagine.  Since then I have enjoyed their bottles whenever I have seen them, which unfortunately is not often enough as it is the online beer retailers I have to rely on for their ales.  I therefore had to choose three of their beers that I had not tried before for this competition as the previously mentioned stout along with the Stateside IPA (6.0% ABV) would have given them 20/20 to begin with and so a distinctly unfair advantage over the others.    

Cascade Pale Ale (4.8% ABV)

I began my Saltaire session with this American pale ale brewed with Cascade and Centennial hops.  It is not really worth asking my wife for an opinion on any beer with American hops usually as it always tends to be negative.  This was indeed the case although she did comment favourably on the floral aroma but the taste was a bit bland she felt.  There were decent citrusy notes of orange and grapefruit but I too found the taste a little lacking in flavour but there was a fresh, crisp, dry finish to it with quite a strong bitterness.  It is a highly drinkable and refreshing pale ale and I will give it a score of 7/10.

Amarillo Gold (4.4% ABV)

Now we move on to one of my favourite hops.  This particular beer is made with 77% wheat and 23% pale malt.  It has a somewhat light golden colouration to it and this beer my wife did not like at all.  I think the word 'vomit' was mentioned so I knew immediately that this beer had more of the flavours I like!  For a mainly wheat beer it is actually very clear and it had a nice aroma with hints of the orange I associate with the Amarillo hop.  There was more of a sweetness to this beer than the Cascade pale above but the bitterness was always there in the background and the finish was dry and bitter.  Quite soft citrusy notes with this one rather than 'in your face' and it was a very enjoyable beer and one step up from the first so a score of 8/10.   

Celebration Ale (6.5% ABV)

This final beer was brewed to celebrate the visit of HRH Princess Royal last  year when she opened the new fermentation facilities.  This is a beer that uses a blend of four traditional English hops and just by smelling it you know it is a strong ale.  My wife described the aroma as warming.  I would describe it as a little boozy.  This is where our tastes meet up.  My wife raved over this beer and I loved the complexity of the flavours.  There are lots of soft fleshy fruit flavours here with sweet orange, peach, apricot and I even detected some banana in there too.  There are also hints of burnt caramel along with a spicy character to the bittersweet finish.  Smooth, rich, warming and quite intoxicating.  A lovely complex beer to be savoured slowly.  This one picks up a score of 9/10.     

My final score is for the overall image of the brewery in terms of the beer labels, pump clips, website and overall wow factor.  I love their logo, very distinctive and meaningful to the brewery and its' location.  The labels are clear and the logo stands out making it easy to spot their beers among the shelves.  The website is superb and I love the fact that they have a brewery tap that caters particularly well to their regulars via a members only beer club but which still welcomes visitors.  There is nothing at all to dislike about Saltaire.  Great beers, obviously a great setting in such a lovely historic building  and a modern ethos that sees them embracing all that is good about the current brewing climate.  A score of 9/10 here which gives them an overall total of 33 points which puts them in second place.

1.    Acorn Brewery - 34 points
2.    Saltaire Brewery - 33 points

3.    Hop Studio - 32 points 

4.    Mallinsons - 31 points
5=   Geeves - 31 points

5=   Little Valley - 31 points

7.    Brass Castle - 30 points
8.    Bradfield Brewery - 29 points
9.    Here Be Monsters - 29 points

10.  Axholme - 28 points

11.  Revolutions - 28 points

12.  North Riding Brewpub - 27 points

Next time I will be reviewing Yorkshire Heart.

Cheers. 

Sussex CAMRA Branches Beer & Cider Festival 2015

The 25th Sussex CAMRA Branches Beer & Cider Festival began in Brighton yesterday.  With the previous venue, Hove Town Hall, no longer available it was off to Brighton and the Corn Exchange, which is part of the Brighton Pavilion complex.  It is a grand hall but somewhat smaller than the previous venue which had a number of rooms available.  This time it was set up in the one large hall which meant a few changes this year.  No entertainment, no trade session and an increased entry cost as I understand the smaller venue came at a much higher cost.  That's Brighton for you.        

I did miss the intimacy of the previous venue.  With separate halls you could hide away from the music and sit and relax a bit more.  The Corn Exchange is somewhat cavernous with high ceilings and later on it was starting to get a bit crowded, particularly down the far side with the bottled beer stand.  However, with one central bar area serving from both sides all the beers and ciders were easily accessible.

There are over 150 beers and about 50 ciders to choose from and there were plenty of volunteers manning the bar to ensure people weren't kept waiting.  None of the beers were being kept back so if you are going along today or tomorrow I hope the beers you want are still available.  If not, get there earlier next year!  I counted 41 breweries representing the county of Sussex in the programme among all of those beers so it is a great showcase for the local breweries and indeed I recognised some of these brewers walking around the hall enjoying the beers despite there not being a trade session this year.  

As usual at beer festivals I had a mix of pints and halves.  Thirds were being served and there was one half which I could have done with less of but I'll come to that later.  I started with a Dark Mild (4.0% ABV) from Manchester's Boggart Hole Clough Brewery (quite a mouthful that).  A Boggart is a mischievous imp, a Hole is his home and a Clough is a northern word for a deep wooded ravine so there you go.  The beer was a wonderful chewy, nutty mild and I'm glad I had a pint of it as it was a lovely beer to begin with.      

   

I tend to avoid local beers at local beer festivals as I can get many of them fairly easily but for my second beer I did try a half of Session IPA  (4.0% ABV) from a very new Brighton brewery called Brick House.  So new in fact the brewery does not exist on Untappd.  The beer was pretty good though.  A rich full-bodied IPA oozing with tropical fruit flavours with the aromas to match.  A promising start indeed from this lot.  Staying on the light, hoppy side I then had a half of Ilkley's Mary Jane (3.5% ABV).  This is a long-time favourite session pale ale of mine and it did not let me down.  Perfect condition.  Light, citrussy, hoppy, crisp and refreshing.  

Taking a break from the halves I had a pint of my next beer, the Kelham Island Pale Rider (5.2% ABV).  Kelham Island from Sheffield have been around for years now and they also led the way with this award winning pale ale that comes loaded with American hops despite coming out at a time when brown beers were the norm.  It was my first taste of this beer for years and years and it has lost nothing of its class.  The beer was in fact Champion Beer of Britain way back in 2004 and I followed this up with the Champion Beer of Britain from 2013, the Elland 1872 Porter.  This is a beer I had never tried before amazingly so I only had a half but oh how I wished I'd had a pint.  It is a stunning porter.  Plenty of coffee, chocolate and dark berries over and above the vinous qualities imparted through both the richness and the aroma.  I will be looking to enjoy more of this beer in the future.        

Five beers in and I was yet to try a duffer so it had to happen eventually.  For my next half I headed to the Manchester area again and the Phoenix Arizona (4.1% ABV).  Perhaps my taste buds had been affected now by the 1872 Porter but I detected no bitterness to this beer at all.  It was sweet, floral and sickly and I struggled to finish it.  Never mind.  With tokens now running out I finished off with a pint of LocAle with the 360 Degree Pale #39 (3.9% ABV).  This is my first beer from this brewery and it did have some citrussy hoppiness to it with hints of grapefruit and lime.  Not the best of beers but it had come on top of quite a range so difficult to judge.  Certainly a brewery I will look out for in the pubs.  I really should plan these evenings better though.  The 1872 Porter was the one I should have finished with but we live and learn.

Overall, the festival is well worth a visit.  Lots of excellent beers and, judging by the ones I had, all in perfect condition.  Beers to suit all palates and, for the strange people, some ciders and perries too.

Cheers.

Six From Sussex

It is time I took a break from Yorkshire ales so for this review of beers I am staying close to home.  I don't often buy bottled beers from Sussex breweries because I have the cask versions often enough due to a lot of pubs selling LocAles.  However, sometimes there are beers that are only available in bottles and a visit to the Crafty Pint, an excellent specialist beer retailer in Midhurst, gave me the opportunity to sample something new along with a couple of old favourites.

The brewing scene in Sussex is very vibrant at the moment with a total of about 50 micros now actively brewing across East and West Sussex.  This total was in single figures a couple of decades ago with the two family brewers of King & Barnes in the west and Harveys in the east dominating the pub scene.  King & Barnes were my favourites and, as I was living in Horsham at the time of their closure, their demise was felt particularly hard, especially as those interlopers from Dorset, Hall & Woodhouse, retained the one K&B beer I did not like so it was goodbye to K&B Festive and K&B Old.  The excellent K&B pubs were left with the bland Dorset beers of H&W and it has taken a long time to see an improvement and even now there are large areas of West Sussex, particularly around Horsham, that are dominated by the stuff from Blandbeer Forum.

Following the closure of K&B it was, thankfully, not an end to the King name or the K&B beers as Bill King formed WJ King, and former head brewer Andy Hepworth started Hepworths, both based in Horsham.  To this day Hepworths brew a fantastic Old Ale very similar to the former K&B Old and WJ King brewed a beer called Red River that bore enough similarities to the old Festive that I loved so much.  I have probably consumed more pints of Festive than any other beer.      

  

Bill King sold his micro in 2013 but it was not the end of the road for him.  It wasn't long before he was brewing again, with the launch of Firebird.  I visited this new brewery not long after they began brewing and you can read about that visit here.  All of this preamble is moving me on to the first two beers I have enjoyed over the past couple of weeks with the latest creations from their take on world beer styles.                            

Firebird Flemish Bond (5.4% ABV)

This first beer is based upon the style of a Belgian pale ale.  It has the typical aromas from the Belgian yeast.  This is a superb beer and the best compliment I can pay is that it is one of the most Belgian of Belgian-style beers I have tried from a UK brewer.  It is fruity and rich with prominent notes of orange and a fine malty base.  The finish is a little dry and totally refreshing.  At just 5.4% ABV it is a little on the weak side for this style perhaps but you would probably think you are drinking something stronger as it has plenty of body.  I will be buying more of this next time I see it on the shelves.

Firebird Barnabus Doppelbock (7.0% ABV)

For the second beer from Firebird we travel to Germany.  This beer has the perfect description on the label - it is rich, fruity and warming.  That does not begin to describe the complexity though as I detected hints of toffee, butterscotch, peach, vanilla, banana, orange and sherry.  The aroma is equally as intoxicating as the flavours.  The only criticism with this one would be that it seemed to lack body as it did appear a bit thin and lifeless after pouring.  The aroma and flavours though clearly made up for that.

We now leave the north of the county and head across to the eastern part for the next couple of beery delights .  Harveys need no introduction.  A fabulous regional brewer in the town of Lewes whom I have written about a few times.  Long Man are a micro that began brewing in 2012 using a 20bbl plant using local grain and a traditional strain of Sussex yeast.  They are located on a farm near the famous Sussex landmark, the Long Man of Wilmington, from which they came up with their name.   

Long Man Old Man (4.3% ABV)

Old Ale has long been a popular Sussex tipple.  As already mentioned, the K&B Old Ale was a particular favourite of mine and Harveys still produce a fantastic old ale each winter.  Many of the Sussex micros now produce an old ale and Old Man is one I have never tried before.  The first thing I notice is the colour.  It is not black but a very deep rich brown colour.  There isn't a great deal of aroma to it.  There is a heavy roasted malt character to it with the chocolate and coffee notes that go with this but I also detected some woody notes along with aniseed and bonfire toffee which all leads in to a smooth bittersweet finish.  It's a very nice old ale but I think I still prefer the Harveys and the Hepworths.      

Harveys Porter (4.8% ABV)

After buying this bottle of Porter, a Harveys seasonal offering, I walked out of the Crafty Pint to the Swan Inn, a Harveys tied house where I enjoyed a pint of the cask version.  Harveys pubs are few and far between in the western part of Sussex and the Swan is a pub I always enjoy going in.  I found the cask version slightly sweeter and I preferred this bottled version.  It has a lovely smooth texture and it is quite full-bodied.  There are plenty of dark berry flavours adding sweetness and in the finish there are notes of aniseed and particularly liquorice.  There is an underlying bitterness throughout whereas the cask version didn't seem to have this.  A lovely beer though whichever source you choose.    

Finally I am heading over to the western part of Sussex and beer from two established Sussex micros that have been producing excellent beers for some time.  Ballards is actually close to the Hampshire border and have now been brewing for 35 years which probably makes them one of the oldest micros in the country.  They even won a gold award at the 1999 Champion Beer of Britain in the strong bitter category with their Nyewood Gold.  Langham Brewery are located not far from Ballards, a few miles to the east of Midhurst whereas Ballards are a few miles to the west.  Langham will be celebrating their 10th anniversary next year and they have gone from strength to strength in recent years coming up with some cracking beers, notably my favourite cask ale of last year, their 3.9% ABV Saison.            

Ballards Wassail (6.0% ABV)

From Ballards I chose a bottle of an old favourite.  Wassail has long been a favourite beer of mine and it is a superb beer for the winter months.  It is in fact listed in the Roger Protz book, '300 Beers To Try Before You Die', and I can't argue with that.  Read the book and you will find out more about this brewery and the beer but here you will just learn that the beer is as complex as the label.  There are no magic ingredients here though.  Pipkin pale and crystal malts combine with Fuggles and Goldings hops.  It is rich and warming with notes of orange, rich Christmas cake fruits and a sweetness in the finish which also has a tangy spicy character to it.  The cask version is often hard to find but it is probably even better than the bottled version.  My wife loves this beer too and it was great to enjoy a bottle of this for what is the first time in a number of years.       

Langham Hip Hop (4.0% ABV)

My final selection is a perfect session beer from Langham.  I have only had this in bottle once before but since then I have enjoyed the cask version often.  It is a crisp, light refreshing session bitter but the cask version is much better than this bottled version.  There is a floral hop aroma which combines with a sweetness from the malt initially.  The sweetness seems to dominate more than it does in the cask version.  The finish is dry and refreshing with some citrussy notes, predominantly lime.            

That brings my review of Sussex beers to a close.  The scene is buzzing down here with both new and established micros so grab yourself a drop of Sussex and hopefully you won't be disappointed.

Cheers.

Wetherspoons International Real Ale Festival Spring 2015

Yes it is that time of year again.  Ten brewers from all corners of the world come over to the UK and brew a beer for Wetherspoons at one of our regional brewers and we get to drink them along with 40 other beers from all over the country.  This festival is a first in that every beer has been brewed using British-grown hop varieties so no American hops this time around.  Yes it is a great showcase for home-grown hops but I think it is also a case that American hops cannot now be used to produce beers for the price they are being sold at here.  However, in 1998 there were just 13 commercially grown British hops and there is now double that number and some of these beers are using newer hops such as Boadicea and Jester.  They will be the beers I very much want to try.          

I normally get through up to twenty of these beers before I lose interest.  I usually review them chronologically but this year I will do it a bit differently.  All fifty beers are listed here and I will fill in the gaps as and when I drink them.  If I don't then you will just be left with the tasting notes supplied by 'Spoons.

No.1 - Spring Challenge (3.7% ABV) from Elgoods, Wisbech

JDW says 

'This seasonal beer, brewed especially for the festival, has an easy-drinking character, with a pleasing hop aroma and generous floral hop notes, balanced by a crisp malt flavour.'

I say

'Elgoods can come up with some excellent beer but in recent years I've not been impressed.  Not too fussed about finding this one.'  

My Verdict

'Well I did find this one and it was a little cloudy so probably not quite ready.  I was right to think it would not be for me though.  Very floral.  However, my wife thought it was really nice which is unusual for such a low strength beer.  The beer did improve as some spicy bitter notes came through so the initial sweet malty finish was balanced out to give a fresher bittersweet character to it.  Not my kind of beer but it wasn't terrible.  A score of 5/10 I think.       

No.2 - Jester (3.7% ABV) from Hawkshead, Cumbria

  

JDW says 

'This new pale beer, brewed especially for the festival, expertly showcases the hop varieties used, with an impressive aroma and flavours of lychee, gooseberry and grapefruit.'

I say

'Always impressed by Hawkshead and their use of hops.  This one sounds like it will be worth finding.' 

No.3 - Mojo (3.7% ABV) from Robinsons, Stockport 

  

JDW says 

'This new, amber-coloured seasonal beer exhibits a rich array of malt and traditional hop characteristics, with its fruity flavours complemented by the crisp dry finish.'

I say

'They brought us Old Tom.  However, I generally find their low ABV beers uninspiring.'

No.4 - Bedfordshire Clanger (3.8% ABV) from Banks & Taylor, Shefford 

  

JDW says 

'This new pale beer, brewed especially for the festival, expertly showcases the hop varieties used, with an impressive aroma and flavours of lychee, gooseberry and grapefruit.'

I say

'Banks & Taylor have been around for a long time and I can't remember anything of note from them in recent years.'  

No.5 - Cobblestone (3.8% ABV) from Bath Ales, Warmley 

  

JDW says 

'This light, amber-coloured beer has a refreshing burst of peach, loganberry and grapefruit, supplied by the Archer and Endeavour hops, while Challenger impatrs gentle notes of bitterness.'

I say

'Another brewer I'm not generally enthusiastic about but the tasting notes suggest it could be worth trying.'

No.6 - Archer (4.0% ABV) from Banks's, Wolverhampton 

  

JDW says 

'This new amber-coloured beer features a new English hop variety, grown in Herefordshire, imparting a floral aroma, with hints of lime and peach, plus an almost marmalade-like character, balanced by a traditional, assertive bitterness.'

I say

'Another beer using the new Archer hop (see no.5 above) so it will be interesting for that but it is brewed by Banks's so I won't get too excited.'

My Verdict

'Here is another review slagging off a Banks's beer.  NO!!  Not this time.  I actually think this one is pretty decent as the hop character from this new Archer hop stands out quite nicely.  My initial thought was it is a little bland and the restrained floral aroma wasn't too exciting but there was quite a nice complexity to the beer that came through.  Some citrussy notes, some fruity notes and a little marmalade in the finish.  The bitterness certainly overcame the sweetness from the malt which has been a problem with recent festival efforts from this brewer I seem to remember.  A nice beer which gets a score of 7/10.       

No.7 - Monty Python's Holy Grail (4.0% ABV) from Black Sheep, Masham 

  

JDW says 

'This seasonal beer is golden in colour, with a blend of fruit and biscuit malt in the aroma, leading to a clean, zesty flavour and a long, crisp, bitter finish - apparently tempered over burning witches.'

I say

'I think I may have had this beer before in bottle but not too sure.  I usually find Black Sheep beers quite acceptable.'

No.8 - Spider Bite (4.0% ABV) from Devils Backbone (Banks's) 

  

JDW says 

'Jason Oliver has returned to Banks's Brewery, in the West Midlands, to brew this dark, hop-forward beer especially for this festival.  This hoppy ale has an earthy, woody and resinous character, from the hops used, complemented by crystal and chocolate wheat malt flavours, plus a touch of black pepper to provide a subtle bite.'

I say

'The first of the international brewers.  I was not impressed with the Devils Backbone craft keg beer that 'Spoons have been selling recently but hopefully this will be better.'    

My Verdict

'Once again the JDW description is fairly accurate.  The woody, earthy notes dominate very much here and it is only in the finish that we get some spicy character to it.  It is described as a black IPA on Untappd but that is not the case.  Very much a dark brown beer with very little aroma and the hop flavours are balanced by a chocolate malty character.  There is definitely a spicy edge to the finish.  Quite a thin beer though.  Not much body to it and it was difficult to score because of that but for the flavours I will mark it up to a 7/10.'  

No.9 - Ascalon (4.0% ABV) from Everards, Leicester 

  

JDW says 

'This chestnut-brown seasonal beer, available exclusively at this festival at this time, is full of zesty orange flavours, complemented by earthy chocolate notes and a perfectly rounded finish.'

I say

'Always left disappointed by Everards beers but the tasting notes suggest it could be worth trying so I will give it a go if available.'

My Verdict 

'Not much to say about this one.  A deep brown colour and initially it was totally lacking in flavour.  After some perseverance I could detect some earthy notes and a bit of a spicy edge to it but there was no orange notes coming through for me.  It was fairly smooth and resembled a mild really with a few chocolate notes in there.  On the plus side it is better than much of the stuff I see from Everards nowadays and I give it a score of 6/10.' 

No.10 - Rivet (4.0% ABV) from Purity, Great Alne 

   

JDW says 

'This new pale beer, brewed especially for the festival, provides a great, spicy, citrus hop aroma, with overtones of blackcurrant and grapefruit, plus a full hop flavour, right through to the lasting finish.'

I say

'Nothing disappointing about seeing Purity up here.  Hopefully I won't be let down by this one.'

My Verdict

'Purity always seem to brew a decent pint and they have managed it again.  There is a nice spicy hop character initially to this genuine golden ale and this gives way to grapefruit in the smooth, dry finish.  I couldn't detect any blackcurrant notes but that isn't a problem.  The hops used here are Admiral, Bramling Cross and Olicana and together they combine to give plenty of flavour and spicy, citrussy notes are very much to the fore.  A beer that gets a score of 7/10.     

No.11 - Bronze Adder (4.1% ABV) from Mauldons, Sudbury 

  

JDW says 

'This new ruby-red beer, brewed exclusively for the festival, is a traditional English bitter, with a distinctive hop aroma which develops into a soft balanced finish of sweet and bitter notes.'

I say

'If this is anywhere near as good as the magnificent Black Adder I will be happy.'

No.12 - Paddock Wood (4.2% ABV) from Hydes, Salford 

  

JDW says 

'This new beer, available exclusively in 'Spoons pubs at this time, has been brewed to celebrate one of the British hop industry's main centres.  This is chestnut-brown in colour, rich and full-bodied, with hints of fruit evident..'

I say

'A brewery I have not particularly tried much from.  The tasting notes don't make it sound enticing.' 

My Verdict

'Paddock Wood is in Kent and this beer is a nod towards the (hop) garden of England with hop varieties of Bramling Cross, Fuggles and Goldings.  I was therefore expecting a nice traditional bitterness to this one but it wasn't there.  It was a light brown colour with very little flavour coming through and the result is a bland balanced beer of very little.  A score of 5/10 is the best I can award this one.  

No.13 - Golden Host (4.2% ABV) from Jennings, Cockermouth 

  

JDW says 

'This is a full-bodied, seasonal, golden bitter, brewed using Maris Otter barley and the finest English hops.  A generous handful of crystal malt has been added, offering a delicate flavour and subtle aromas.'

I say

'It has been many years since I have enjoyed a beer from Jennings and golden bitters usually do nothing for me so I will probably pass on this one.'

No.14 - Brew No.11 Milk Stout (4.2% ABV) from Rudgate, York 

  

JDW says 

'This black milk stout, brewed especially for the festival, is a classic style reproduced from the old school of brewing, with its smooth flavour of roasted and toasted malts present throughout.'

I say

'Not a fan of milk stouts but usually impressed with Rudgate.'

No.15 - Pocket Full Of Rye (4.3% ABV) from Brains, Cardiff 

  

JDW says 

'This copper-coloured ale, brewed exclusively for this festival, contains the unique character of rye malts, complemented by the spicy berry fruit hop flavours, leading to a clean, dry , bitter finish.'

I say

'I refuse to get excited about anything from Brains nowadays.'

No.16 - Play It Again Sam (4.3% ABV) from Phoenix, Heywood 

  

JDW says 

'This occasionally brewed beer is pale in colour, with a light hop aroma leading to a full flavour, moderate bitterness and hints of blackcurrant, resulting in a lingering finish.'

I say

'A brewery I rarely encounter and the tasting notes suggest I may not be too enamoured with it.'

My Verdict

'Possibly a little hard to judge this one as it was getting near the end of a pub crawl around Dorchester.  However, this beer was a bit too floral for me but there was some bitterness.  The finish was dry and quite pleasant but I did not really detect any blackcurrant notes hiding in this one as mentioned in the tasting notes.  My mate thought it was a bit bland and overall we came up with a score of 6/10.'    

No.17 - A False Dawn (4.4% ABV) from Celt Experience, Caerphilly 

  

JDW says 

'This golden dry session beer, brewed in the style of an IPA exclusively for this festival, has big hop aromas, leading to a pleasing bitter flavour, with plenty of hop notes in the finish.'

I say

'This beer is from one of my favourite Welsh brewers.  No.1 on my list of festival beers to try.'

My Verdict

'I was expecting this to be the worst beer I've had from this brewery.  Not because I was expecting it to be awful but because all the previous beers I've tried from Celt Experience have been superb so living up to that will be tough.  At first inspection the beer is probably more pale than golden.  I was wondering why no flavours were mentioned in the tasting notes but that is probably because there aren't too many and I found it hard to detect any also.  Yes it has a nice hoppy aroma and at first I did pick up some tropical fruit flavours but these quickly disappeared leaving an intense bitterness but without much flavour of note.  The bitterness is excellent but I would have liked a bit more from the combination of Cascade (UK), Jester and Target hops used here.  A score of 6/10 for this one.        

  

No.18 - New Moon (4.4% ABV) from Hanlons, Devon 

  

JDW says 

'This new light amber beer, available exclusively in 'Spoons pubs at this time, is brewed in the style of an IPA, with soft (yet complex) flavours and a crisp freshness, with hints of citrus fruits provided by the abundance of English hops used.'

I say

'A brewery that is now under new ownership (formerly O'Hanlons) so let's see if the beers are any better.'

No.19 - The Tanner's Jack (4.4% ABV) from Morlands, Suffolk 

  

JDW says 

'This rarely seen beer has been brewed again especially for this festival.  It is tawny-amber in colour, with its fruity, fragrant aroma and flavour balanced by biscuity and nuttty malt flavours.'

I say

'I think I can pass on this one.'

No.20 - Otter's Progress (4.4% ABV) from Otter, Devon 

  

JDW says 

'This new chestnut-coloured ale, brewed exclusively for this festival, has an initial aroma of cedar wood, leading to an emerging light-spiced honey flavour, followed by a pleasing finish, with notes of hay.'

I say

'Otter beers are generally acceptable and this one sounds interesting.  Worth trying.'

No.21 - Irish Stout (4.3% ABV) from Dungarvan (Wadworths), Devizes 

  

JDW says 

'Cormac O'Dwyer has travelled to Wadworth Brewery, to brew this dry Irish stout especially for this festival.  This smooth, full-flavoured beer is brewed using the finest roasted barley, giving a chocolate taste, complemented by herbal hints of vanilla and aniseed.'

I say

'The second from the international brewers and it will be disappointing if this one is not available on St Patrick's Day.'

My Verdict

'My wife was with me for this one and tried it first.  She quickly handed it back saying it was awful.  The first taste was not to my liking either although there was an initial chocolate hit which quickly got swallowed by a somewhat medicinal flavour.  Normally we both like our stouts so, my wife particularly, was hugely disappointed here.  She thought it was far too herbal and there was a hint of fisherman friends in there I felt along with aniseed.  It did improve though but, even in the nice coffee bitter finish, there were too many rough edges and neither of us detected any vanilla notes at all.  A score of 5/10 is all I can give this one.        

No.22 - Albion Connection (4.5% ABV) from Lancaster Brewery, Lancashire 

  

JDW says 

'This russet-red ale, brewed exclusively for this festival, combines choice dark malts and English hops - to impart a rich, fruity, spicy and well-balanced flavour throughout.'

I say

'Another brewer I'm not too familiar with so will give it a try if available.'

My Verdict

'I tried this one alongside the Hightail Ale below and there was some similarity between the two but this was by far the better.  There was no real aroma from it but the colour was a nice chestnut colour.  The hops used here are Endeavour and Pilgrim and the combination provides a beautiful spicy bitterness to the finish.  Initially malty but the bitterness really came through in the finish with the fruit and spice notes and it was the spicy kick that made it for me.  I give the beer a good 7/10 and probably the beer of the festival so far although I am only four beers in!'         

  

No.23 Hightail Ale (4.5% ABV) from Mountain Goat (Hook Norton), Oxfordshire 

  

JDW says 

'Dave Edney has travelled to Hook Norton to brew this beer especially for this festival.  This amber-coloured beer has a moderately malty body, with hints of toffee and roastiness, complemented by a well-balanced bitterness, fruity, citrus notes and a pleasing, dry finish.'

I say

'The third international brewer in the list, this one from Australia, so will be one to try although the Australian beers in past 'Spoons festivals have been quite poor.'

My Verdict

'This beer has a slight russet-red colouration to it and as with the Albion Connection above it had little aroma and an initial malty taste to it.  There was much more sweetness to this one though with notes of toffee and some roast malt character but it was the toffee sweetness that prevailed into the finish with the mentioned fruity citrus notes keeping well hidden.  The finish had a bit of a metallic tang to it too and while there were slight hints of citrus perhaps it was not at all obvious.  The hops used are Cascade (UK) and Challenger but the sweet malt character was never challenged by them.  A score of 6/10 for this one.'    

No.24 - Salsa (4.5% ABV) from Nottingham Brewery, Nottingham 

  

JDW says 

'This seasonal beer has not been brewed for some time, but has been brought back exclusively for this festival.  It is a light amber colour, with a fruity character and pleasing English hop flavour and finish.'

I say

'I have never tried anything from this brewer before so it is one to search for.'

My Verdict

'This is not my kind of beer at all sadly.  I had a pint of this one as it is a brewery that is new to me and I drank this one in Dorchester where I was having drinks for my mate's birthday.  He didn't like it either so it wasn't just me.  Too sweet and floral and quite cloying.  This beer also highlights the gap in prices across various JD Wetherspoon pubs.  The festival pint here is £2.65 compared to £1.99 back home in Sussex.  Not quite sure why Dorset drinkers should pay such a premium.  Next month is the CAMRA AGM in Nottingham and I am assured by a friend that this is a good brewery so I will definitely search out a beer from them that is more to my taste.  This one scores 5/10.'   

No.25 - Puffin Ale (4.5% ABV) from Orkney Brewery, Orkney 

  

JDW says 

'This new deep golden beer has an aroma of sweet, nutty malt, cedar wood and dark fruits, leading to an inviting rich malt palate, balanced by notes of herbs and spicy fruitiness from the hops used.'

I say

'I usually like beers from Orkney.  Has quite a way to travel so as they have made the effort to send it I will make the effort to drink it.'

No.26 - Ophelia Gold (4.5% ABV) from Wharfe Bank, West Yorkshire 

  

JDW says 

'This new modern golden ale, available in 'Spoons pubs at this time, is brewed using the finest English hops, resulting in a balanced, easy-drinking character, with a lasting, bittersweet finish.'

I say

'Another golden ale I cannot get excited about but I love Wharfe Bank beers usually so I will look out for it.'

No.27 - New Dawn (4.6% ABV) from Daleside, Harrogate 

  

JDW says 

'This new ruby-red ale, brewed exclusively for this festival, has spiced orange and citrus fruit aromas, leading to a medium-bodied character, plus a subtle caramel-malt finish.'

I say

'Another Yorkshire brewer but I have not come across this particular one for a long time so I will definitely look out for this beer.'

My Verdict

'This beer turned out pretty good.  A lovely chestnut colour with a decent richness to it.  The description from the notes is pretty spot on.  Quite a nice spicy tang to it initially and there are prominent malty caramel notes in the finish which gives a lovely balanced bittersweet end which is quite smooth.  Nothing at all to dislike about this beer and a score of 7/10.

No.28 - Inspired (4.7% ABV) from Hook Norton, Oxfordshire 

  

JDW says 

'This new light amber beer, brewed exclusively for this festival, makes a feature of its Fuggles hops, added at four different stages of the brewing process, resulting in a classic hop character, balanced by a subtle maltiness.'

I say

'Except for Old Hooky I can't remember enjoying a beer from Hook Norton.  Perhaps this will prove the exception.'

No.29 - Lazy Dog (4.7% ABV) from Wolf Brewery, Norfolk 

  

JDW says 

'This chestnut-coloured beer, last available in 2012, has been brewed exclusively for this festival.  It has a spicy aroma, with hints of fruit, plus a good balance of malt and bitterness in the full flavour.'

I say

'The founder of Wolf Brewery, Wolfie Witham, passed away last week so I will raise a glass of this in his memory.  This pioneer of the Norfolk brewing scene will be sadly missed.'

No.30 - Jester (4.8% ABV) from Adnams, Southwold 

  

JDW says 

'This new pale ale, brewed exclusively for this festival, showcases the new English hop variety Jester - with complex fruit aromas leading to a gentle light biscuit flavour, allowing the beautiful character of the hops to shine through.'

I say

'The second jester in the pack and I tend to like everything from Adnams so, as with the Hawkshead Jester, I will also be looking for this one.'

No.31 - Merman XXX (4.8% ABV) from Caledonian, Edinburgh 

  

JDW says 

'This deep mahogany beer, brewed again especially for this festival, has a superb, creamy head, with caramel, vanilla and a slight hop tang, leading to a distinctive creamy texture and a full and refreshing flavour.'

I say

'I think I may have tried this in bottle before but I don't remember it with fondness.'

No.32 - California Breakfast Ale (4.8% ABV) from Golden Road (Adnams), Southwold 

  

JDW says 

'Jesse Houck has travelled to Adnams to brew this beer especially for this festival.  This light-coloured pale ale has a light malty body, accentuated by its rich, spicy hop characteristics while the addition of Mocha Sidamo Ethiopian coffee lends a floral fruit and berry nose.'

I say

'There is a good track record of the beer that is brewed by Americans at Adnams for these festivals but I don't like the sound of this one.'

No.33 - Nansen Street (4.8% ABV) from Hildens, Northern Ireland 

  

JDW says 

'This deep red beer, brewed exclusively for this festival, has a malty richness, balanced by a prominent bitterness from the generous quantities of hops used.'

I said

'Hildens brewed a shocker for one of these festivals in the past but this one sounds more drinkable.'

My Verdict

'This beer has a lovely inviting chestnut colouration to it and, after my first cloudy half (see no.49), this one was definitely ready and I was glad I had bought a pint of this one.  It has a malty base to it but there was a good spicy hop character to it from the First Gold and Pilgrim hops.  There was an excellent bitterness, particularly in the finish, which was extremely pleasant so overall a very drinkable premium best bitter that was served in top condition.  This one collects a score of 7/10.'

No.34 - Sovereign IPA (5.0% ABV) from Acorn, Barnsley 

  

JDW says 

'This rich golden-coloured IPA, brewed exclusively for this festival, has a complex, delicate aroma, leading to grassy and herbal notes, plus a hint of mint in the flavour.'

I say

'I recently acquainted myself with the excellent beers from Acorn so, despite the description including mint and herbal notes, I will look forward to trying this one.'

No.35 - Lincolnshire Red (5.0% ABV) from Batemans, Wainfleet 

  

JDW says 

'This ruby-red beer, brewed exclusively for this festival, has notes of blackcurrant, lime and citrus fruitiness in its flavour, leading to a tart, refreshing finish.'

I say

'Batemans always come up with something interesting for these festivals.  Some have been hits and others not so but always worth a try.'

My verdict

'This beer has a lovely deep red colour to it and it looked to be in terrific condition.  Very little aroma from the Bramling Cross hops used here and the initial taste was strongly malty but this was very quickly replaced by a citrussy fruity tang and I certainly detected notes of blackcurrant along with the sharper citrussy notes.  A very interesting beer and one that, while not toally working for me, is well worth checking out and as usual Batemans have cone up with something different.  I can give a score of 7/10 for this one.'        

No.36 - Vermillion (5.0% ABV) from Camerons, Hartlepool 

  

JDW says 

'This rich ruby-red beer has been brewed again especially for this festival, with a powerful hop aroma from its English hops, balanced beautifully by the malty, toffee sweetness of northern malt.'

I say

'I am yet to try a beer from Camerons that hasn't been bland.'

My Verdict

'My mate ordered a pint of this one and I had a good sample of it.  I found it to have quite a nutty burnt caramel taste to it with some spicy notes too.  My mate thought it was excellent and I had to agree it is one of the better ones in the festival so far.  Well done to Camerons with this one.  A score of 8/10 here from my mate who had the bulk of it and I think it it definitely justified judging by my taste too.   

No.37 - Boadicea IPA (5.0% ABV) from Shepherd Neame, Faversham 

  

JDW says 

'This new golden beer, brewed exclusively for this festival, has a mellow citrus and lime aroma, imparted by the Boadicea hops, leading to a sweet malty base, balanced by subtle bitter and citrus notes, with a clean finish.'

I say

'I really struggle with Shepherd Neame nowadays which is a shame because I enjoyed their beers in the past.  Hopefully this one will buck the trend.'

No.38 - Wit Stout (5.0% ABV) from Titanic, Stoke-on-Trent 

  

JDW says 

'This unusual black beer, brewed exclusively for this festival, uses huge amounts of wheat malt, as well as roast barley, to create a biscuity smoothness, balanced by a generous hopping, leading to a dry,smooth and refreshing character.'

I say

'A stout from Titanic so I would expect this to be pretty good.'

My Verdict

'I was right to look forward to this one.  This stout is brewed with wheat malt as well as the more traditional roasted barley and it has a very strong bitterness throughout.  The roasted malt flavours were restrained but still present and it was very biscuity.  I am used to picking up bitter flavours from the roasted malt but here it is coming more from the hops (Endeavour and Pilgrim) to leave a long, dry, bitter finish.  I could certainly have enjoyed a pint of this one and I will give it a score of 8/10.   

No.39 - SPS (5.0% ABV) from Vale, Buckinghamshire 

  

JDW says 

'This rarely seen beer has been brewed again exclusively for this festival.  It is reddish-copper in colour, with a fruity, orange-like hop aroma, leading to a heady, citrus-fruit flavour and smooth, biscuit finish.'

I say

'A brewery I know nothing about so no opinion at all on this one.'

No.40 - Ye Ole Admiral (5.0% ABV) from Wadworth, Devizes 

  

JDW says 

'This rare, pale-amber beer, brewed again exclusively for this festival, has an initial rounded bitterness with an emerging citrus peel layer, plus hints of orange in the bitter finish.'

I say

'Another brewer that has produced a mixed bag for these festivals.  Hopefully a hit with this one.'

No.41 - ESA (5.1% ABV) from Barley Brown's (Marston's), Staffordshire 

  

JDW says 

'Tyler Brown has travelled to Marston's Brewery, in Staffordshire, to brew this golden-coloured beer especially for this festival.  Refreshing and full-flavoured, without being too heavy, this beer has a floral, citrus aroma, with its light, biscuity flavour balanced by a crisp bitterness.'

I say

'I can't remember anything decent being produced by an international brewer at Marston's in past festivals.  Perhaps this will be the first.'

My Verdict

'My mate ordered a half of this one and he insisted on sharing it with me because that's the kind of guy he is.  He will give away anything that he considers undrinkable.  The only words he came up with to describe it was the taste of blotting paper and cardboard.  I can understand his struggle because the flavours were so obscure and there were more than one hideous flavour in there and they all seemed to clash.  I came up with vomit, menthol and tobacco.  Between us we suffered through this half.  The question is could I give it a score and between us we came up with 2/10.  I have tasted worse believe it or not - just.'  

No.42 - Boadicea (5.3% ABV) from RCH Brewery, Somerset 

  

JDW says 

'This new golden beer, brewed exclusively for this festival, contains Devon-grown optic pale malt and Herefordshire-grown hops, resulting in a pleasing, light (yet full-bodied) floral and spicy flavour throughout.'

I say

'Another beer showcasing the Boadicea hop we can presume.  A brewery that has produced decent beer in the past.'

My Verdict

'Another beer that was tasted after a long session but there was no disguising the fact that this is one of the better beers in the festival.  I found it to be much more fruity than floral but there was a nice spicy hop character throughout.  It was certainly rich and full-bodied and my mate enjoyed this one too.  Together we came up with a score of 7/10 but I think we weren't being fair on reflection and I would give it an 8/10.' 

No.43 - Indigenous (5.5% ABV) from Salopian, Shrewsbury 

  

JDW says 

'This new black beer, brewed exclusively for this festival, is a vibrant, refreshing IPA in style, with hints of berries and spice, plus a crisp, clean palate, evolving to a lingering, zesty finish.'

I say

'I normally enjoy beers from this brewery and a black IPA is always worth trying so I'm looking forward to this one.'

No.44 - JCIPA (5.5% ABV) from Townshend's Brewery (Everards), Leicester 

  

JDW says 

'Martin Townshend has travelled to Everards Brewery, in Leicestershire, to brew this golden-amber beer especially for this festival.  The malty aroma, with hints of orange citrus and spicy hops, leads to a delicate, malty toffee flavour, balanced by moderate, spicy bitterness and honey notes.'

I say

'Last year there was a superb international collaboration brewed at Everards.  If this is as good as that one I will be very happy.'

No.45 - Rascal London Porter (5.6% ABV) from Inveralmond, Perth 

  

JDW says 

'This new ruby-black beer, inspired by the brewing styles of 18th-century London, has a spicy aroma, leading to sumptuous mocha flavours - silky on the palate and with a complex, yet mellow, finish.'

I say

'It is very unusual for me to dislike a London porter and I always enjoy the beers from Inveralmond so this is one of the first I will seek out.'

No.46 - Durban Pale Ale (5.7% ABV) from Shongweni Brewery (Batemans), Wainfleet 

  

JDW says 

'Brian Stewart has travelled to Batemans Brewery, in Lincolnshire, to brew this beer especially for this festival.  This hoppy beer is a light caramel colour, with marmalade-orange on the nose, a toffee character with hints of spice and plenty of tangy hop notes, leading to a gentle, yet crisp, bitterness.'

I say

'Another international brewer offering so one that will be tried for sure.'

No.47 - English Style IPA (5.8% ABV) from Cerveceria Fort (Shepherd Neame), Faversham 

  

JDW says 

'Eduardo Martinez Castillo and Federico Gorgone have travelled to Shepherd Neame Brewery, in Kent, to brew this beer especially for this festival.  This golden-coloured, hoppy, light-bodied beer contains light, fruity notes, balanced by malt flavours and a dry, refreshing finish.'

I say

'Can these Spaniards put this traditional Kent brewery to good use and come up with something inspiring?  I'm not expecting too much to be honest.'

My Verdict

'Well for the second time in just a couple of days I am praising the Shepherd Neame brewery (I had a bottle of their double stout yesterday that was fantastic).  This is my beer of the festival so far (out of the first 10).  It is quite rich and medium-bodied with plenty of fruit notes with an undercurrent of tropical fruit flavours too.  The finish is fairly refreshing with a lovely bittersweet character to it.  Cheers and very well done to the two Spanish guys who brewed this one.  This is a very impressive Engish IPA and it collects a score of 8/10.        

No.48 - Wee Heavy (6.0% ABV) from Bodebrown (Caledonian), Edinburgh 

  

JDW says 

'Samuel and Paulo Cavalcanti have travelled to Caledonian Brewery, in Edinburgh, to brew this deep ruby beer, their interpretation of a classic Scottish style, especially for this festival.  The malty aroma leads to a rich, malty flavour, with hints of dark dried fruit and a moderately sweet finish.'

I say

'A pair of Brazilians brewing a traditional Scottish beer.  What could possibly go wrong?'

No.49 - Shipwreck IPA (6.5% ABV) from Lighthouse Brewery (Wychwood), Oxfordshire 

  

JDW says 

'Dean McLeod has travelled to Wychwood Brewery, in Oxfordshire, to brew a special version of his popular beer, especially for this festival.  This amber-coloured, modern, light-bodied, sessionable IPA differs from the original in using English hops, showcasing the hop aromas and flavour, rather than the bitterness, with wonderful fruit and spice characteristics.'

I said

'Putting English hops into a hop-forward West Coast IPA sounds like the sort of thing we can expect when brewing to a set price.

My Verdict

'This was my first beer of the festival and it looked like it wasn't quite ready to serve.  Distinctly cloudy.  There was very little aroma and although it was fruity and spicy it was not in a good way.  The aftertaste was very harsh and pure alcohol flavours in there were spoiling it also for me.  Thankfully I only had a half of this one to get through and I wasn't wanting any more.  I'm sure the original beer brewed by Lighthouse Brewing Company of Canada, filled with American hops, is considerably better than this beer, which has been hopped with the English varieties of Admiral, Bramling Cross, Faram Fusion, Minstrel, Pilgrim and Target.  I could give this one a score of no more than 5/10.'

No.50 - Churchillian (6.6% ABV) from Weltons, Horsham 

  

JDW says 

'This occasionally brewed award-winning beer is ruby-black in colour, with aromas of toast and berry fruits, leading to a full, complex flavour, with burnt charcoal notes,and emerging notes of treacle toffee.'

I say

'A friend of mine once told me he has tried over 100 different beers from Weltons and he can't remember any of them.  I don't expect great things then from this one.'

My Verdict

'Well, I will certainly have to recommend this one to my friend because this is a memorable beer.  Flavours of burnt toast and dark berries here and I really love burnt toast.  If it isn't blackened it isn't toast and there is obviously copious amounts of roasted malts in this excellent stout.  What made it so good is that the burntness was well balanced by the sweetness of the berry notes.  The best beer of the festival so far and I even went and ordered a second half as one wasn't enough.  This one gets a score of 9/10.'     

That's all folks!  Cheers!