Expand the Horizons

[DJDave]

I thought in these locked down days I would expand my horizons a little and try Virgin Wines Beer Box - No this is not an advert. The idea is to try beers I would not normally buy either in the pub or supermarket. (Occasionally I do get a rush of blood and in the supermarket and slip a bottle or two in.) and see what I make of them against the fairly sparse flavour notes they have on web site. I would also be interested in what other people make of them.

So first up is actually something I don't know but might well try if I found myself in a Woodford's pub, Bure Gold.

Virgin say

Citrus and tropical fruit aromatics from American, Slovenian and British hops are built upon a palate made from very lightly toasted malt.

Woodford's say

Straw colour, Citrus & floral aroma, light malt , citrus taste

I thought,

Very pale ale, lager colour , didn't get a great deal on aroma, little bit of honey so maybe oxidised. Taste. grapefruit citrus hoppy, a little toffee sweet but leaves a tart grapefruit lemon citrus after taste. Nicely balanced, citrus but not overdone.

So what do others think of Woodford's Bure Gold? Has anybody tried their Bure Gold Brewing kit (not that I'm going to spend £25 on 40 pints when I can play about attempting to reproduce) They add here "notes of passionfruit and orange. " Well I didn't spot orange and I cant bring to mind what passionfruit smells & tastes like.

Tasting again with the above hint maybe I can get oranges, mandarins or one of the little ones. Still no passionfruit though. I'll have to buy one and try.

 

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That's a good way of trying beers you wouldn't normally.
I have brewed the bure gold, but only kept 5 or so as it was a present for my brother-in-law. I didn't keep notes, but it was good enough to annoy me that I had given most of the batch away, and for me to buy another(I try not to do the same kit twice as I don't have many brews under my belt).

 

[DJDave]

Next a standard lager, one I have not tried before and not to far out of my comfort zone. Hofbrau Original.

First impression on just taking the cap of strong green grassy & sweet Diacetyl.
Tasting reinforced that, the full body & sweet diacetyl made me think of Holsten Draught but there is un Holsten like DMS tone in there as well.

Definitely like this, but a damp dark November late afternoon is maybe not the time or place for a lager, which is maybe why I have been putting of tasting one.

Virgin say

• This is a finely poised and balanced lager that adds a hint of maltiness to a distinctly grassy character.
• Allied to the above profile, you can add the real differentiator: a gorgeous bitter-sweet tension that makes it come alive.

I didn't really get the maltiness but it is bitter for a lager. Tasting again bitter honey came to mind

If I venture into bottling & brewing lagers this would be worth trying to emulate for a summers afternoon