What are you drinking tonight 2023.

[Brewnaldo]

Not tonight, but lastnight.... I sampled some of Salt Rocks offerings. Newish brewery in Fife notable for their advertised use of of grain from Crafty Maltsters and their claim to put malt flavour, rather than anything else that is taking over the modern beer scene, at the forefront.

Saison was OK. It tasted Saisony if a little hot which isn't great at only 6.6%. The Belgians can hide much more dangerous numbers than that.

Then I felt the Pale Ale and Irish Red suffered a little for being bottle conditioned. I felt both were more yeast forward than malt or anything else, which you get away with in the Saison.


I haven't bottle conditioned anything for ages, and lastnights experience have made me narrow even further the beers I think I might ever bottle condition. I just think it adds a flavour, that seems to carry the same through all BC beers, regardless of style. I realise I may be courting controversy here, but force carbed beer IMO is better in all but a few circumstances.

 

[NormanHurst]

That's because that's no 'usual Eurolager'.
The word under Septem is Microzyphopolia or in English 'microbrewery'.
What you had there was a Craft Lager!
A result in Greece.
I hope you enjoyed your find.

Thanks but I'm aware. I used to sell Septem in the UK a good few years ago. As you say there's surprisingly few other craft breweries available out here.

My Eurolager comment was just to highlight that it's unusual to find anything else to buy / order.

 

[NormanHurst]

On holiday in Southern Cyprus I had several Septem beers and I think I enjoyed all of them.

Edit: I just found a post from last year with a picture of the menu.
View attachment 84437

I also picked up a bottle of the Wheat IPA. The shop had another one or two but I was after something more sessionable than 7%. Agree that they are well made beers though. Never seen the Porter. Dark beers are a definite rarity out here.

 

[531Man]

Thanks but I'm aware. I used to sell Septem in the UK a good few years ago. As you say there's surprisingly few other craft breweries available out here.

My Eurolager comment was just to highlight that it's unusual to find anything else to buy / order.

My memory was jogged, and realised that almost exactly a year ago we had the same topic thread discussion about this Pikre ipa supermarket discovery we had on Cephalonia. That was great Greek craft ale too. From Athens, I think.
That was after coming across Vergina in a lunchtime taverna.
Only a tiny bit more interesting than Eurolager.

 

[NormanHurst]

View attachment 84460

My memory was jogged, and realised that almost exactly a year ago we had the same topic thread discussion about this Pikre ipa supermarket discovery we had on Cephalonia. That was great Greek craft ale too. From Athens, I think.
That was after coming across Vergina in a lunchtime taverna.
Only a tiny bit more interesting than Eurolager.

I picked up a couple of other self labelled 'craft' or 'artisan' lagers yesterday. I'll crack them later and post photos

 

[NormanHurst]

Lunchtime Eurolager. I did try and order coffee but apparently they stopped serving that at 12. Oh well...

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I set myself the challenge of finishing off the last of the bitter tonight so I can get another beer in the keg tomorrow. As it happens I’m not going to have to work too hard, this is the last of it!

 

[obscure]

Bought purely on a whim after seeing it in the newspaper supplements, very dry and crisp, slightly acidic. Riesling isn’t something I have drunk much at all of so I’ve no idea if it’s a good example of the style or a terrible one, but I enjoy it well enough would be a nice summer wine and as £7 wines go not bad at all.

 

[Alastair70]

Rye IPA.
I fed the extended family on Easter Monday. My nieces boyfriend (and thorough top bloke) took a shining to this. I did tell him a number of times that it was touching 7%. I gather Tuesday didn’t go so well for him

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Good day in the garden and managed to get a run in too, deserve a beer.

Fuggles bitter, lovely aroma, so good, maybe slightly over bitter unfortunately.

 

[Alastair70]

View attachment 84477
Bought purely on a whim after seeing it in the newspaper supplements, very dry and crisp, slightly acidic. Riesling isn’t something I have drunk much at all of so I’ve no idea if it’s a good example of the style or a terrible one, but I enjoy it well enough would be a nice summer wine and as £7 wines go not bad at all.

I love a dry Riesling, especially in the summer. Also fantastic with a curry. Alsace and Germans are my favourites, but you have to google translate the label to make sure you don’t end up with a sweet one.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Got the new keg of bitter on tap. Happy.

 

[obscure]

Rye IPA.
I fed the extended family on Easter Monday. My nieces boyfriend (and thorough top bloke) took a shining to this. I did tell him a number of times that it was touching 7%. I gather Tuesday didn’t go so well for him

View attachment 84486

Sometimes when the beer is good it’s worth the hangover the next day (but yes I‘ve found Rye IPA’s to be easy to drink and deceptively strong at least with an Imperial Stout or Barley Wine you kind of know what you are getting into).

I love a dry Riesling, especially in the summer. Also fantastic with a curry. Alsace and Germans are my favourites, but you have to google translate the label to make sure you don’t end up with a sweet one.

Sadly not quite warm enough to sit outside today but with Tesco raising the delivery threshold to £50 (or you have to pay a £5 premium) I can quite easily see myself adding a bottle or two come the Summer to boost the order value something incredibly enjoyable about cold white wine on a Summer evening in the garden.

 

[NormanHurst]

View attachment 84477
Bought purely on a whim after seeing it in the newspaper supplements, very dry and crisp, slightly acidic. Riesling isn’t something I have drunk much at all of so I’ve no idea if it’s a good example of the style or a terrible one, but I enjoy it well enough would be a nice summer wine and as £7 wines go not bad at all.

Arguably the greatest of white grapes - partly because of its versatility. But that versatility can make working out what's in the bottle tricky. Aussie Rieslings are usually very reliable in a dry, lime juice style. Great with Thai food.

 

[dave_77]

Starting with a lager, think this first time I have had this..tasty enough

 

[531Man]

Sometimes when the beer is good it’s worth the hangover the next day (but yes I‘ve found Rye IPA’s to be easy to drink and deceptively strong at least with an Imperial Stout or Barley Wine you kind of know what you are getting into).

Sadly not quite warm enough to sit outside today but with Tesco raising the delivery threshold to £50 (or you have to pay a £5 premium) I can quite easily see myself adding a bottle or two come the Summer to boost the order value something incredibly enjoyable about cold white wine on a Summer evening in the garden.

If it's an English white wine (or even a sparkling one) the full experience is drinking it outside in drizzle.
They complement each other so well.

 

[LesTom]

It was a fine afternoon, so it was time for a fine beer

 

[Donegal john]

Daughter no 3 turned 21 today so after a hectic morning and the arrival of 15 friends they are now away on a minibus tour of as many rural pubs as they can fit in, in 5 hours. Then on to the night club after.
So after the clean up it’s time for a double ipa from Kinnegar

 

[531Man]

Thought it was time for one of my own beers.
My 1st proper Pilsner casked a year ago, then the tail-end lightly primed and bottled. There is some condition, but you have to look closely to see the bubbles. The flavour though is full and malty with what I would describe as slightly sulphurous quality.
SWMBO'd called it yeasty.
As the saying goes,
"Every man thinks his own farts smell the sweetest".
This certainly fits that particular bill.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Rye IPA for me, small Imperial for my wife.