Shepherd Neame Winter Hop Ale

One of the upsides of being known for having a love of beer that ventures into obsession is that I get a lot of beer bought for me. People go to new places, they bring me back beer. My partner is now trained so highly that if she is visiting somewhere and sees beer that she's not seen me drink, she picks it up. I really couldn't ask for more.
Of course, Christmas meant a bumper crop of beers to swell my cellar. Among all the treats nestled this Shepherd Neame offering, Winter Hop Ale. Now, something of a secret. It went to the back of the queue because - and this may shock - but I'm not generally a fan of SN's beers.
Don't get me wrong, I've been known to enjoy the odd Spitfire on draught, and who hasn't cut their teeth on Bishop's Finger - but it's exactly that for me. Surely my palate is...more refined now to go back to these hoary old beers of my youth?
Apparently not. Because I really enjoyed Winter Hop.
The only clue to it's 7% abv was an entirely pleasant chest-warming sensation: not overpowering at all. Although the head disappeared faster than Usain Bolt, this light mahogany-shaded beer remained well-balanced until the end. Smooth, caramelly maltiness dominated the mouthfeel, but that trademark SN peppery hoppy note lingered on the nose. Boiled sweets came to the fore at the back of the throat, and i don't mind confessing I've actually bought another bottle of this since. It's surprisingly smooth and a pleasure to drink; although I would not pick it up specifically as a 'winter warmer'.
My lesson had been learnt. Write off breweries at your peril.

A Good Weekend

Yeah, in general. A Good Weekend. Firstly, Leeds United finally won a game and - more importantly - kept a clean sheet away at Brighton. Cue a collective bout of fist-pumping (oo-er!) and fratboy style high-fives in the household.
As if that wasn't enough, we'd decided to treat ourselves to a Tapas supper at our Mediterranean joint of choice, Dos Amigos. And it didn't disappoint - although it never does. Deep-fried whitebait dunked in pungent Aioli, Salt-Cod Croqetas, Bread getting soggier by the second due the amount of crushed tomato and garlic smeared on top, a luscious ragu of slow-cooked, rosemary-tinted pork belly, prawns in a chili sauce...the dishes just kept coming. /all washed down with a few pints of draught Cruzcampo, a lager I never tire of. The Best tapas in Leeds, and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise.
Waking up this morning with that still in mind, I slung a bottle of Otter Bright in the fridge to chill to obscene levels (something I wouldn't ordinarily do) whilst I whipped up a spanish-inspired fish stew.
In a pan went one tin of plum tomatoes, which I simmered down with a pinch of salt, some chili flakes, a massive splash of olive oil, a pinch of sugar and a squirt of tomato puree. Next, a small fillet of Cod (any firm white fish will do: I've made this with Monkfish and got good results) was chopped and added to the sauce to cook. In a separate pan I then lightly sauteed some sliced chorizo sausage - just enough to leach out that lovely, saffrony pork fat - then dumped the whole pan into the stew along with a handful of chopped, pitted black olives. Simmer all together for five minutes and serve in a suitably rustic bowl with warm bread and Tabasco to taste.


The Otter Bright chilled down well, and added an inoffensive fruity coolness to the rich, hot stew. and what do you know - as we were eating, the sun came out. Lovely.
Dos Amigos
68/70 Abbey Road, Kirkstall,
Leeds, LS5 3JG. Telephone: 01484 720338

I did try to take some pictures of the food at Amigo's but for those who don't know it, it's very dark and very cosy. I didn't feel like taking a flash to ruin the atmos for the sake of the blog. You'll just have to go to find out what it's like!

Freedom Dark Lager

Interesting stuff, this. I was drawn to it simply because I had never heard of it, which I often find a great tactic to use when buying beer. Turns out that Freedom have been around for a while - since 1995 - and seem to have the vegan/organic lager market cornered, producing only three brews - Lager, Dark Lager, and a Pils. I opted for the Dark Lager, given that's where my tastes lie.
...And it wasn't bad at all. The label said it had an underlying toffee note lurking within, and it did; a distinctly American burnt-caramel sweetness. Despite being fairly thin body-wise, it was a nice, rounded beer that belied a 4.7% abv. There was nothing outstanding happening here, but when teamed with a home-made pizza it sang a little higher and held up the beer end, so to speak.


The pizza was made with a simple dough (Strong Flour, Yeast, a dash of Olive Oil, tepid water and some salt), topped with a plain sauce of chopped peppers, a tin of cushed tomatoes, a generous hit of tomato puree, some black pepper,sugar and Basil - with a load of garlic going in when reduced. I find that putting the Garlic in any sauce at the end rather than the start gives a stronger but more balanced Garlic hit. I then topped this with some Mozzarella, some ends of cheddar I had left over (which gave a nice, sharp contrast to the Moz), some Parma Ham and a couple of slices of peppery, zingy Salami. A good Pizza makes a good partner to beer - a lot of the time.

http://www.freedombeer.com/welcome.asp

Timothy Taylor's: Chasing The Havercake Dragon

You have to face it; Timothy Taylor’s beers are seen as somewhat untouchable in certain parts of the country –and for good reason. Landlord is viewed by many as a high-water mark in Brewing, and is without a doubt there Holy Grail for Homebrewers (of which I am one). Ram Tam has attained almost cult status in Yorkshire; one of the few beers in the country truly worth travelling for. Timothy Taylor’s humble brewery is one of beer’s unassuming gods.

I was certainly excited when they announced, early in 2008, that a brace of new (or rather, one new and one re-imagined classic ale) beers would be brewed to coincide with their 150th Birthday. Havercake Ale, named after a nickname for the Duke of Wellington’s 3rd Battalion for which Taylor had an affinity, would be brewed for only the third time in Taylor’s history, alongside Celebration Ale, a new recipe. I must, absolutely must, taste these beers, I thought at the time.

But then, as often happens, real life got in the way. A hectic period of work meant that the trip to my favoured Taylor’s inn – The Fleece, in Haworth, had to be delayed by a week – and this was disastrous. When I finally got there, the barmaid apologetically informed me that all the Havercake and Celebration Ales had run dry. In fact, had just run dry. Excursions to other Taylor’s pubs yielded similar results. I was running round Yorkshire, always one step behind this elusive beer. I gave up. I resigned myself to the fact that I had missed the boat. Lesson learned, young drinker.
Fast-forward a few months to October 2008; we’re in Haworth again. After a pleasant stroll through Bronte country, we popped into The Black Bull for a pint of Ossett’s Silver King, and then, purely out of habit, dropped into the Fleece. Whilst lifting my lips to the first sip of fresh Landlord, my eyes caught something on the back of the bar. A box. A presentation box. With a bottle each of Havercake and Celebration Ale gleaming within. I felt like Indiana Jones faced with the Crystal Skull. Needless to say, it was bought and promptly cellared; kept away for a special occasion: the first beer of 2009.

Celebration Ale poured a clear-as-a-bell amber colour, and the main difference between it and other Taylor’s beers, in my opinion, was the nose: sweet honey and floral hops all round. A robust, typically Yorkshire biscuit malt body gave way to a long bitterness as you’d expect to find in bottled Landlord. Celebration Ale is a much easier-drinking, almost summery beer, and one that I can heartily recommend to Taylor’s nerds.

Havercake Ale, upon pouring, doesn’t seem that different, but the nose gives it away: much less hop profile, and an almost soapy note hang in there. The head did not hang around long on my sample; but the beer itself was malt all the way, with a much softer, less assertive bitterness than the Celebration Ale. As it turns out, quite a contrasting beer.

I understand both beers to have been a success around the country and I think they’ll be popping up now and again in the future. I hope so.

http://www.timothytaylor.co.uk/

Two from Williams Bros

Time for a quick review before new year, methinks. I've been a fan of Williams Bros beers for a while - Red is gorgeous, and I'm partial to a bottle of peppery Fraoch with some Venison or good steak. So, Christmas landed a couple more of their brews on my doorstep - Midnight Sun Porter and the ludicrously named 7 Giraffes Ale.

First up, Midnight Sun (5.6%abv)is a luscious yet dry porter. I'm a fan of the style and have high standards but this manages to hit them. Not too dense, initial red-fruit flavours subside to a slight - and I do mean slight - gingeryness. If that's a word. Warming and very seasonal, I enjoyed this - but its eventual dryness means I wouldn't drink a lot of it.

On the complete opposite of the spectrum sits 7 Giraffes Ale (answers on a postcard as to where the name comes from, please). My heart sank when I saw the label - God, not another novelty beer...god, it even says 'Elderflower' on the label...Well, It certainly doesn't taste 5.1% abv. And lo, It is good. Really good. A rather flat mellow copper colour belied a real hop-lovers paradise within - floral, fragrant and very, very sweet. Lovers of SNPA stop here. I was really surprised by this and to be honest, I'll buy it again.


Good work, Williams.


http://www.williamsbrosbrew.com/

2008 Round-Up

Well it’s time for the 2008 review. Let’s get cracking. I’ve only put four or five stand-outs in this list; otherwise it’d be as long as your arm – I’m very good at being a beer bore. And I promise not to mention Neil frigging Morrisey either.

Local Pubs of the year – has to go to the Abbey Inn, Newlay, Leeds – proud to call it my local. Martin and staff have not only got a lovely, no-nonsense little pub with a real family atmosphere going, but a real love of ale means always a good selection on tap; not to mention the charity work they do. Every week seems to have a beer festival on, and they are always worth a visit. City-wise , Foley’s flies the flag for enthusiasm and choice; knowledgeable and friendly staff make it the automatic choice for a mid-week, post-work pint or three (when Champion’s League is on). Let’s hope the recent sale of York Brewery doesn’t mean Foley’s disappears. Mitchell’s would be fools if they did - and god knows there are enough of them in the beer trade. Finally, an honourable mention goes to The Owl in Rodley. It’s really been turned around this year, and best of luck to them in 2009 – keep up the good work.

Beers – bottled
Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA – this fresh, hoppy brew usurped Summer Lightning as my summer ‘go-to’ beer in 2008. Good stuff indeed; on the right side of hoppy and a great example of the style. Like an American new-wave IPA, but better balanced.
Rodhams – IPA and Wheat. From not even knowing they existed to top of the charts in 2008 – a fantastic micro, making fantastic beers. Gimme more.
Alhambra Reserva 1925 – one of the best, well-balanced bottled beers I have come across. Resiny, green, and fresh, a perfect accompaniment to food. Awesome stuff.
Cain’s Raisin Beer – fruity, but still light, this beer is not independent but man, is it tasty. I drank a lot of this in 2008. Complexity of flavours is the key to this one. In a similar vein, Sharp's Doom Bar remained awesome wherever it travelled.
Beers – Draught
Saltaire Brewery – and the ‘most improved’ award goes to Saltaire. Despite being previous underwhelmed by their stock, their Olympia Honey Ale was about the best-balanced honey beer I have come across, and their Hazelnut Coffee Porter was heaven itself. Well done, and keep up the good work.
Kelham Island Brooklyn Smoked Porter - if there’s one style I stay away from its smoked beers. Not this one. Awesomely balanced and poetry in a glass.
Thornbridge Jaipur IPA – ok, the bandwagon carries on here, but have you tasted this stuff? Jesus Christ, it’s good.
Wylam Northern Kite – a ruby red, malty treat, this is real northern ale. Wylam doing what they do best – making no-nonsense examples of the style, and hitting the nail on the head every time.

Blanche de Bruxelles - Refreshing in a way I didn't know beers could be.

Rooster’s Wrangler – it wouldn’t be a TGS list without something from Sean Franklin! Creamy, sessionable, golden...always quality, no mater where served. Get me to Blind Jacks!!

Villain of the year – Who other than our esteemed Al Darling? If he’s looking to make a name for himself he’s certainly done that in 2008 – by becoming the man who nails the English pub trade to the wall. Missing the point spectacularly, he tightens the screws on publicans whilst supermarkets continue to sell spirits for home consumption at ridiculously low prices. Change is needed, fast. Never before has dealing with the scourge of ‘Binge-Drinking (TM)’ been so elegantly mishandled.

Hero of the year – well, I guess every publican who struggles on in this kind of market. Everyone who organises beer festivals. Everyone who tries something new at the bar. Everyone who stocks good beer in their shops or online. Everyone who forsakes a pint of pop for a pint of something good. Everyone who supports real ale, its consumption and production.

I think that’s you. Here’s to 2009 – mine’s a pint.

Fox & Newt Brewery Up & Running...

Just a quick edit from a previous post - The Fox and Newt have been in touch and advised me that the brewery is up and running, and hopefully the first beers wll be on the beer on the 19th/2oth December.
Pop down and have a look but please check first if making a special journey - the pub's details are below, on the previous post. We all know that the beer will only be ready when it's ready.

Rose Veal with Apples and Mustard Mash

Man, I love this time of year. This week Yorkshire seems to have been transformed into Antarctica, and that just gives me another reason to eat massively calorific food, stop going to the gym and drink loads of beer. I'm storing fat, you see. And this is fun.
Anyway, after looking to my German cookbooks for inspiration, this is what we came up with - easy, and tastes good. But it's not kind on the waistline - be warned.

Rose Veal with Apples and Mustard Mash (Serves two)

You will need:

2 Rose Veal escalopes
2 English Apples - sliced and cored (any kind will do, really)
1 Large onion - sliced (Or 4 smaller ones)
20g Smoked Cheese
1tsp of wholegrain mustard
2 large potatoes, mashed
lots of butter
salt, pepper ( I actually used some smoked salt, if you have it)

1. First, get your potatoes on to boil in preparation for the mashing. In the meantime, melt a knob of butter in a heavy pan and once sizzling, add your onions and apples. Leave for a couple of minutes for the apples to caramelize on one side, then toss to ensure the other side gets done. you can then turn the heat down a little and leave the apples and onions to caramelise whilst you..
2. ...Mash your potatoes in the usual way - with a little milk and butter. Add your smoked cheese, chopped, and the mustard. Stir and cover - the cheese needs to melt.
3. Finally, in another hot pan, sear you veal but take care not to overdo it - it can dry out easily.

All you have to do now is serve and enjoy. If the apples and onions get dry, you simply need to keep adding butter to ensure a gooey, even caramelization.

To drink with a meal of this kind, I wanted something light but sweet - so I opted for the Tongerlo 6 Dubbel Bruin. Very much a typical Dubbel, it has a slight carbonation that strips a little of the sweetness of the apples away, but its own nutmeggy caramel touches compliment the smoky, rich flavours of the food nicely. If you wanted to deglaze the pans and make a little sauce, I would imagine this would do the job very well.


I'm not going to reply to any comments regarding the use of veal in this dish. This is a food and beer blog, not a political one - there are plenty of those around if you want to air your views. Unfortunately there are many things wrong with food culture these days, and you can simply make a choice not to eat something if you don't agree with it. I used Rose Veal, which is farmed according to RSPCA standards, and I bought it from a Farm Shop in Weeton, Otley - therefore I am happy that I have made the correct choice in terms of provenance. If you make this dish, please try and make the same choices.

Copper Dragon Brewery

Copper Dragon Brewery will be opening their doors tomorrow for the first time in their brand-spanking new premises. I was lucky enough to have a sneak preview this morning of both the brewhouse and the visitors centre - and a fine morning it was too.
Despite the inclement Yorkshire weather, MD Steve Taylor was in a fine mood - which we quickly caught on was his usual demeanour - especially when showing us round the brewhouse. Despite being caught up in paperwork and the day-to-day running of Copper Dragon, the brewery - including the brewing process and ingredients - is clearly still something he cherishes and is reluctant to compromise on. And the brewhouse is spectacular - the custom-made fermenting vessels and Mash Tun rise high into the ceiling space like gleaming monoliths, and everywhere hisses and bubbles with steam and industry.