Porkslappin' @ North

North started their annual U.S Beer Fest today, and with it being Friday and all, I moseyed on down for an extended lunch and a little look-see at what was on offer. A tip-off via Twitter (presumably from the ever-helpful Matt) had alerted me to the presence of Butternut Brewing's Porkslap Ale - a beer that I'd been curious about since declaring it 'Quite possibly the best name for a beer ever' a few months back. A Tad frivolous maybe, but I was genuinely interested.

So, this lunchtime, here it was, sitting in front of me in all it's porcine glory. The can was snapped open, the beer was poured, and I'm happy to report....It's all right. Not ground-breaking or anything; but I don't think Butternuts claim it to be. Taste-wise, it's along the lines of Brooklyn Lager, only much less complex; toffee-led malt and that familiar boiled sweet/candi sugar rule the body, and there's not much hop complexity save for a quick, dry bitterness at the end. I could drink a couple more, anyway. Or is that just because it's canned; some kind of subliminal message to chug? Anyhoo - mission accomplished. Porkslap....slapped.

North's US beer fest range gets better every year; we seem to have moved on from the household names of Sierra Nevada and Anchor, and those importers and suppliers are coming up with the goods. Brewers like Odell, Flying Dog & Dogfish Head are becoming more and more ubiquitous (and deservedly so, I might add, in Odell's case) and my notes of the bottles in the fridge make for an impressive list; Great Divide, Big Sky, Buckbean, Moylans, Tommyknocker, Green Flash, Uncommon and Victory all sit, waiting to be sampled. Add to that the likes of SN Bigfoot, Stone IPA, Left Hand Stout and Brooklyn Lager on draught (Brooklyn's a regular at North now), and you've got a new set of choices for your weekend.

In fact, your hardest choice will be deciding simply what to try. The Grove in Huddersfield have also extended thier bar range to include a number of U.S gems. Here's A Swift One's thoughts on the matter....

Hopdaemon's Skrimshander IPA

I'd had this beer kicking around for some time, and when I cracked it open I cursed myself for not doing so sooner - although it was a long time ago now! I didn't blog it at the the time, but have since got another bottle in in order to evaluate it more seriously - and it was worth it. Hopdaemon are not a brewery that I'm overly familiar with, but that will change from now on. I loved this; copper in colour, with a hint of bready yeast and a touch of hop-pepperiness on the nose. Body-wise it's light but quite sweet, and that gives a little more balance to the moderately sharp, citrussy bitterness that comes along at the end. I had chilled the bottle slightly and it certainly quenched the thirst - but this is one beer I'll drink again and would love to try on draught, if anyone can tell me where this may be possible?

Here's to many more, Hopdaemon.

Turkey Yakitori with Rogue Dead Guy Ale

I love making Yakitori - little sticky bites of Soy Sauce-rich poultry goodness - but have recently dumped the traditional Chicken for Turkey. I find Turkey sweeter, tastier (because let's face it, Chicken is pretty bland) and it seems to marinate better. Turkey thigh's even better - with a deep, rich flavour. Because this dish is oven- grilled it's not massively authentic - but in terms of beer snacks it's a belter.

It couldn't be easier to make but does require a little forward planning - essentially it's a two stage process. Firstly, 24 hours before you cook it, marinate about 300g of diced Turkey in about 100g of Dark Soy Sauce, and 3 tbspns of Honey. To this marinade add four chopped cloves of Garlic, and a splash of Shao Hsing Rice Wine. This isn't hard to find in Chinese markets, and you can probably pick it up in supermarkets now. It's a little like sherry, and adds a unique bite and subtle smokiness to the marinade. Stir up, cover well, and leave to marinate in a fridge for the aforementioned 24 hours.

When ready to cook, make a basting sauce up from more Dark Soy sauce and Honey. You can make it as thick as you like; in fact, the thicker and stickier the better. Set your grill on high, lay out your turkey pieces on a grilling tray, and baste with the sauce. Grill for about 5 minutes, then re-baste. Repeat this every five-ten minutes, turning the meat and basting as you go. You want to build up a good coating on the meat, which should take about 20 minutes to cook. To finish, sprinkle with chunks of sea salt, and serve on a bed of rice.

It's natural to want to serve something like this with a pilsner or decent lager as you would do in a noodle-house, but I find that sweeter, more malt-led beers actually match the sweetness of the Yakitori in a much more interesting way. I enjoyed Rogue's Dead Guy Ale with mine; loads of caramel and crystal malts in the body, a smooth taste, with the hops only coming on late in the sip as a refreshing bitter bite. A sweet beer for a sweet meal.

Thornbridge Halcyon 2009 IPA; A Toast

In praise of Thornbridge; I can't say enough. For me, they remain at the very forefront of brewing in the UK, consistently brewing top-quality beers that not only challenge, but satisfy at the same time. They must be close to being the most-blogged about brewery out there too, so I know I'm not alone in my blind love for Kelly, Stef and the team.

In fact, Stef was recently named UK Brewer of the Year, which is just the icing on the cake and a massive acheivement not just for Stef but the entire Thornbridge team. For a personal toast, I popped up to Beer-Ritz (where else?) and stocked up on Halcyon (7.7% abv). It's my current favourite Thornbridge Beer (although that changes with nigh-on each new one I taste) and perfect for a toast.

Russet-amber in colour, and topped with a head that lasts and last, the beer is a lesson in balance: a sweet, honeyed body that supports a fruit-burst of hop aroma (Grapefruit, Gooseberries, even some Strawberry in there) and a long, smooth sip that hits you right at the end with a juicy, bitter hit. It's green-hopped, and you can tell when it's a fresh batch; Green is an apt word to describe the overall hop profile. I could drink this all day and never be bored with it (until they brew something new, anyway).

So well done, Stefano - and keep up the good work. You're making this guy very happy indeed.

Visiting WharfeBank Brewery

Yesterday morning we attended the official opening of WharfeBank Brewery. Despite only being a recent addition to Yorkshire’s brewing fraternity they’re causing a ripple already with their full-bodied ruby beer CamFell Flame winning Beer of the Festival at the Leeds Beer Festival this year.

We timed our arrival perfectly to coincide with that morning’s mashing in, which unleashed great malt-scented clouds of steam up into the rafters; no matter how many times you smell it, it always takes me by surprise at how wonderfully comforting it all is. Tony Jenkins, working tirelessly throughout the day, took us through the process, the equipment itself, and the genesis of their core beers.

WharfeBank currently brew three core ales: Tether Blond (4.1%abv), Slingers Gold (3.9%abv) and the aforementioned CamFell Flame (4.4%abv). Seeing the hops piled high in the cold storeroom, I remark that there seems to be a lean towards high-alpha hops (which I’m happy to see), and Tony concedes that the recipes have been formulated to simply give new twists on traditional tastes. This seems like simplicity itself, but as an ethos it’s a good one.

Taste-wise, the beers are certainly very good. CamFell remains my personal favourite of the stable, full of gently roasted flavours and an ever-so-subtle coffee aftertaste. It’s a surprisingly light beer for one with such a deep, rounded flavour, and is dangerously sessionable. Sessionable seems to be a pre-requisite, as Tether Blond is refreshing; super-pale and loaded with fragrant citrus notes. Slingers Gold continues that citrusy freshness on the nose but is smoother and fuller in the body.

WharfeBank is the baby of Martin Kellaway, an ex-cricketer who dived into the world of brewing whilst working with Caledonian and Fuller’s. He also owned the Fox & Newt Brewpub for a while as a tenant landlord and began crafting beers on their on-site kit. After gaining some investment through local grants and supporters, WharfeBank was born.

He should be proud; the brewery itself is all excitingly shiny and new, and the staff were only too-happy-to-help. The opening itself was a success; plenty of people there, some wonderful locally-sourced barbecue to go with the beer, and I’m sure that when Lib Dem MP and all-round-good guy Greg Mulholland formally declared WharfeBank open, the team breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Leeds-wise ,Wharfebank’s beers are currently available at The Grove, and will be available in Wetherspoon’s shortly. If you are a pub who wants to get WharfBank’s wares on the bar, then jump over to their website (linky above) for details. Special thanks to Tony Jenkins and Dhiraj Pujari.

SummerWine Project 6 IPA Brew 2

...Regular readers will be familiar with SummerWine's Summer IPA project, and I'm pleased to see that Brew #2 landed this week. Brew#2 proved to be a paler pint than #1, and, as expected, loaded with hops. Whereas #1 had a more herbal, green note, #2 has a much more citrus-led profile. I don't know what hops are in it, but I'd hazard a suggestion of Centennial and Amarillo being present. Still smooth, and very drinkable for its abv as before, #2 is a much fruitier beast than its predecessor.

Still, I'd like to do a side-by-side comparison, as well - What about bottling this set of big IPA's, SummerWine lads?

As usual, tasted in Foley's.

Ridgeside Brewery Launch *This Weekend*

New Leeds brewery Ridgeside will be unveiling their first brew on Sunday in Wakefield. The launch will take place at O'Donoghues (owned by Great Heck Brewery) and the beer will start flowing at 12.00 noon, supported by a presentation and a buffet (what's a beer launch without a buffet, eh?).

Head honcho Simon Bolderson told me that Ridgeside Beast (4.7%abv) will be ready to taste, and describes it as a 'Deep red, old English Ale'. Sounds lovely. Simon's story is a now-sounding-familiar one: experienced homebrewer taking the plunge after his job circumstances changed. Simon is committed, and clearly enthusiastic about beer, and that in itself deserves a pat on the back.

Unfortunately, I can't make it - but I think you all should, and tell me how it went. Looks like I'll have to wait a little longer to get my grubby paws on a pint from Leeds' newest brewer.

Wold Top's Against The Grain

I'll be honest; Gluten Free beers usually leave me cold. Thin, insipid affairs that just don't satisfy me - despite trying most that I find. To me, it's an oddity - it's a style of beer I regard with curiosity. My notion was that one day I'd find one that I like, and that in itself would be a discovery worth hailing.

Well, it finally happened. I picked up a bottle of Wold Top's Against The Grain (4.5%abv) and chilled it down to cope with the mini-heatwave we are enjoying. And cope it did: super-pale, with an all-important cereal bite in the body that most Gluten-free beers lack (in my opinion). On top of that, a wonderful nose of lemon and lime, and a good amount of carbonation making it a real thirst-quencher. I'd happily drink this again, and that's the highest praise I can give a Gluten Free beer.

If anyone else wants to recommend a gluten free beer you think I may like, don't hesitate to let me know.

Five Towns Brewery - Homebrewer to Brewer

Five Towns is a brewery that deserves your attention. Why? Because Malcolm Bastow, who essentially is Five Towns, works full time. As in, in another job. Not in any old dull job either – as a Nurse. Any man who works for our health service whilst knocking out quality beers deserves a medal as far as I’m concerned, and it was whilst enjoying a pint of his at this year’s Leeds Beer Festival that I mused on how he fit it all in. So I asked him, dropping him an email, as you do. Many months later, he responded, but given his schedule, I’m honoured that he took the time at all. It’s been a pleasure to speak with Malcolm, and here’s what he had to say.

Leigh: Can you tell me a little about how Five Towns started?

Malcolm: Probably like many other brewers, I started making home-brewed beer in the mid eighties - 'John Bull' kits from Boots. In the early Nineties I discovered M&D Homebrew in Wakefield, and they introduced me to partial or full mash brews. I bought the necessary equipment and started full mash brewing and never looked back. I continued to brew 9 gallons of real ale about twice per month. I started thinking seriously about commercial brewing around 2001, finally making the decision to contact Dave Porter Brewing Consultants in 2006. From that point, it took a couple of years to sort out the planning permission sort out a loan etc before ‘going live’ in September 2008.
What - or who - is you inspiration to brew? What, would be Timothy Taylors' Landlord and almost every Rosters/Outlaw beer I drank! Who, would be Dave James - ex Fernandes Brewery, now East Coast Brewery. Dave set up Fernandes brewery below the Home Brew shop in Wakefield and opened the Brewery Tap; which was at the time the best outlet for real ale in Wakefield. I was still home-brewing whilst watching Dave take the plunge.

Tell me about your core brews.
Outwood Bound is a chestnut coloured beer with a toffee nose and strong dry bitter finish. It’s brewed with American yeast and lots of Cascade Hops. Callum's Best is a dark coloured beer brewed with Maris Otter and Chocolate malt giving a full flavour and bitter finish. This was my first full mash beer while still home brewing.
Niamh's Nemesis is a full bodied IPA with hints of grapefruit before a dry finish. It’s inspired by Punk IPA and Empress of India. Outside Edge an easy drinking, light coloured, lightly flavoured beer finished with Cascade Hops. This is based on the type of beers I brewed before going commercial.
Which is your favourite? As you will see from my favourite beers from other breweries, i'm into strong and hoppy beers at the moment. So I will have to say that Niamh's Nemesis (5.7%) and Peculiar Blue (6%) are my current favourites. Strong but remaining bitter, with loads of Cascade and Nelson Sauvin hops.
....And your favourite brews from other breweries?

· Punk IPA - Brewdog
· Jaipur - Thornbridge
· Empress of India - East Coast
· Absolution - Abbeydale
· Old Peculiar - Theakstons (from the wood) (Oh, great choice – Leigh)

So, how do you find both working full-time and brewing? Hard work at times! It's like wearing two hats - both jobs are completely different. The nursing role I have is quite stressful at times and when I first went commercial I found that stressful as well. Suddenly having a Loan to pay which relies on you selling beer gave me some sleepless nights. It was only after the first five or six brews - when I felt comfortable with the equipment and started to get the positive feedback - did the stress lessen. Although most of my spare time is spent brewing, selling and delivering real ale, I enjoy that side of my life so much that it makes it all worth while.

Where can we find your beers? I try and sell to pubs that I know are going to look after the beer, so mainly pubs in the 'Good Beer guide. Mr Foley's (Leeds), The Star Inn (Huddersfield), North Riding Hotel (Scarborough), Bonhommes (Filey), West Riding Refreshment rooms (Dewsbury), The Navigation (Mirfield), Red Shed and O'Donohues (Wakefield), Brewers Pride (Ossett), Fat Cat (Sheffield), Market House (Elsecar) take most of my beers plus the Brown Cow Brewery and Boggart distribute further afield.

...And what are you plans for 2010? It's taken me so long to respond half the years gone! I have trialled bottling Callum’s Best and Niamh's Nemesis and plan to start producing regular bottle conditioned beers by the end of the year.
Any advice for budding brewers out there? If you can produce good quality full-mash brews as a home brewer, don't be put off by the hurdles of planning permission etc. The reward of being able to drink beer you have produced in a local pub makes it all worthwhile.

What makes Malcolm’s story resonate with me is that I am an all-grain homebrewer too – and one that harbours hopes of one day making the leap into producing beer that you all can enjoy. Malcolm makes that leap look altogether less scary on the outside - although he would probably disagree! There are plenty of us out there – Boak & Bailey dabble as well, for example - and Hardknott Dave has been logging his experiences on his blog. Homebrewing is the start of many great breweries that we know today. Five Town's Beers are solid, tasty and well balanced - I can recommend both Callum’s Best and Davy Jones’s locker, and I hope you give them a try. Give homebrewing a try too – I can honestly say that I’ve learnt more about Beer by brewing it than I ever would by simply drinking it. If you fancy dipping your toe in (so to speak), then I would start at the Jim’s Beer Kit forum – as well as ICB. They are both packed with excellent advice from enthusiastic, friendly and knowledgeable brewers.

Roosters Whiskey-Cask Matured Stout

I've been drooling since I heard the news a few weeks back that perennial TGS demi-god Sean Franklin and his crack team at Roosters were brewing up some one-offs this year. Whiskey-Cask Matured Stout (5.7abv) is first on the list, and it doesn't disappoint.

From a brewery that is revered for its use of the aroma hop through pale ales, it's a welcome diversion from type. Firstly, the beer has a powerful aroma - peat, smoke and woody notes hit the nose in an alchohol-heavy haze that really punches the message home. This is a mature beer, and like it says on the pump-clip, the whiskey notes are right up front, not hiding in the background.

On the sip, that powerful aroma fades away, leaving a surprisingly smooth, roasted body with a bitter note at the end that's more espresso than bitter chocolate, with no real trace on the tongue of its not-to-be-messed-with abv. That smokiness lingers throughout. A longer-lasting head would have been nice, but that's just a petty remark at the end of an entirely enjoyable beer. You couldn't drink a lot of it, but that's beside the point - this is a wonderful beer, and an intruiging one at that - only a few hours later, I'm craving another hit.

LB Buy The Garden Gate

*We've known it was on the cards for a while, but after months of talk, Leeds Brewery have finally bought The Garden Gate in Hunslet - a match made in heaven. Let's hope they can get some customers back in the place. More to follow. Huzzah!

Ilkley's Mary Jane Inflitrates Parliament...

Kudos to local boys Ilkley Brewing Co - thier pale thirst-quencher Mary Jane is now a guest ale in the House of Commons, just to top off an award-winning few months. Good work. Other local tidbits - keep an eye out for some excellent sounding one-offs from Rooster's in the next few weeks, including an UK-hopped IPA & a Whiskey-Barrel aged Stout, amongst others....popular Saltaire are holding a beer festival on September 17th - tickets will be available from Saltaire Brewery directly from 1st July...Great Heck Brewery have bought O'Donaghues in Wakefield, so there will be a regular outlet for their beers there - as well as an upcoming launch for the newly minted Ridgeside Brewery, who are currently brewing their first batch of beer...and finally, moving out of Yorkshire, belated congrats to The Highland Brewing Company, whose wonderfully complex Orkney Blast has won Champion Beer of Scotland at CAMRA's recent national real ale festival. A fitting award for a wonderful beer.

Here's an interesting one for the upcoming sunny weather - Dunham Massey's Blossom Honey Beer. I love the idea of honey in a beer, but find it often fails to hit the mark, potentially thinning and drying out beer instead of enhancing it with lush, sweet honey-ness. One that I can wholeheartedly recommend is Saltaire's Olympia - if you can find it (it's a seasonal).

Dunham's Honey Blossom Beer however, does work, and the addition of Duerr's honey not only gives the beer a lovely smooth finish (which is quite unexpected from a spritzy, golden ale) alongside a mouthful of orange-citrus notes but also adds a floral, slightly wild-flower aroma to it. The head lasts a long time, and you can chill it slightly for the weekend's heat-wave - or whilst watching England vs Germany, perhaps? Anyway, one to keep an eye out for if you're in the market for something refreshing but slightly different, for sure.

To Holmfirth and Beyond - A Chat With Summer Wine Brewery

Keeping it local (locale?) and staying in Holmfirth, I've had the pleasure of having a quick chat with James Farran, head brewer at Summer Wine Brewery. This little outfit have big ideas, and that's a quality I really like about new breweries - a sense of adventure. Whether it's creating a relatively large core range of nine beers rather than the usual three or four, or devoting this summer to IPA, there's a questing nature underneath underneath it all that certainly comes through in their beers, which take usual styles and simply make it their way. This sounds like the easiest thing in the world, but in my opinion, too many breweries tread the same path. Anyway, I'm rambling: I'll let James do the talking.

Leigh: Summer Wine - tell me how it started.
James: Good question. Well, I was set on the track as a brewer around 9 years ago when I had one of those beer epiphanies, you know when you drink a beer and it changes everything you thought you knew about beer. I was 18 and the beer was Fraoch Heather Ale from Williams Bros; it was malty, spicy, slightly sweet & extremely well balanced - it instantly changed my ideas of what beer could be.

To cut a long story short, I decided to start homebrewing – first, those dodgy syrup kits & eventually full grain mash. I brewed over & over honing my skills as I went, learning all the time about mash temps, pH, sparge temp, hopping, yeasts etc. & how they all can affect the finished product. Many brews followed. I then decided I wanted to brew commercially as what I was brewing was very well received. I wanted a brewery with a name that was synonymous with its location & as I lived close to Holmfirth what better than Summer Wine? So I incorporated Summer Wine Brewery Ltd & trademarked the company name.

I brewed on a small half barrel plant for two years, until I ran into Andy Baker (Summer Wine MD) & another one of our directors at our place of work. I wanted to take the brewery to the next level & Andy was looking for an opportunity to blood himself in the business world after he had graduated - and never one to shirk a challenge, he put his money where his mouth is and jumped in. Everything then moved very quickly we had premises and a working brewery within 6 months (would have been quicker if not for brewery equipment lead time.) Nearly 2 years on the brewery is in huge growth, the beers are well received far and wide & we have some exciting plans for expansion in the pipeline.

Who, or What is your motivation to brew? Where do you look for inspiration?
My motivation to brew comes from lots of sources. I have heard it said that ‘brewing is in your blood’ & when you’re in this industry brewing just feels right and when you have the passion for brewing you don’t feel like you have a job and it’s easy to get out of bed in the morning. Sometimes the motivation can come from drinking a great beer or opening and fresh pack of a new hop variety - or maybe even a blog debate (At least we're good for something - Leigh). Inspiration is everywhere.

My favourite SW beer is Helios - a fruity, spritzy blonde that's massively sessionable. Can you give me the lowdown on some more of your core range - and what's your favourite?
We believe choice is a right, not a privilege, and that is why we have a core range of nine ales. Our range carries all styles from Dambusters Dark Mild (3.5%abv) a true mild, Invictus Copper Ale (4.5% abv) our take on a Bitter with punch, up to Apache American Pale Ale (5.2% abv), my personal favorite is Teleporter (5.0% abv) our ten-grain porter that is subtly fruity & chocolatey, with real depth & class. It’s a really great dark ale.

What's your favourite non-SummerWine beer?
Oooh that’s a tough one, so many great beers in the UK & the world for that matter. I’m a great believer that there is no such thing as a great beer only great gyles, however my favourite cask ales being brewed at the moment would have to be Marble Pint & Thornbridge Jaipur - but I am also a huge fan of dark ale as a style. My favourite bottled beer would have to be the Brewdog/Stone collaboration, Bashah.

Project 6 - what's it all about and what can we expect? Project 6 is our new monthly released IPA at 6.6% abv. The first was released at the beginning of June and the start of every month thereafter. The 6 beers will all be Pale IPA’s that showcase the world’s best hops; six varieties in each brew, kettle, aroma & dry hopped to create intensely fruity beers that have real balance despite the huge amount of hops going into each brew,

You can expect each beer to be different from the last in that bitterness levels will change from brew to brew and some interesting dry hopping with some more unusual hops will give the beers an individual character. IPA’s are at the forefront of such an exciting brewing scene at the moment & it is really a pleasure to turn our hand to a series of them.

Apart from Project 6, what else is on the horizon in 2010?
We currently brew two monthly specials to accompany our nine core ales, which vary in style. We also have some very exciting ideas in the pipeline for this year and beyond; without revealing too much one project will include the fusion of two styles whilst another will involve some interesting aged beers.

And finally....You've got one day off this year - how do you spend it?
Probably spend the day sat in a old chesterfield reading some of the ever increasing pile of books waiting for me, mainly factual things regarding evolution, physics & cosmology whilst drinking a selection of the world’s finest bottled beers… heaven!

So there you go. Brewers by day, Science buffs by night. P6 Brew #1 certainly hit the spot: amber in colour, with a sweet, caramelly body, it delivered a green, grassy, slightly herbal hop bite thanks to a mix of Ahtanum, Willamette, Herkules and Liberty - and two secret hops - that increased on the sip. The balance between the body and the hops was spot on - although James warns that P6 Brew #2 is even better. Keep an eye out for it.

The Nook Brewhouse

...And so it was: Friday night meant getting oneself settled in the pub of your choice, with a few good mates, gearing up for a night of World Cup drama. Two days later, we reflect; drama, yes, but not of the good kind. More of the 'What the hell are we going to do now?' kind. Luckily, the best thing about watching games in the pub is that you've got an array of beers to provide ample distraction as you groan from another overhit cross failing to meet its mark.

As someone that drinks a fair old amount of beer, and attends a fair old amount of festivals and events, you'd think that I'd have pretty much lost that little buzz that happens when you spy a beer you've never had before -or even better - a brewery you've never tasted anything from before. But no - it's still there in spades- and at least this was the case on Friday. When I saw two new pumpclips, I was in there with speed and accuracy that our national team could only dream of right now.

The Nook Brewhouse is based at The Rose & Crown pub in Holmfirth; once known only for "Last of The Summer Wine", but now building up a rep for being a little brewing hotspot - including Summer Wine Brewery (more of whom to come shortly). Brewpubs are a rarity right now, but it's great seeing The Nook's beers making their way to Leeds. Even better that they were both wonderful.

Oat Stout (5.2%abv) does what it says on the tin; velvety smooth and loaded with slightly smoked, bittersweet flavours, with a big whiff of Liquorice and Bonfire Toffee on the nose. Deceptively easy to drink for its strength, this was an instant hit, with second pints being ordered. Fans of York's Centurion's Ghost and Leeds's classy Midnight Bell should give this a pop.

Something altogether lighter can in the form of Blond (4.5%abv), which again displayed The Nook's skill at making no-nonsense beers very well. Perfectly balanced, it was sweet and refreshing at the same time, with a hint of citrus on the nose. Not too much - this isn't a hop-fest, but just enough. Clean and crisp - lovely.

Dutch Wink: As Brewed By Beer Writers

...It might have been available since March, but I finally got around to ordering a pint of Cropton's Dutch Wink. This is of note due to the fact that it was overseen by esteemed beer writers Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham - presumably before they got into their Doner Kebab period.

Anyway - onto the beer. It's very good. Very good indeed. Super-pale, clean, and very smooth in the body. There's a load of citrus in the nose and that comes across right at the edge of the swallow with a lemon/lime kick - presumably from the Bobek Hops used. For a summery, easy-drinking pale, it's perfect stuff, and bang on for people's moods right now (ie, watching footy en masse in pubs.)

You can head here for the lowdown, and here for a cheeky little video on 'how they made it, innit'. It's on sale at Nicholson's pubs up and down the country, so if you're in Leeds, that's The Palace and The Vic.

Cinnamon Spirals and Hobson's Old Henry

Here's a little treat you can make yourself with leftover pastry, as I did last weekend. Perfect for sharing , these beauties take no time at all and their spices sit really well with a number of beers. Basically, you need a lump of shortcrust pastry - about the 150g's worth.

If you don't have any left over, you can make your own by taking 100g of Plain Flour, and cutting 25g of butter and 25g or lard into it. Add a pinch of salt, then rub it all together until it turns to breadcrumbs. Add lukewarm water a little at a time until it turns to dough. Cover in cling film, and rest it in the fridge for 15 minutes. Then, knead it again, and roll it out on a floured surface.

Ok, here's the fun part - over the pastry, sprinkle Muscovado or brown sugar, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and ground Almonds. You can put as much on there as you like. Roll the whole thing up so it's like a sausage, wrap in cling film and chill again for 30 minutes. You can use this time to preheat your oven - about 180c should do it.

When ready, using a sharp knife, slice into rounds and place on a greased baking tray. Brush the tops with Honey, and then bake for about 20 minutes until golden on top. I find you get good results if you baste with honey again ten minutes in. Leave to cool, and there you go. Little pastry treats, ready to be shared.

I enjoyed a few of these with a bottle of Hobson's Old Henry (5.2%abv). Old Henry is described as an 'Auburn Ale', which sounds good, I have to admit. It's a smooth, nutty ale, and deep amber in colour. There's not much in the way of hop profile apart from a pleasant bite at the end of the sip, but there is a fudgy, moreish richness in the body that fans of Courage Directors or Old Speckled Hen would like. This malt-led richness lends itself perfectly to the sweet but slightly spiced flavours in the Spirals.

Shropshire-based Hobson's are an interesting brewery - I would recommend a hop over to their site, where you can watch a decent clip detailing their involvement in saving The Sun Inn, the last parlour pub in the UK, and read about their eco-credentials, which are impressive. Kudos, Hobsons.

Burton Bridge's Stairway To Heaven

...Or a beer of the week, if you will. Seeing Burton Bridge's beers on tap in Leeds is great, and I try not to miss out wherever possible. Stairway To Heaven, sampled at Foley's on Friday was a brilliant case in point.

Light copper in colour, with a floral, almost juicy-fruit aroma hitting the nose, the first thing that strikes me after tasting it is just how well-balanced the whole thing is. At 5% abv it's not entirely sessionable, but the firm, biscuity, almondy body more than compensates for the mouthwatering, tongue-tingling bitter hop-hit at the end. For sheer flavour in a glass, it takes some beating, but it is a big, big beer.

In many ways it's an ideal representation of what I think of when I think of Burton Bridge in general; a brewer that courts tradition, with old-school pump-clips and history, yet often produces quite off-kilter beers. Off kilter in a good way. Take this example, for instance. My drinking buddy remarked it was like 'A regular amber bitter but amped up', and I have to agree. In a stroke in serendipity, I had a bottle of Empire Ale in the cellar, and enjoyed it in the baking sun yesterday afternoon. Crisp, dry as hell, strong and relentlessly citrussy, it's a classy IPA for all intents and purposes and a bloody good one at that. Extreme...but not, if you know what I mean. Wonderful.

Festival Round-Up

Ok, folks, just time for a quick beer festival round-up; just in case the World Cup isn't your cup of tea (or pint of beer). Clifford's first Beer festival takes place at the village hall on 19/06/10, and is raising funds for the hall and the local footy team - so it's all good. The beer range is a showcase for the region with Acorn, Elland, Saltaire, Abbeydale, Brown Cow, Great Heck, Hawkshead and Ilkley breweries all supplying for the festival. Clifford's a lovely part of Yorkshire, too.

Speaking of lovely parts of Yorkshire, The White Bear in Masham is holding their 9th annual Beer fest on the weekend of 25/06/10. Much bigger, and across the pennines, is Chorlton's Beer Festival on the 2nd and 3rd of July. With over 50 ales on offer, I'd expect the usual eclectic festival mix. Last year saw local heroes like Marble stack up against more travelled breweries such as Purple Moose, Dark Star and Dunham Massey.

For our friends north of the border (of which we have many, you lovely, lovely people), there's the big one - The Scottish Real Ale Festival 2010. Held on the 24th. 25th and 26th of June at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh, beers from Black Isle, Harviestoun, Sulwath and Williams Bros are likely to be amongst many on offer. And if in Wales - don't despair - there's one for you too: The Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival is taking place at Cardiff International Arena on the weekend of June 10th. There's plenty of great welsh beers on the list, too - Breconshire, Evan Evans, Otley and Vale Of Glamorgan to name a few.

So - support your local independent breweries and pubs as well as your team in the upcoming month.

Moonlighting

Well, that's the sunny weather pretty much done for, it seems. Still, it gave me the opportunity to crack open some of those summer beers that we all know and love - pale, zingy, crisp and refreshing, and perfect for al fresco drinking.

One surprise entry amongst last weekend's usual suspects - Thornbridge's Jaipur, Wensleydale's Coverdale Poacher, Copper Dragon's Golden Pippin and Ilkey's Mary Jane to name but a few - was Marks & Spencer's Essex Summer Ale, bought purely on a whim whilst buying food because (in a childish voice) it had a pwetty label.

Closer inspection reveals this little treat to be brewed by Crouch Vale, brewers of such fine beers as Brewer's Gold and Amarillo. Essex Summer Ale follows much in the same path, although more complex than Brewer's Gold - straw in colour, but with a real tropical/Juicy fruit aroma, and a real C-Hop hit on the tongue. A slightly grainy body is lifted with an ever-so-slight hint of minty grassiness at the end of the sip. I enjoyed it immensely, and would happily drink it again. So there you go. Moonlighting occasionally works.

Enjoy It

...It's really too nice outside to be sat inside blogging. Enjoy this picture of the excellent beer range for Spring/Summer at The Palace, Leeds, instead. I'm off to go enjoy some al fresco beers (and a certain likelihood of Grilled Meats). I hope you're doing the same - enjoy your weekend.

Cheers.

Stuffed Squid with Amber Lager

I know that squid divides people, but I can honestly say I'm firmly in rooted the 'obsessed with it' camp. Whether it's enjoying it tenderly stewed for hours on a Greek Island, or flinging some on the barbecue for an altogether more exciting option to burgers and sausages, Squid is a massively evocative food; sunshine, opulence and something new. Here's something that we did a few weeks ago - by no means original, but if its flavour you're after - look no further. Simplicity itself.

Firstly, you need to make a quick, basic Paella or Pilaf - if you have none to use as leftover (like we had). Risotto will work too. Anyway - This quick recipe will fill four moderately-sized squid. In a large pan, gently fry one onion and four (yep, four) cloves of Garlic until golden in a generous slug of Olive oil. Remove the garlic, and add one chopped red or green pepper. Again, sweat down until soft. To this, add chopped Chorizo and a little chopped chicken or prawns. I've not mentioned quantities because it's up to you - but do get at least two meats in there. When that lovely red-hued fat has leached from the Chorizo, add about 3 cups or rice - risotto (Aborio) rice will do if you like but its not essential - and coat with all the ingredients. Then slowly add chicken stock and stir until the rice has absorbed it all and is cooked. Season with a little black pepper, and some fresh Oregano, and leave to cool .

At this point, you should clean your Squid. It's easy - just pull off the head, and most of the insides will follow. Get your fingers in there and remove the plastic-looking sheath known as the Quill, and then run under cold water and scrape all the remaining innards out. Rinse again, and you have your squid tube ready to go.

Preheat a griddle pan to hot, and then simply stuff the Squid with your rice. Seal the ends with a cocktail stick , brush sparsely with Olive oil, and then lay on the griddle pan to cook. Turn once - they'll need about three minutes on each side - and you're ready to go. Serve with a crisp, fresh salad.

I enjoyed these ones with a couple of bottles of chilled Dos Equis. Although your instinct may be to go for a lager, summer ale or even a crisp Wheat beer, I find that something with a large dollop of Crystal Malt really brings out the sweetness in Squid. In the past, I've enjoyed Brooklyn Lager, Sam Adams Boston Lager, and good ol' Anchor Steam with grilled squid.

The Week In Beer

The increased amount of football action in the telly this week has meant one thing: an increased amount of times in pubs, drinking good beers with good mates and doing quite a lot of chuntering. The League Playoffs and Europa League final have been excellent this year, and Mr Capello's final unveiling of England's provisional World Cup Squad have provided a splendid backdrop to a torrent of beer-tinged analysis. Nerdy, I know, but that's how I roll, as they say. But this is a beer blog, so here's the beers that have really stood out for me this week.

Firstly, kudos to The Victoria for getting some Breconshire Red Dragon (4.7% abv) in. When you find Welsh beer in Leeds it tends to be the various permutations of Brains - so let's have some more. Red Dragon impressed me in the bottle and on draught it's slightly more restrained. However, those malty, slightly fruit-cakey flavours are there in spades and it remains a filling, moreish beer. Five Town's Callum's Best (4.6%abv) - another dark mild, but on the fruitier side, body-wise - is light and seriously quaffable. No nonsense, quality beer indeed.

More complex was Goff's Tradition (4.0%abv). My drinking buddies declared it '...Quite like TT Landlord' and I nodded in agreement - copper in colour, but with a sticky-toffee body and a distinctly floral nose that I think the Landlord comparison was borne of. This was my first Goff's beer, and If you like TTL (and who doesn't?) then , yeah, give this a whirl.

Another solid pale (and another brewery I hadn't tried before) was Bowland's Hen Harrier (4.0% abv). Paler still, with a dry, lemony finish, this brought a cheeky smile to my face. It was balanced pretty well and for a robust, straightahead Pale Ale was very flavourful indeed, yet remained drinkable to the end.

One oddity stuck out though - Caledonian's Flying Dutchman (4.3%abv). Advertised as a Wit, it's actually nothing of the sort if you're expecting a traditional Wit. Amber in colour, with a thick, juicy, biscuity/wheaty mouthfeel, it's a tough one to nail down. There's tonnes of biscuit in the body, but a distinctly gingery nose and dry, bitter finish. I couldn't decide whether I liked it or not, but I guess the fact that I'm writing about it means it stuck in my mind....one to try again, I think.

Thwaite's Very Nutty Black

Whilst in preparation for the madness at Elland Road yesterday, Friday night was very much one 'on the sofa' for me. Whilst taking stock of the cellar to find a suitable, low key accompaniment, I plumped for a bottle of Thwaite's Very Nutty Black.

Now, this is an idea I like. I'm a fan of Nutty Black - The Palace in Leeds stocks it all the time, and it's a popular beer for a dark mild. Whilst it does everything it promises, I do, however, personally find it a little thin in the body to be truly satisfying.

Therefore, it was a pleasant surprise to find that Thwaites were seemingly thinking the same thing, and had created a bottle-conditioned, 'Export Strength' version, Very Nutty Black (3.9% abv), which is also their first foray into bottle conditioning. The result? A smooth dark mild, with a much fuller, more rounded mouthfeel. Plenty of liquorice on the nose, and not much hop aroma. The pleasingly tan-shaded head lasts until the end, and there's a moreish, lactic creaminess underpinning everything.

In short, everything I'd been asking Nutty Black to be. I liked this a lot - hence the post - but the only problem I'm faced with now is this: Can I go back and drink regular Nutty Black? Time will tell - I understand it will only be available during May and June.

Oh, and if you're thinking that 3.9% abv doesn't sound like an export strength beer, you'd be right. An amusing little note is put on the label to explain - "...This stronger beer will now be leaving Lancashire and is destined for the Far East (Leeds), and even remote areas of the Southern Hemisphere (such as Watford). Made me chuckle, anyway.

Yep, Another Post About Milds

Sorry, Pete. Luckily I don't really consider myself a 'beer writer' (on account I've not published any books on the subject), so I thought I'd add to the hundreds of 'repetitive' posts about CAMRA's Mild Month out there.

Actually, the reason for this post isn't simply to wind up Pete. I was at work yesterday talking about beer (as often happens), and a quick poll revealed that more of my buddies knew what Wheat beer was, and could identify one at a bar (Erdinger being the ubiquitous one) than Mild. That's a shame - and it probably applies to other styles, too. As we've all said before, maybe it's a little silly to promote one beer during one month, but I think the campaign works, and anything that serves to promote and advertise the good work our breweries do is ok by me. That is, after all, the point of TGS.

Pubs in Leeds are doing their bit, without a doubt. But for the sake of all those casually curious people out there (I know you're there, hiding behind those emptying pint glasses, wondering whether to take the plunge or order another Tuborg), here's a quick rundown of some Milds being produced this month and throughout the year by (mostly northern) breweries:

If it's the stronger, darker end of the market that's your taste, then look no further than Leeds's Midnight Bell or York's Centurions Ghost. Both are loaded with dark chocolate and sweet smoke, and despite their moreishness (which is a trait of all good dark milds), both pack a hefty alcohol wallop. Rudgate's excellent Ruby Mild combines an even smokier taste with a hint of red fruits, as does Nottingham's wonderful Rock Mild. Abbeydale's Daily Bread is slightly paler, with a much more pronounced peppery hop nose and is one of those beers you could drink all day - as is Timothy Taylor's smooth, satisfying Dark Mild. Elland are also brewing Born To Be Mild this month.

Alongside regular Emley Moor Mild, Mallinson's are producing Denby Light Mild this month, and although I've not tried it yet, Mallinson's simply don't seem to make bad beer. Neither do Acorn, whose is Darkness is as suppable as their classic Yorkshire-style bitter. Cropton's Balmy Mild is another lighter-hued, slightly hoppier affair, and if it's a pub-brewed beer you're after, Fox Brewing's Clarendon Dark Mild is a really tasty affair, and available at The Fox & Newt Brewpub on Burley Road, Leeds.

All these locally-brewed gems are in addition to the more established beers popping up as well, such as Fuller's Hock and Festival Mild, Elgood's Black Dog, Thwaites Nutty Black, Harvey's Knots Of May, Hydes Light and Traditional Milds, Okell's Mild, Moorhouse's Black Cat and Cain's Dark Mild.

So - simply get out there, and try some. If you like a pint of mild, try something else from that brewery. Before you know it - you're a beer drinker. Huzzah!

Ossett Excelsior

...It seems that Ossett Brewery are having a surge of popularity in Leeds right now. Everyone's meeting in, talking about, and drinking at The Hop, which just goes to show how fast quality drinking dens in Leeds get support, and now their bottled output is popping up (and selling out) in various outlets across the region.

Excelsior seems to be the only one widely available (although the lush-sounding Treacle Stout is also being bottled), and I'm not complaining at all. Excelsior (5.2%abv) is their strong pale ale, and it's lovely. Stealthy in terms of alcohol, it's easy drinking with a full, rounded and undeniably smooth in the body. There's a cereal/malt undertone early on, which soon gets overpowered by a massively grapefruit/citrus hit courtesy of lashings of Cascade hops. This means a dry, bitter finish, but one that remains balanced. I've even drunk this chilled and can report that it serves as a (albeit strong) wonderful thirst quencher on the hotter days. All in all a great transition from a cask favourite to a bottled standard.

Ossett Brewery - if you're reading: can we have Big Red bottled next, please?