More Festival News..

....And the fests keep coming. TGS stalwart Mr Foley's Cask Ale House, Leeds, have announced thier first of the year - with the theme of 'New Northern Brewers'. Sounds interesting. 7th - 12 May, it'll be a good lark in pleasant surroundings. North's Belgian Festival kicks off this week (report on by the weekend, I hope), too.

Also, it's National Pub Day on Saturday (as if we need a reason), so if you're thinking about popping open a bottle after lunch at the weekend, get yourself to a pub instead. That's all you need to do.

Onward and Upward.

Saturday Afternoon In Horsforth

...And we begin at an entirely pleasant little beer festival, set up to raise funds for the local church, which is having works done to secure the most eco-friendly future it can have. Given that I live about ten minutes away from Horsforth, it would have been rude not to drop in. Of the few beers sunk, a couple stood out. Firstly, Springhead's Puritan Porter was great - quite smooth, all roast coffee flavours and at 4% abv, dangerously drinkable. The Storyteller's Brewery, out of Terrington (near York), provided a copper-coloured, toffee-flavoured beer called Genesis which was very well-balanced; and 3 Rivers Pligrim's Progress offered a light, floral pale that yearned for slightly warmer weather. Good show, and I hope the beer festival becomes a regular occurance.

It would have been rude not to drop into the Town Street Tavern - the only place worth drinking in in Horsforth these days. Being a Market Town Tavern, you know what to expect, but it really is a little oasis amongst the overpriced and oversubscribed bars - quiet, brewriana plastered everywhere and a good range of beers - Leeds' Pale hit the spot with a somewhat more grapefruity hop bite than usual (change of recipe, lads?) and Taylor's Best on also - not something you see outside of Keighley often these days, with Landlord being so popular.

Overall, a good afternoon's drinking. And Leeds United won too - what about that, eh?

A Week for Stout

...Well, it has been, hasn't it? With St Patricks' day and all, I wonder how much Guinness has been sold in the UK alone?

So, in a strange sort of tribute, I decided to track down some alternative black stuff this week, and came across two gems.

Firstly, TGS stalwart and 'measure of quality' Outlaw had their simply named 'Irish Stout' on tap at Foleys. A great, thick creamy head gave way to an intitally coffee-laced mouthful, but a long, dark-chocolate dominated swallow really surprised. Maybe because it was an Outlaw beer I expected something a little more ...out there, but what I got was a fantastically balanced, dry, stout. Not too sweet, I really could drink a lot of this.

When I got home, I popped open a bottle of Left Hand Milk Stout that Zak had recommended to me on a rare midweek visit to BeerRitz just before Christmas. "Try it", he urged, "it's really quite good." and, being Zak, he was right. I am partial to Milk Stout, but a little cynical about American offerings. But this really was good - creamy, light, and sweet. A little too sweet to drink a lot of of, but surprisingly even-handed. If the Outlaw stout was a lovely shot of espresso, the Left Hand was a latte; to be sipped rather than sessioned.

My mum allegedly craved Mackeson's Milk Stout when she was pregnant with me; I've always attributed by affection for beer as a result of this. Really.

Saturday Night

After sitting in The Scarbrough Taps a few weeks back and noticing a steady stream of people coming out of newly-opened Ephesus Mangal, I resolved to visit - and I'm glad I did, because I suspect that many people simply don't know its there.

Ephesus Mangal is basic; don't get me wrong. But many of the best places to eat are, (Jino's Thai cafe in Headingley is a good example) and you should be visiting for the food anyway - not the location or the decor. The food is basic too - but delicious. Essentially a Turkish grillhouse, the smell of smoke and sizzling meat gets your stomach rumbling as soon as you sit; if you've holidayed in the Med recently you know the scent straight away.

So, onto the food. A mixed salad of olives, bread and a deceptively hot tomato, pepper and parsley salsa sets us off, and the hummus that arrives shortly thereafter is perfect; lemony and garlicy in equal porportion. Filo pastries, rolled and stuffed with feta cheese before being deep-fried, were light despite being fried and incredibly moreish. The main courses arrived presented simply with salad and rice: kofte meatballs and chicken wings, charcoal grilled to perfection. How can you not be pleased with grilled meats?

There's no license, so bring your own (Birra Moretti for me, thanks), and I would advise booking - we were eating relatively early but saw quite a few people get turned away. The meal for two cost £25 in total, which I was more than happy with; the service was a little rushed but seeing as though the waiter was working alone I think he did more than well enough! Ephesus Mangal - recommended.

Then it was on to North for a cheeky Outlaw Wrangler (on form as usual, very long, bitter and with a tropical fruit hit beyond belief) and then we joined a birthday celebration at The Reform, where draught Anchor Steam flowed copiously and rounded off a very pleasant night out.

Ephesus Mangal

88 Bishopgate Street, Leeds

Tel; 0113 2438567

The Session: Love Lager

When the Beer Nut suggested writing about Lager (or at least pale beer) for this month’s session, my heart sank. Surely I could find nothing to say; given the miniscule proportion of ‘Lager’ I actually drink.
Then I had a think about it. I do drink lager! On holiday!

One of my loves is The Mediterranean. Some of my fondest memories stem from long, long nights in Greece, Spain, and Turkey (when I was younger), and indeed the cuisine informs most things that I cook from April to October. And despite the Med being full of awesome, cheap and mostly bespoke wine, flowing like nectar from numerous visited wineries, there’s something to be said for a lager, chilled the hell out of, and sipped at a beach bar with the sand between your toes.

Glistening bottles of Mythos and Marathon in Greece, getting greasy from the rapidly expanding pile of prawn shells piling up at the side of my plate. Efes Pilsner, Amstel and Heineken in Turkey, washing down the beauty that is the proper Turkish kebab. And huge steins of Kamenitza and Zagorka in Bulgaria, their flinty sharpness cutting through all that heavy, Eastern European food. Hell, the Greek island of Samos had reasonably kept Warsteiner in most bars (seemingly a concession to the amount of Germans that swarm the place in the summer), and that beer in particular underwrote most of my memories of that holiday. And don’t get me started on Spain and Cruzcampo. I could die in a vat of that stuff.

Of course, at night I generally flit back over to wine, but for me, the scorching heat of a typical summer’s lunchtime on holiday does, as much as I wouldn’t want to admit it, bring me memories of a cold, frosty one. So, despite my Beer Nerdism, Lager has its place in my palate after all. Imagine if I finally got around to visiting Czechoslovakia, or Germany!

I recently tasted Taddington Moravka on draught and it was possibly one of the best ‘lagers’ I’ve ever tasted. It certainly got me thinking - am I missing anything else in this area of beer I know the least about? Looks like I’ll be a little more interested in the world of (the palest) pale from now on. It doesn't have to be cheap fizz, and if it does - well, as long as you're in the right place, it can be very pleasant indeed.

The photo at the top is of sunset at an awesome fish joint in Sozopol, Bulgaria. The terrace was on the side of a sheer clifface, the crystal clear Black Sea below. We drank steins of Zagorka lager, and accompanied this with plate upon plate of fried whitebait and mussels and mozzarella topped tomato salad. The plan was to start there and then move on for the evening, but we didn't. We just carried on there. Sometimes there's no reason to move.

The Midweek - Saltaire and Fuller's

...Two great, great pints enjoyed this week at The Palace.

First up, Saltaire's Texas Brown which, ludicrous name aside, is a formidable beer and one that I hope they brew a lot more of - they get through a lot of brews, those Saltaire fellas. A huge, malty, complex bitter, with a toffee and caramel nose and a massive hops hit at the end of the gulp. Verrry nice, verrry moreish - but at 4.7%, very warming too.

Next up, Fuller's Chiswick. Call me slow on the uptake, but this, I liked. I sometimes can be guilty of passing up 'big' brewers in favor of smaller ones just for the ethics of it but I am really glad I chose this. A classic, creamy pale body with a great floral/peppery hop aroma and light enough that it disappeared at record speed. I'll be trying this again, no worries.

Hop Back Brewery

Ah, Summer Lightning. Brings back memories of those days when 'Beer' was something alien to me, but Summer Lightning represented something different, something all together more palatable to my lager-numbed tastes.
Now, years later, I realise the importance of Summer Lightning's advent on the beer scene. Practically cornering the 'Golden Ale' market (Possibly inventing it? Help me out here?), the pantheon of awards it has garnered its brewer, Hop Back, is truly justified.

But what of their other ales?

I realised last week that, aside from a anti-climatic encounter with Crop Circle, I hadn't really got to know some of Hop Back's other wares. As any true beer fan would do, I put that right last weekend.

We all know of Hop Back's mastery of the golden, but what about the dark? Entire Stout (4.5abv) comes with another set of awards backing up its pedigree, and I was pleasantly surprised. Apart from the relatively thin body, the beer is surprisingly well balanced - lots of dry, bitter chocolate, and a slight natural carbonation from the bottle-conditioning. Roasted notes come through at the end, along with a rounded smooth finish. Despite not expecting much, this stout managed to be both a nice example of the style for a bottled beer, and a singular brew at the same time. Will be looking out for it on draught, for sure.

I have an aversion to beers 'with stuff in them' - and Spring Zing (4.2abv) certainly counts as that. "Lemongrass Beer" the label screams; '...Jesus Christ...' my heart groans. However, a broad smile was plastered on my face on the first sip. This is a really, really interesting beer that is super-drinkable. The nose is practically the same as Summer Lightning - all grassy hops and sweet malt. Yes, there is a lemony/citrus kick to the taste- a massive one actually - but it works really well. Again, SZ is a thin-bodied beer that chills down well, that manages to pack in a peppery, ginger note right at the end of a long sip. Its sweet, but has enough hoppiness to cut through and not be cloying. I'd happily drink this again, and I think that IPA lovers in particular should seek this out as a lip-puckering alternative if a change is fancied.

http://www.hopback.co.uk/

John Betjeman in Leeds

...Recently, the BBC announced that they were considering showing John Betjeman's 1968 film A Poet Goes North. For some reason the BBC never showed it, despite commisioning the poet to create what looks to be a poem to a city he admired and the changes that were happening to it under his nose.
Why am I telling you this? Well, despite being full of bygone Leeds stuff (which it may surprise you to know is a bit of a passion of mine), Mr Betjeman visits Whitelocks - and we have a wonderful segment showing some of that wonderful interior work, most of which still exists today.
Whitelocks may have wobbled in terms of beer (both choice and quality) in my times, but you can't deny that the interior is wonderful, and truly one of a kind in Leeds - only The Garden Gate in Hunslet comes close in my mind, in terms of preservation. Betjeman's love of Whitelocks, along with the other 'Alley pubs' in Leeds was well documented: he declared it to be 'The very heart of Leeds.'
Keep an eye out for the film: an excerpt can be seen here and the Whitelocks section is towards the end.

A Trio of Wheats

...Going through a bit of a Wheat phase at the moment... I'm not sure why, maybe it's a purge from all that heaviness over Christmas. So, in keeping with this, I decided to have an afternoon sampling all the Wheats I had sitting in the cellar.

First up, Little Valley's Hebden's Wheat. A regional brewery I'm really getting into recently: head brewer Wim Van Der Spek seems to have a canny knack for taking traditional styles and twisting them around a bit; making the ordinary seem a little more eccentric. Bottle conditioned, organic Hebden Wheat is a bright, straw colour with a fair bit of haze - as you'd expect. A quick sniff gives you a really earthy, almost horse-blanket (as i beleive the term to be amongst the professionals!) aroma; but the taste is pure coriander up front, and then followed by tons of sherberty lemon. I've never tasted anything quite like it; and to be honest I quite liked it. The spirit of adventure is alive and well in Cragg Vale, it would seem. Keep up the good work. Nice website, too.

It's across the pond now; of course it is - my love for American Beers knows no bounds - Blue Moon Brewing Co's Belgian White. And one look at this label had me sold; wonderful stuff. As for the beer - well, it looked the part: hazy, creamy yellow, and a great citrus nose. However, for me, the taste did'nt quite live up to the hype; very thin body and massive citrus - that all important spice coming on way too late and nowhere near prominent enough. Oh well.

Finally, back to the UK and the ever-ready Meantime Wheat. Pouring much more golden than the previous two, this was lesson in balance: a noseful of banana, vanilla and possibly cloves, and a much more warming taste than the previous two. Taste-wise, Citrus seems to play second fiddle to the full, tasty wheat body - but still managing to be a refreshing Wheat beer.

A good afternoon of tasting, that. I might try and group together more sessions according to style!

Beer Fests Coming Up

Now that (an albeit Arctic) 2009 is well and truly underway, those Beer Fests are starting to pop up. There's a few happening locally, so get along, buy your tokens and get sampling. Support your independent brewers.

Boston Spa Beer Festival 2009 - Feb 21st (one day)
Boston Spa Village hall, LS23 6AA
20+ local beers, food, entartainment, starts 12 noon. Direct bus (770) to/from Leeds runs well into the evening.

Bradford Beer Festival -Feb 26th - 28th (Thu-Sat)
Victoria Hall, Victoria Road, Saltaire, BD18 3JS, 2 mins walk from Saltaire Railway Station
www.bradfordcamra.org.uk
100+ real ales, cider and foreign beer.


Harrogate Charity Beer Festival -Feb 26th - 28th (Thu-Sat)
Harrogate International Centre, Kings Road, Harrogate, HG1 5LA
Good selection local beers , starts at 6pm each day. Entry ticket required.

Leeds CAMRA Beer, Cider & Perry Festival 2009 - Mar 19th-21st (Thu-Sat)
Pudsey Civic Hall, Dawson's Corner, LS28 5TA, 4 mins walk from New Pudsey Railway Station
150+ real ales, 20+ cider & perry, Global Beer Bar.

Horsforth Beer Festival - Mar 27th - 28th (Fri-Sat)
St. Margaret's Parish Church Hall, Church Road, LS18 5LQ
www.stmargaretshorsforth.org.uk/6.html
40 beers plus food and entertainment, building the future appeal fund.

APRIL

North Bar Belgian Bier Fest 09 - Apr 2nd-16th (Thurs for 2 weeks)
24 New Briggate, Leeds, LS1 6NU
Unusual, rare and classic Belgian beers alongside the usual treats.

Guiseley Factory Workers Club 3rd Beer Festival -Apr 3rd - 4th (Fri-Sat)
6 Town Street, Guiseley, LS20 9DT
20 real ales and 2 ciders.

Barnsley Beer Festival - Apr 10th-13th (Fri-Mon)
Milton Hall, Elsecar, S74 8EZ
5 Minutes from rail station
http://www.barnsleycamra.org.uk/beerfestival/2009.shtml
40 real ales from local and Cumbrian breweries

Doncaster's 19th Beer Festival - Apr 16th-18th (Thu-Sat
The Hub, Chappell Drive, DN1 2RF, The Waterfront College building
90+ real ales, ciders and foreign bar

Further North - April 16th - 24th (Thu- next Fri)
194 Harrogate Road, Leeds, LS7 4NZ
Selection of Belgian beers

3rd Skipton Beer Festival - Apr 23rd-25th (Fri-Sat)
Town Hall, High Street, Skipton, BD23 1DT
60+ Real Ales, Cider, Perry, Fruit Wine, European bottles

If you're holding or organising a festival, be you a events organiser or a landlord, and you want to let TGS know - give me a shout on the email above.

Taddington Moravka @ The Maltings, York

It's not often I need an excuse to go drinking in York. There are plenty of great pubs, spots to eat, and pints upon pints of good beer to be had. The cherry on the cake, however, has to be The Maltings' latest addition: Taddington's Moravka.

After lusting after this stuff for some time now - spurred on by Stonch's rightful championing of it - a pint was finally in my hands. And, lord, was it something. If this is the case for unpasteurised beer, then sign me up.

John, Sharon and I sat down and drunk: perfect citrussy, clean lager, but with an awesome creamy malt backbone, with a really interesting yeasty note lurking within. In perfect nick, the head was something to behold: billowing, fluffy and never dying. We tried to put what we were tasting into words, but at the risk of sounding like 'Beer Twats' we just shut up and drank. Talking was eating into drinking time.

I'm converted - if only all Lager could be like this. Much like pretty much everyone who drinks it, Moravka is now installed in my top ten list of beers, somewhere around the top.

Shaun, landlord at the Maltings, was more than happy to talk Moravka as he poured, and he proudly stated that it should now be on constantly at The Maltings. Clearly proud of the beer, the fact that he took time to talk aduring a packed lunchtime (and it was heaving) tells you what you need to know. Shaun wanted it here, and he took time to pursue it. The Fuller's London Porter was on storming form as well.

And that's just one more reason to visit York for beer.

I did try and take a picture of the pint for you, but pictures of pints in dark, packed pubs taken on cameraphone usually turn out crap. Rest assured, it looked as good as it tasted. During our afternoon out in York we visited the Evil Eye Lounge for some draught Kupper's Kolsch and sampled the Blue Moon Wheat beer, as well as a couple of pints of White Horse's Village Idiot at The Last Drop Inn.

Garlic & Mushroom Pork with Herbed Roast Potatoes

This easy to make, quick recipe has a cosy, wintry feel – perfect for these darker, colder nights. It’s easy to make but looks great, and tastes pretty good, too!

You will need:
One pork tenderloin, cut into inch-thick medallions (you should get about 8 medallions)
Roasting Potatoes – about four per person
Goose fat
Olive oil
200g Double Cream
Butter
Garlic (4 Cloves)
Seasoning (Salt, Black Pepper, fresh Thyme & Rosemary, chopped)
Fresh Parsley, chopped.

1. (For the roast potatoes) Preheat the oven to 200C – Chop the potatoes into chunks and dust in plain flour. Add the chopped herbs, coat, and then transfer to a roasting tin. Add the goose fat, and roast for about 30 mins, basting with the fat every ten minutes or so.
2. When the potatoes are cooked, Slice the pork into medallions, about half an inch thick. Heat your griddle pan until hot, and then sear the pork on each side. When cooked to your liking, take off the pan and leave to rest.
3. In a good pan, melt one knob of butter, and add the chopped garlic. Leave to sauté for a minute or so, and then add the chopped mushrooms. Add a little more Olive Oil, and then turn down the heat and add the Double Cream. Season with crushed black pepper and warm through.
4. Arrange the pork on the plate and pour the sauce on top. Serve with the potatoes and some steamed greens such as Spinach and Runner Beans.

There – I said it was easy! I served this with Saltaire's Goldings Ale – light, golden, fragrant and sharp, the beer offers enough bite to cut through the strong garlic and herb flavours, yet is mellow enough not to overpower. Saltaire are producing some great beers right now - in fact, I enjoyed a couple of pints of thier Rye Smile only last night - a great, fresh session ale. Cheers!

http://www.saltairebrewery.co.uk/

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.