All Things Beer!

Came back for the Bateman's Hazelnut Brownie. Let's face it. ..Bateman's do some cracking beers! This reminds me more of Wawa hazelnut coffee.

If you want chocolate taste in beer I don't think you can beat Youngs Double Chocolate Stout,  it tastes like there's a whole bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk in the glass!

Have you had the Triple Chocoholic by Saltaire?

I've had them both, and somehow never really picked up much chocolate taste.  Same with the Marble one.  Maybe I've just got a weird palate?

I don't really like stouts and porters, but once I caught a whiff of that Batemans one that my partner was drinking, I had to taste it!   This is probably the first ever Batemans beer that I've liked... certainly the most memorable to me.

Interesting. I like Bateman's.  My brother loves them,  he used to live in Lincoln before moving to the dark side (Lancashire). I like a range of beers,  all styles but this is very heavy, its not an easy drinking beer.

We don't normally see Batemans beers up here, so the only ones I've tried have been in bottles.  That's probably the reason I feel a bit so-so about them.

Agreed... the Hazelnut Brownie is very heavy... I only had the one pint of it.  I was just amazed that I could smell and taste the chocolate so vividly.

Alloa Beer Festival yesterday-- I wasn't really impressed.  I ended up staying on the Highland Scapa Special most of the night, but had a few wee half pints, including Highland A9, Broughton Kilimanjaro, Oakham 20 Years, and Redemption Trinity.

Back to Spoons for another pint of the Batemans Hazelnut Brownie, and I think I may have discovered my favourite beer of the fest...Ninkasi Cream Ale, 4.5%... a collaboration between Ninkasi Brewing of Eugene, Oregon and Caledonian.  It lost a bit of gravity converting the keg recipe to cask, from what I've read, but the flavour was very light and pleasant and more-ish... after 2 pints of the delicious, but heavy Hazelnut Brownie.

Oh, and we also had a pint of a new Fyne ale at the supposed Glasgow POTY, called Fladda Rock & Roll... meant to have a Belgian flavour, but... it was so warm, I couldn't even finish a pint.  If it was served at the proper temp, it might just be a lovely beer.

Everards Pumpkin Ale -

I tried this the other day. I must say I wasn't a fan.  But then again, I probably had false expectations as I like American Pumpkin Beers all spicy and slightly sweet and yet bitter and it was nothing like that. 

I tried this the other day. I must say I wasn't a fan.  But then again, I probably had false expectations as I like American Pumpkin Beers all spicy and slightly sweet and yet bitter and it was nothing like that. 

Yes, I guess because we don't have pumpkin pie etc we don't really associate pumpkin with the spices. But I found it the best British pumpkin ale I've had. I did contact Acorn brewery last year and again a few months ago about the prospect of them doing an American style pumpkin ale, they said they'd consider it and found the pumpkin spice thing interesting, but I'm guessing they decided against it.

Anyway, looks like an improptu evening in Wetherspoons this evening - my brother phoned to say he and his wife are over in Wakefield for a couple of days to sort out her parents house as they are moving, so wanted to know if me and my sister fancied meeting up!
check out what else they have on then!

Hope you get a chance to try the Ninkasi... i thought it was lovely!

I don't think much of Wakefield as a town, but have enjoyed drinking in Fernandes... lots of Ossett opportunities (single minded, me!  ) and the bier keller as well!

Hope you get a chance to try the Ninkasi... i thought it was lovely!

I don't think much of Wakefield as a town, but have enjoyed drinking in Fernandes... lots of Ossett opportunities (single minded, me!  ) and the bier keller as well!

They were over in Wakefield, they came down to Barnsley to meet up. There's The Hop in Wakefield as well - an Ossett pub!
Used to be really good in Wakefield but gone downhill. To be honest you probably wouldn't think much of Barnsley either!
Anyway - went to Wetherspoons, they had Fat Head's Sunshine Daydream (an IPA from an Ohio brewer in conjunction with Batemans), Wadsworth's WTF and Thwaite's  Half Nelson

Albatross - Ossett Brewery have opened The Hop in York.
http://www.thehopyork.co.uk/Home.aspx

Can't see I'll ever visit though given the great wealth of great pubs in the city, it's close to The Blue Bell.

They were over in Wakefield, they came down to Barnsley to meet up. There's The Hop in Wakefield as well - an Ossett pub!

I forgot about the Hop... last time I was in Wakefield was about 5 years ago, so that was pre-Hop days.

To be honest you probably wouldn't think much of Barnsley either!

It can't be any worse than the hell-hole town where I work! (Clydebank)

Albatross - Ossett Brewery have opened The Hop in York.
http://www.thehopyork.co.uk/Home.aspx

LOL... yeah, thanks!  I'm 'friends' with Ossett on FB, so i can keep track of all this stuff.  Plus I have a pal in Huddersfield that likes to regularly rub salt in my wounds with little updates! 

Spent yesterday at the SIBA North West beer festival at Hawkshead Brewery in Staveley.  I really love this venue, but I don't think this particular fest was organised very well... 4 different bars, and no way of knowing what beers were on which bar until you actually walked up and took a look.  The programme had the beers organised alphabetically by brewer, and gave no clues as to which bar they were on.  A LOT of people were complaining about this on the day.

Anyway, we had a brilliant sesh, met new people and the beers were outstanding! My favourites were:
Coach House Blueberry Classic Bitter
Cross Bay Witching Hour
Hawkshead Great White

Before we left, we filled the carry-keg with Witching Hour and drank it on the train home... really nice stuff!