Beer thread

[Jones28]

A couple recommendations guys: Game Bird by the Borders Brewery and Northern Light from Orkney. Couple of really nice ones and they're usually on tap if you're ever passing by Allanton!

[Northernhibee]

Live very close to a Brewdog bar. Think it was only a one off but they had a rhubarb and demerara sugar porter that was brilliant.

[Sylar]

I see Brewdog are doing a takeover of Dukes Corner in Dundee this weekend and I'm not there :(

Had a couple of pints of Kelpie last night which I was amazed to find on draft down here - love that stuff

[Gus]

Hobgoblin is a decent pint, brewed in my home town

[Calvin]

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Live very close to a Brewdog bar. Think it was only a one off but they had a rhubarb and demerara sugar porter that was brilliant.

Rhubarbarian? The Aberdeen bar did that before I worked there (so a long time ago!)

[Hiber-nation]

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Only seen this twice and neither was in Edinburgh. Absolutely loved it! Tesco have it in cans but it's just not the same.

Anybody know of any Edinburgh pubs that have Belhaven Black?

The Leith Beer Co has it Bob, used to be the Waterline.

[Koom]

just had a bottle of Iron Maidens "Trooper" ale....very nice..

[hibbybob]

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The Leith Beer Co has it Bob, used to be the Waterline.

Cheers, I'll give it a go.

[Northernhibee]

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Rhubarbarian? The Aberdeen bar did that before I worked there (so a long time ago!)

Possibly! Was fantastic anyway.

[Calvin]

I've been all about Oskar Blues brewery from Colorado this past couple of weeks. I've tried 9 or 10 of their beers and never been disappointed. Their G'Knight red ale aged in Port barrels is one of the best beers I've had this year. Saying that, I'm going to an Evil Twin beer dinner on Friday so that could change yet!

[Sylar]

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I've been all about Oskar Blues brewery from Colorado this past couple of weeks. I've tried 9 or 10 of their beers and never been disappointed. Their G'Knight red ale aged in Port barrels is one of the best beers I've had this year. Saying that, I'm going to an Evil Twin beer dinner on Friday so that could change yet!

I really need to get back to Scotland - we don't get any exciting craft beers down here unless I head into London - plenty of local ales but I do miss having something like a Fuller Thompson on my doorstep.

[Calvin]

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I really need to get back to Scotland - we don't get any exciting craft beers down here unless I head into London - plenty of local ales but I do miss having something like a Fuller Thompson on my doorstep.

It's the same in most places though - up here I only ever drink at BrewDog even on my days off as even though most bars and pubs are beginning to latch onto craft beer a bit, still only have a very limited selection. Edinburgh and London are the only real exceptions to this in my experience.

However I suppose even the one FT or BrewDog bar is better than nothing at all! Is it mostly local cask stuff down there or do you get a decent kegged selection?

[JohnStephens91]

Long White Cloud from the Tempest brewery is a thing of beauty, tastes a lot like grapefruit, fantastic beer. Another personal favourite of mine is Black Cork from Knops Brewery, I wrote an article on the revival of real ale when I was at university and, rather annoyingly, the guy I was writing the article with didn't spell my name right when it was put online! Here is a link to it and it explains what the Black Cork is: http://www.impulsemag-online.com/?p=3731 and it should be Stephens not Stevens

[Sylar]

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It's the same in most places though - up here I only ever drink at BrewDog even on my days off as even though most bars and pubs are beginning to latch onto craft beer a bit, still only have a very limited selection. Edinburgh and London are the only real exceptions to this in my experience.

However I suppose even the one FT or BrewDog bar is better than nothing at all! Is it mostly local cask stuff down there or do you get a decent kegged selection?

Primarily local casked ales to be honest - we do get the odd gem kegs but it's mostly just really nice continental beers on tap rather than any craft beers (our local at the moment has Goesser, Leffe, Veltins and Weihenstephaner).

I found myself being excited the other day that our Union suddenly had Tiger on tap...

[Scouse Hibee]

The term "craft beer" is it just a modern take on what used to be known as beer from micro breweries?

[Treadstone]

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The term "craft beer" is it just a modern take on what used to be known as beer from micro breweries?

With a knicker surcharge added for the hipster.

[Calvin]

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The term "craft beer" is it just a modern take on what used to be known as beer from micro breweries?

That's certainly part of it, but it's a broader term. I would certainly still class Sierra Nevada as craft beer despite their brewery being absolutely massive, and Goose Island are owned by InBev yet are still a craft brewer.

For me it comes down to ethos. Not making lowest common denominator stuff full of cost cutting measures and preservatives.

There are a lot of microbreweries that I wouldn't class as craft so while there's a lot of overlap, they're not interchangeable.

[vein]

May have been mentioned already but there is a cracking wee beer shop at the shore beside the Sainsburys express. I try to pop in every few months to treat myself and try to pick up a few obscure beers I havent tried before.

Off the top of my head the best I have tried from there are Jaipur and Big Swell IPA. Love the Stewart beers with Radical Road being the one I've enjoyed the most. Also enjoy most of the Williams brothers beers, Good Times and Ceasar Augustus (Had to Google Ceasar Augustus as I couldnt remember the name and seen Grozet which was pretty nice too!) The one Williams brothers I just couldnt take to though was Roisin which is made with tayberries IIRC, that had stuff floating around in it which put me right off!

Tonight I'm currently drinking a bottle of Avalanche by Fyne Ales which is not bad. Went to Morrisons to get the fridge stocked up today with some Harviestoun Wild Hop IPA which is a favourite of mine, Sierra Nevada which I tried a few weeks ago after reading this thread and a couple of bottles of IPA to try, I think the name is Shepard Neame, will report back if its any good!

[Pretty Boy]

Had a bottle of March of the Penguins by William Bros. Best stout I have ever tasted, lovely stuff, really brilliant.

Went straight back to the Beerhive and bought another 6 bottles.

[Calvin]

It is Zwanze day tomorrow, pretty exciting!

[Mr White]

I'm liking the 4 newish Williams- prodigal sun, hipsway, gonny no brew that and the honey thief.

[Hiber-nation]

Only £1.32 a bottle in Tescos tonight for Northern Light, Raven Ale, Nimbus and reduced prices on most Williams Bros beers and many more

[Mr White]

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Only £1.32 a bottle in Tescos tonight for Northern Light, Raven Ale, Nimbus and reduced prices on most Williams Bros beers and many more

1.83 for black isles yellowhammer! Good value seeing that for less than 2 quid.

[Pretty Boy]

Couple of pints of Harviestoun Natural Blonde last night.

Think it was good but the excessive whisky consumption that came later has left the memory a tad hazy.

[Steve-O]

BrewDog is absolutely everywhere here in Wellington now. Not that I'm complaining, the Punk IPA is a nice bevvy.

[Calvin]

Well the combination of Zwanze Day and my last night in Aberdeen has given me a hangover right up there with the best today. Must have drank 30+ beers last night, the pick of which was a Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws Barleywine from 2003!

[snooky]

Belhaven Best (Scotland)
Peroni (Italy)
Keith's I.P.A. (NS, Canada)

Oh hell, I'm thirsty now.

[Mr White]

Looking forward to the opening of Growler on morningside road- they'll have a few casks, craft kegs and cider on for filling up 1, 2 or 3 litre bottles for off-sales only. Spoke to Stuart the guy running it briefly last week and he hopes to be open in the next few days. Seems a pretty good idea.

[Calvin]

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Looking forward to the opening of Growler on morningside road- they'll have a few casks, craft kegs and cider on for filling up 1, 2 or 3 litre bottles for off-sales only. Spoke to Stuart the guy running it briefly last week and he hopes to be open in the next few days. Seems a pretty good idea.

Sounds good, the options are expanding so rapidly in Edinburgh!

I went to The Kernel's brewery yesterday morning which was pretty cool. Then went to a wee pub for a gig last night whose two and bottle list was unexpectedly brilliant. Londoners really do have the right idea! Ended up with a Hackney Hopster by London Fields.

[Lofarl]

If you like real ale, craft beers and hard to come by beers, you are well served on Easter Road. Cornelius at the top of the road is a shop I frequent often solely to buy Augustina Helles which is a personal fav. I stay in Blackburn and I often travel into Edinburgh just to buy a few bottles. But I usually pick up a few real ales and craft brews.

Down the road, you have the mash tun which is my pre/post match boozer due to their fantastic real ales and craft beer selections. Annoyingly Hearts/Celtic seem to take over that bar when we play them.