sampling a few post here and there, I understand that some Courage Russian Imperial Stout was available at GBBF... is it true? I knew the beer was dead and last brewed in 1993 (I still have a small bottle :-)).
If it was actually Courage IRS... (damn... one of my fav beers ever... and I was just about to go to GBBF, but decided too late and air fares were rocket high) was it only in cask? Who actually brewed it? I seem to remember that J Smith (were it was brewed during its last years) was closed, am I wrong? Was it brewed directly by Courage? Any chanche to see it bottled again? Any news about it will be appreciated!
No, AFAIK John Smith's in Tadcaster are still there - brewing lovely creamy nitrokeg John Smith's Smooth :~) plus JS cask beer and Webster's, Courage Best & Directors. (Do not all rush at once, there's enough for everyone, make an orderly queue now) cheers Mike
It was there. It also was the only beer over 6% abv at the fest. It was very good, but could benefit from some ageing. When I saw it I wished I had brought one of my bottles of the '83 (which at 20 years is still going strong...) I couldn't get an answer if it is going to be a regular beer or if this was just a one off brew.
No, AFAIK John Smith's in Tadcaster are still there - brewing lovely creamy nitrokeg John Smith's Smooth :~) plus JS cask beer and Webster's, Courage Best & Directors. (Do not all rush at once, there's enough for everyone, make an orderly queue now) cheers Mike
Although the availability of British beers over that level is such that they are more likely to appear at a winter ales festival the BSF bar had no end of beers over 6% and one was at some massively stupid ABV in the
20's IIRC.
Why would anyone want to drink a typical winter ale during one of the country's record breakingly hot periods anyway?
fair enough, but with the bitter black-malt flavours only now fading away, I can live with that ;~)
not often, but yes, sometimes. e.g. I just read that Tetleys dry hop some of their cask ales! (as of last year at least, & acording to a Yorks CAMRA-member who toured the brewery) see -
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Sounds interesting - a few brewers over here have tried recreating fairly old English recipes using spices (St/Peters did an un-hopped Cnut Ale, & excellent micro, Old Chimneys I think did a Milennium ale). If ever I see it "Nora" my local shops/pubs I will definitely try it :~) (I'm guessing it's not seen too far from the brewery?)
I've got 2 bottles of the 1993 - I remember a few years back a good pub in Norwich had some, but I doubt they do now.
no, I moved back up North last year, but Zerodegrees should still be a decent place to get fresh interesting new-wave beer (unfiltered, unpasteurised, naturally CO2'd US, UK & Euro-style ale, lager & wheatbeer) & a few italians should still work in the pizza-kitchen too!
I've not been to the newer brewpubs - french-style Brasserie Francaise/Sans Culottes (27-29 Endell St, Covent Garden - but I've just read that they may have stopped brewing!), Sweet William/WilliamIV (816 High Rd Leyton, E10) (& Haggards Brewery, SW6 supplies The Imperial, 577 King's Road) Let me/us know what you find?
Anyone else been to these or the other London brewpubs - any comments? cheers Mike
Yes, I can testify to the fact that it was at the GBBF, as I had two pints of the stuff! A bit expensive though, but one of the nicest beers I've had. Not saure how I got home though!.
I didn't know about the price as while working on the BieresSansFrontiers stand I was given a pint of it to throw away by someone who thought it undrinkable :~)
This sort of thing happened from time to time & was the same way I got to try the (I suspect even more expensive) 20%+abv Dogfish Worldwide Stout :~)
about the 3Threads business Roy (& I'm not talking about Harwood's Entirely different subject) I think it may have something to do with Max posting separately to ukfdra & rfdb & me replying to them both separately & together! - apologies,
cheers MikeMcG PS ObligatoryBeeriness - lovely couple of pints of flowery & nicely bitter cask Beartown Kodiak Gold & locally-roasted peanuts (I kid you not, but nothing special!) with a final very pleasant (winey, rummy & roasty) pint of Old Peculier in a thatched pub - The Wheatsheaf, Raby, Wirral, Merseyside (I didn't mind the mildly noticeable dope-smoke, I did mind the piercing mobile phone tone tho).
Well, you're going to hate me too then, 'cos I tried it last Thursday evening at Keighley Beer Festival. And gorgeous it was too :-))
As someone said, it could do with some ageing, though. At 10% I think I'm correct in saying that the o.g. has been reduced from the original, but it's still a fine beer.
Not as strong as the Sam Adams Utopias which someone who shall remain unnamed is reputed to have quaffed in Stockholm on Saturday evening (25% abv and comes in a metal bottle).
Cheers
Mike Stuck at Arlanda Airport for 4 hours. The first and last time I ever fly KLM!
just looked at my 93 bottle - OG was 1098 & abv declared at 10% (but presumably that's gone up a bit in the bottle over 10 years!)
I've not tried this - some very beer-knowledgeable 'Merkans' at GBBF & the White Horse said ITO it wasn't pleasant drinking & certainly not worth the silly money.
talking of silly-strength Septic stuff - anyone spotted Dogfish Worldwide Stout (23%abv) in Safeway yet? - I haven't managed to get to my (not very) local one yet. cheers Mike
Yep. It was wonderful stuff, too. Very nice and rich. And remarkably smooth for being young.
It was served from the Theakston's booth. I don't recall the story if how it was brewed again. Peter Alexander, I think, knows, so he needs to get off his arse and post.
Well, yes, it is a small brewpub but - contrary to most of the other italian micros an brewpubs - quite specialized in bottling (all ales, all bottle conditioned). So their bottles are now available in some shops all around Italy, and they even started a little export to US (I was suprised to find 2 of their beers in a pub in Manhattan - very expensive!). They are not exporting (AFAIK) to UK, but in the last years a few of their beers were regularly featured at GBBF BSF (maybe not in 2003, apart from the Kriek tasting)
I sometimes check on Ebay for old full bottles of "ageable" (is it the right english word?) beers, and lately there was a handful of 80's IRS on auction, along with a couple of Prize Old Ales and a few T. Hardy's. They were a bit pricey IMO - at least, more expensive than I usually see on Ebay - so I waited to see if next time (if unsold) are auctioned at a better price. (I had just bought a couple of 1978 T.Hardy's...)
I've a few of the 1993 bottles and occasionally open one. They are foul. I had saved them specially for the Millennium and opened the first one on the strike of midnight.
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