Beer Thread

[May Contain Nuts]

19 hours ago, Grumpy Git said:

Saw that the other day but decided to stick with the Cornish Brewery "Proper Job" IPA.

How does it compare (assuming you've tried the IPA)?

It doesn't really compare at all tbh - this wasn't an IPA, more of a farmhouse/slightly belgian-y thing. I'd probably rather have a big bottle of Innis & Gun rum finish tbh (uses the same barrel method).

Been a long time since I had a Proper Job! I'll have to refresh my memory of it.

[May Contain Nuts]

2nd Aldi offering

Middling Belgian blonde, probably best compared to Leffe, nothing exciting.

[May Contain Nuts]

Sweet, wheaty strong lager, £5 at Tesco.

[Kinder]

Just ordered a few of these.  I’ve really enjoyed the other Vocation barrel aged so I’ve got high hopes.

 

[May Contain Nuts]

36 minutes ago, Kinder said:

Just ordered a few of these.  I’ve really enjoyed the other Vocation barrel aged so I’ve got high hopes.

 

Same. Ordered 7. Along with some Sweet temptation and that collab pale/IPA they've done with some chinese(?) brewery.

[dog]

On 10/10/2020 at 17:43, Coconut said:

It's a bit sad that you need a 10% imperial version of Jaipur to get it to taste anything like it used to and not the piss poor excuse for Jaipur you get in supermarkets, but this is excellent.

The TeKu glass is great too, it's just a shame I know I'll probably smash it at some point in the not too distant future!

Where did you get the beer from?

[Guest]

18 hours ago, Coconut said:

2nd Aldi offering

Middling Belgian blonde, probably best compared to Leffe, nothing exciting.

I'm going to try a few Belgian beers - maybe a mixed case to start with - do you think BIAB is the best for a trial selection thanks    

[May Contain Nuts]

5 minutes ago, Monty said:

I'm going to try a few Belgian beers - maybe a mixed case to start with - do you think BIAB is the best for a trial selection thanks    

Not at the minute because it's taking 2 months to receive an order!

Probably the best bet at the minute is https://www.beersofeurope.co.uk/

If you search for Eddie's posts on this thread you'll get some good guidance / suggestions

[May Contain Nuts]

23 minutes ago, dog said:

Where did you get the beer from?

Thornbridge direct - but they appear to have sold out

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Coconut said:

Not at the minute because it's taking 2 months to receive an order!

Probably the best bet at the minute is https://www.beersofeurope.co.uk/

If you search for Eddie's posts on this thread you'll get some good guidance / suggestions

that lead time is a bit excessive! I'll take a look at the site you mention and have a look back at Eddie's posts I've seen him mention BIAB so will look for any other sources he quotes thanks for the advice appreciated  

[sage]

4 hours ago, Monty said:

I'm going to try a few Belgian beers - maybe a mixed case to start with - do you think BIAB is the best for a trial selection thanks    

Maybe go to a big Tesco and try the entry level stuff like Leffe, Duvel etc first or see if Lidl have any in.

 

[Gritstone Ram]

Glad I only got one of these. It’s like syrup.

[CWC1983]

22 hours ago, Kinder said:

Just ordered a few of these.  I’ve really enjoyed the other Vocation barrel aged so I’ve got high hopes.

 

They look superb. 

[Gritstone Ram]

6 hours ago, dog said:

Where did you get the beer from?

I haven’t seen them in the shop but Thornbridge have said they are selling them in shops. I hope that means Tescos or Morrisons because they are cheaper in there than direct from Thornbridge Brewery. I think £30 for 3 cans a glass and a pair of socks is a bit steep. 
https://shop.thornbridgebrewery.co.uk/collections/4-packs/products/jaipur-15-anniversary-gift-pack

[dog]

Agreed. I had a look at their site earlier. Youch

[Grumpy Git]

On 23/10/2020 at 19:10, Gritstone Ram said:

Glad I only got one of these. It’s like syrup.

I've seen cleaner sump oil

[Eddie]

On 23/10/2020 at 13:20, Monty said:

I'm going to try a few Belgian beers - maybe a mixed case to start with - do you think BIAB is the best for a trial selection thanks    

BIAB is taking ages to deliver at the moment. Antwerp is under lockdown for the most part and they have just moved to a new warehouse, so expect orders to take 4-6 weeks. If you want something quickly, I would go to Beers Of Europe - they are based in Kings Lynn and usually take 3 or 4 days maximum.

First of all, do as @sage suggested - go to Tesco (the Long Eaton one is pretty good) and pick up one or two of the following (the first few are 33 cl bottles):

• Duvel (£2.00) - an excellent, crisp blond beer, around 8% abv.
• Duvel Tripel Hop (£2.50) - each year they use a different third hop - this year it's Citra. Nice grapefruity aroma.
• Westmalle Dubbel (£2.10) - a world-class Trappist dark beer, around 7.5% abv
• Delirium Blond (£2.50) - a very, very nice blond beer, around 8.5% abv
• Kriek Boon (£1.80 or 4 for £6.00 in a 25 cl bottle) - a world-class lambic cherry beer
• Bacchus Kriek (£2.50 in a 37.5 cl bottle) - a decent cherry beer, but not in the same class as Boon
• Tripel Karmeleit (£5.00 for a 75 cl bottle) - a world-class Abbey Tripel
• Leffe Blond (4 for £6 or £3.00 for a 75 cl bottle) - decent entry-level blond beer
• Leffe Brune (same price as Leffe Blond) - decent entry-level brown beer

I've just had a look on Beers of Europe and they have a few nice beers and some absolute stunners in stock.

I would suggest some of the following (different styles):

• Vleteren Blond - this is an absolute monster of a beer - one of my favourites.
• Abbaye de St Martin Triple - very fruity tripel - delicious if you like that sort of thing (I do)
• Corsendonk Gold Tripel - my wife's favourite Corsendonk beer. A solid tripel with a lovely long aftertaste.
• Moinette Ambree - really nice amber beer - almost orange in colour, and immensely fruity.
• Ardenne Saison - Saisons are basically 'summer' beers, immensely refreshing.
• Liefmans Goudenband - a 'Flemish Red' sour beer. These are not for everyone but they are an old traditional style popular in the Flanders area. My wife hates them - I, on the other hand, have a more discerning palate and recognise quality ?
• Delirium Argentum - an interesting Belgian take on an IPA
• Kasteel Cuvee de Chateau - another 'monster', one of my favourite dark beers. Anything by Kasteel is worth chasing down.
• Straffe Hendrik Wild - from my favourite brewery, De Halve Maan, in Bruges. This is the same beer as Straffe Hendrik Tripel, but with a secondary fermentation where it has been injected with Bretannomyces Bruxellensis which gives it a funky, semi-sour flavour.
• Gruut Blond - a nice sipping blond, not strong. Gruut beers have no hops in them at all - they use a blend of herbs for bittering. I've included this because the best one (Gruut Inferno) is currently out of stock.
• Boon Oude Geuze - another style that is not for everyone. Geuzes are long-fermentation blended beers, sour, dry. Almost champagne-like. This one is world-class - again, I stress it's not for everyone.
• Troubadour Magma - another hoppy beer - this is a simply wonderful IPA in name only - it's really a hoppy ambree.
• Keyte Oostendse Dobbel-Tripel - this is a strong, dark beer - loads of fruity aromas
• Urthel Samaranth - utterly wonderful dark quadrupel  - simply world class any my current favourite.

Orders over £60 from Beers of Europe are free delivery.

Edited October 24, 2020 by Eddie

[Guest]

38 minutes ago, Eddie said:

BIAB is taking ages to deliver at the moment. Antwerp is under lockdown for the most part and they have just moved to a new warehouse, so expect orders to take 4-6 weeks. If you want something quickly, I would go to Beers Of Europe - they are based in Kings Lynn and usually take 3 or 4 days maximum.

First of all, do as @sage suggested - go to Tesco (the Long Eaton one is pretty good) and pick up one or two of the following (the first few are 33 cl bottles):

• Duvel (£2.00) - an excellent, crisp blond beer, around 8% abv.
• Duvel Tripel Hop (£2.50) - each year they use a different third hop - this year it's Citra. Nice grapefruity aroma.
• Westmalle Dubbel (£2.10) - a world-class Trappist dark beer, around 7.5% abv
• Delirium Blond (£2.50) - a very, very nice blond beer, around 8.5% abv
• Kriek Boon (£1.80 or 4 for £6.00 in a 25 cl bottle) - a world-class lambic cherry beer
• Bacchus Kriek (£2.50 in a 37.5 cl bottle) - a decent cherry beer, but not in the same class as Boon
• Tripel Karmeleit (£5.00 for a 75 cl bottle) - a world-class Abbey Tripel
• Leffe Blond (4 for £6 or £3.00 for a 75 cl bottle) - decent entry-level blond beer
• Leffe Brune (same price as Leffe Blond) - decent entry-level brown beer

I've just had a look on Beers of Europe and they have a few nice beers and some absolute stunners in stock.

I would suggest some of the following (different styles):

• Vleteren Blond - this is an absolute monster of a beer - one of my favourites.
• Abbaye de St Martin Triple - very fruity tripel - delicious if you like that sort of thing (I do)
• Corsendonk Gold Tripel - my wife's favourite Corsendonk beer. A solid tripel with a lovely long aftertaste.
• Moinette Ambree - really nice amber beer - almost orange in colour, and immensely fruity.
• Ardenne Saison - Saisons are basically 'summer' beers, immensely refreshing.
• Liefmans Goudenband - a 'Flemish Red' sour beer. These are not for everyone but they are an old traditional style popular in the Flanders area. My wife hates them - I, on the other hand, have a more discerning palate and recognise quality ?
• Delirium Argentum - an interesting Belgian take on an IPA
• Kasteel Cuvee de Chateau - another 'monster', one of my favourite dark beers. Anything by Kasteel is worth chasing down.
• Straffe Hendrik Wild - from my favourite brewery, De Halve Maan, in Bruges. This is the same beer as Straffe Hendrik Tripel, but with a secondary fermentation where it has been injected with Bretannomyces Bruxellensis which gives it a funky, semi-sour flavour.
• Gruut Blond - a nice sipping blond, not strong. Gruut beers have no hops in them at all - they use a blend of herbs for bittering. I've included this because the best one (Gruut Inferno) is currently out of stock.
• Boon Oude Geuze - another style that is not for everyone. Geuzes are long-fermentation blended beers, sour, dry. Almost champagne-like. This one is world-class - again, I stress it's not for everyone.
• Troubadour Magma - another hoppy beer - this is a simply wonderful IPA in name only - it's really a hoppy ambree.
• Keyte Oostendse Dobbel-Tripel - this is a strong, dark beer - loads of fruity aromas
• Urthel Samaranth - utterly wonderful dark quadrupel  - simply world class any my current favourite.

Orders over £60 from Beers of Europe are free delivery.

Thanks very much for taking the time to make these recommendations I really appreciate it. Took a trip out to Waitrose and Tesco this afternoon and purchased the following a couple of which you recommend

Kriek Boon - unopened as at 23.05 - status may change

Boon Oude Geuze - unopened status pending

Tripel Karmeliet - consumed - really enjoyed this 

Leffe Blond - Unopened status pending but I really should leave something for tomorrow

Duvel x2 - consumed very nice

 

Noted that BIAB lead times are extended - I can understand why

From Beers of Europe I am putting a basket together and will incorporate a number of your suggestions and get to a reasonable order value

Sage has also offered a few suggestions and I'm searching these to include

I've visited the Postel Brewery a couple of times although the last trip was a few years ago so am including a few of their styles

Noticed out of stocks can be an issue particularly with Mixed or Special event cases so will bear this in mind 

Thanks again and will post some tasting notes in due course

[Boycie]

On 22/10/2020 at 17:29, Coconut said:

It doesn't really compare at all tbh - this wasn't an IPA, more of a farmhouse/slightly belgian-y thing. I'd probably rather have a big bottle of Innis & Gun rum finish tbh (uses the same barrel method).

Been a long time since I had a Proper Job! I'll have to refresh my memory of it.

You filthy creature.

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, Monty said:

Thanks very much for taking the time to make these recommendations I really appreciate it. Took a trip out to Waitrose and Tesco this afternoon and purchased the following a couple of which you recommend

Kriek Boon - unopened as at 23.05 - status may change

Boon Oude Geuze - unopened status pending

Tripel Karmeliet - consumed - really enjoyed this 

Leffe Blond - Unopened status pending but I really should leave something for tomorrow

Duvel x2 - consumed very nice

 

Noted that BIAB lead times are extended - I can understand why

From Beers of Europe I am putting a basket together and will incorporate a number of your suggestions and get to a reasonable order value

Sage has also offered a few suggestions and I'm searching these to include

I've visited the Postel Brewery a couple of times although the last trip was a few years ago so am including a few of their styles

Noticed out of stocks can be an issue particularly with Mixed or Special event cases so will bear this in mind 

Thanks again and will post some tasting notes in due course

Good man.

Incidentally, I mentioned my favourite brewery earlier - De Halve Maan, in Bruges.

They also do mail order, and a couple of weeks ago, I acquired 12 x Straffe Hendrik Tripel 75 cl and 12 x Straffe Quad 75 cl. Total cost, including shipping to the UK, was just €128 (oh, including a new lapel badge for my blazer).

The beers came in 4 separate boxes, each containing 6 bottles, and the total shipping was just €10. I assume they have a special arrangement with the courier.

I'll be getting a load more for Christmas, including 24 bottles of Straffe Hendrik Wild and some bottles of the 2018 Heritage (oak aged).

https://shop.halvemaan.be/en/beers/straffe-hendrik/