BEERS #2 - Beyond the Pale

[Abnormal Palm]

I can really imagine that, it sounds wonderful. I'd love to go. I can see me giving it a proper go in that context but first beer when I'm hungry and a bit knackered, just a little too much. I'd really like to try the wheat variant, and I'm sure I will at some point.

Now sipping my way through a Rodley Grand Crew for the first time. Pretty challenging stuff, as well, never had anything quite like it, hard to ignore the red wine vinegar but fuck me, it's complex and satisfying. There's so much there, tart berries, Granny Smith, almost salty malt, bready earthiness, tannin finish. Fucking wild. Definitely a once in a blue moon job but it's woken me up!

[Jerzy Bondov]

I just want to say I have no way of expressing myself about beer beyond 'really nice' or 'fucking rank piss' but I am really enjoying reading this thread, especially during lockdown. Please keep posting beers.

My friend who is really into craft beer and says things like 'chewy mouthfeel' and 'eminently crushable' told me that Salt Beer Factory Ikat Ddh Double is the best craft beer you can get in a supermarket so I thought fuck it and it's waiting for me in the fridge. It has a pink can and is from Yorkshire.

[Blinder Data]

Shoulders I just read your blog's list of best bars in Europe and now I desperately want to go just one of them so much. Lordy Lord, I miss pubs. God knows how you're feeling considering you probably visit ten times more pubs than me.

I would like to echo the praise for the sterling work of the participants of this thread.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Thanks guys! I'm glad some of it is worth reading.

It wasn't too bad when most of Europe was locked down as I didn't feel I was missing out. Seeing places like Papa Joe's, Spiz, Piwna Stopa, Bodega Bellver re-opening this week is now making me feel really depressed that I can't get out of this fucking morgue of a nation and enjoy them.

Scary though to think of how many in my .com/top-100-bars-in-europe-2019-part-1/]Top 100 may never re-open.

In the meantime there is nowt to do, so you will just have to sit there and read more of my expansions about German kellerbier.

[Abnormal Palm]

Fuckin respect. That will make great reading while I am drink one of many beers tonight

[thugler]

Thanks guys! I'm glad some of it is worth reading.

It wasn't too bad when most of Europe was locked down as I didn't feel I was missing out. Seeing places like Papa Joe's, Spiz, Piwna Stopa, Bodega Bellver re-opening this week is now making me feel really depressed that I can't get out of this fucking morgue of a nation and enjoy them.

Scary though to think of how many in my .com/top-100-bars-in-europe-2019-part-1/]Top 100 may never re-open.

In the meantime there is nowt to do, so you will just have to sit there and read more of my expansions about German kellerbier.

Just realised I think I used that website a few years ago to direct me to a good bar in prague, no idea what it was but it was great!

[BlodwynPig]

'tis the season



Not as good as the sublime extra hops Corsendonk I had yesterday. I haven't found a Christmas Belgian that actually tastes Christmassy yet

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Just realised I think I used that website a few years ago to direct me to a good bar in prague, no idea what it was but it was great!

That's great, always encouraging to see people who may have found the site of their own volition rather than my plugging.

There were a number of trigger points. CaledonianGonzo started a thread several years back about good bars and pubs around the world. I found Ron Pattinson's Web 1.0 European Beer Guide very useful but the beer focus meant there were a lot of dud, bland venues. Otto's Rambles is a messy but useful resource, but again focused on beer above all else by far. They will happily sit in any old sterile room if it serves the beer they want to drink.

I then read the Pisshead's Guide to Prague by Max Bahnson and this was much more about the venue and the people.

It all really pulled together the fact that I had visited a reasonable number of outstanding venues, have a photographic memory for places and reasonable long term memory in general and could put something together that put the emphasis on pub going not just beer drinking. That's an angle that hasn't really been done.

That also exposed just how impossible the task is, to cover so much of Europe single-handedly just isn't going to happen and this is why guest writers are invited. Honestly, if any of you want to wax lyrical about a pub you like, I will publish it.

The process of getting ever deeper into the project also demonstrated how much more I had to learn, I am far from an expert on the subject. The Glossary below is taken from my research of each European countries historical pub culture.  https://[SPAM - REMOVED].com/glossary/

I have also recently been reading The Local by Paul Jennings, an academic rather than pop culture work, to learn more about the history of the English pub and the gorgeously produced Belgian Cafe Culture by Regula Ysewijn which comes at it from an ultra sentimental angle and more importantly, from the perspective of women, who make up the traditional innkeeper role in Belgian culture.

This is for fun of course but to ensure I have something to say other than overusing cosy, gezellig, hygge, genius locii etc.

One of the best things about pubs is their ability to inspire loyalty and I see this as my efforts to pay them back for the good times they have given.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

haven't found a Christmas Belgian that actually tastes Christmassy yet

I'm not sure what you have in mind for Christmas flavours. Leffe Noel does the rounds in Brussels in December and that has a very rounded and boozy dollop of figs, nuts, winter berries and spices. It sticks in the memory of being both an ostentatious effort to be festive and not bone rottingly awful.

[Abnormal Palm]

Honestly, one of the best things I've read in recent months so thanks. I'll shill that far and wide for you.

[BlodwynPig]

I'm not sure what you have in mind for Christmas flavours. Leffe Noel does the rounds in Brussels in December and that has a very rounded and boozy dollop of figs, nuts, winter berries and spices. It sticks in the memory of being both an ostentatious effort to be festive and not bone rottingly awful.

actually after reaching nearer the bottom of this one, the Christmas taste is exploding - mince pie goodness but not overtly.

[Abnormal Palm]

Amazing how much the Westmalle Dubbel has grown on me after an initial ho hum impression. I'd day it's up there with Barnardo Wit and 12 plus Schneider Weisse, as near top tier so far. S+ tier. Maybe the Barnardo 12 is S++ alongside the Rochefort 10. I need to get a few more of the latter nowhere I've been working my way through some quality shit. Chimay Blue and Straffe Hendrik Quad also beast mode. Solid S.

Chef Rodley Gran Crew is probably B+, but hard to say because it's so outlandish to me.

Only outright dunks so far are La Chouffe and Straffe Hendrik Tripel, which I had tonight for the first time. Both decent but not worth the money or waiting time. I'm happier to have something I don't really like but is interesting like Schlenkerla or Lindemans Cassis than something pretty generic.

[Calistan]

Got these lovely bottles delivered to me today:

Karmeliet Triple 8.4% abv 33cl Blt
Kwak  8.4% abv 33cl Blt1   
Brugse Zot Dubbel 7.5% abv 33 cl Blt
Augustiner Maximator 7.5% abv 500ml Blt
Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel 5% abv 500ml Blt
Ayinger Celebrator 6.7% abv 33cl
Weihenstephan Korbinian 7.4% abv 500ml Blt
Weihenstephan Kristal 500ml Blt
Wieninger Impulsator 7.5% abv 33cl Blt
Hacker Pschorr Animator 8.1% abv 500ml
ABK Hefeweizen 5.3% abv 500ml Blt
Kloster Scheyern Poculator 7.6% abv 500ml
Efes Pilsener 5% abv  500ml Blt1   
Westmalle Tripel 9.5% abv 33cl    
Kinnegar Scraggy Bay 5.3% abv 500ml Blt

Never had the Kloster Poculator before. What a beer, loved it. Nice, hearty doppelbock.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Got these lovely bottles delivered to me today:

Karmeliet Triple 8.4% abv 33cl Blt
Kwak  8.4% abv 33cl Blt1   
Brugse Zot Dubbel 7.5% abv 33 cl Blt
Augustiner Maximator 7.5% abv 500ml Blt
Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel 5% abv 500ml Blt
Ayinger Celebrator 6.7% abv 33cl
Weihenstephan Korbinian 7.4% abv 500ml Blt
Weihenstephan Kristal 500ml Blt
Wieninger Impulsator 7.5% abv 33cl Blt
Hacker Pschorr Animator 8.1% abv 500ml
ABK Hefeweizen 5.3% abv 500ml Blt
Kloster Scheyern Poculator 7.6% abv 500ml
Efes Pilsener 5% abv  500ml Blt1   
Westmalle Tripel 9.5% abv 33cl    
Kinnegar Scraggy Bay 5.3% abv 500ml Blt

Never had the Kloster Poculator before. What a beer, loved it. Nice, hearty doppelbock.

Top quality choices if I may say. Where did you get that lot from? I'd be happy with that as my next order.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Amazing how much the Westmalle Dubbel has grown on me after an initial ho hum impression. I'd day it's up there with Barnardo Wit and 12 plus Schneider Weisse, as near top tier so far. S+ tier. Maybe the Barnardo 12 is S++ alongside the Rochefort 10. I need to get a few more of the latter nowhere I've been working my way through some quality shit. Chimay Blue and Straffe Hendrik Quad also beast mode. Solid S.

Chef Rodley Gran Crew is probably B+, but hard to say because it's so outlandish to me.

Only outright dunks so far are La Chouffe and Straffe Hendrik Tripel, which I had tonight for the first time. Both decent but not worth the money or waiting time. I'm happier to have something I don't really like but is interesting like Schlenkerla or Lindemans Cassis than something pretty generic.

St Colchester Hard Wank Cru would have been similarly amusing.

[Calistan]

Top quality choices if I may say. Where did you get that lot from? I'd be happy with that as my next order.

Besides the Celebrator I haven't had any of those German beers before so I'm very excited to try them.

https://www.vineyardbelfast.co.uk/

They are the best off licence in Northern Ireland. Sadly they are closed to the public now but are expanding their online shop. Initially the online shop was fairly limited to mostly so-so local beers but in the last two weeks they have added a lot of Belgian and German beers. Shipping to the rest of the UK is 20 pound though which seems steep.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Thanks anyway, good to know.

After joining a Czech beer group on Facebook they have hooked me up with a site called https://www.pivnidarky.cz which sells small regional Czech beer AND ships to the UK (for hardly anything).

They sell the beer in 1.0l and 1.5l PET bottles which are perfectly good for lagers.

I just bought the equivalent of 31 500ml bottles in there for £54.00 including shipping! This is not shit stuff either, Brevnov and Malesov are very good breweries. Unsure of the others as they are so obscure I am not sure I have even seen them over in Czechia. Some of them on Untappd only have 12 ratings in total.

I bought a range of 10, 11, 12° light lagers, a weizenbock, a rauchbier, a dark lager and there are several craft pales and so forth if people want that.

[thugler]

Thanks anyway, good to know.

After joining a Czech beer group on Facebook they have hooked me up with a site called https://www.pivnidarky.cz which sells small regional Czech beer AND ships to the UK (for hardly anything).

They sell the beer in 1.0l and 1.5l PET bottles which are perfectly good for lagers.

I just bought the equivalent of 31 500ml bottles in there for £54.00 including shipping! This is not shit stuff either, Brevnov and Malesov are very good breweries. Unsure of the others as they are so obscure I am not sure I have even seen them over in Czechia. Some of them on Untappd only have 12 ratings in total.

I bought a range of 10, 11, 12° light lagers, a weizenbock, a rauchbier, a dark lager and there are several craft pales and so forth if people want that.

Amazing, will definitely check that out once i get through my current supply!

[Blue Jam]

Trappist ales arrived yesterday. Decided I should support my local cheesemonger during These Unprecedented Times and went out and overbought, came back with some goat goada, some smoked manchego and a nice bit of pecorino with black truffle. Homebrew is almost ready for bottling, got a nice layer of ale yeast collecting at the bottom of the fermenter, going to make some more ale bread. Going to have me a nice indoor picnic on Friday, job's a good 'un.

[Smeraldina Rima]

I ordered some Belgian beer from the Beerwulf based on what people said was good, what had the most instagrammable labels (Retinend's tip) and what they had left:

Duchesse De Bourgogne
Rochefort 8'
Gouden Carolus Tripel
De Koninck Triple D'Anvers x2
Lefort Tripel (Cuellar's dilemma)
St. Bernardus Wit
St. Bernardus Tripel
Brugse Zot Blond
Westmalle Tripel
Weihenstephaner Korbinian
La Chouffe Blonde D'ardenne (Got to be done)
Westmalle Dubbel
Affligem Dubbel
Lefort Belgian Brown Ale
Rodenbach Grand Cru (Blodwyn's scourge)
Bruut Gajes Tripel (Netherlands)

A few dubbels and tripels to compare and a couple of wild cards.

[Blue Jam]

Affligem Dubbel is nice iirc. Used to like one of those at the Brauhaus in Embra, followed by a Grimbergen.

Grimbergen does nice glasses what have got phoenixes on them:

[Abnormal Palm]

LGP Smer.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Grimbergen's brewery Alken-Maes is now under Heineken's auspices sadly. It isn't all bad - the distribution of the brand has gone blitzkrieg - you can now find Grimbergen as a premium beer choice even in fairly bland bars across Eastern Europe. It wouldn't be my first choice normally but it has saved the day several times from the grubby pissy lager alternative.

However the main beers - the blonde and the dubbel haven't done too well under them. They have also resorted to shrinkage - they reduced the size of bottles to 0.3l instead of 0.33l which is just a wanker move that's initiated by the biggest cunts in the industry.

I think I would be happy to see Grimbergen more than I would something like Leffe but it is more on that tier than something like Brugse Zot (in my humble opinion).

[Blue Jam]

Ah that's a shame. I used to go for the Grimbergen Dubbel but it must have been at least two years since I had one. The Brauhaus in Embra was doing badly and I think it was closed for a while, think it's reopened now but I have no idea what they're like and of course I can't pop down there now and tell you, or order a Grimbergen and see if it tastes any different.

[Abnormal Palm]

Sipping on a Straffe Hendrik Quad like nobody's business. Great stuff. Well worth taking a good hour over it, defo opens up the malty depths and even gets a little tart in the finish. At 11%, not really a working lunch style bevvy but WFH? LGC

[Blue Jam]

Currently drinking something from this sexy can:



AND UNION, Munich. Unfiltered black lager. Very interesting. Smells very hoppy, doesn't taste very hoppy at all. Tastes very clean and creamy and malty. Bit sweet. Not too fizzy. More like a flavoursome dark beer with a lager character than your typical dark lager. Very pleasant.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

As you would imagine I also saw that in Waitrose and drank it recently. Sort of like a Schwarzbier with some extra liquorice notes than a full on sweet dark lager. It was nice enough. A 500ml bottle would have been preferable.

[Blue Jam]

Yeah, I'm a sucker for a sexy can. Also Waitrose had it on offer. Might try the rest of the range next time I wander over there to stock up on posh cheese.

[Jerzy Bondov]

The black lager is my favourite of the range although I've never seen their wheat beer on the shelves. The cans are real lookers. I really, really like the black lager. Scratches an itch. I would like to try some schwarzbiers on the back of it.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Just to add to my post about the Czech beer order above. The motto 'If it seems too good to be true, it probably is' arrived once again to bite good fortune on the bum.

In this case the shipping costs weren't as cheap as it appeared, because I was using the Czech website which wasn't designed to convert shipping costs before payment. I should have used https://www.czechbeergifts.com/ .

Take a look at their offerings: https://www.czechbeergifts.com/c/beer-specials/

As a result the cost has risen but only to the same/similar to http://ebrowarium.pl . £74.00 for effectively 30 500ml beers, I don't really mind paying that given you can't get these beers in the UK.

I did point out how the site should be robust enough for that not to happen and they've given me a 5% voucher off my next order.