Brewdog - Punk IPA

I like the Brewdog ethos. They champion the world of craft beer and are clearly making a mark in this complex and competitive world. They have a range of bold beers which are interesting if only for the full on description.

Punk IPA is not shy its described as:

Welcome to a post Punk apocalyptic mother of an ale.

A beer that spent its formative years Blitzkrieg Bopping around India and the sub-continent.

This light, golden classic has been subverted with new world hops to create a devastating explosion of flavour. Steel yourself for Kalashnikov bursts of caramel, incendiary tropical fruit and an all-out riot of grapefruit, pineapple and lychee, before a spiky bitter finish.

This is quintessential Empire with an anarchic twist. Turn up the volume. Pay the man. Embrace the punked up, pimped up Maharajah of Pale Ales.

Nothing will ever be the same again.

Personal opinion. I know this is a popular brew but it isn't for me. It was strong in citrus, fruity flavour but lacked in bitterness. It is an American style IPA. Does that matter? Perhaps my ignorance gets in the way....

Wye Valley - Hereford Pale Ale

Continuing our exploration of Hereford ales, we sampled HPA.

It really was very pale, both in colour and taste. It was a light bitter taste which soon dissipated. The bottle recommends it accompany light dishes, which makes perfect sense.

I don't tend to like light dishes... So whilst not unpleasant, I would not be in a rush to buy again. I prefer something with more bite and chew.

Dorothy Goodbody's Golden Ale

It is my stripeycat's birthday. So we chose the Golden Valley for a winter break. Tonight we sampled the local Dorothy Goodbody's Golden Ale from Wye Valley brewery.

The beer has a clean citrus nose (smell?!) and there is a light fizz on the tongue with each mouthful. The taste is interesting as it is initially a strong and bitter beer but this quickly vanishes leaving a pleasant malty imprint. It is a distinct beer and entirely pleasant but reminds me of another... But sadly my memory fails... Hence the blog.

Wells - Waggle Dance

I first drank Waggle Dance when I was at Uni in Liverpool. A real ale pub on Clarence Street, long since gone. I remember the idea of honey infused beer being a unique concept in student drinking practices (there were a number of decent pubs selling craft ales but all too often it was Newcastle Brown....)

So Wells Waggle Dance was a pleasant trip down memory lane which is a part of drinking beer that is so pleasurable.

The beer was a light refreshing bitter with a honey after taste. Lacked any depth of smell but the warmth of the taste made up for this.

A nice all round ale which made a nice accompaniement to the Sunday roast.

Thornbridge - Beadeca's Well

Thornbridge is a craft brewery based in the Peak District, near Bakewell. Beadeca being the old english name for Bakewell!

I have never had a smoked porter before and it was a pleasant experience, with very strong smokey tones which mellowed with passing. A perfect winter ale with dark swirls of chocolateness.

The Ilkley Brewery - Mary Jane Pale Session Ale

We moved to the Pennines 7 years ago and I was stunned the sheer number of craft brewers. It was a true joy to behold. This is a personal blog with the simple objective of helping me to chronicle some, help articulate what I enjoy about the beers and with the dream to join in!

The Ilkley Brewery is a couple of valleys across from Todmorden but feels very local.

Mary Jane is a light, refreshing pale ale, but is hoppy with a lingering bitter after taste. The American hops play a key role in the taste. Easy drinking, with a lightness of touch.

Hobgoblin Gold

I'm a big fan of Wychwood beers in general and have been for several years now. Hobgoblin ruby ale has always been a favourite but having bought the Gold twice now it's certainly one I'd recommend.

This golden ale is quite bitter to the taste buds but has the most glorious malted wheat aftertaste. It's an easily quaffable ale and as I sit here watching Lawrence of Arabia is a nice contrast to the desert crossing to Aqaba.