h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Tonight, Mu Beta and I will be sampling the following beers:

Mann's Brown Ale
Bateman's Dark Lord
Shepherd Winter Hop Ale
Wayland Smithy Bitter
Wayland Smithy White Horse
Ridley's Old Bob
Thwaite's Double Century
Brakspeare Oxford Gold
Hardy's and Hanson's Old Trip
Belhaven Twisted Thistle
McEwan's Champion

We'll be back after a curry and a pint in the Hole In The Wall,around 8.30pm.

Enjoy the Olde Trippe, it's the house ale at the Olde Trip to Jerusaem pub wot I work near.

Mann's Brown Ale That takes me back a few years to when all you could get in my local was Watney's Red Barrel, Mann's Brown Ale, Watney's Pale or Guinness, and glad of it!!! It was either that, or a trip to the pub at the other end of the road for a Double Diamond

Bloody hell, they only stopped making Double Diamond five years ago!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlsberg_UK_brewery#Double_Diamond

Well, I can join you in a tasting but I shan't have any of the beers on your list to hand. I can go with:

Sierra Nevada ESB
Deschutes Black Butte Porter
Left Hand Jackman Pale Ale
Southern Star Pine Belt Pale Ale
Victory Hop Devil IPA
Dale's Pale Ale

I think that's all I've got in my fridge. Drank the last bottle of Sierra Celebration yesterday. No more of that until November

What time are you kicking off btw?

Around about now

Brakspeare Oxford Gold:

Fairly standard, but very good light ale. Bright and sunny colour and a little spring-like; gently flowery and mellow. I rather like this, but perhaps not as much as I would in June.

2 men, 1 living room, 2 PCs, lots of beer, no conversation! The march of technology is upon us!

Brakspeare Oxford Gold

Lovely apricot colour, smooth pour. Touches of honey on the tongue, a cool hoppiness on the way down. A good summer beer which doesn't do offence to a cold February night.

/5

B

White Horse Oxfordshire Bitter

Masses of hops on the nose, lots of rustic straw, cowsheds and - oddly - a touch of bourbon biscuits in the mouth, but over all that a beer that you could happily quaff all day. A resounding favourite of mine - this has been my new favourite beer for a few weeks.

/5

B

Great summary.

White Horse Oxfordshire Bitter:

This has a hell of a nose. You can smell it as you break the cap. And it's wonderful. I don't like hops this much, actually, but I'm willing to make an exception here. The beer itself doesn't quite live up to the billing - I find it a little bland and nondescript - but it's well worth it just for that first hoppy rush

After a good belch, I'm correcting that last score to

In that case I shall have to join in a bit later, or possibly after you've both passed out seeing as how I haven't had owt to eat since breakfast and I'm not stupid enough to drink that lot on an empty stomach

White Horse Wayland Smithy

Another delightfully easy-pourer. Less on the nose this time, but a rich, rounded flowery ale that would complement a strong cheddar a treat. A fine complement to the Oxfordshire Bitter and another very impressive brew from the White Horse. Now affiliated with Morrisons; get yourself out and buy a couple.

/5

B

White Horse Wayland Smithy:

All the hops from the aroma of the last one are in the beer. There's no odour, but a full, slightly overpowering hoppy flavour to the beer. It lingers on the palate fairly beautifully, and even gives out some subtle nutty tones. Much more to my taste, although the one between the two would be the one for me.

Thwaite's Double Century:

Rather sweet for me, and no discernible aroma other than the slightest hint of liquorice. Beyond that, it has an oddly gloopy texture, and I'm not much of a fan. There isn't much to like about this, to be honest

Thwaites Double Century

Very little aroma, to the extent where I'm getting a white blob on the end of my nose but nothing else. The bitter flavours are too overpowering for me, with a somewhat grotty overtone of washing-up liquid. The over-gassy bottling does few favours either. Redeemed a little by a pleasant, lively mouthfeel.

/5

B

Hardy's and Hanson's Old Trippe

I can only really judge this by comparison to its peers; the fine Hobgoblin prime among them. This has an almost tepid nose with a fairly powerful fennelly mid-flavour; I suspect it's better from draught, but it's a reasonably good beer from the bottle

Hardy & Hanson's Old Trippe

A heart-warming pale ruby, and a nose of fresh fennel seeds without being overly aniseedy. Almost grapey to the taste, full of the sparky notes that you'd look for in a good white wine. Exceedingly moreish, thanks to the creamy drinking and pleasantly sweet aftertaste.

/5

B

'ello!

B has nicked my PC, so here I am reviewing Twisted Thistle IPA.

I don't like IPAs in general, but this is a nicely full ale that doesn't fit the weedy stereotype. I rather like it. It's clearly the wrong season for it - winter demands fuller, beefier ales - but this is one I'd look to stock up on for those long spring evenings. Recommended

Twisted Thistle

A darn sight more pleasant than I remember it last time around. Big berry-type fruit and a fun, jivy feeling in the mouth. Almost like a lager in some respects, none of them bad. Good stuff.

/5

B

Shepherd Winter Hop Ale

Ha ha! This is a pint of Ribena, no? Damn well tastes like it. Overwhelming sweetness on both nose and tongue; fine if you're looking for something warm and comforting with a slice of orange, or to feed to your 5-year-old. Not for me, though.

/5

B

Shepherd Winter Hop Ale

Very sweet and a little liquorice-aniseedy; fairly full-bodied and not unpleasant, but the sweetness is overwhelming.