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

Hi all,

Wife's out so I've popped in for a pint or ten. I'll be sampling some, all or none of the following ales as the night goes on:

Otter Brewery: Beautiful Daze, Otter Bright, Otter Head
Sharp's: Chalky's Bark, Special
Red Rock: Dark Ness, Capstan, Humber Down (all previously reviewed)
Bay's: Jingle Ale, Breaker

Feel free to chip in with whatever you have at hand.

The only beverages I could include would be nescafe, darjeeling tea, or ginger and lemon grass cordial Not sure I've come accross any of those beers on your list

Starting off with Otter Beautiful Daze:

Created for the Levellers festival near Ottery St Mary, and named after their 'Beautiful Day' song, this is a lush, light ale. It's sprightly; lightly hoppy and with a few gently malts, it's a very, very quaffable beer. A really nice start, though the 3.6% ABV counts against it as I'm not having a session of it...

Ginger and lemon grass cordial, please. With a large rum.

Ooh, the nose on this is wonderful. Like creamy caramel.

I have some white wine (Grüner Veltliner, nothing special), but I'll happily lurk.

Lurk? Good lord, don't lurk. Tell us how the wine is

It's fresh and fruity, but not sweet. If it is sweet, it's because I'm having , too.

I'm on the hard stuff... water... neat as it comes

Haha, you're supposed to give it a rating, Bel

This is the first time I've ever known you not be drinking, legsy!

Oh, Rich, I don't know anything about wines. On a personal scale I'd give it - how many is the maximum?

So the next one is Otter Bright, which is also delightful. It's that kind of light and hoppy beer that normally leaves me cold, but a dash of fresh citrus and a tingly fizz on the tongue and I'm sold. I've always enjoying Otter's 'standard' ale and bitter without ever needing to go out and look for them, but it seems their speciality ales are a real delight

Five is the maximum. We don't really know anything about beers either, so I wouldn't worry too much

Beer? Isn't it the wet stuff sold by the pint in pubs? see... we know all* about it <
I don't often drink at home really, truet be told there are probably some cans of guinness in the fridge, but Ijust don't tend to drink much when i'm in, cept a few beers on getting home from the pub if I've been out

Oh well, in that case I'd give it .

Haha, now you just have to justify it by talking about hints of damsons and a flowery palate, and you're just like the rest of us!

Oh, Ok. Right, it's exactly like you said.

There isn't a smiley, so I'm going to have to go for a This was the sound I actually made, though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6be9AIB-ckk

That's a cool sound.

Otter Head:

This is the strongest (at 5.8%) of the Otter beers I have this evening and unfortunately the most disappointing. It's very rich and rather sweet, and it just tastes like a strong beer. Not a fan.