TIL: Wil Wheaton brews his own beer! http://devilsgatebrewing.com/
+1 Respect.
–Grim
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As per the title, here are all of my published reviews to-date:
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Beer
Adnams, England:
- The Bitter – 3.7% – 6.25 / 10 (Low Average to Average)
- Broadside (Cask) – 4.7% – 7.5 / 10 (Very Good)
- Ghost Ship – 4.5% – 8 / 10 (Excellent)
Affligem, Belgium:
- Blond – 6.8% – 8 / 10 (Excellent)
- Dubbel – 7% – 7.75 / 10 (Very Good to Excellent)
Alexander Keith’s, Labatt, AB InBev, Canada:
- India Pale Ale (Nova Scotia style Pale Ale in the States) – 5% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
Anheuser-Busch, InBev, Brazil:
- Brahma – 4.3% – 4 / 10 (Awful)
Asahi, Japan:
- Asahi Black – 5% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
Athenian Brewery S.A., Athens, Greece:
- Alfa – 5% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
Backyard Brewhouse, Walsall, England:
- Bad Santa – 6.8% – 8 / 10 (Excellent)
Badger (Hall and Woodhouse), Dorset, England:
- Blandford Flyer – 5.2% – 6.75 / 10 (Average to Good)
- England’s Own – 4.6% – 6.75 / 10 (Average to Good)
- Fursty Ferret – 4.4% – 7.25 / 10 (Good to Very Good)
- Hopping Hare – 4.4% – 7.25 / 10 (Good to Very Good)
- Golden Champion – 5% – 8 / 10 (Excellent)
- Golden Glory – 4.5% – 7.5 / 10 (Very Good)
- Poacher’s Choice – 5.7% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
- Tanglefoot – 5% – 7.25 / 10 (Good to Very Good)
Banks’s, Wolverhampton, England:
- Lion’s Roar – 3.8% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
Beowulf, Forest of Mercia, Staffordshire, England:
- Finn’s Hall Porter – 4.7% – 7.75 / 10 (Very Good to Excellent)
Black Sheep, Mashum, Yorkshire, England:
- Best Bitter – 3.8% – 7 / 10 (Good)
- Golden Sheep – 4.7% – 7 / 10 (Good)
- Riggwelter – 5.7% – 7.75 / 10 (Very Good to Excellent)
Blue Moon Brewing Co., Molson Coors, Montreal, Canada:
- Blue Moon (Rickard’s White) – 5.4% – 7 / 10 (Good)
Boddingtons, InBev, UK:
- Boddingtons Draught Bitter – 3.5% – 6.25 / 10 (Low Average to Average)
Brew Dog, Scotland:
- Punk IPA – 5.6% – 8.25 / 10 (Excellent to Very Excellent)
Burton Bridge Brewery, Burton-Upon-Trent, England:
- Bramble Stout – 5% – 8.25 / 10 (Excellent to Very Excellent)
- Golden Delicious – 3.5% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
Brakspear, England:
- Double Drop Bitter – 3.4% – 6.25 / 10 (Low Average to Average)
Caledonian (Heineken), Scotland:
- Flying Dutchman Junibier – 4.3% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
Castle Rock, Nottingham, England:
- Red Start – 4.3% – 6 / 10 (Low Average)
Damm, Barcelona, Spain:
- A.K.Damm – 4.8% – 8.25 / 10 (Excellent to Very Excellent)
Erdinger Weissbräu, Germany:
- Erdinger Hefe Weissbier – 5.3% – 8.5 / 10 (Very Excellent)
FEMSA Cerveja Brasil, Brazil:
- Xingu Black Beer – 4.6% – 7.5 / 10 (Very Good)
FIX, Athens, Greece:
- FIX Hellas – 5% – 7.25 / 10 (Good to Very Good)
Greene King/Tolly Cobold, England/Wales:
- Phoenix – 4.2% – 7.5 / 10 (Very Good)
Grupo Cervezas Alhambra (Grupo Mahou-San Miguel – Carlsberg), Spain:
- Adlerbrau Cerveza Especial – 5.4% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
- Alhambra Export – 4.6% – 6.25 / 10 (Low Average to Average)
Grupo Cruzcampo (Heineken Espana), Spain:
- Cruzcampo – 4.8% – 6.25 / 10 (Low Average to Average)
- Cruzcampo Gran Reserva – 7 / 10 (Good)
- Legado de Yuste – 6.5% – 7.5 / 10 (Very Good)
Guinness, Dublin, Ireland:
- Guinness Foreign Extra – 7.5% – 8 / 10 (Excellent)
Hardy’s and Hansons, England:
- Rocking Rudolph – 4.2% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
Heineken, Italy:
- Birra Morreti Original – 4.6% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
Innis & Gunn Brewery, Scotland:
- Innis and Gunn Original – 6.6% – 9.25 / 10 (Ambrosia of the Gods)
- Innis and Gunn Rum Finish / Rum Cask – 7.4% – 9.5 / 10 (Ambrosia of the Gods)
Ringnes AS Brewery, Oslo, Norway:
- Ringnes Pilsener – 4.5% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
Ringwood (Marston’s), England:
- Best Bitter – 3.5% – 6 / 10 (Low Average)
- Boondoggle – 4.2% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
S.A. Fischer, Athens, Greece:
- Fischer – 5% – 7.25 / 10 (Good to Very Good)
SABMiller, Rome, Italy:
- Peroni Nastro Azzuro – 5.1% – 7 / 10 (Good)
Sapporo, Japan:
- Sapporo Premium Lager – 4.7% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
Stella Artois, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Belgium:
- Stella Artois – 4.8% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
- Stella Artois Black – 4.9% – 7.25 / 10 (Good to Very Good)
St Peter’s Brewery, Suffolk, England:
- St Peter’s Golden Ale – 4.7% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
Titanic Brewery, Stoke-on-Trent, England:
- Fit-Out – 4.5% – 7 / 10 (Good)
Warwickshire Beer Co., Cubbington, England:
- Rugby Ball Stitcher IPA – 5% – 6.75 / 10 (Average to Good)
Wells Young’s Brewing Company, England:
- Banana Bread Beer – 5.2% – 7.5 / 10 (Very Good)
- Waggle Dance – 5% – 7.75 / 10 (Very Good to Excellent)
Wood’s Brewery, England:
- Parish Bitter – 4% – 6 / 10 (Low Average)
- Pot O’ Gold – 4.4% – 6.75 / 10 (Average to Good)
- Shropshire Lass – 4.1% – 6 / 10 (Low Average)
Wychwood (Marstons), England:
- Hobgoblin – 5.2% – 7.5 / 10 (Very Good)
- Snake’s Bite – 4.2% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
- Wychcraft – 4.5% – 7.25 / 10 (Good to Very Good)
Wye Valley, England:
- Dorothy Goodbody’s Wholesome Stout – 4.6% – 7.25 / 10 (Good to Very Good)
Wylam Brewery, Wylam, England:
- Godhead – 4.3% – 7.5 / 10 (Very Good)
Vale Brewing Company, England:
- 5 Gold Rings – 4.8% – 6.75 / 10 (Average to Good)
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Cider
Aston Manor, Aston, England:
- Amber Harvest – 5% – 6.25 / 10 (Low Average to Average)
- Forester’s Pear Cider – 4.5% – 6.75 / 10 (Average to Good)
Magners, Ireland:
- Magners Spiced Apple and Honey Cider – 4% – 8 / 10 (Excellent)
Matthew Clark Cider, Halewood International Ltd, England:
- Blackthorn – 4.7% – 6.5 / 10 (Average)
- Brut Chaumet Sparkling Perry – 5.5% – 7.5 / 10 (Very Good)
Stella Artois, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Belgium:
- Cidre – 4.5% – 7.5 / 10 (Very Good)
- Cidre Pear – 4.5% – 7.5 / 10 (Very Good)
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Vodka
Vikingfjord, Oslo, Norway:
- Vikingfjord – 40% – 8 / 10 (Excellent)
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Whisky
Old Pulteney, Wick, Scotland:
- Single Malt, 12 Year Old – 40% – 7 / 10 (Good)
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Wine
Amanti del Vino, Puglia, Spain:
- Primitivo Salento, 2008 – 13% – 8 / 10 (Excellent)
Baturrica, Spain:
- Gran Reserva, 2006 – 13% – 8.25 / 10 (Excellent to Very Excellent)
Casillero Del Diablo, Concha Y Toro, Chile:
- Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva, 2011 – 13.5% – 8.5 / 10 (Very Excellent)
Cono Sur, Chile:
- Isla Negra, Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserva, 2011 – 12% – 7.5 / 10 (Very Good)
Criadores, Spain:
- Castillo de San Lorenzo Rioja Reserva, 2007 – 12.5% – 8.75 / 10 (Very Excellent to Ambrosia)
Garcia Carrion, Spain:
- El Pinsapo Gran Seleccion, Rioja, 2010 – 13.5% – 7.25 / 10 (Good to Very Good)
Grandes Vinos y Vinetos, Carinena, Spain:
- Marques de Carano Gran Reserva, 2005 – 12.5% – 6 / 10 (Low Average)
- Marques de Carano Gran Reserva, 2009 – 12.5% – 8.5 /10 ( Very Excellent)
LIDL, Italy:
- Chianti D.O.C.G., 2011 – 13% – 7.25 / 10 (Good to Very Good)
Saam Mountain, Paarla, South Africa:
- Carbernet Sauvignon, 2011 – 14% – 8.25 / 10 (Excellent to Very Excellent)
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Today I bring you a delicious little number from the recently established Backyard Brewhouse brewery! http://thebackyardbrewhouse.com/
Founded in 2008, this microbrewery produces a wide range of beers, from the generic Bitters and IPAs, to seasonal brews such as ‘Summer’ and ‘Kris Kringle’.
I wish I could review ‘Lionheart’ for you today, as it’s St. George’s Day (Happy SGD!), however, I have only had the pleasure of reviewing ‘Bad Santa’, and it was a pleasure.
Beer: Bad Santa
Brewery: Backyard Brewhouse, Walsall, England
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Impressions: This was a very smooth, creamy stout. Sweetness immediately hits your tongue with notes of caramel and vanilla. This is followed through by a chalky, medium to low bitterness. There is a lingering sweetness in the full bodied stout, as the low carbonation makes this beer easily sippable.
ABV: 6.8%
Score: 8 / 10 (Excellent)
Verdict: This was a pleasant surprise, having never heard of the brewery. Many of these limited edition Christmas ales have been generic, nothing-special ales, however, this was good. Very good. Some might say excellent. A very well put together stout, with a well balanced sweetness and bitter profile. The high ABV gives it a nice kick and it is overall a really enjoyable experience. Too bad this may never come around again.
PilsnerPilgrim: Don’t forget to check out these Great Deals! – Click Here!
Hey all,
Just a quick update on this brilliant product I’ve found. The Guinness Surger, currently at 15% off!
Guinness Surger – Case of 24 x 520ml cans with FREE GUINNESS SURGER (for pub quality Guinness)
I have yet to officially review the Guinness draft/can, but I did review Guinness Foreign Extra which you can read here:
https://pilsnerpilgrim.wordpress.com/2012/11/10/luck-o-the-irish/
I digress, the Guinness Surger seems like an amazing alternative to the nitrogenated widget cans. I’m sure we’ve all had a case of Guinness pint cans where it’s been hit or miss in terms of body or flavour (as the cans can sometimes be watery and lacking in the nitrogen department).
These surge cans however, are activated by sonic pulses which emanate from the surger base. I’ve had a pint of this in a local and I must say, it was pretty darn good.
Not only does this serve up delicious creamy Guinness, but it will make a great conversation piece (and make all your mates jealous!)
Check out the Surger here, and read the reviewers who give it on average 4.6 / 5!
Guinness Surger – Case of 24 x 520ml cans with FREE GUINNESS SURGER (for pub quality Guinness)
Today I bring you another ale available around Christmas time (try Wetherspoon’s).
http://www.beowulfbrewery.com/
Beer: Finn’s Hall Porter
Brewery: Beowulf, Forest of Mercia, Staffordshire, England
Impressions: This is a very smooth porter ale, with sweet milk chocolate note. Subtle dark chocolate notes hide within the malt bringing a nice smooth bitterness. Low carbonation.
ABV: 4.7%
Score: 7.75 / 10 (Very Good to Excellent)
Verdict: This was a pleasant surprise. Too often you’ll get a porter/stout with pedestrian malt notes that taste of chalk. This was a full bodied sweeter ale, with very pleasant marrying of bitter and sweet. A decent ABV gives the beer a little kick, and the low carbonation leaves it an easy drinking pint. Recommended, try one!
Hey all! The Burton Bridge Brewery happens to be a brewery I pass by on my way to work everyday.. and I just so happened to have sampled a few of their beers in the past! So today I bring you one Stout and one Golden Ale. Both beers are brewed in England, locally, at the BBB.
This brewery (and surrounding area breweries) has quite an interesting history that you can read about here: http://www.burtonbridgebrewery.co.uk/History/Index.shtml
On to the beers!
Beer # 1: Bramble Stout
Impressions: This is a very smooth, proper dark stout. A deep, rich texture complements the semi sweet, complex flavours in this beer. Dark chocolate and milk chocolate blended with a touch of coffee creates a warming, satisfying stout. Low carbonation, poured with a nice rich head.
ABV: 5%
Score: 8.25 / 10 (Excellent to Very Excellent)
Verdict: A very, very nice stout. Sweet and strong. If you enjoy stout, sweeter beers, or even have a sweet tooth for chocolate, this beer will not fail you. The sweet Yin to the well known stout Guinness’s Yang. Definitely worth a buy, and will probably bring you back for another.
Beer #2: Golden Delicious
Impressions: This beer starts with a sharp first impression. The sharp tang mellows to a creamy, light bitter smoothness. A light taste of cereals that are refreshing and somewhat satisfying. Low carbonation with a nice rich head.
ABV: 3.8%
Score: 6.5 / 10 (Average)
Verdict: A nice beer with a creamy, smooth texture. Goes down well and wouldn’t really offend anyone. A low ABV leaves this beer with little punch, and little in the way of standing out from the crowd. Buy a pint over Carling and its ilk.
PilsnerPilgrim 