Wednesday 3 September 2014

Tasting - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Putin Chilli Zombie Ale
From left to right - Putin Ale, Chilli Ale and Zombie Ale


I actually tried these three beers a month or so ago but am only now getting around to writing up a review. But don't worry I'm not that far gone that I don't remember what their taste and characteristics.

Hello My Name Is Vlad is a typical Brewdog IPA (if there is such a thing as a typical Brewdog beer) in that it's big, bold and full of flavour. One of their political/current events bottlings this one protests the Putin Regimes anti-gay laws with a label depicting a lipstick wearing Vladimer Putin. In terms of political protest it's more along the lines of  satire such as 'Spitting Image' rather than anything too preachy or overbearing. It's essentially taking the piss out of something that fully deserves to have the piss taken out of it. Their other political/current event releases have included - Never Mind The Anabolics (London 2012 Olympics) - Royal Virility Performance (Marriage of Prince William and Kate Midleton) - Vote Sepp (Scotlands bid to host the UEFA Cup) and technically Nanny State counts as well as it was brewed in response to some pratt from the Scottish Parliament criticising the alcohol percentages in some on Brewdogs beer.
Tastewise I remember this one the best, a full flavoured double IPA with plenty of hop flavour and a nice blood orange/grapefruit afterbite, easy to drink despite being 8.2% I liked it so much that bought it again when the off-licence (the excellent Baggott Street Wines) got it back in stock. Also Brewdog donated 50% of the profits from this beer to charities and groups that specialise in helping oppressed minorities.

Brewdog/Fyne Beers Smoked Chilli Dark Ale is next up, made as collaboration between two Scottish breweries this is a smoked ale with Jalapeno chillies added during the brewing process and I didn't like it. I really didn't, I didn't even finish the bottle and that isn't like me at all.
Now I like hot food and chillies, in fact I make myself a very fine chilli vodka but this ale is something different. It's not spicy or hot in any way, the capiscum heat must be lost in the brewing process. On the first taste there's quite a pleasantly strong ale flavour followed by a lingering aftertaste that hangs on for far longer than it should. The closest thing to this aftertaste that I can think of are these roasted red peppers that come preserved in jars of olive oil. A pepperish but rather oily and clinging flavour, very acceptable in a salad with a bit of feta cheese but really off putting in a beer.
This was a once off limited edition beer so they may never make it again and it wouldn't be any loss if they didn't.

Nice in salad not in beer
Nice in a salad but not in a beer


Last and sadly very much least is the Zombie IPA. What an amazing eye catching original label and what an average so-so beer. There was nothing wrong with it but also nothing particularly great about it either, it was a perfectly fine, drinkable session beer and I wouldn't have been in any way disappointed with it if the label hadn't promised to blow my mind with undead hoppiness.  Still a good drinking beer though. Maybe thats what they should put that on the label - "A damn fine drinking beer". I'd drink that.

But then I'll drink nearly anything ...

Tuesday 2 September 2014

Whats new - Three boozy goats

Jack Cody's Smiggy Amber Ale


The Old Punchbowl is now stocking Jack Cody's Smiggy Amber Ale and to announce its arrival I took this photo to post on the pub Facebook page and Twitter feed.

I have to say that I'm very happy with how it turned out. It's an engaging and eye catching image. I like the idea of the toy goats next to the beer bottles with their own goat logo and I'll probably do something similar again soon.

The beer itself, the Smiggy Amber Ale, is excellent - hoppy, smooth and very drinkable - it's already a favourite of mine.

* The brown goat is facing the wrong way to be talking to the kid #composition

* The bottles standing up are full and capped. The bottles lying down are empty #drinking

* In retrospect I should have had more light when I took this. The bottom right hand quarter where the kid is is particularly dark #hindsight

The Burglar Who Counted The Spoons - Lawrence Block
Rating: 10 spoons out of 13






 Bernie Rhodenbarr is back after a ten year absence and up to his usual tricks once again. In a fast moving, comedy crime caper Bernie has to deal with a mystery involving an obsessive button collector, a dead body, a agoraphobe who never leaves his apartment, a rare and valuable set of silver spoons and some very attractive young women with rather questionable morals.
The novel has plenty of sidebar passages where the characters discuss life, love, books, etcera but this doesn't distract from the plot but rather adds to the books charm and readability. The plot itself - no spoilers - it zips along at a good pace and it isn't anything too deep. The denouement is another satisfying Bernie Rhodenbarr/Nero Wolfe set piece.

"I suppose your wondering why I gathered you all here..."

Overall the 'Spoons' is a worthy addition to the Bernie Rhodenbarr series. I just hope it isn't ten years until the next one.