Tuesday 7 December 2010

Rare Beast



It is on these shores anyway. I've never seen it, but here we have a bottle of Lees Harvest Ale, Sherry Version. It was brewed in 2008, though the one in the picture was brewed in 2004. ( I can't bothered photographing it so this was nicked from the webosphere). I was given it by a mate, though it came from the brewery, not from abroad.

Not sure when I'll drink it, or who with, but I've been promised one of the Calvados versions too.

Anyone ever seen these on UK shores other than as a personal import?


7 comments:

Ed said...

Not me. It's one of those annoying beers brewed only for export.

Mark Dredge said...

I've seen them in America but not here, which is a shame. I get the draw of the export market but why not at least make some available in the UK?!

Erlangernick said...

Too strong for you lot.

I encountered it in a greasy, dingy old wood cask in Portland a decade or so ago. It was leaking sugar.

John Clarke said...

Sherry Cask Harvest Ale is also on sale at the Manchester Winter Ale House in the Albert Square Christmas Market.

Tandleman said...

John. Ssh. That's where mine came from. A mate runs it.

phil55494 said...

It was the 2002 and 2007 version I picked up from the Tuckers Maltings Beer Shop when I was down in that part of the world earlier this year, they had a few others but those were the ones I bought.
The time I saw it before that it was a very rare beast of Harvest Ale bottled from a cask supplied to a place in Kent.

Steve Hannigan said...

I've got a few of the various types swopped with a friend in New York. I believe the problem was always with HM Customs & Revenue. I'm no expert but any increase in strength picked up from the spirit residues in the casks attracts a stiff rise in duty payable. I know this delayed Fullers with the release of their Reserve brews and am interested to know how they resolved this problem.