Wednesday 9 January 2013

Old Friends - Strong Recommendations


I'm a simple soul me. I don't go out to find obscure beers, but beers that I can sup with pleasure and depend on. That is, incidentally, how most people drink and why, despite the bumping of gums by beer geeks about it, good old fashioned brown bitters, golden ales and mainstream lagers are so popular. Difficult to drink beers are and always will be, a minority obsession.

But I digress. I was pleased therefore to walk into the Regal Moon last night and be offered a choice of two old favourites, so I compromised and had both - not together - but one after the other of course. Ossett Silver King is a very clear, pale beer, with a crisp citric bitterness that makes it very easy to drink. A fairly regular option in the Regal Moon, it was my first non Lees beer of 2013, so a milestone of a sort. Next up was Hawkshead Lakeland Gold. Another pale one, but not as pale as Silver King, but with the emphasis more firmly on bitterness. Very pleasing with my ham, eggs and chips - told you I'm a simple soul.

And so to the Baum and the main event of the evening, my CAMRA Branch meeting. The Baum, as befitting its status as Greater Manchester Pub of the Year had a great selection on. My eye was drawn as if by a magnet to a name that always inspires confidence - Mallinsons. This time Aramis, using the French hop of that name. Pale, bitter, zesty with a full tasting bitter finish, it was a lovely beer. Of course,the thirty odd CAMRA members soon saw this off. Good for business we are.  The replacement was another Mallinsons beer, this time Tethys, using Sumer hops. Not a hop I've heard of and not as strikingly good as the Aramis, but pretty decent, though if given a choice, I'd have supped them in reverse order.  I finished on another very bitter beer in top condition. Marble Beers need no introduction and Marble Best did not disappoint, with a great malt backbone, backed up by layers of bitter, resiny hops. A splendid beer.

So my point is the familiar need not be boring. Beers from Ossett, Hawkshead, Mallinsons and Marble are beers not only to drink with confidence, but with clear enjoyment.

We had 34 members at our meeting last night. Good for business indeed.

10 comments:

Cooking Lager said...

Crikey, thats 5 pints. Or 10 units if standard 4% beers. In one night, a school night too. Jeez are you aware of the 3 unit a day, 21 unit a week recommendation?

Tandleman said...

Two things. I don't go to school and of course I drank thirds only, carefully tipping out any excess to get down to the recommended unit intake.

I will naturally eschew alcohol for the approved three days this week.

Two of these statements are true.

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Leigh said...

Ham Egg and Chips - and a few pints. Tandy, you'll do for me.

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Coxy said...

They maybe familar but these breweries haven't been around that long. I rarely have a great pint of familar beers from the brewers who have been established for donkeys years, I don't know why either .

Erlangernick said...

Wouldn't mind having the Sportsman in Huddersfield as my local, with always at least one Mallinsons on. Also wouldn't mind having the King's Head at the station as a backup local -- but only to point and laugh at the people shelling out for nasty, metallic autovac'd pong.

THT Fan said...

A JW Lees publican does a runner but not only is he slagged off so is the brewery.......

https://www.facebook.com/royton

BlueGiantBeer said...

I assume a pernickety argument on your first paragraph from a gum bumping beer geek (say that after 3 pints of imperial stout) would go down like a fart in a lift?

Nice post otherwise though. Isn't it what we all want? Reliable breweries producing reliable beers with a reliable supply?

steve thack said...

As a gum bumping beer geek every beer above is one id be pleased maybe even excited to find in my local. (ok actually not excited by the osset but id do night on it if needed)