On my way to Piccadilly Station, I had an hour before my train. I was passing JDW , so I popped in expecting little from this pub which tends to attract those drinking down to a price. Indeed the usual mob were there, but more importantly, on the bar were three beers from 3 Rivers Brewery. Now despite it being not a million miles from me, I know little about this outfit other than what I have read in South Manchester CAMRA's excellent magazine "Opening Times". It has been around since November 2003.
The beers on offer were GMT at 3.8%, Hilary Gold at 4.2% and finally IPA at 4.3%. Now I won't bore you with long descriptions, but the GMT was a bit woody with obvious diacetyl (butterscotch). Quite bitter, but not my sort of beer. The Hilary Gold was a nicely balanced, clean, pale, hoppy and polished beer which I liked a lot and finally was the IPA which isn't really an IPA, but a hoppy best bitter with the addition of American hops and an annoying caramel maltiness which didn't sit well with the rest of the beer. The issue of what constitutes an IPA is for another time!
I keep saying that British Brewers shouldn't be afraid of hops. 3 Rivers certainly aren't. The beers are interesting. Try them if you can.
Interesting... I look forward to your thoughts on what an IPA ought to be - surely a topic worthy of a good rant.
ReplyDeleteThe only 3 Rivers beer I've tried is their Yummy Figgy Pudding Ale (from the bottle, last Christmas). I was fairly impressed with the taste, but the only thing I remember clearly is that it drenched my carpet with brown, yeasty foam when I opened it. The brewery contacted me after reading the OBBD review, saying that it was a problem with one particular batch and that they'd send me some more... which never arrived :-(