# 1: James Squire Pilsener
Malt Shovel Brewery - Australia
5.0% ABV - Pilsener
E: Golden Amber, bright white head
N: Sweetcorn, spicy and floral aromas, slight aroma of cardboard.
P: Subtle initial sweetness from the Munich malts followed by a bitterness that develops.
M: Gentle Carbonation, crisp, drying finish
Other comments: Poor head retention, good example of a Pilsener.
Food Pairings: Oysters, BBQ, spicy food where the hop bitterness can cleanse the palate.
SCORE: 2.87/5
Page: 397
Page: 397
# 2: James Squire Golden Ale
Malt Shovel Brewery - Australia
4.5% - Amber Ale
E: Amber, fantastic clarity, foamy head
N: Tropical fruits, grapefruit, cereal grainy aromas.
P: Balanced blend of bitterness and sweetness
M: Smooth finish, subtle carbonation.
Other comments: The palate is quite bland, this is a thirst quenching ale, with no real depth of flavour
Food Pairings: Roasted Pork dishes where the caramelisation and saltiness can be balanced by the cereal grains, pairing against the tropical fruit as well.
SCORE: 2.6/5
Page: 160
Page: 160
# 3: Cascade Stout
Cascade Brewery - Australia (Tasmania)
5.8% ABV - Stout
E: Dark, Rich black colour, with a reddish hue and a thick brown head.
N: Roasted characters of coffee and dark chocolate.
P: Initial bitterness is balanced by a malty sweetness leading to a roasted almost burnt bitterness, but not unpleasant - hint of subtle liquorice
M: Smooth finish, gentle carbonation,
Other comments: A lovely well balanced stout, with the usual suspects of roasted, coffee and chocolate characters
Food Pairings: Oysters, Strong mature cheddars, dark rich chocolate puddings / cake
SCORE: 3.0/5
Page: 652
5% ABV - Blonde (Pilsener)
Page: 652
# 4: Cusquena
Backus & Johnston - Peru
5% ABV - Blonde (Pilsener)
E: Golden, medium white head
N: Big malty aromas with hints of honey
P: Sweetness from malts, subtle hop flavour that is not lasting and balanced out by sweetness
M: Crisp, refreshing, gentle bite
Other comments: Cracking South American style Pilsener, brewed using the purest water from the Andes.
Food Pairings: Roasted meats, Seafood, swordfish.
SCORE: 2.6/5
Page: 357
5.6% ABV - IPA
Page: 357
# 5: Worthington's White Shield
White Shield Brewery - England
5.6% ABV - IPA
E: Deep Amber, Clear, translucent clarity
N: Rich Fruit, Brandy like alcohol, red apple aromas
P: Malty, spicy with a treacle caramel finish, smoked bitterness to end
M: Strong, full-bodied flavour, gentle carbonation with a robust character
Other comments: The archetypal IPA, the reason all cask ale was invented, a god of beers with complexity and beautiful balance.
Food Pairings: Roasted meats, Game Pies, Cheddar Cheese, Spicy food
SCORE: 3.8/5
Page: 297
Backus & Johnston - Peru
Sharp's Brewery - England
Page: 297
# 6: Cusquena Malta
Backus & Johnston - Peru
5.6% ABV - Dark
E: Dark, Reddish hue, off-white head
N: Treacle, Caramel aromas, slight cinder aroma
P: Huge amounts of malty sweetness, cinder toffee and chocolate with a slight coffee bitterness
M: Gentle carbonation, a little cloying towards the end.
Other comments: An interesting brew this. It has a great depth of aroma, however, I find it too sweet. This would however be a good beer to enjoy food with.
Food Pairings: Oysters
SCORE: 2.6/5
Page: 658
Page: 658
# 7: Sharp's Doom Bar
Sharp's Brewery - England
4.3% ABV - Amber
E: Beautiful clarity, crystal clear Amber. Thin off white head.
N: Nutty, malty with a spicy hop aroma
P: Sweet maltiness on the palate with a smooth well rounded balance of fruit, bitterness and sweetness.
M: Lingering bitter, drying finish
Other comments: A fantastic well balanced bitter from a brewery with a huge reputation. A brilliant ale for those first timers.
Food Pairings: Pork Pies, Cheese, Roasted Meats
SCORE: 3.25/5
Page: 258
Page: 258
