1001 BEERS: #20. FRAOCH HEATHER ALE

 

# 20: FRAOCH HEATHER ALE

William Brothers Brewing Co. - Scotland

5.0% ABV - Speciality

E: Crystall clear amber, with a clean white head

N: Herbal, floral and spicy aromas with big notes of honey.

P: Heather gale and sweet malts flavours, a touch of mint-like freshness.

M: Clean finish with a subtle dryness.

Other comments: A beer that has been produced since 2000 BC and an example of how beers were made before hops were used.  A generous amount of malts and heather make this a great speciality beer.

Food Pairings: Fish would be my initial choice.  Salmon would be a good pairing, the herbal, floral aromas and flavours would compliment the salmon.   

SCORE: 3.30/5

Page: 882

1001 BEERS # 19. XINGU BLACK LAGER

 

# 19: XINGU BLACK LAGER

Cervejarias Kaiser SA - Brazil

4.6% ABV - Dark

E: Tannish to black, with an off white head that has minimal retention.

N: Sweet malts, subtle hint of coffee and liquorice with a touch of grassy hops

P: Initial sweetness, with caramel, toffee flavours a delicate taste of burnt chocolate malts and a of lingering citrus.

M: Harsh carbonation, quite thin for a dark beer.

Other comments: A Brazilian take on a German Schwarzbier.  Xingu is a good example of Brazilian Dark Beers with their heritage coming from the early production when the Portuguese colonised.

Food Pairings: Roasted Meats, BBQ where the caramelised fats compliment the sweet malts.  Try with Oysters too.  

SCORE: 2.5/5

Page: 841

1001 BEERS: #18. SAMUEL ADAMS BOSTON LAGER

 

# 18: SAMUEL ADAMS BOSTON LAGER

Boston Beer. - USA

4.9% ABV - Amber

E: Amber, great clarity with a tight foamy head.

N: Grassy, spicy hop aromas, slight malt sweetness

P: Fantastic balance of initial hop bitterness with a sweet malt finish, toffee flavours

M: Gentle carbonation with a smooth mouth feel.

Other comments: A classic American Beer, which led the way in dry-hopping on the continent.  Brewed with German hops, this beer is a fine example of a great Amber Lager.

Food Pairings: Anything Mexican, Enchilladas or Quesedillas where the lager can cut through the heat.  Or try with BBQ Brisket, where the sweet malts compliment the caramelised fats in the meat and cut through the tang of the BBQ sauce..   

SCORE: 3.25/5

Page: 246

1001 BEERS: #17. CUTTHROAT PORTER

 

# 17: CUTTHROAT PORTER

Odell Brewing Co. - USA

4.8% ABV - Dark

E: Dark, black with a reddish hue, tight creamy foamy head.

N: Light on the nose, smoky, burnt toffee aromas, hint of coffee

P: Smooth with a very subtle sweet maltiness.  Quite insipid for a porter.

M: Smoky, mid bitterness, quite bland

Other comments: A beautiful looking porter which doesn't deliver on aroma or taste.  It is very insipid with a bland aftertaste.  For those venturing into Porter's for the first time, it's worth a try, but for the established drinker, there are better Porter's.

Food Pairings: This Porter will go well with Scallops, as the sweet malts will compliment and the light taste and feel will not over power.   

SCORE: 2.63/5

Page: 658

1001 BEERS: #16. VICTORY GOLDEN MONKEY

 

# 16: VICTORY GOLDEN MONKEY

Victory Brewing - USA

9.5% ABV - Blond

E: Pale straw, cloudy with visible yeast strains

N: Earthy (mushroom aroma), spicy with a notable yeasty character

P: Spicy, fruity with a slight astringency, residual sweetness

M: Warming alcohol, creamy, well balanced

Other comments: Based on a Belgian Triplel recipe, using crushed coriander and European hops.  It is a well balanced beer with a generous amount of spice and a lovely warmth from the 9.5% ABV.

Food Pairings: Stick with the Belgian theme, Moules Frites.  Or for a little left field try, Thai chicken.  

SCORE: 3.06/5

Page: 536

1001 BEERS: #15. SIERRA NEVADA KELLERWEISS HEFEWEIZEN

 

# 15: SIERRA NEVADA KELLERWEISS HEFEWEIZEN

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - USA

4.8% ABV - White

E: Cloudy,golden straw colour with visible yeast strains

N: Banana, clove, bubble gum esters with a spicy aroma

P: Light, crisp, subtle citrus flavours with a fresh clean taste

M: Spritzy carbonation, very well balanced.

Other comments: It took them a while, but reverting to the Bavarain way of open vessel fermentation has resulted in a cracking well balanced delicate Hefeweizen.

Food Pairings: Goats cheese, fish (shrimp, prawns) lemon sole, cod.

SCORE: 3.25/5

Page: 601

1001 BEERS: #14. BRUGSE ZOT

 

# 14: Brugse Zot

Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan - Belgium

6.0% ABV - Blond

E: Hazy, golden yellow, with a rich foamy head

N: Peppery, spicy hop aromas, with a hint of sweet banana esters.

P: Zesty, citrus, yeasty body, with a mild bitter finish and again those banana esters sit at the back of the palatte

M: Warming with a beautiful delicate finish

Other comments: A fantastic beer from the only brewery in Bruges.  Brugse Zot is both drinkable and moorish with a fantastic balance.

Food Pairings: Fantastic with creamy risottos, especially where there is a zesty citrus element and a peppery tone.

SCORE: 3.44/5

Page: 336

1001 BEERS: #13. BISHOPS FINGER

 

# 13: Bishops Finger

Shepherd Neame - England

5.4% ABV - Strong Ale

E: Rich amber, tight foamy head

N: Hints of pear drop and dried fruit with a peppery note from the hops.

P: Initial buttery malt sweetness followed by that pear candy flavours and a moderate bitterness.

M: Warming, smooth and silky, with a slight drying finish

Other comments: A beer that gets all to often overlooked, well rounded and enjoyable.

Food Pairings: Great with roasted meats, creamy potatoes and some stews

SCORE: 2.88/5

Page: 62

1001 BEERS: #12. Batemans Victory Ale

 

# 11: Batemans Victory Ale

Batemans Brewery - England

6.0% ABV - Strong Pale Ale

E: Rich amber, fantastic clarity, foamy off-white head

N: Spicy, Peppery aromas, clean and fresh with hints of fruit.

P: Sweet malts, hints of caramel and burnt toffee, hoppy bitterness

M: Warming, full bodied rich fruitniess

Other comments: An ale brewed in celebration of Nelson's victory.  This beer is well rounded with a good use of hops and malts to provide a good strong ale.

Food Pairings: Stews, Pies, great to use within a steak and ale pie.

SCORE: 3.25/5

Page: 53

1001 BEERS - #11. Hobgoblin

 

# 11: Hobgoblin

Wychwood Brewery - England

5.2% ABV - Ruby Ale (Amber)

E: Deep Amber, Ruby Red colour, tight foamy head

N: Sweet malty aroma, bready / yeasty nose, hint of citrus

P: Toffee flavours, with a gentle spicy feel, moderate bitterness, underlying fruity tones

M: Spritzy carbonation, well rounded and balanced

Other comments: Full-bodied in both aroma and taste, well rounded and balanced a good english ale.

Food Pairings: Roasted meats, BBQ food

SCORE: 3.25/5

Page: 150

1001 BEERS - #10. 5 Barrel Pale Ale

                                                      

# 10: 5 Barrel Pale Ale

Odell Brewing Company - USA

5.2% ABV - Pale Ale (Amber)

E: Bright amber, a little haze with a dense white head

N: Spicy and citrus aromas from the hops with a slight nutty undertone.

P: On the palate bold notes of yeast and bread, with an initial hop bitterness and a sweet malty finish.

M: Creamy with a zing of carbonation, it has a biscuity malt finish with a slight drying.

Other comments: Bold aromas and big flavours with this pale ale.  A good example, although not to everyone's taste.

Food Pairings: Steak with a peppercorn sauce - sweet malts complimenting caramelisation of steak fats, whilst the spicy hops balance the fats and compliment the spicy hops.

SCORE: 3.25/5

Page: 22

1001 BEERS - #9. Duvel

                                               

# 9: Duvel

Duvel Moortgat - Belgium

8.5% ABV - Golden Ale

E: Golden, Hazy straw like colour, foamy white head

N: Sweet fruit aromas, very yeasty with a bold alcohol and hop nose.

P: Crisp and light leading to a full blown whack of 8.5% alcohol.  Sweet malts to begin leading to a hoppy finish.

M: Beautifully balanced, spritzy carbonation leaves a pleasant dry mouthfeel

Other comments: An old timer in the family of Belgian Golden Ales.  It's popularity is not by accident, as this beer shows it qualities despite being evermore mainstream.

Food Pairings: Tangy sharp cheeses are a good bet, also creamy food with a little spice will balance out the alcohol and contrast with the sweet malts.

SCORE: 3.62/5

Page: 365

1001 BEERS - #8. Punk IPA

                                    

# 8: Punk IPA

BrewDog Brewery - Scotland

5.6% ABV - IPA

E: Light, Pale Gold colour. Thick foamy white head.

N: Fresh aroma of pine and herbs

P: Gentle sweetness which develops into a bold hoppy finish, much expected from an IPA.

M: Gentle Carbonation, crisp with a smooth finish.

Other comments: Aroma slightly one dimensional, but the balance of sweet malts and bold hops are very pleasant.

Food Pairings: Great with spicy food where the hop bitterness will cut through the spice.

SCORE: 3.0/5

Page: 470

1001 BEERS - #7. Sharp's Doom Bar

                                                     

# 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

1001 BEERS - #6. Cusquena Malta

                                     

# 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

1001 BEERS - #5. Worthington's White Shield

                                                       

# 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

1001 BEERS - #4. Cusquena

                                     

# 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

1001 BEERS - #3. Cascade Stout

                                                       

# 3: Cascade Stout

Cascade Brewery - Australia (Tasmania) (Est. 1824)

5.8% ABV - Stout
IBU's


Ingredients:

Malts: Pale malt, Roasted Barley
Hops: Pride of Ringwood

Tasting Notes

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: Another famous Australian brewery born out of a love of beer and embodies the passions of the Tasmanian brewmasters.  The Cascade brewery still malts its barley at the brewery.  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.  Use the stout in a Beef stew with some mushrooms.

SCORE: 3.0/5

Page: 652

1001 BEERS - #2. James Squire Golden Ale

                                    

# 2: James Squire Golden Ale

Malt Shovel Brewery - Australia

4.5% - Amber Ale
IBU's - 

Ingredients:

Malts: Golden Promise, Wheat Malt, Crystal Malt
Hops: Amarillo, Pride of Ringwood

Tasting Notes

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: James Squire Golden Ale is based on an English Summer ale, and is the most popular of the range coming out of Chuck Hahn's, (masterbrewer) brewery.  The ale yeast used is that of the Amber Ale but fermented at a slightly reduced temperature.  The palate is quite bland, this is a thirst quenching ale, with no real depth of flavour, but a nice tropical fruit finish.

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

1001 BEERS - #1. James Squire Pilsener

# 1: James Squire Pilsener

Malt Shovel Brewery - Australia (Est. 1806)

5.0% ABV - Pilsener
IBU's - 

Ingredients:

Malts: Pale, Munich
Hops: Saaz

Tasting Notes

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: James Squire was a rogue, a thief, a promiscuous lover and a fantastic business men who, was the fist Australian to cultivate hops.  Born in 1754 he lived a fascinating life, he was arrested numerous times, had four wives for whom he left something for each of them in his will.  James Squire Pilsner embodies the earliest attempts at lager coming out of Australia and is a 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