Burgers and Beer

Picture yourself in a city.  Lets, for argument sake, say it's Birmingham.  You are feeling hungry and thirsty and being a discerning type you don't want just any old lager with your meal, you'd much rather have something better to drink and don't want to scrimp on the food either.

Enter the beer drinker and burger lovers delight, The Handmade Burger Company.

The food there is fantastic.  Quality ingredients, very generous portions coupled some real ales.  There is no pretension, it's all simple things made into delicious things.

Full disclosure time.  I was invited to dine here for free.  This is something I jumped at because I love burgers and it was mentioned to me that they also served some local ales.  It turns out in Birmingham this mean a couple from Purity which was a great way to start the meal, and continue the meal, and to wrap it all up.

What I need to do now is visit some of the other around the country to see what ales make it into the restaurants there.

Fancy bottle tops

Tosca 5.2%

I remember I first saw these swing-top style bottles on Grolsch and would always want to open one even if I wasn't such a fan of the contents.  There is just something about pushing open the lid that is an exceedingly satisfying action. Plus it doesn't matter if you cant find the bottle opener.

Tosca here was found in an unassuming supermarket in Tuscany while I was stocking up on food.  I did some minimal hunting but all I could find was the distributor in Italy rather than the actual brewery.

This is a gem of a beer.  Rich malts over a crisp, almost honey like, tone.  This is perfect for a sunny afternoon or even a drizzly evening (I think Italy is sad to see me go)

There is one more beer I've had here.  I might write it up but I'm not sure.  One way or the other the southern hemisphere challenge approaches.

Beer from an area almost indistinguishable from ivory

For the past week I've been in Tuscany right in the Chianti region.  Of course being smack in the middle of a famous wine making region I couldn't resist hunting out a few beers to see how much competition the vineyards have.

Turbone - 5.0%

Enter Turbone.

Yes that's a wolf in a hat fishing.  I'm assuming it's an amusing pun based on a wolf themed brewery, if my Latin from 18 years ago is correct.

I have a bit of a soft spot for wheat beers.  I find them refreshing like a larger but with more flavour and not as over the top as the IPA's I've run into more recently.

It's got hints of citrus fruits and a pleasant mild bitterness that doesn't overpower everything at the end of a mouthful.

I've got another couple of Italian beers chilling in the fridge so hopefully I can get onto them next. 

A thugs game played by Gentlemen

I've long been a admirer of the game of Rugby.  Perhaps it's because it's derived from a game I dislike and created in a moment of cheating.

Not much more can be said of the town aside from that and not even this drink as Church End Brewery is in Nuneaton.

Rugby Ale - 5.0%

A strong dark and bottle conditioned ale, Rugby Ale is remarkably smooth and rich.  The cream coloured head remains in place for a frankly astonishingly long time.

On this occasion I poured it gently to keep the sediment behind and it's another success for storing beer in the cupboard under my stairs.  The flavour isn't lost with the slight chill nor being a warm drink that would be just vile.

You should certainly give this one a try if you come across it.

It's just occurred to me that I've been firmly in the Northern Hemisphere with this blog.

I'm calling everyone out now.  Name a good beer from a country south of the equator and I'll find and drink it.

Otherwise I'll drink a can of Fosters and not be held responsible.

Summer fruits in my ale

Rumour has it that there is a little sun around.  Sounds to me like the perfect excuse to talk about a Strawberry Ale.

Strawberry Ale - 5.1%

So what happens here is they take some organic ale and add strawberry juice and more organic ale.

Ignoring my classic bugbear of organic as a marketing label* let have a sniff of this.

Well there is no hiding it, definitely strawberries.  It actually comes across as faintly like the Nesquik powder for milkshake.  The colour didn't quite come through in the photo but it's definitely on the pinker end of the spectrum than a normal amber ale.

This is a gassy, gassy beer that's left me burping repeatedly all evening since.  It is sweet but also acidic coupled with the veritable sea of bubbles.  With the sweet of the fruit over the bitter of the ale it's quite a strange experience.

I do like it but the complexity forced me to slow down to be able to enjoy it.  Nice to drink cool in the sun, should it decide to put in an appearance.

*Seriously people.  Try drinking a beer or eating a vegetable that didn't relate to a living entity.  If you can find one, let me know.

Back from the dead

Celtica - 4.5%

Welcome back everyone.  Been quite a while hasn't it?  Well lets see how it goes from now.

It's finally warmed up enough for me to think that spring has actually arrived.  This means I have to go outside and do work in the garden.  So after an afternoon constructing a hose system and killing weeds growing through my patio I needed a cool beer.

I have a few in the fridge but I wanted to test out my new zero energy chiller, or as I call it the cupboard under the stairs.

Enter Celtica a blonde ale from Great Orme Brewery.

Considering it's not listed in the ingredients I'm amazed at the honey taste and scent coming off this beer.

It's smooth, easy to drink and no nasty change to the flavour after each mouthful.

Now can I get myself over to Wales for a few more beers?

One more unto the breach

Porter - 5.5%

My word it's been a while hasn't it?  Where does the time go?  How have you been?  You look good.  Have you lost weight?

Anyway back to the beer.

I've been a fan of The Kernel for quite a while now.  They know how to make beers that are delicious and unpretentious.

Tonight's?  No exception.

This is their Porter.  Nothing else just Porter.  Bottle conditioned so remember to pour it slowly and steadily.  I noticed it was in a slightly larger bottle than all the ones I have seen before from them.

There is a hint of citrus to this one that I find unusual in such a heavy and thick beer.  It's viscous and your arm will get some exercise lifting it.

It does have a surprisingly bitter after taste but do not let it put you off.  The flavour is complicated but pleasant.  As ever The Kernel has not disappointed.