West Country Ale

Buzzard - 4.8%

I don't remember exactly where I found this beer.  It was one of three possible locations.  A garden centre, a national trust property or the always delightful Beer Gonzo.

Either way that's not all that important when it comes to tasting it only for going and getting more later.

Cotleigh Brewery is based in Somerset and have been crafting beers for about as long as I've been alive.  It shows that in that time they have gotten good at it.

Tonight I'm enjoying Buzzard which is their Dark Ale that has a rich almost smoky taste.  Not to heavy and nicely refreshing.  Taking a deep breath over it reminds me of some of the Belgian beers like Delirium but without the sharp smell of alcohol.

Buzzard has been a wonderful beer to enjoy after a long day of work and should you come across it I suggest you pick it up and try it for yourself.

I'd like to point out that the over abundance of head on the beer is entirely due to atrocious pouring rather than the fault of the beer itself.

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.

A Poultry Stew

Duck Soup - 4.2%

There is something quite reassuring about reading a label on a bottle of beer and seeing it reference a local pub.

Warwickshire Beer Co. are very local to me but for some reason I'd never actually had any of their brews.

This Duck Soup was a speciality for the local university but thankfully now is available without having to go all Good Will Hunting and sneak into the University bars.

The picture makes it appear darker than it is, a rich bronze colour without the flash, but the smoky malt flavours are something I would previously have linked to a more stout-ish drink.

I'm sorely regretting now passing this up whenever I have seen it.  It's getting added to my list of good beers for when I don't want to experiment.