Blog & White

“Black Cuillin, named after the world-reknowned mountains of Skye, is a unique dark ale brewed with roast barley and heather honey, which rounds the almost stout-like flavours of the roasted malt.”

Sweet and quite bitter. Tastes a bit like burnt caramel. Contains malted barley.

The Isle of Skye Brewing Company (Leann an Eilien), Uig, Scotland. 4.5% alcohol.

“Spring hop ale. Shepherd Neame uses a blend of Kentish Early Bird hops together with natural well-drawn water to produce this finely bittered seasonal ale.”

Flowery and slightly bitter, but not as much as other beers from the same brand. Contains barley malt.

Shepherd Neame, Faversham, Kent, England. 4.5% alcohol.

“Distinctively hoppy… Blue is the first bottle conditioned ale brewed deliberately to taste great chilled. Try serving shared in two stemmed glasses. For drinking cold (but it's not compulsory :-)”

Very flowery smell, not bitter. Made of barley.

Ridgeway Brewing, South Stoke, Oxfordshire, England. 5.0% alcohol.

“Bad King John is black… bitter… intense… Like the ruthless man it honours, do not come here looking for subtlety!”

Bitter, with an after taste of coffee. Otherwise, just another (dark) ale. Made of barley.

Ridgeway Brewing, South Stoke, Oxfordshire, England. 6.0% alcohol.

Slightly bitter, tastes fainlty of chocolate. Contains malted barley, roasted barley, chocolate malt.

Inbev UK Limited, Luton, England. 4.0% alcohol.

“This rich, dark beer is brewed using a blend of pale, crystal and black malts complemented with the purest honey. English grown Fuggle and Progress hops provide the bitterness. […] complex palate of malt, chocolate, citrus fruits and hops…”

Quite sweet, very slightly bitter. I didn't notice any chocolate or citrus fruits, but rather something fruity-ish, maybe cherry-ish, but definitively just “-ish”. Contains malted barley.

Highgate Brewery, Walsall, England. 6.5% alcohol.

“A strong rich dark ale. Brewed since 1896 to the original Victorian recipe.”

Very sweet. Just another ale, but a sweet and good one. Contains malted barley.

Highgate Brewery, Walsall, England. 5.1% alcohol.

“A rich, dark and mysterious ale brewed to the ancient recipe held secret at Levens Hall for over 300 years.

The recipe for Morocco Ale is believed to date from Elizabethan times. Every May-time until 1877 the uniqye, dark, spiced Morocco Ale, matured for 21 years, was served at a great feast held in Levens Gardens, Cumbria. The guests were requred to stand on one leg and empty in a draught a tall Constable glass filled with ‘Morocco’

whilst pledging to the ancient house – ‘`Luck to Levens whilst t’Kent flows.” ''

Quite sweet, with a slight metallic smell, and a slightly bitter after taste. The taste reminds me of some kinds of ginger breads, of cinnamon. After a while, I noticed that the smell reminds me a bit of Cola. Contains malted barley and wheat.

Daleside Brewery Ltd, Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. 5.5% alcohol.

“…the finest Fuggles and Super Styrian hops, floor malted Optic malt and our unique yeast…

Individually packed and numbered, this bottle is one of only one hundred thousand produced.

…will improve with age for many more years.”

Very sweet and very strong, but I can't describe its taste any further. Made of malted barley.

Bottle N° 48712. Fuller, Smith & Turner, London, England. 8.5% alcohol.

“Barleywine-Style Ale”

Very sweet, very strong too, with a strong malt flavour. Otherwise just another ale. Made of barley, wheat, rye and oats.

Ridgeway Brewing, Oxfordshire, England. 10.5% alcohol.

Very flowery smell, but I can't put a name on the flowers. Very sweet and quite bitter. Made of barley, wheat and oats.

Ridgeway Brewing, Oxfordshire, England. 6.0% alcohol.

Just another ale, slightly bitter. Made of malted barley and wheat.

Jennings Castle Brewery, Cockermouth, Cumbria, England. 4.2% alcohol.

“…beans selected and hand roasted by our friends at Union Coffee Roasters… distinct chocolate and vanilla notes. Each serving is equal to one cup of coffee.”

A distinct smell and taste of coffee, quite sweet, and surpisingly good (even though I don't like coffee at all). The taste is slightly salty, which was quite unexpected. Made with barley and wheat.

Meantime Brewing, London, England. 6.0% alcohol.

“… malty taste, biscuity flavours. Liberty hops give a zesty character and fruity bite, whilst Saaz hops add gentle bitterness…”

Flowery smell, but otherwise just another ale. Contains malted barley and wheat.

Fuller Smith & Turner, London, England. 4.2% alcohol.

Smells of flowers and red fruit (maybe strawberry). The taste has a faint hint of chocolate. Contains malted barley.

Adnams, Southwold, Suffolk, England. 4.5% alcohol.

Just another ale, a bit bitter. Contains Marris Otter malted barley, torrefied wheat, crystal malt, English grown hops.

Wooden Hand Brewery, Truro, Cornwall, England. 4.3% alcohol.

“Cock a Hoop was a long established tradition at our brewery on the banks of the River Cocker, where the master brewer revoved the cock from the barrel and rested it on the hoop of the cask prior to tasting.”

Just another ale, not bitter. Made of malted barley and wheat.

Jennings Castle Brewery, Cockermouth, Cumbria, England. 4.6% alcohol.

“cask ale in a bottle … naturally enhanced with a late addition of aromatic Cascasde Hops. Malts: Pale & Caramalt; Hops: First Gold & Cascade.”

Fruity taste, very slightly bitter. The empty glass smells of flowers, maybe violets, and slightly like pee (well…).

O'Hanlon's Brewing Company Ltd, Devon, England. 4.2% alcohol.

Très alcoolisée, assez sucrée, ressemble davantage à un vin blanc eu peu pétillant qu'à une bière. Contient du malt d'orge.

Anthony Martin, Genval, Belgique. 12 % alcool.

Très alcoolisée, très sucrée et pas grand chose d'autre. Contient du malt d'orge.

Anthony Martin, Genval, Belgique. 10 % alcool.

Encore une bière anglaise typique, très forte et plutôt sucrée, avec un goût de levure (ou de houblon ?) prononcé. Contient du malt d'orge.

Anthony Martin, Genval, Belgique. 8,4 % alcool.

« … brassée suivant le recette originale de Lambic de fermentation spontanée pour arriver lentement à maturation en fûts de chêne. Ensuite, le jus des framboises les plus mûres est ajouté… »

Plutôt acide, un très fort arôme de framboise. Contient du malt d'orge et du blé.

Mort Subite, Asse, Belgique. 4.5 % alcool.

Encore une autre bière brune comme en produit la perfide Albioni, forte et légèrement sucrée. Contient du malt d'orge, du maïs, de l'orge torréfié.

Anthony Martin, Genval, Belgique. 8,6 % alcool.

Encore une bière belge qui ressemble à une bière belge. Contient du malt d'orge et du mais.

Anthony Martin, Genval, Belgique. 5.8 % alcool.

Just another strong ale, with maybe a hint of fruits. Made of malted barley and maize.

InBev Belgium N.V./S.A., Brussels, Belgium. 7.7% alcohol.

« La Rodenbach est l'unique bière rouge-brun de Flandre, reconnue au titre de produit régional traditionnel. La fermentation principale mixte et la maturation en fûts (foudres) de chêne lui confèrent un goût aigre-doux et un coté fruité complexe semblable à celui du vin. La Rodenbach est un mélange de 3/4 de bière jeune et de 1/4 de bière ayant mûri pendant 2 ans en fûts de chêne. »

Ressemble davantage à du vin qu'à de la bière, mis à part le coté fortement pétillant. Plutôt acide, un goût de jus de raisin peut-être. Contient du malt d'orge.

N.V. Palm Breweries S.A., Roeselare, Belgique. 5.2 % alcool.

« … brassée suivant le recette originale de Lambic de fermentation spontanée pour arriver lentement à maturation en fûts de chêne. Ensuite, les cerises les plus mûres sont ajoutées… »

Un parfum très prononcé de cerise, un certaine acidité, et un arrière goût légèrement amer et astringeant. Contient du malt d'orge et du blé.

Mort Subite, Asse, Belgique. 4.5 % alcool.

« Bière d'abbaye de fermentation haute, brassée dans la tradition des bénédictins de l'abbaye de Maredsous. »

Très sucrée, très forte, pas d'amertume, un goût un peu fruité. Contient du malt d'orge.

Duvel Moortgat, Puurs, Belgique. 10 % alcool.

« Bière d'abbaye de fermentation haute, brassée dans la tradition des bénédictins de l'abbaye de Maredsous. »

Sucrée, peu d'amertume. Contient du malt d'orge.

Duvel Moortgat, Puurs, Belgique. 8 % alcool.

« Bière d'abbaye de fermentation haute, brassée dans la tradition des bénédictins de l'abbaye de Maredsous. »

Une bière blonde au goût typique de bière belge, légèrement amère. Contient du malt d'orge.

Duvel Moortgat, Puurs, Belgique. 6 % alcool.

Bière au pain d'épices Fortwenger. One ne sent pas du tout le goût de pain d'épices ; légèrement amère, arrière goût de clou de girofle (en se forçant un peu). Contient du malt d'orge et de blé.

Brasserie de Saint-Pierre, Saint-Pierre, Alsace, France. 5,8 % alcool.

« … brassée suivant le recette originale de Lambic de fermentation spontanée pour arriver lentement à maturation en fûts de chêne. Ensuite, des cerises fraîches sont ajoutées… »

L'odeur me rappelle une entrée de poisson froide (si, si !), et le goût celui d'un vinaigre de framboise dilué (normal, la Lambic est une bière acide). Il faut savoir à l'avance qu'elle est parfumée à la cerise pour en reconnaître le goût. Mais c'est peut-être aussi à cause du léger rhume que mon nez me joue de tours. Contient du malt d'orge et du blé.

Mort Subite, Asse, Belgique. 4.5 % alcool.

“A traditional English ale, but cold-conditioned as a lager.”

Smells of yeast, tastes like a lager, a little bitter. Made of malted barley and wheat.

Daleside Brewery Limited, Yorkshire, England. 4.3% alcohol.

“In English pubs, Bodingtons is served using the traditional hand-pulled method”

Very smooth taste that reminded me of violet or marshmallow, with a distinctive yeast taste. Almost no bitterness. Made of malted barley and wheat.

Inbev UK Limited, Luton, England. 4.7% alcohol.

Very fruity, the taste reminded me strongly of ananas, followed by a taste of white wine (Riesling, maybe). The aftertaste is terribly bitter, though. Made of malted barley.

Morland Brewing, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England. 6.5% alcohol.

“Chocolate malt and dark chocolate are combined with Young's award winning rich, full flavoured dark beer…”

It smells like hot chocolate, and its taste is both sweet and bitter, like a very rich hot chocolate, only cold and fizzy. The chocolate taste dominates completely the one of the stout. I would also guess that the chocolate has been made with Criollos or maybe Trinitarios cocoa beans. It's not sweet enough to go well with chocolate, though. Made of malted barley and oats.

Young & Co's Brewery P.L.C. The Ram Brewery, Wandsworth, London, England. 5.2% alcohol.

“aromatic, dry, fruity flavour.”

The smell is fruity, but I can't put a name on it. It tastes very fruity, maybe of peach, with a very slightly bitter aftertaste. Made of malted barley, bottle conditioned.

Young & Co's Brewery P.L.C. The Ram Brewery, Wandsworth, London, England. 6.4% alcohol.

“For centuries, the soldiers of the Highlands and the Lowlands of Scotland have been familiarly referred to as Jocks – powerful fighting men who have enjoyed strong beers in their off-duty hours.

Old Jock is a classic Scottish Strong Ale. Dark and strongly flavoured it should be drunk at room temperature and savoured like a fine wine.

Highly recommended as accompaniment to cheese and meat dishes.”

Smells slightly like beef stock, but the taste is sweet and the after taste reminds me slightly of chocolate. Made of malted barley.

Broughton Ales limited, Broughton Biggar, Scotland. 6.7% alcohol.

“Brewed using a cool, slowly fermentation process together with the finest quality Maris Otter barley and Fuggles & Goldings hops”

It smells a bit like vegetable stock. The taste is quite sweet, fruity with a hint of melon. Made of malted barley.

Marston's Brewery, Burton upon Trent, England. 6.2% alcohol.

“dark in colour, full of body with a smooth velvet finish”

Smells like beef stock an metal, tastes bitter like a Guinness, and reminds me very vaguely of coffee. Made of malted barley and wheat.

Daleside Brewery Ltd., Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. 4.4% alcohol.