My local Craft Beer bottle shop got a few cartons in of the Monteith’s range of beers recently , so as i do, i grabbed what they had on offer to take home and eventually take them on a test run. Now I’m not a beer guru, but I’m starting to get the hang of the beer styles and what makes them what they are (just clocked over 500 unique craft beers drunk). My preference is IPA’s, a high hop beer, and this beer to me is a little on the down hop! – Pale Ale?
Rogue Ales – Beard Beer
Pours a slightly hazy gold colour with a large foamy white head that holds, with good carbonation.
The beer has quite a fruity malty aroma, sweet with light spice and yeast notes. Has a real sweet malt flavour with fruity notes. The aftertaste is also sweet and spicy.
A unique beer in the way that the yeast has been sourced which may put some people off. The beard of Rouge Ales brewmaster, John Maier, was the source of the strain of wild yeast used in this beer. Looking past this, the beer itself is a flavoursome Belgian Ale with no hint of any human traces!
ABV – 5.6%
Style – Belgian Ale
Sourced – The Vine Liquor Mart Cleveland
Brewery – Rogue Ales
Clown Shoes – Space Cake Double IPA
Space Cake pours a clear darkish amber colour, the head is off white with a 10mm head that slowly dissipates to leave a thin foamy head with heavy lacing around the glass.
Has a barley wine style aroma with a heavy nose of fruity sweetness – lemon, mango, pine – from the hops and caramel.
Big hop bitterness to this brew, not overly sweet, with malty caramel flavoured backbone again with that barley wine style coming through in the flavour.
With all of the Clown Shoes brews their art work on their labels are always standouts and on this bottle it’s no different. What’s written on the bottle describes it well – “Why are Miracle Mike and his dog, Bionic, being chased by many evil laser beam shooting cupcakes and two giant layer cake mother ships? Because we’re straight lunatic fools? Well, maybe, but with a few brains cells remaining we managed to craft Space Cake double IPA, utilizing citrusy Mosaic hops and an immaculate West Coast style malt backbone. Dude… Chill out. Enjoy some Space Cake.”
Space Cake
A warming full bodied brew that you can definitely feel the 9.0% ABV when getting to the end of this 650ml Double IPA bottle. No more reviews tonight as some people have to work tomorrow! Me included! Another cracker brew from Clown Shoes.
ABV – 9.0%
Style – Double IPA
Sourced from – The Vine Liquor Mart Cleveland
Brewery – Clown Shoes Beer
Nationality – Ipswich, Massachusetts, USA
Bridge Road Brewers – The Harvest Fresh Hop Ale 2014
In the glass (using a Spiegelau IPA glass from Bridge Road) this beer is a clear golden colour with a light white head. Has a beautiful sweet strong hoppy aroma, a nice choice of 2 new hops gives this blend a fruity nose. This ale has a real bitter finish and not overly flavorsome although some fruitiness is evident. Still a smooth drinking beer that I’d have again, maybe from on tap!
ABV – 4.4%
Style – American Pale Ale
Sourced from – The Vine Liquor Mart Cleveland
Brewery – Bridge Road Brewers
White Rabbit Pale Ale
Pours a darkish golden colour with a white head and a well carbonated beer. This beer is Belgian all over both in the aromas and flavour with the yeast standing out. The malts and hops are a balanced combination and a different style to go with their Dark & White Ales (and I’d buy their Dark & White Ale’s again over this one) by the little brother brewery of Little Creatures.
Only released on this week!
ABV – 4.9%
Style – Belgian style Pale Ale
Sourced – The Vine Liquor Mart Cleveland
Brewery – White Rabbit
Update 12/9/2014 – I tried this recently on tap from the Little Creatures Dining Hall and it certainly improved my opinion of this beer.
Auld Bulgin’ Boysterous Bicep
Pours a very dark brown/black with a small creamy tan head that dissipates to a fine ring around the edge of the glass. Has a unique combination of aromas – Smokey chocolate, peppery, salty sea (it’s brewed with Mussels and Oysters). It has a strong smooth smokey roasted chocolaty flavour with a smooth sweetness with hints of seafood just coming through. You can feel the ABV sneak up towards the end of the beer!
I wouldn’t normally eat oysters and mussel’s but used in this brew it works well. A nice drop but only in moderation of course. Unique artwork on the bottles label for a unique beer – looks like a character from the cursed crew of the Black Pearl in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
ABV 10%
Style – Imperial Stout (Smoked Belgio Imperial Mussel and Oyster Stout)
Sourced from – The Vine Liquor Mart Cleveland
Brewery – Murray’s Brewing Co
Cooper’s Celebration Ale
Twist Top! Pours a cloudy copper colour with a short lasting head, although well carbonated as you’d expect from this established brewery. The malt aromas come through more than the fruity hops scent. Has a mild malty sweetness, and a slight fruity hop bitterness.
Not a bad beer, but I prefer a beer with more flavour and heavier hopped.
ABV 5.2%
Sourced from – The Vine Liquor Mart Cleveland
Brewery – Coopers Brewery
