The local chapter of SPBW is having it's annual festival this weekend. Small by your standards 32 firkins/25 brewers, but gigantic by my standards!
I'll be going with some knowledgeable drinkers but would like some tips from the pros. Do I drink halves of as many as I can get? The event is capped at 400 people. Go for as many full pints as I can and forget everything? Remember this is mostly American high octane tiddly.
Anything special I should wear? Should I bring a little leather cup holder that the wine buffoons bring?
Of course I'll try to get some photos.
SPBW Chesapeake - Real Ale Festival (Tips and pointers need
SPBW Chesapeake - Real Ale Festival (Tips and pointers need
Johnny Clueless was there
With his simulated wood grain
With his simulated wood grain
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spearmint-wino
- CBA prizewinner 2007
- Posts: 1039
- Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:08 am
- Location: Nunhead, Sarf Lahndun
Any beer festy is a good one in my book - have a good time & fill yer boots!
I'm going to the Wenlock Arms one tonight (one of the best real ale pubs in London)
My method of attack is normally have halves of things in order to try a good selection of what's on offer, and then when I can sense my limits are drawing near I'll go back for a pint or two of the beer(s) that have most impressed me so far throughout the night. Then I stagger home awash with lovely ale and proceed to fill the bedroom atmosphere with a nice 'hoppy finish'
edit: Oh, and with regard to wearing novelty hats or proving what a seasoned ale drinker I am by wearing previous festival/brewery logo t-shirts/tankard belts, well, its up to you. I tend to leave that to everyone else
I'm going to the Wenlock Arms one tonight (one of the best real ale pubs in London)
My method of attack is normally have halves of things in order to try a good selection of what's on offer, and then when I can sense my limits are drawing near I'll go back for a pint or two of the beer(s) that have most impressed me so far throughout the night. Then I stagger home awash with lovely ale and proceed to fill the bedroom atmosphere with a nice 'hoppy finish'
edit: Oh, and with regard to wearing novelty hats or proving what a seasoned ale drinker I am by wearing previous festival/brewery logo t-shirts/tankard belts, well, its up to you. I tend to leave that to everyone else
drinking: ~ | conditioning: ~ | primary: ~ | Looks like I need to get brewing then...
Visit London Amateur Brewers online
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bitter_dave
- Even further under the Table
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spearmint-wino
- CBA prizewinner 2007
- Posts: 1039
- Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:08 am
- Location: Nunhead, Sarf Lahndun
So how was it flytact?
I had a good'un at the wenlock arms - there were some one-off beers from some quality yorkshire microbreweries there so my 'couple of pints' ended up being a whole evening spent there
I had a good'un at the wenlock arms - there were some one-off beers from some quality yorkshire microbreweries there so my 'couple of pints' ended up being a whole evening spent there
drinking: ~ | conditioning: ~ | primary: ~ | Looks like I need to get brewing then...
Visit London Amateur Brewers online
Sorry for the long delay, for once again I was over served!
Below is a list of beers sampled, I went with the 2-3 sip glass until I wanted a full measure. You may recognize one or two:
Olivers Three Lions
Olivers Ironman Pale Ale
Olivers Dark Mild
Olivers Hot Monkey Love
Gales Old Prize Ale 2005
Morehouses Black Cat Bitter
Yards ESB
Yards Philly
Brooklyn Brewmasters Reserve Goldings ale
DuClaw Bad Moon Porter
Dogfish Head Chicory Stout
District Chop House Smoked Porter
Gordon Biersch Schwarz
Franklins IPA
Cly Pipe Old Toad
Brewers Alley IPA
Rock Bottom Stout
Red Brick Station Fest
Brewers Art Beacon
Clipper City Gold
Clipper City Loose Cannon Hop3
Lancaster Red Rooster Rye
Troegs Hop Back Amber
Tried to get some pictures but it was too dang crowded. All in all a great afternoon of fun.
I'm going to puff the feathers here and report that my wife told me that some of my beers are better than some of what we were drinking
Honestly though, not sure I'll skip a sailboat race to do this next year.
Below is a list of beers sampled, I went with the 2-3 sip glass until I wanted a full measure. You may recognize one or two:
Olivers Three Lions
Olivers Ironman Pale Ale
Olivers Dark Mild
Olivers Hot Monkey Love
Gales Old Prize Ale 2005
Morehouses Black Cat Bitter
Yards ESB
Yards Philly
Brooklyn Brewmasters Reserve Goldings ale
DuClaw Bad Moon Porter
Dogfish Head Chicory Stout
District Chop House Smoked Porter
Gordon Biersch Schwarz
Franklins IPA
Cly Pipe Old Toad
Brewers Alley IPA
Rock Bottom Stout
Red Brick Station Fest
Brewers Art Beacon
Clipper City Gold
Clipper City Loose Cannon Hop3
Lancaster Red Rooster Rye
Troegs Hop Back Amber
Tried to get some pictures but it was too dang crowded. All in all a great afternoon of fun.
I'm going to puff the feathers here and report that my wife told me that some of my beers are better than some of what we were drinking
Honestly though, not sure I'll skip a sailboat race to do this next year.
Johnny Clueless was there
With his simulated wood grain
With his simulated wood grain
OK, now I have a couple minutes for a bit more detail:
The event was a cask ale event in downtown Baltimore at a pub called the Wharf Rat. The original pub is fantastic little brick and wood pub in a neighborhood called Fell's Point an old market and trading district of Baltimore. The newer pub is an old standalone building smack in the middle of the business section. It houses Oliver's Brewing, who keep a selection of cask ales and British style beers on tap. A very reliable boozer.
The casks were set up on tables both inside and outside the pub. My first sip of the day was the Gales a strong 10% ale dark in color with hints of raisin and chocolate. HA, I sound like a fool! Moving right along; the beers were rather good, I only had to dump a couple. Yes yes, perish the thought of dumping beer, but it was only 2-3 ounces. Surprisingly, some of the smaller more "crafty" breweries had the worst beers. I would have though that they would have taken advantage of this opportunity.
It was fun to be in a crowd of people who at the same time were pontificating about aroma and mouth feel while stepping over the vomit from the young ladies.
My favorites were not the big bombs that the brewers feel they need to impose on us, but the smooth, balanced 4-5%. My favorite was a beer from Troegs Brewing called Hopback Amber. My least favorite was called Beacon Ale from Brewer's Art (a fantastic local brewery specializing in Belgian's) it had a muted dirt taste. Not skilled enough describe it but it got into the bucket very quickly. Most disappointing was the Brooklyn Brewing Special Reserve which was an all golding hop pale. The beer was cloudy and very sour this all ruining at fantastic aroma.
Well, this is more than I've probably written collectively since joining this forum. Thanks for your patience.
The event was a cask ale event in downtown Baltimore at a pub called the Wharf Rat. The original pub is fantastic little brick and wood pub in a neighborhood called Fell's Point an old market and trading district of Baltimore. The newer pub is an old standalone building smack in the middle of the business section. It houses Oliver's Brewing, who keep a selection of cask ales and British style beers on tap. A very reliable boozer.
The casks were set up on tables both inside and outside the pub. My first sip of the day was the Gales a strong 10% ale dark in color with hints of raisin and chocolate. HA, I sound like a fool! Moving right along; the beers were rather good, I only had to dump a couple. Yes yes, perish the thought of dumping beer, but it was only 2-3 ounces. Surprisingly, some of the smaller more "crafty" breweries had the worst beers. I would have though that they would have taken advantage of this opportunity.
It was fun to be in a crowd of people who at the same time were pontificating about aroma and mouth feel while stepping over the vomit from the young ladies.
My favorites were not the big bombs that the brewers feel they need to impose on us, but the smooth, balanced 4-5%. My favorite was a beer from Troegs Brewing called Hopback Amber. My least favorite was called Beacon Ale from Brewer's Art (a fantastic local brewery specializing in Belgian's) it had a muted dirt taste. Not skilled enough describe it but it got into the bucket very quickly. Most disappointing was the Brooklyn Brewing Special Reserve which was an all golding hop pale. The beer was cloudy and very sour this all ruining at fantastic aroma.
Well, this is more than I've probably written collectively since joining this forum. Thanks for your patience.
Johnny Clueless was there
With his simulated wood grain
With his simulated wood grain
-
BarrowBoy
Cheers, flytact - that made interesting reading.
So towns in the UK don't have a monopoly on this, then? Although anything about aroma and mouth feel would probably have nothing to do with beer.It was fun to be in a crowd of people who at the same time were pontificating about aroma and mouth feel while stepping over the vomit from the young ladies.