Brooklyn – Summer Ale

Brewery –          Brooklyn

Beer –                 Summer Ale

Alcohol –            5.0%

Origin –               New York, USA

Style –                 Lager Beer

Season –             Yes you’ve guessed it… Summer

With a mini heat wave looming, I thought it prudent to try out a Summer Ale. Something light but still tasty, refreshing, bright, zesty, not to strong, and perfectly balanced. Did this beer fit the bill? Yes my friends it did.

Lager like in its appearance but fortunately not carbonated to death like many lagers; Clear, smooth, with a crisp white head.

Not too much to talk about on the nose to be honest but when you’re thirsty you don’t spend much time sniffing!

With Summer ales, it’s all about the initial swig. Lightly bittered with subtle malty notes, the effect gives a very dry, crisp wine like mouthfeel, soft and understated but thoroughly refreshing.

The bottle claims a ‘bready’ flavour and in the finish I can’t help but agree. The bitterness develops through the finish and lingers on the tongue for a considerable time. 

This lager beer feels polished, well put together, and carefully thought out.  

 

Advertisement

Read Full Post »

Budvar – Yeast Beer

 

Brewery –          Budvar

Beer –                 Krouzkovany-lezak (Yeast Beer)

Alcohol –          5%

Origin –             Czech Republic

Style –               Lager

Season –           Spring / Summer

I’m certainly not known for being a lager fan but I’d like to set the record straight. It’s not the style that’s the issue, it’s the mass production, which leads to lack of care and attention, poor flavour, over carbonated… you get my drift.

This lager caught my attention whilst looking on Artichoke Restaurant in Chester’s website, where some kind soul had made special mention of this lager which they’d managed to get a few barrels of, and used the phrase ‘come and try it before it runs out’

This is one hell of a good lager; in fact the best lager I’ve ever tasted!

And  as it’s just 5 minute walk from my house, and the bar is child friendly, I get to take the little one along.  Just as the Geordie’s call Newcastle Brown Ale, “Dog” (walking the dog was their excuse to go get a pint), I think I’ll call his lager Henry, and I’ll certainly be taking my little boy Henry for a walk this afternoon!

Now I don’t usually go into details as to how certain beers are made but as this extra process in its production makes such a different I thought I’d let you all know;

Taken from the BudweiserBudvar website http://www.budweiserbudvar.co.uk/EXCLUSIVELY-ON-DRAUGHT

“Budvar Yeast Beer is the unpasteurised version of Budvar Original, encapsulating all the same taste cues and as fresh as if it were being drunk at the brewery tap

It’s brewed with the same care and patience as ORIGINAL,has the same ABV of 5% and uses the same ingredients in a 100 day brewing cycle.

The big difference is that being unpasteurised with extra yeast cells being added by hand at the last stage of the brewing process, Budvar Yeast is a brew of almost worldly freshness and purity”

Now my blurb!

Budvar Yeast is beautifully crisp, clear, lightly carbonated (hooray) and has a frothy, clean bubbly white head.

Fresh is the word to describe it’s taste. Cut grass, sweet, refreshing, crisp; like sinking a pint of Spring.

Far from having a bitter, tinny finish like many lagers, Budvar Yeast has a sweet lasting and smoother finish, leaving you longing for the next swig.

Calling this a premium lager would not do it justice. Platinum Lager, Royal Lager, Mega Lager… it’s certainly a cut above the rest.

I stongly suggest you hunt this lager out… In fact visit http://www.budweiserbudvar.co.uk/EXCLUSIVELY-ON-DRAUGHT any pray you’re near one of the few pubs that are selling it!

Read Full Post »