Enjoying a Salt Jute at the Salt taproom in Woolwich. Didn't realise the Elizabeth Line doesn't run on a Sunday yet, so repaired here instead. With the game being off yesterday, and the Valley Cafe closed for refurbishment, I really haven't had a successful weekend, but enjoyed the Shirkers Rest yesterday, the Green Goddess less so
Edit - sorry, fat fingers and blinding sun led to pic in middle of text, and cba trying to correct it
I can’t even begin to think that someone thought pizza flavored beer would be a good idea.
Most fruit, coffee, generally anything sweet can work with some beer styles, but tomato/basil just doesn’t sound good. One local brewer made a sweet potato based beer a few years back, and it was just terrible. You’d think the test brew would tell them that.
Had a few excellent beers at The Shirker’s Rest pre-match on Tuesday, including a West Coast IPA (the name of which I can’t recall) and London Black (Nitro Porter) from Anspach & Hobday. A very impressive and friendly establishment.
I made the “mistake” of booking a hotel in Brooklyn surrounded by tap rooms. Opposite the hotel, Strong Rope Brewing. This is their IPA, Seedlings. 5.4%, clean, more English style. Very quaffable.
Two more from Strong Rope - an almost empty berry sour which was unusual in my experience in that it said it had strawberry in it, and you could actually taste the strawberry. Not too sour.
And the NY Classic - like the first one, very English style. Nice bitterness, a bit dry in the finish. I’d visit this place again although they’re not going for the spectacular.
Onward, Wild East Brewing. They say it’s an NEIPA, but it really doesn’t seem to fit. Using the Zamba hop, which is anew one on me, it’s fruity, with decent bitterness. It’s doesn’t have the huge hop overload of the NEIPAs. Very drinkable, and a bit hard to put a label on.
More from Wild East - Decadent & Depraved, a smoked dunkel. Really well executed. I find smoked beers can be good, but overpowering. This one has just enough smokiness to let you know it’s there, but not the full on bacon flavor some have. Only 4.8%, which makes it very drinkable.
My liver and bank balance both appreciate your concern, but they are both doing well and are fully acclimatized to this type of activity.
All three of us are now enjoying a Tart Cherry Sour at BIGaLICe Brewing in Long Island City, another mini brewery hub. Lightly sour, light cherry flavor. Good way to start a warm days beer exploring.
Smoked beer is like busses - you don’t see it for ages, and then two come along together. BIGaLICe Low & Slow is another nicely balanced beer, not st all overpowering with its smokiness, and an excellent accompaniment to a bag of biltong.
Time to leave BIGaLICe, but before I go, Hive Hospitality, a biere de miel. Not something I’d do again, as I’m not a big fan of honey beers, but it wasn’t bad. The honey was in the background and they avoided the cloying sweetness some gave. Pretty dry really.
I’ll keep monopolizing the thread until someone tells me to stop. So last beer in Long Island City, at LIC Beer project. Finally an NEIPA, and it very good. Nice and soft. These guys do make some good beer, so if any beer hunters ever make the trip to NY, Long Island City is worth the visit although it’s a bit unkempt - not dangerous, but not warm and cuddly.
I know I said IPA, but last time I was in Other Half they had no sours. Today there’s just one, Raspberry Cannibal, raspberry, vanilla and lactose. It is, as usual, outstanding- if you like that sort of thing. Just like Trillium, Other Half never disappoints.
Mylar Bag - a big double IPA. Very fruity, very smooth, way to drinkable for 8.5%. Lucky the hotel is only a 10 minute walk(sober). Maybe one more here, and then off to the taproom next door to the hotel.
I know is have expressed my suspicion about various fruited IPAs, but one of the few I’ve liked is on tap at the Finback taproom next to the hotel - Fat Mango. Very smooth, reminiscent of Smooth Beats Miami, and has the same coconut flavor. Another high octane beer (7.6%) that’s way too easy to drink
Thank you @Bournemouth Addick. Feeling good today, at least until the game started. I generally find if my beers equals the number of hours drinking I’m good.
Just found a new one, Talea Beer Co. Nice bright taproom. Warm day, so a Peach Berry sour to start. Easing back though as I want to avoid using the bathroom at the Grammercy Theater. Not a pleasant experience.
No, it’s not St. Patrick’s Day. Oktoberfest at Other Half Brewery and they have a traditional Berliner Weisse with syrup. Had to go with the woodruff. Interesting, but it tasted better without the syrup
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Edit - sorry, fat fingers and blinding sun led to pic in middle of text, and cba trying to correct it
The square Pizza was horrible, thankfully I only had a shot glass of that.
Some serious beers in that selection.