Merry Crimbo!

Photo - Paul Evans

Merry Crimbo!

The Commercial Room will be taking an enforced drinking break from January, so we'll be back in March.

Happy New Year!

Blog Awards 2012

It's the end of the year and time for the Commercial Room to announce its beery award winners.  It's been a cracking year writing this blog, visiting breweries and attending beer festival.  Here are the year's highlights via the golden pint awards:

1.Best UK Draught (Cask or Keg) Beer

Odessa - Otley Brewing Co

　

2. Best UK Bottled or Canned Beer

India Pale Ale (C.S.C.) – The Kernel Brewery

　

3. Best Overseas Draught Beer

Oak Smoked Stout, Fort (Spain)

　

4. Best Overseas Bottled or Canned Beer

Raging Bitch, Flying Dog (USA)

　

5. Best Overall Beer

Odessa - Otley Brewing Co

　

6. Best Pumpclip or Label

Anything by Otley Brewing Co

　

7. Best UK Brewery

Tiny Rebel

　

8. Best Overseas Brewery

Brooklyn

　

9. Pub/Bar of the Year

Craft Beer Co - Clarkenwell

　

10. Beer Festival of the Year

The Coach Beer Festival - Bridgend

　

11. Supermarket of the Year

Sainsbury’s

　

12. Independent Retailer of the Year

Discount supermarket, Whitchurch Road, Cardiff

　

13. Online Retailer of the Year

N/A

　

14. Best Beer Book or Magazine

Real Heritage Pubs of Wales – Michael Slaughter, Mike Dunn

　

15. Best Beer Blog or Website

Beer Lens is rather good.

　

16. Best Beer Twitterer

@CAMRGB

　

17. Best Online Brewery presence

Thornbridge

　

18. Food and Beer Pairing of the Year

Anything and everything

　

19. In 2013 I’d Most Like to…

Stop drinking rubbish cold tea beer

　

20. Best Cider

Black Bart - Rosie's

　

Cheers! And roll on 2013!

Doublewood

This is a 12 year old single malt from the Balvenie distillery in Dufftown, Banffshire.  This is a whisky from the Speyside region and weighs in at 40%

Photo - Paul Evans

The whisky is firstly matured for many years in traditional oak whisky casks.  The secondary cask used for maturation is a European oak sherry cask, and it stays in here for a few months to add deep complexities to the whisky.


Photo - Paul Evans

The whisky is deep gold in colour and has a reasonably high viscosity. The aroma is of spicy oak, raisins and hints of vanilla.  It has a mellow, sweet finish.

Photo - Paul Evans

On initial tasting the whisky was rather fruity, followed by a spiciness that tingled the taste buds. It's a complex whisky with a good oaky body that mellows in the mouth, to a lovely sweet honey and vanilla finish.

I haven't touched whisky since last winter, but i'm glad I reacquainted myself with this one. Beautiful.

Arty pints no.23

Photo - Paul Evans

A pint of Navalgazer by Orchard Pig, at the City Arms Cardiff.

Welsh Mountain Cider

This is a 7.5% cider by Welsh Mountain Cider, based near Llanidloes in mid Wales.

Photo - Paul Evans

Welsh Mountain Cider is made from 100% fresh apple juice from unsprayed apples, which are milled and pressed in traditional oak presses.

Photo - Paul Evans

The cider's appearance is dark gold and cloudy, with some sediment in the bottle, very traditional looking.  The aroma is of fresh apples, oak, with a slight smoky, medicinal quality to it.

On tasting there is a huge blast of smokiness, owing to it being stored and matured in oak butts.  It has a whisky-like warming aftertaste, which is unlike anything i've ever tried before.

This is a complex and challenging cider, not for the uninitiated.  Persevere with it though and you will be drinking something rather unique.

Arty pints no.22



Photo - Paul Evans

 A session at the City Arms, Cardiff.

Barry Island IPA

This is a 6% IPA made by the Brains Craft Brewery, in collaboration with Simon Martin - otherwise known as @realaletoday on Twitter.

Photo - Paul Evans

The appearance is pale, obviously, with a lot of carbonation that leaves a lively frothy head, which calmed to a light bubbly coating.

The aroma is of citrus fruits and hops, some ripe banana and all bound together with an assured maltiness.

Photo - Paul Evans

Barry Island IPA is bitingly bitter on first taste, with a big blast of grapefruit that lingers in the mouth.  It has a good hoppy robustness, with a slight malt undertone that leaves a long, enduring bitterness.

Good stuff.

Great pub views no.12

Photo - Paul Evans

A stained glass window in the White Hart, Llanddarog.

Manchester Star Ale

This is a 7.3% porter by the J.W. Lees Brewery of Manchester. The recipe dates back to 1884 and the beer was re-launched in 2001 by then head brewer Giles Dennis, following his visit to the Brooklyn Brewery in New York.

It is brewed with Grist Goldings, Styrian and Hallertau hops, as well as chocolate malt.

Apologies for the lack of an original photo - I forgot to take one!

The beer is dark brown in appearance with a light tan head. The aroma has hints of roasted malts, liquorice and treacle. The taste is slightly spicy, balanced with a caramel sweetness, all bound together with a robust roasted malt flavour.

I wasn't that impressed by this beer.

2*

Gala Dry

This dry cider is made by the only cider producers in Carmarthernshire - the Coles Family, based in the White Hart thatched pub in Llanddarog.

Gala Dry is cold matured for over 6 months, to produce a light and sparkling cider.

Photo - Paul Evans

As usual, with the Coles Family, the bottle is nicely presented with a cork and cradle which adds a little Asturias touch to the drinking occasion. The cider when poured is very light, with a champagne style sparkle.

Photo - Paul Evans

When the cork pops there is an aroma blast of sweet, juicy red apples.  It's very lively in the nostrils and urges you to take a sip.

This is a dry cider with an oaky finish.  None of the sweetness of the aroma is present when tasted, although it is crisp and clean, and really cleanses your palette.

3*

Arty pints no.21

Photo - Paul Evans

A pint of Fuller's London Pride.

Hung Drawn and Slaughtered

This is a 10% Barley Wine produced in Cornwall by the Castle Brewery.

Photo - Paul Evans

The beer is mahogany in appearance with a very short lasting head. It's not particularly attractive to look at but the aroma of sweet barley and black cherry is deliciously enticing.

Photo - Paul Evans

The taste is of juicy dark fruits, with hints of summer cherries and strawberries.  It's a warming beer with not much bitterness.  There is also an aftertaste of banoffee pie to add further complexities to the flavour.

I thoroughly enjoyed this beer. It's the perfect companion on these long winter nights.

4*




Great pub views no.11

Photos - Paul Evans

 The Red Lion, Penderyn.

Black Cat

This is a 3.4% dark ruby ale by Moorehouse's of Burnley, Lancashire. It's very dark in appearance, with the ruby hue only obvious when held to the light. It has a frothy cappuccino like head.

Photo - Paul Evans

Photo - Paul Evans

The aroma was of dark chocolate, cocoa powder, roasted coffee and malts. The taste gave a strong bitter kick on first sip, with flavours of dark chocolate, smooth malt and mild coffee. There was a satisfying dry finish.

3*

Arty pints no.20

Photo - Paul Evans

A bottle of Gala Sweet Cider by the Coles Family Brewery, at their pub - the White Hart, Llanddarog.

Sando Dark

Sando Dark is an 8.8% beer produced by the Millers Brewery in Meegoda, Sri Lanka.

Photo - Paul Evans

The beer is a deep mahogany colour, with a thin, short lasting white head.  The aroma is of rich malts, raisins and currants, with a definite hint of whisky barrels.

Photo - Paul Evans

This beer has a strong alcohol bite at first which warms the mouth like a dram of whisky would.  The strong flavours fade to a fullsome maltiness, very reminiscent of a Belgian Abbey beer.

There are flavours of fruit cake, dried prunes with a pungent whisky aftertaste.

Photo - Paul Evans

I'm not too sure what to make of this beer. At first I though it was excellent, but the invading whisky flavours became too intrusive the more I drank of it.  It also gave me a nasty headache the following day. I do quite like the rather ludicrous branding though, so i'll give it an extra mark just for that.

2*

Arty pints no.19

Photo - Paul Evans

A pint of Skinner's Betty Stoggs at the Globe in Looe, Cornwall.

NZPA

This is a 6% New Zealand style Pale Ale from the Hawkshead Brewery of Staveley, Cumbria.

It is brewed with all New Zealand hops, including: Green bullet, Motueka, Riwaka and Nelson Sauvin.

Photo - Paul Evans

Its appearance is golden, very similar to a lager with a short lasting white head.

The aroma is of fresh hops and tropical fruits. There is an instant bitter hop hit that shakes the tongue on first tasting.  This mellows into tropical fruit flavours and bitter lemon.  There is a banana sweetness and creaminess in there also.  The finish is long lasting and satisfyingly bitter.

4*

Great pub views no.10

Photo - Paul Evans

The lounge of the Boar's Head in Tyla Garw, nr Pontyclun.

Gruut

This is a strong 8% Belgian Brown beer by the Gruut brewery, based in the centre of Ghent.  Gruut beers are claimed to be more healthy than normal beers as they are made with a mixture of spices, rather than hops.

Dark chestnut brown in appearance, with a short lasting head. The aroma is of caramel, toffee and chocolate.  It is a warming beer on first sip, sweet with a crisp bitter finish.



According to the label, a Gruut is an ancient Flemish coin
that was used to pay taxes on the richness of the beer.
Photo - Paul Evans



This is a decent Belgian beer - but I have tasted better - and the rather worrying slush brown appearance seriously lets it down.

2*

High Wire

This is a 5.5% West Coast Pale Ale, by Magic Rock Brewing.

Photo - Paul Evans

The beer's appearance is very pale, and lager like.  There was not much of a head evident.  The aroma is fruity and hoppy, with hints of elderflower.



The beer tasted of tropical fruits, with lychee and pink grapefruit the headline flavours. The beer is quite smooth and creamy in the mouth at first, which dissipates into a not overly bitter, grapefruit finish.

4*

Arty pints no.18

Photo - Paul Evans

Brains V&B and Organ Morgan at the Goat Major.

Torpedo Extra

This is a 7.2% IPA by Sierra Nevada.

Photo - Paul Evans

The beer is vivid golden orange in colour with a good frothy white head.  It is one of the most attractive looking beers I've come across.  The aroma is of citrus fruits and oranges, with hints of pine and a mild spiciness.

Photo - Paul Evans

On tasting there is a big hit of bitterness and big flavours of hops and Seville oranges. There are herby notes, particularly basil, and there's also a mild trace of parma violets that adds a little sweetness to the finish.

4*

Arty pints no.17

Photo - Paul Evans

Hop Yard

This is a 7.3% IPA by Nils Oscar of Nykoping, Sweden.

Photo - Paul Evans

It is copper in colour, with a spritzy white head that was short lasting.  The aroma was hoppy, with hints of grapefruit, sweet malts and toffee.

Photo - Paul Evans

On initial tasting there was a massive blast of hoppy bitterness, followed by bittersweet grapefruit and citrus fruits, with a lasting bitter finnish.

4*

Great pub views no.9

Photo - Paul Evans

Inside the Goat Major, Cardiff.

Arty pints no.16



Photo - Paul Evans


A couple of Caledonian Deuchars IPA, at the Rummer Tavern.

Swansea Bay Beer Festival

Having enjoyed the Swansea Bay Beer Festival more than the bigger and more lauded Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival last year, I was keen to return to see if my opinion had changed.

 

Photo - Paul Evans

The festival ran from the 23rd to 25th of August, and was held at the grand-inside-slightly-Soviet-outside Brangwyn Hall.

Brangwyn Hall exterior
Photo - Paul Evans

With over 100 beers and ciders available it promised to be another good festival, and a bargain £4 entry too, including a rather natty glass tankard. Good start.

Unfortunately the optimism didn't last long.  As I was perusing the beers, it became apparent rather quickly that very few of the ones I wanted to try were available. I chatted to one of the volunteers briefly, and he said that they had ordered 10% more beer for this year.  Maybe next year they should add 50% more.

Nevermind, it offered me the opportunity to hit the cider and perry, which is never a bad thing.

Photo - Paul Evans

Even though i missed out on the beers I wanted to try, it was a good afternoon and the Brangwyn Hall is always a nice place to booze the day away.  The event was also well run, had decent facilities and decent food available if you wanted to waste time eating.

Photo - Paul Evans

Of the beers I tried, these were the best:

O-Garden, Otley, 4.8% A great spicy wheat beer, with orange, coriander and clove flavours. My favourite beer of the festival.

Blackberry Stout, Waen Brewery, 3.8% As well as Bullmastiff's Son of A Bitch, I always try and have a pint of this at a beer festival. A good, full-on stout with a lovely, juicy, dark fruit finish.

Barry Island IPA, Brains, 6% A fairly recent beer from Brains' new craft brewery.  A decent effort, but slightly muted hoppiness for a 6% IPA.

Special mention must also go to Kelham Island for making a pale ale that smelled like a urinal. Rancid.

Cider and Perry:

Rum Cask, Blaengawny, 7% In your face dryness was the order of the day from this Blaengawny beast.

Barn Owl Perry, Raglan Cider Mill, 5.6% I should have guessed something was up when I refused a taster and the barman pulled a silly, slightly mocking face at me.  The driest liquid I have ever tried!

Blindfold, Blaengawny, 6% An excellent medium cider, my favourite of the festival.

So, a good day out at the Swansea Bay Beer Festival, which is rapidly gaining in popularity.  More beer next year please.

Cheers!
Photo - Paul Evans

Arty pints no.15



Photo - Paul Evans


A pint of Otley O6 Porter at the Bunch of Grapes, Pontypridd.

Snake Dog

This is a 7.1% IPA by the Flying Dog brewery of Maryland, USA.

Photo - Paul Evans

It's a deep amber colour, with a frothy beaten egg-white head.  The aroma is fruity, hoppy, with notes of citrus fruits and pineapple.

Photo - Paul Evans

This is another beer with a big initial hop hit. It's lively in the mouth and very moreish.  There are some tropical fruit flavours, hints of sweet candyfloss and melon which is balanced by a good maltiness that doesn't dampen the sharper flavours.

4*

Great pub views no.8

Photo - Paul Evans

An old Brains sign, outside the Black Lion, Llandaff.

Cat Bar

On the advice of regular Commercial Room contributor Ian Owen, I visited the Cat Bar in Barcelona on a recent trip. It's a vegan cafe and artisan bar, tucked away on one of Barcelona's oldest streets, near the famous Cathedral.

Photo - Paul Evans

The Cat Bar specialises in craft beer from local Catalan brewers and the choice was excellent.  There was a plethora of local beers on tap, as well as a fridge full of Spanish craft beer and many more from further afield.

The Bar
Photo - Paul Evans

It's a cosy and quaint venue with some cool drinking stools and tables opposite the main bar.  It's a cafe in style - as most Spanish bars are - but I could have happily drank away a few hours in this place.

 

The fridge!
Photo - Paul Evans

The staff were very helpful and insightful about the beers available, I only wish I could have spent more time there working my way along the taps, and then through the impressively stocked fridge.  I did manage to try two local brews, which were both excellent.  First up was Cerveses Almogaver, a 'Catalan style' pale ale. A good amber colour and crisp and refreshing. Exactly what I needed at the time as it was beyond baking in Barcelona.  Next I tried Fort smoked oat stout which was absolutely delicious.



The author enjoying a Cerveses Almogaver, and the smoked oat stout

Photo - Paul Evans



The Cat Bar is a very cool, laid back drinking establishment and I was over the moon to find some craft beer after drowning in the blandness of Heineken throughout Europe all week. If you're ever in Barcelona a visit  should be mandatory for a beer lover.

P.S. I didn't try the food but the vegan burgers looked amazing!

The Cat Bar Barcelona - Carrer de la Bòria, 17, 08003 Barcelona, Spain