Saint Petersburg

This is a 7.7% Imperial Russian stout by Thornbridge.

Photo - Paul Evans

The beer is extremely dark, with almost no light coming through when held to the light.  It has a lovely foaming dark blond head.  The aroma is subtle, with dark chocolate and sweet malts.

Photo - Paul Evans

This beer has a subtle smokiness, with a good dose of luxurious chocolate flavour.  It's a smooth beer, with a very slight bitterness, and a beautiful warming finish.  Top stuff again from Thornbridge.

5*

Great pub views no.7

Photo - Paul Evans

The bar in the Mochyn Du, Cardiff.

Ivanhoe

This is a 5.2% bottle conditioned 'English' pale ale by Ridgeway brewing of South Stoke, Oxfordshire.

Photo - Paul Evans

It is dark gold in colour with red hues.  It has a short lasting head, and is a very lively beer when poured in a glass.  The aroma is of malt and not much else.

Photo - Paul Evans

The taste is slightly bitter at first, which leads into an oily sweetness. The beer is, surprisingly, quite weak and watery given it's strength.  Not great.

2*

Arty pints no.12

Photo - Paul Evans

A pint of Wye Valley 'Butty Bach' outside the Black Cock Inn, Caerphilly mountain.

Toasted porter

This is a 6% toasted porter from the Einstok brewery in Iceland.

Photo - Paul Evans

It's very dark in appearance, almost black.  It has a good looking creamy white head. The aroma is of liquorice, strong coffee and roasted malts.



Photos - Paul Evans



The taste is full on, with espresso coffee and dark chocolate the headline flavours.  Mixed in are flavours of muscovado sugar, liquorice, and a mild nuttiness, which are all wrapped up in a creamy subtle smokiness.

4*

Chinook IPA

This is a 7.1% IPA by the Kernel Brewery, London.

Photo - Paul Evans

It is cloudy orange in appearance with a creamy head, it's very similar in looks to a German wheat beer.  The aroma is vividly hoppy, with sharp citrus notes in the nostrils.

Photo - Paul Evans

There is a bitter hop blast initially that leads into a creamy sensation.  There are flavours of marmalade, and mandarin, very moreish and refreshing.

4*

Arty pints no.11

Photo - Paul Evans

A pint of the rare 'Kingston Black' cider by Gwynt y Ddraig, at the Cardiff Bay Food Festival.

Homebrew

I was recently given a bottle of home brewed elderflower wine by a  work colleague to try. My only experience of homebrew was when I was 12 years old and had a sneaky few sips at an older mate's house.  It ended up, along with the rest of the contents of my guts, all over my Gran's kitchen floor. Things, surely, can only get better.

Photo - Paul Evans

The wine's appearance was cloudy, reminiscent of real lemonade, with a few bubbles indicating a very light carbonation.  The aroma was of sweet elderflower, and fresh like a summer garden.

It tasted very sweet, with a nice elderflower and lychee flavour.  There's a mild bitterness to add balance and to remind you that you're not drinking a can of pop.

I've no idea how strong it was, but after two glasses I was definitely starting to wobble. Nevertheless, it was really rather good.

Great pub views no.6

Photo - Paul Evans



This is the stained glass window in the entrance to the City Arms, Cardiff.

La Asturiana

This is a Spanish cider from the Asturias region.  La Asturiana is made by Villaviciosa in Gijon. It is presented in a champagne/sparkling wine style bottle, sealed with cork and cradle.

Photo - Paul Evans

This cider is lightly sparkling and 4.1% Its appearance is slightly cloudy, with a spritzy body.

Photo - Paul Evans

The aroma is slightly acidic and almost champagne like.  The taste is very sweet, slightly carbonated and loaded with a satisfyingly fresh apple flavour.

Photo - Paul Evans

Rating: 4*

Ruthless Rye

This is a 6.6% IPA from the Sierra Nevada brewery of California.

Photo - Paul Evans

It is amber in appearance with a nice spritzy white head.  The aroma is, surprisingly, slightly muted with only a mild hint of hops and some spice.

Photo - Paul Evans

The taste is slightly bitter at first with a beautiful hit of fresh orange, that leads into a good hoppiness and a warming pepper finish that lingers and tingles on the lips.

A very good beer.

4*

Red Rocket Ale

This is a 6.8% red ale by Bear Republic Brewing of Sonoma County, California.

Photo - Paul Evans

As the brewery states, this is a 'bastardized Scottish style red ale'. Its appearance is dark brown with red hues, there was only a small head.  The aroma is of ripe bananas, Terry's chocolate orange, and treacle toffee.

Photo - Paul Evans

The beer has a big blast of hops on initial tasting, or as Bear Republic state 'an aggressive hop character.'  It's very bitter with a robust malt flavour that yields to sharp, bitter grapefruit flavours which are balanced by bittersweet toffee, dark rum, and hints of rum and raisin ice cream.

3*

Arty pints no.10



Photo - Paul Evans


A pint of Miws Piws Snowdonia Ale, at the Torrent Walk Hotel - Dolgellau.