1001+ Beers - My List

Following the receipt of a book as a gift from my daughters entitled "1001 BEERS TO TRY BEFORE YOU DIE" I was prepared to accept the challenge. However it soon became apparent that not all the beers would be available due to limited editions and brewery mergers and closures. I have therefore decided to try for 1001 beers, with as many as I can get from the list, but supplemented by others that I encounter during my normal life.

[my1001beers]

Belhaven Best. Belhaven Brewery. 12.09.21.

Not on the official list

A draught brew to finish the evening in The Volunteer pub in Dunbar, which is the home town of the Belhaven Brewery, so I felt obliged to try it.

ABV 3.2%

7.5/10

They say: A sweet malty beer with lots of toffee & caramel notes from the pale and crystal malts. Fresh dry hop taste comes from the challenger and goldings which also give a satisfying easy drinking bitter finish.

I say: Probably sub conscious bias, but I expected a stronger brew for a Scottish “Best.” That’s not to criticise what they have actually produced, because I enjoyed it. A typical mid brown brew, nice and clear, with a generous creamy head. The aroma was just a typical beer smell, that mixture of hops and a touch of molasses and malts. This carried through to the taste, which was unexceptional but reliable. A good session beer.

www https://www.belhaven.co.uk/our-beers/belhaven-best/

[my1001beers]

West Coast Wave. Tryst Brewery. 12.09.21.

Not on the official list

ABV 5.5%

5.5/10

A draught pint in The Volunteer pub in Dunbar, take with a meal. We were staying in the town for 4 days on a short Scottish holiday.

They say: Nothing about this brew on their current website, but the pump clip says “American style IPA” and it is described thus on a retailer’s website: “An American style IPA. A triple addition of Centennial and Chinook hops ensure this one has a big citrus bite.”

I say: It took quite a while to clear after pouring, but when it did it had a decent head and a pale gold colour of good clarity. The aroma and the initial taste bore out the promised IPA hoppy notes, but the taste in particular I felt had a slight chemical citrus tang to it, slightly reminiscent of lemon washing up liquid, which spoiled the enjoyment of the drink for me.

www http://www.trystbrewery.co.uk/beer_type/all/

[my1001beers]

Red MacGregor. The Orkney Brewery. 12.09.21

Not on the official list.

ABV 4.0%

7.0/10

A draught pint in The Volunteer pub in Dunbar when we were staying in the town in holiday recently.

They say: Red MacGregor is a mighty beer indeed a celebration of one of Scotland's true historic heroes. It was one of the first beers in Scotland that expressively used the American hop Cascade for citrusy fruit flavour. It has a wonderfully complex aroma of fruity hop zest, spiciness and rich malts. This beer offers initial toasted caramel malt aromas and flavours then mouth-watering citrus hop fruits giving way to a clean, fruity, refreshing hop bitterness.

I say: A steady pour resulting in an attractive looking pint, with a good sized head atop a deep red brew. The aroma hinted at spices and fruitiness and the flavour carried through on that promise. It was quite heavy on the palate, with layers of richness, not dissimilar to the taste of a Christmas Pudding. Nice, but I think you would struggle to drink too many in a session.

www: https://www.orkneybrewery.co.uk/beer/red-macgregor

[my1001beers]

Chatsworth Gold. Peak Ales. 17.09.21.

Not on the official list

ABV 4.6%

8.0/10

A draught half pint (I was driving) from the Hardwick Inn in Derbyshire, during a visit to Nicole and Louis.

They say: Chatsworth Gold is a golden beer made with honey from the Chatsworth Estate. The delicate sweetness is well balanced with bitterness from Goldings and Fuggles hops. What can we say about this beautiful honey beer... The added honey balances the bitterness from the hops that creates a golden and refreshing pint! And as one customer put it “Oh man, you wouldn’t believe it. So good.”

I say: As can be seen from the photo this poured a lovely clear mid gold colour. The aroma was pleasant, but unremarkable. The taste though was really rather good. Too often honey beers are overly sweet for my palate, but this still had a touch of sharpness, or bitterness cutting through and was a damned good drink.

www: https://www.peakales.co.uk/collections/peak-ales/products/chatsworth-gold-x-12-bottles

[my1001beers]

1121. Nodder. 13.02.21

Not on the official list

ABV

/10

Beer of 

Off the porch shelf. Almost certainly a purchase from a booze cruise to France last year. Drunk in the evening in the comfort of home with a meal cooked by the wonderful Mrs H.

They say:

I say:

www: 

[my1001beers]

1120. Zoom Time Session NEIPA. 23.01.21.

Not on the official list

ABV

/10

Beer of 

Off the porch shelf. Almost certainly a purchase from a booze cruise to France last year. Drunk in the evening in the comfort of home with a meal cooked by the wonderful Mrs H.

They say:

I say:

www: 

[my1001beers]

1119. Warehouse Pale Ale. 20.01.21.

Not on the official list

ABV

/10

Beer of 

Off the porch shelf. Almost certainly a purchase from a booze cruise to France last year. Drunk in the evening in the comfort of home with a meal cooked by the wonderful Mrs H.

They say:

I say:

www: 

[my1001beers]

1118. Golden Torch. 20.01.21

Not on the official list

ABV

/10

Beer of 

Off the porch shelf. Almost certainly a purchase from a booze cruise to France last year. Drunk in the evening in the comfort of home with a meal cooked by the wonderful Mrs H.

They say:

I say:

www: 

[my1001beers]

1117. NEIPA. 16.01.21

Not on the official list

ABV

/10

Beer of 

Off the porch shelf. Almost certainly a purchase from a booze cruise to France last year. Drunk in the evening in the comfort of home with a meal cooked by the wonderful Mrs H.

They say:

I say:

www: 

[my1001beers]

1116. Shake The Tree. 12.01.21

Not on the official list

ABV

/10

Beer of 

Off the porch shelf. Almost certainly a purchase from a booze cruise to France last year. Drunk in the evening in the comfort of home with a meal cooked by the wonderful Mrs H.

They say:

I say:

www: 

[my1001beers]

1115. Push Pineapple. 10.01.21

Not on the official list

ABV

/10

Beer of 

Off the porch shelf. Almost certainly a purchase from a booze cruise to France last year. Drunk in the evening in the comfort of home with a meal cooked by the wonderful Mrs H.

They say:

I say:

www: 

[my1001beers]

1114. March Of The Penguins.

Not on the official list

ABV

/10

Beer of 

Off the porch shelf. Almost certainly a purchase from a booze cruise to France last year. Drunk in the evening in the comfort of home with a meal cooked by the wonderful Mrs H.

They say: A silky smooth stout, March of the Penguins is brewed with a blend of chocolate malt and roasted barleycombined with lovely hop aromas and a spicy, fruity, finish.

I say:

www: 

[my1001beers]

1113. Empire Pale Ale. Burton Bridge Brewery. 01/01/21.

Not on the official list

ABV 7.5%

/10

Beer of England

Off the porch shelf. Almost certainly a purchase from a booze cruise to France last year. Drunk in the evening in the comfort of home with a meal cooked by the wonderful Mrs H.

They say: Inspired by the great India Pale Ales of Burton's past, this is our award winning homage to this fabulous style of beer. A hoppy high strength Pale Ale really put Burton on the map. Britain's expanding empire required it's usual comforts whilst away from home. Most beers went sour on the long sea journeys, so IPA's were developed with high hop and alcohol content to ward of infection.

I say:

www: http://www.burtonbridgebrewery.co.uk/Bottle/Empire.shtml

[my1001beers]

1112. Geronimo. Burton Town Brewery. 30/12/20.

Burton Town Brewery are proud to announce a new beer; Geronimo!

“It is an Extra Pale Red Ale,” explains brewer Jon Dale. “There are no roast flavours, this is a lighter version of a red ale, but a hint of caramel, marshmallow and candy floss from three different malts. two punchy American hops, Chinook and Nugget, give a true juicy fruit bubblegum American character.”

[my1001beers]

1111. Oud Beersel Oud Geuze. Brouwerij Oud Beersel. 30/12/20.

[my1001beers]

1110. Farmers Blonde. Bradfield Brewery. 28/12/20.

Not on the official list

ABV 4.0%

4.0/10

Beer of England

A Christmas gft from Nicole, drunk as Christmas wound down. Drunk in the evening in the comfort of home with a meal cooked by the wonderful Mrs H, we shared it half each.

They say: This award winning, very pale brilliant blonde beer has citrus and summer fruit aromas making it an extremely refreshing ale.

I say: A very attractive pour, pale blonde in colour, perfectly clear and very modest carbonation. There was a slight citrus aroma, the taste itself though was a slightly off acidic taste which we did not enjoy that much at all.  

www: http://bradfieldbrewery.com/our-beers/

[my1001beers]

1109. Ciney Brune. Brouwerijen Alken-Maes (Heineken). 28/12/20.

Not on the official list

ABV 7.0%

9.0/10

Beer of Belgium

Off the porch shelf. Almost certainly a purchase from a booze cruise to France last year. Drunk in the evening in the comfort of home with a meal cooked by the wonderful Mrs H. We shared the tasting.

They say: Sweet start, full-bodied, fruity accents (banana, figs), caramel, sweet, spicy aftertaste.

I say: A very easy pour, nice and dark, modest carbonation, no sediment and revealing a pleasant slightly malty aroma. The taste too was every bit as pleasant, tangy and slightly sweet taste. Almost like a milk stout, so often strong beers taste just of their strength, this didn’t at all. Lovely!

www: https://www.cineybier.be/en/