The Welsh Beer Monkey

A semi-sober attempt at reviewing and describing the mulititude of different beers and craft ales out there. A Welshman based in Texas, who is exploring alcoholic beverages at their best.

[welshbeermonkey-blog]

Shiner Prickly Pear - 4.9%. A sweet fruity smell on opening, reminding me of opening a fine sweet cider. Not particularly sweet on taste but a very refreshing golden ale. Very citrusy and crisp in flavour, perfect for these hot days. 3 stars. #craftbeer #shiner #pricklypear #patiodrinker

[welshbeermonkey-blog]

Shiner Haymaker - 4.5%. This extra pale ale had a fine sweet scent to it. Smooth with a slight bitter aftertaste, this is very good. It's malty overall taste sits well after a hard weeks toil - thank you Shiner! 4.5 Stars. #shiner #haymaker #fridaynightdrink #craftbeer #extrapaleale

[welshbeermonkey-blog]

This very old toad takes good care of my beer caps. #thekeeperofcaps #drunkentoad #beercap #capcollection

[welshbeermonkey-blog]

Saint Arnold lawnmower - Houston TX. First smell gives a fine citrus malt mix. Certainly malty on taste but not to heavy and thoroughly refreshing. A fine summer beer. 3 stars. #saintarnoldbrewing #craftbeer #refreshing #summersontheway

[welshbeermonkey-blog]

Red stripe Jamaican style larger - red stripe beer company Latrobe, PA - unknown % - strong hoppy scent on opening, it is not overtly rich in taste on first sip but very refreshing. I could drink this beer like water on a baking hot work day, extremely sought after late on a Friday. A slight bite of an aftertaste makes up for its slow start, I'd certainly get a few more down my neck. 3 stars

[welshbeermonkey-blog]

Saint Paddy’s Day

Luck of the Irish be with all of you fellow Beer Monkey's out there! As its all things Irish today I thought I'd sample a fine Irish stout to celebrate. Murphy's Irish Stout is often called the craft version of Guinness and I'd have to say its a lot smoother and malty compared to its more well known rival. Its not quite as bitter as the Guinness, which is not to say its better. Personally I prefer the Murphy's stout, although its a lot better from the tap. Drinking it imported out of the can is not quite the same, but better than nowt!

This time last Saint Paddys day I was waiting outside a small Welsh coastal pub by the name of The ‘Pelican in her Piety’. Pubs in the UK open at Eleven AM for the most part, and we were the first through the door. Well the only people through the door! The Publican gave us our pints of Guinness at a reduced price for being the first in, which made the stout all the more sweeter.

http://www.pelicanpub.co.uk/thepelicanpub-og.html

[welshbeermonkey-blog]

Icy Bay IPA

Thought I’d kick of my reviews with a fine Alaskan brew and one of the first I ever tried after arriving  Stateside. Alaskan Brewing Company produces some of the finest refreshing craft beers in the country, this one isn’t my favorite of theirs though. Icy Bay Indian Pale Ale has a 6.2% alcohol content and has a fragrant IPA scent to it on first opening. This beer is not hugely varied in taste, equivalent to your run-of-the-mill standard beers in IPA disguise. I was expecting more from a craft beer. Still it is quite a refreshing brew for a hot Texas day, with the traditional airy Alaskan Brewing Co. feel to it. Two stars out of five.

[welshbeermonkey-blog]

Here we Go, Here we Go! This is going to be my attempt to review and sample as many kinds of craft beers out there as humanly possible. Since moving to Texas (edging ever closer to three years), I am regularly surprised by the overwhelming variety of craft beers and ales on the market,which is constantly improving. On top of this, it is fairly easy to find some of the UK homegrown beers helping me in beating the homesick blues. I’m going to try to mix this blog up as much as I can, not just focusing on beer reviews. I’m going to write a bit about my beverage experiences, and also talk about some of the fine drinking establishments that I occasionally frequent. So fellow beer monkeys out there: “Iechyd da”!