beer tasting

i love my busy life!
it does make it hard to make longer posts in a timely fashion though!

craft beer tasting at firefly on july 20th was amazing!
and not just because they let us sample the tactical nuclear penguin!
(omg - i got to try the tnp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

we began the evening again with a kokanee - just to make sure that everyone knew the difference between the craft brews (aka good beer) and the mass market offerings (aka piss).

so almost first up was r&b's red devil pale ale.
english style pale ale - not a red or amber ale despite its red colour "hoppy floral aroma and malty sweetness, which are followed by a slightly dry and very refreshing finish."
i especially love this one for its colour - beautifully coppery and clear; good head and carbonation; fabulous hop and malt balance, but maltier than other pale ales:  totally tasty stuff!
and what a great label!


moving along, next we sampled the wells bombardier ale
an english style ale.  good head and carbonation.
bridget found it had a bitter cherry note at the end.  i just got a malty finish... they say it has caramel notes and milk chocolate.
i had to take a big sniff to get the peppery nose it advertises.
not my favourite beer of the evening.


moylans ipa was next.  its not my favourite ipa, but at a tasting any ipa is a happy addition if you ask me!
"provides a stimulating assault on all senses... a deep golden hue that nearly winks at you from the glass"
totally hoppy nose, great head, caramel colour
and i do get the sweet malt and spicy hop finish as advertised.

samuel smith nut brown ale
"brewed in open top slate tanks that allow the yeast interaction with the air that gives the beer a floral nose"
very creamy head, darker red colour, fruity (appley) nose
smells like it will be too yeasty for me, but its palatable for a small glass - too much apple juice taste for a whole pint of it


dupont saison
"slightly cloudy yellow-coloured ale with high carbonation, fruity and spicy aromas and tastes, and perceptible, somewhat quinine-like bitterness"
high enough carbonation to require a cork!
total yeasty nose
yup, its cloudy... but chunky not an even opaqueness
i actually found it drinkable
but wouldn't enjoy a bottle.


cantillion kriek
holy sour batman!!
"100% lambic made with fresh morello cherries and real spontaneous fermentation.  complex sourness with slight aroma of cherries and barnyard"
pinky red in colour, and oh so carbonated - also required a cork
i always said i wasn't a lambic fan... i think i was wrong
i'm not gonna say they're my favourite and i want to drink them every day, but the more i got into this one, the more i liked it and poured myself a second jot!


i would like to sincerely thank firefly for putting on these fabulous tasting sessions,
for letting us all try the tactical nuclear penguin
and for showing me new beer styles i might not have bothered to try on my own

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