Interesting Ales

The West is awash with local breweries, mini breweries and microbreweries. But there’s also the Belgian Beer Emporium in Broad Street, Bristol. Bliss!

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How recent is that? I don’t remember it…

It’s current…

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Yes, but when did it open?

Being housebound, my beer and facts-fetching wallah has misinformed me and so I you. It’s called the Beer Emporium, underground at 15 King Street, and rejoices as a bar, restaurant, and bottle shop. Yes, it sells many excellent Belgian beers. No, it’s not exclusively Belgian. I’m not certain when they started but fairly recently, I’m sure a researcher of your calibre can find out. They won A Big Prize in 2014.

There is a Little Belgian Beer Emporium in Worthing, at 41 Lyndhurst Road, with a stock of 60 beers. Who knows? They might sell hand bags, Lady Bracknell.

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I’ll ask my jazz contacts; they’ll know.

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A lovely hoppy flavour; a dark beer that feels light; a good pint on a warm day.

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I was at school in Guildford and several times a week the whole area was overwhelmed by the smell of hops from the Friary brewery. It was so unpleasant it made me feel ill and I’ve never touched beer. Thank God it wasn’t a vineyard spreading foul odours; I’m not sure life would have been worth living if wine wasn’t a choice!

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Hullabaloo, from Loddon:

A bit dark and sticky for a hot day, but there’s a pleasing bitterness if you go looking for it.

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And did you look long and hard, Hedgers?

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Mmmmaybe.

Today:

http://adnams.co.uk/beer/our-beers/adnams-lighthouse/

Not a whole lot to it, if I’m honest: a nice enough session beer, pretty much bog-standard Fuggles/Goldings cross. I would be happy to drink it all day if I had good company.

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I dropped in at Bath Ales on my way from Hither to Yon and bought
2x 500ml Gem (amber) 4.8% vol
2x 500ml Barnsey (dark bitter) 4.5% vol
2x 500ml Dark Side (stout) 4.0% vol
2x 500ml Golden Hare (light ale) 4.4% vol
2x 500ml Festivity (porter) 5.0% vol (2 for 1)
2x 500ml Ghost Hare (chilli porter) 4.2% vol. (2 for 1)

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Get a couple of bottles of Adnam’s Bitter - Lighthouse makes a very nice L&B

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Just the thing forra warmish day, lots of body but not overwhelming. Cask freshly on, too.

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Ghost Hare - what a wonderful, wonderful name. Chilli porter, eh? Well, that was a selfless purchase, Fishers. I’m intrigued and shall keep an eye out for it. In fact I shall mention it to Conn (landlord of the best pub for miles around).

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Bath Ales are generally good, Gus. But they’re not nationwide in distribution: I only get them when I am in the area of Corsham, really, or on my way to Bristol.

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They do occasionally show up in pubs and offies and Sainbury’s, but not as often as one might like.

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Not real beer, but Lidl’s alcoholic ginger beer is perfect on a day like today. Allegedly by Marston’s.

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Ooh, good thought! I have got some of that: The Ginger Grizzly, from Hatherwood Craft Beer Company, produced by the Wychwood Brewery Company of Witney, which is owned by Refresh UK, itself a subsidiary of Marston’s. What a chain of ownership, eh? as an attempted con it’s not bad.

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Lol, what detective work!

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