Beer Swap Part Deux, Thoughts from Mitch Adams

After receiving some excellent beers from Richard Mackney (@Richardmackney) and getting some great feedback from my recipient Scott Edwards (@Edwards80)  in Beer swap #1 there was no way I was going to miss out on Part Deux.

Firstly I set about researching who I was sending too.  I discovered that Billy Hall (@dad2dam2dum2mum) wasn’t overly keen on pale hoppy beers, most of his positive tweets were about dark ones. So I picked 4 dark gooduns from local breweries and packed them off via myHermes to Newcastle:

The beer swap beers Mitch Sent

Levelly Black Stout 4.8%
Shalford Brewery, Braintree, Essex (www.shalfordbrewery.co.uk)

Commercial description: Winter stout, dark malty, and smooth

The Shalford Brewery is relatively new and was a finalist at GBBF with Stonley Bitter in 2008, the beers are sold in my local Farm Shop (less than ½ a mile away).

Spiced Slow Stout 5.5%
Red Fox Brewery, Coggeshal, Essex (www.redfoxbrewery.co.uk)

Commercial Description: A full bodied stout flavoured with  Sloe Berries picked on the farm.

Russel (previously Crouch Vale Head Brewer) hosted a ‘Meet the Brewer’ evening recently and brought two one off beers (this and the ruby mild below) with him, I loved them and picked them for beerswap even before I knew who I was sending to.

Willie Warmer 6.4%
Crouch Vale Brewery, South Woodham Ferrers, Essex (www.crouchvale.co.uk)

Commercial Description: Infamous strong dark ale with a fulsome flavour and roasted barley notes, excellent hop presence also

This strong winter ale verges on Barley Wine with some strong porter characteristics is a rare dark beer from Crouch Vale

Ruby Red Mild 6.9%
Red Fox Brewery, Coggeshal, Essex (www.redfoxbrewery.co.uk)

Commercial Description: A rich ruby red mild

This is a ‘Victorian style’ mild, quite different from the sub 4% milds we are used to today.

Whilst I was still busy getting this collection together I received an email from myHermes informing me that The Ormskirk Baron (@baron_orm) had despatched a parcel for me, in no time at all these beauties from Lancashire showed up!

I had decided to taste the beers with my partner Sarah & a couple of our Friday night locals at The Thatchers Arms (www.thatchersarms.co.uk). We decided to go for a Baron rating system out of 5 for each beer (it seemed only fair!). The three locals tasting (& rating) with us were Bill, a local farmer who supplies us with Free Range Eggs. Chris a Beer loving American who recently moved to the village and Mark a young lager drinking local who we are trying to convert!

The beer swap beers Mitch Recieved

We ran a live ‘tweet’ commentary of our tasting and first up was Prospect Silver Tally, it poured a nice golden colour with a foamy head. I’m afraid none of us were fans of the aroma (farmyard was mentioned at the time) but once we got past it the beer was pretty good,  nicely balanced malt & hops with a real citrussy hop bitter finish. Pleasant but it didn’t knock us for six a unanimous [3/5]

Next up was George Wright Cheeky Pheasant which we were all really looking forward to, sadly much to ours (& The Barons) disappointment the cap was slightly loose and the beer had gone off, that’ll have to be one to look out for next time I’m up North!

We moved very swiftly on to Southport Golden Sands another pale golden beer with a thin white head with a great summery citrus aroma, a full bodied fresh & fruity taste with a nice lot of citrussy hops at the end, right up my street, and it seems, everybody else’s, with the exception of our lout drinking friend Mark, we all scored this [4/5] although he was only 1 behind with [3/5]! At only 4% this makes a fantastic summer session beer.

Finally we moved on to Southport Old Shrimper a big 5.5% dark ale. A real dark pour with a caramel head, coffee & chocolate aromas. Exceptionally smooth to taste with a real fruity malt and hints of toffee to finish.  This beer had one casualty, as can be expected our token Lager drinker wasn’t a fan [1/5]. the other locals Chris & Bill both liked it and scored it a worthy [4/5], but I REALLY enjoyed it, REALLY wish I hadn’t shared it, and am REALLY looking forward to trying it again some day, perhaps on a cold winters night in front of the fire… if I had a fire, or another bottle! Both myself & Sarah scored it full marks [5/5].

All in all a great selection from the Baron, all sourced from within 11 miles of Ormskirk. A thoroughly enjoyable experience tasting beers I’ve never heard of and would normally never get to try and enjoying them with friends.  Now I’m just looking forward to hearing how Billy Hall got on with my little parcel of dark & Stormy beers…

Thanks to Mitch and the guys for taking part and tweeting/blogging about them, if anyone else want’s space to air their views then please get in touch.