BEER
MY usual destination when I pick up some bottles to share with you is either a local brewery or one of the various bottle shops that have opened in the town.
Local supermarkets aren’t always high on my list but, reflecting the growing interest nationally, many of them have seriously upped their game with their beer offers.
The Co-op, for example, has just commissioned three new house beers from our very own Robinsons but this week I’ve been down to Marks & Spencer. Not perhaps the first name on anyone’s lips when it comes to beer but you’d be wrong – very wrong in fact.
Go into one of the larger branches and the array of beers on offer rivals many beer shops.
They cover the whole spectrum from traditional offerings for the ‘brown beer’ fans to rather more exotic stuff at the craft end of the market (including modern canned beers, too). Many of these are own-label beers specially commissioned from brewers around the country and I picked up three slightly more exotic offerings put through their paces.
Flat White Porter (330ml, 5.2%, £1.85)
THIS is a coffee beer from Suffolk brewers Adnams and includes M&S Colombian coffee beans in the brew.
Adnams is based in the picturesque seaside town of Southwold and despite being an old established family brewer have successfully reinvented themselves in recent years and now straddle both the traditional and craft ends of the beer market with increasing confidence.
This dark brown beer has hints of roast and coffee on the nose and they lead into a beautifully smooth, rich beer.
Think coffee crème dark chocolates.
There’s a touch of sweetness and some dryness at the end while the coffee notes carry on right to the end and beyond.
Greenwich Black IPA (500ml, 5.7%, £2.50)
THIS is made by London’s Meantime Brewery – one of the oldest brewers on the capital’s burgeoning craft beer scene, having been established in 2000.
It’s now owned by Japanese multi-national brewer Asahi. To get a black IPA right you have to walk a tightrope between dark malts and big hops – and although this is a very good beer I’m not sure that balance is quite right.
It’s a dark red-brown with just light hops on the nose. As you drink a rasping hop bitterness dominates with some background charcoal notes from the malt.
The finish is again long and dry with hints of espresso coffee and bitter chocolate.
Double Hopped Citra IPA (330ml, 5.9%, £2)
OUR third beer comes from Peterborough’s Oakham Ales who have been around since 1993.
They have made their name by making crisp, clean hoppy beers and this is no exception.
As you may imagine Citra hops bring big, juicy citrus notes to beers and they certainly play their part in this wonderfully aromatic golden ale. Grapefruit, lime and even peach notes come along as you drink and the finish is dry and fruity too, with a touch of sweetness developing. Lovely stuff.
While all these beers have their flags firmly planted in the craft end of the beer market they also manage to remain accessible to a wider audience without compromising flavour or character.
That’s quite an achievement and a credit to all concerned.
I’ll be trying more of these.