The Blog o' Beer: Archive » Anne

Pubs set to serve beer in two-thirds of a pint glasses

Anne — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:45:38 +0000

The Government has decided to end more than 300 years of history by relaxing the law on pub glass sizes.
Currently beer can only be served in pint, half and third of a pint measures.

Surely this is crazy. Ok so pubs dont HAVE to do it, but its another service that they may feel pressured to offer customers. I just cant wondering what the point of this is? Who wants that little bit less of a pint?

After all the difference between two 3rds a pint, and a whole pint is very little once you’ve taken back wash into account…

This might all go wrong.

Anne — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:10:41 +0000

I’m about to update WordPress.

If it all goes wrong – well I might just cry a little.

Updated over an hour later…

Well it seemed to work out ok. Giving a new theme a go. Well change the weird picture above to something a little more beer like – possibly later this evening….

Looking for a Beer Blog on Twitter?

Anne — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:34:47 +0000

Quick Plug Time!

If you want more regular updates from the Blog o’ Beer – please follow us on Twitter!

Guinness is good for you

Anne — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 21:02:38 +0000

Anyone remember when Guinness was recommended for pregnant women?

Devon Beers help Beer Industry

Anne — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:41:59 +0000

Well if you’re the sort of person that thinks that Devon has the best Beers – you now have moe evidence! Brewers such as Otter and Dartmoor are helping the Beer industry buck the national downward trend.

From BBC News …

Rise in local brewers’ popularity

CAMRA says sales in Devon are bucking the national trend

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has credited the wide variety of beers in Devon for the growth of the industry.

The county has 27 brewers, the fifth highest in England, and the industry is booming despite a national slump in beer sales and a rise in pub closures.

Sales at the Dartmoor Brewery, which started business in 1994, rose by 35% last year.

Owner Simon Lovelass said the brewery was now selling about 200,000 gallons of ale a year.

He believes customers are looking for consistency and quality.

People like to see beer that’s been produced on their doorstep

Carol Doree, Royal Oak

“If they come back and buy our products again and again, then everybody’s happy,” Mr Lovelass told the BBC.

“If they don’t like it they shift to somebody else and that’s when things start to go downhill.”

Landlady Carol Doree, from the Royal Oak in South Brent, said a brewery’s “localness” also appeals to customers.

“We do food with local produce, but you can’t really see that, whereas with the brewers you’ve got the name pack which shows it’s come from just down the road,” she said.

“People like to see beer that’s been produced on their doorstep.”

Ian Packham, the regional director of the CAMRA, said nationally the number of brewers had been increasing steadily for the past 30 years.

“There’s such a variety of different styles and tastes which are growing in popularity here and it’s really good news,” he said.

“We’re definitely bucking the trend of beers in general.”

The Tarka Line Rail Ale Trail

Anne — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:51:04 +0000

Well from the looks of the this is exeter site, the Tarka Line Rail Ale Trail has been relaunched. I’m not altogether sure what it means as the website looks kinda like the last time I looked at it.

But (as long as I get a new booklet) I’m sure its a good excuse to go on what is basically a long pub crawl along the train line. Expect to see some more on the rail Ale Trail… if I can get a booklet to be stamped!

The Gulden Draak

Anne — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 10:39:23 +0000

The Gulden Draak looks like a quite beer in its little white bottle. Then it hits you like a train. It could be the strength of the beer itself, its dark look and slightly fizzy taste makes no excuses about the 10.5% beer.

Its the sort of stuff you drink a few beers to warm your stomach up to it. You drink two of them if you feel brave – seriously I’ve seen people go seriously weird on this stuff….but dont let that put you off!

If you like darker beer, and see this on sale – go for it! You should be able to find it in Darts Farm – Devon.

Innis and Gunn – The Whiskey Version

Anne — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 10:36:34 +0000

(I’ve come across a few old reviews that were saved on Facebook, so I’m reposting them here)

It comes in a box so it has to be nice

Well thats my impression when I see it on the shelf, the combination of the box and the suggestion of using a glass (as part of its sampling suggestion) lends this to being a classy beer.

My taster remarked on the strength of the beer, and to be honest it probably tastes stronger then it really is, due to the whiskey taste and smell the beer has. Probably in no small part thanks to the use of whiskey barrels during the production process.

To sum up: a fine beer which is worth while picking up from your local super market.

The Exeter Living Room

Anne — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:24:21 +0000

Not much to say on the Beer front… Tetleys or Carlsburg is what you get. BUT if you can stomach either of those beers, this is a fantastic little cafe to chill out in for a pint or two with a mate.

There is a good selection of wines, good menu, and a great welcome from the staff.

As far as the food is concerned, if you like burgers, you have to try The Living Room Burger. Its an Exmoor burger, with cheese, three onion rings, and a slice of bacon. Beautiful!

Piddle in The Hole

Anne — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:47:15 +0000

I have to admit. I keep on wanting to call this “Piddle in the Middle”, its not the name of the beer more good advise.

But anyway back to Piddle in the Middle…

Its a little boring… but in a good way… I think.

By that I mean its very much a typical, slightly hoppy ale. If you like Ale, you probably like this. It wont blow you away, but you probably wont hate it, and at a pound a bottle from Morrisons you cant go too badly wrong!