So. Do you like fizzy beers?
Do you like a sharp fruity aftertaste?
Do you like really surgery tasting beers?
Then get here quick! Because we’re about to wash this stuff done the sink….
Pub Shots: Rugglestone Inn, Widecombe-in-the-Moor
The Rugglestone Inn, at Widecombe-in-the-moor. Fantastic beer garden, great food, decent people, and friendly chickens.
You may wanna bear those chickens in mind if you intend to go to this pub with a dog…
Why is “The Devon Dumpling” called “The Devon Dumpling”
Why we asked Bays Brewery why The Devon Dumpling was called The Devon Dumpling, and they answered our silly request:
Devon Dumpling is a nickname for someone who lives in Devon – like a Scoucer is for someone from Liverpool! We liked the name and thought it would also help promote the local element too…
Now whats the next silly question we can ask?
Beer Review: Summerskills Brewery – Guzzale
So. I tried “Devon Dew” from the Sumerskills Brewery… and it was goood.
I was looking forward to having a chance to sample “Guzzale”. Yes it has an unusual name, and yes buying this beer does in a way support the Plymouth branch of the RNA.
As far as the beer itself goes… its kinda Meh.
Look up “Typical Bitter” in the dictionary. You’ll find this. If you want something a little more interesting, get yourself Devon Dew instead.
– The Summerskills Brewery League Table –
1. Devon Dew
2. Guzzale
Beer Review: Summerskills Brewery – Devon Dew
Last Friday, alesbymail.com had the sort of offer that was hard to pass up.
Free postage and packaging.
Doesn’t sound like much, but when it comes to shipping beer bottles… the p&p does cost a little more then a couple.. but anyway – I found myself checking out the beer crates, and came across this little brewery from Plymouth.
Well I’m starting the tour though the Summerskills collection with “Devon Dew”. The first thing that strikes me is that the bottle, talks about leaving the bottle to settle to pour a clear beer. I’m not sure how long thats needed, but I got it cloudy… but it seems that a perfectly good other option!
The cloudy version of Devon Dew tastes like an odd combination of a cloudy wheat lager, and a light ale. In that its the sort of beer suited to a hot sunny afternoon in a beer garden, just make sure you expect a little bit of a ‘yeasty’ bite, with a citrussy twist!
I’m looking forward to the rest of the set!
Beer Review – Bays Devon Dumpling
If you drive from Exeter up to Crediton, and keep going until you get to the deepest darkest parts of Devon, you’ll come across an almighty fine pub called the Devonshire Dumpling.
This beer from the Bays brewery probably isn’t named after the Devonshire Dumpling, but I’m sure if it was. The owners wouldn’t complain too much.
It be a mighty fine fresh crisp beer, with a gentle hoppy over tone.
One warning. Its nice when its been chilled a little. Lovely when its cold. Stick this baby in the fridge / freezer and leave it there until its fairly cold.
If you’re in Devon, get yourself over to your local decently sized Sainsburys and pick one up.
Christmas Beers: Christmas Cheer – Red Rock Brewery
Nights are getting darker, the southeast is buried under snow (leading to wide spread panic), and Christmas is coming…. Leading to breweries around the world rushing to release their own Christmas themed beer.
I may sound like a cynic but my word, I’m a sucker for it. This lead me to almost being disappointed at the lack of Christmas beers at my local Sainsburys here in Exeter. It was at that point when I found hope in The Red Rock Brewery.
Red Rock Brewery, based in South Devon say this beer was hand made… it tastes like it.
Dark and cloudy, yet easy and thirst quenching. This gently spicy beer is a joy to drink.
The great thing is, Sainburys seems to like the Red Rock Brewery at the moment, so I imagine if you’re in the Devon / South west area it should be fairly easy to grab a bottle. If for no other reason – it could be a fairly cheap Christmas present for the beer lover in your life?
Christmas Beer: Otter Claus
Its not Christmas yet, but in a months time we’ll all probably be caught up in the madness of Christmas, and I’m sure you’re probably going to be wanting something for the beer lover in your life… or if you’re a beer lover then something for yourself. If you’re in Devon then you could do a lot worse then Otter Claus, the seasonal ale from the Otter brewery.
I say seasonal… not Christmas, as in the words of the Otter Brewery website:
We firmly believe that one particularly good beer is better than a bucketful of seasonals. So, although it may be a bit cheeky, we have one winter ale that forms the basis of our seasonal range. This delicious 5% beer is dark ruby in colour and has a well balanced flavour with a bittersweet chocolate edge. This comes from the careful use of Fuggles and Challenger hops.
Yes it is a little cheeky, but its a nice beer – and if Otter have an excuse to offer the beer at other times of the year, then it can only be good for us.
If you hang around Devon, then I would recommend checking out Darts Farm to pick up a bottle.
(Yes I am gushing… no this post wasn’t sponsored by Otter…)
The Blog o’Beer 2009 Awards
Best Pub
Well, what I mean by this, is best pub I paid a random visit to. Now there are plenty of places we could name, but we go there all the time. So I’m going to name the best place we’ve been once. This year the award goes to The Victoria Inn in Salcombe. Great welcome and fantastic beer, making this place worth while checking out.
Worst Welcome at a Pub
The Old Lock and Weir Inn in Bristol, wins this hands down! Not the most friendly people ever…
Best Brewery
Hands down, it has to be Skinners. It might have been because we were in Cornwall for a while and drank a fair bit from them, but they were all beautiful. Its just a shame that they were closed when we tried to visit!
Worst Breakfast
Breakfasts this year have included hotels, B&Bs, Pubs, and Cafes. The worst of them has to be found at the Plume of Feathers in Princetown, it was pricey and cold. Not nice after a bad nights camping on Dartmoor!
Crazy Media Story of the Year
Tactical Nuclear Penguin. Its a beer, designed to be drank like whiskey. How is this worthwhile news?
Disappointment of the Year
People dont agree with me and the rest of the table I was on that evening, but Titanic Velvet Curtain was so bad, we didn’t finish it.
Agree with any of the above?