WHATS WITH ALL THESE BLONDE BEERS ?

I was thinking about what my favourite beer  for May would be when a recent post in Inside Beer * triggered this off this preamble.

* Online newsletter from beer writer Jeff Evans :- Click here to read

Every year a group of us go to the pub to watch the FA Cup Final. Now, given that we turn up over 3 hours before kick off, you can work out that the ulterior motive is to have a few ( well several) beers. More often than not the match is forgotten.

Anyhow, this year, as in the past few years, we met in The Barley Mow, Birtley. This pub used to have 13 handpulls but is now down to 5. Nevertheless, they are all well kept but I noticed the choice was limited to light coloured beers.

Marstons New World ( Pale Ale)

Copper Dragon Golden Pippin ( Golden Ale)

Osset Silver King ( Golden Premium Bitter)

Purity Gold ( Golden Ale)

Robinson's Beerdo ( Golden Ale)

Now don't get me wrong, these are all fine beers-I know tried them all ! ;   but they all looked the same !!

I was chatting to the manager of my local Wetherspoons the other week about his choice and he said most of his customers prefer light coloured beers. Seems like a worrying trend.  Having said that, over the weekend they had on a wonderful Ithaca Nut Brown Ale. Recommended.  

So , back to "Inside Beer" . The latest online edition stated that in a recent report by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA)  94.7% of British Breweries produce a golden ale. This backs up the Barley Mow and Spoons observation then.

Jeff Evans also states he is finding it harder to experience darker beers, and like me, is tiring of seeing light, citrus flavoured ales. Here here !

So at last, onto my beer of the month.  

Well the other day I popped into an M&S food store to use the gents, and ended up spending £4.50 ! This wasn't in the loo, but  on a couple of dark beers in a conscious decision to counter recent light coloured beers. They were Cheshire Chocolate Porter and a Salted Caramel Porter. I have not  had the former yet but during the recent England V Australia footy friendly match I opened the Caramel Porter. 

 

Wow !! This immediately took my mind off the crappy game

This beer is brewed for M&S by Meantime Brewery and has a nice ruby red colour ( see picture left) but not an overwhelming smell. It was only when I tasted it that the sweetest of the caramel filled my mouth. Mrs Ken had a sip and could taste the salt which I couldn't. This didnt matter ; it was a bit like drinking Maxim Coffee Porter, Batemans Mocha or Saltaire Triple Chocoholic, all of which are fantastic beers. 

I regret only buying 1 bottle, so much so that I can already feel another dash to use their  loo soon.