– American Beer Festival 2013 / Selected highlights
As anyone who’s anyone knows our American Beer Festival is fast approaching, we thought it might be nice to give a wee smidge of information about some of the scrumptious beers we’ll be having on. The following is exciting stuff so please read while seated, further updates will be appearing as we get closer to the festival itself so keep your eyeballs on the alert…
Cigar City – Papsøs Passion Fruit Porter – 6% / Tampa, Florida
A sweet and fruity porter with a hint of brett on the end, a tasty if unorthodox beer but there still remains nothing that Cigar City don’t do well!
Against the Grain – Citra Ass Back Down – 6.7% / Louisville, Kentucky
A hoppy beast of a beer, classic American vibes with arguably the quintessential American hop citra making a big appearance.
Local Option – Schmetterling Gose – 4.5% / Chicago, Illinois
This is a new take on a very old style. Salty sour beer sounds a bit weird-and it is-but it’s also darn tasty.
– Meet The Brewer with Bruno Carilli (Toccalmatto) – Monday 10th June 2013 / 6pm
SOLD OUT – available from the bar or call 0161 237 9949
Birra Toccalmatto started brewing in Fidenza, near Parma, in northern Italy, in 2008, initially producing 550 liter batches (just over 3.5 BBL.) Head brewer Bruno Carilli gained experience in the food and brewing industry, and then decided he wanted to produce his own beer. So, with the help of three friends, he made his passion for brewing traditional Belgian and British beers a reality.
Experimentation is a big part of Toccalmatto, and many of the beers are very hop forward. To aid in the development of local hops, cultivation of 16 new hop varieties has started between Fidenza and Tabbiano. Beers like ‘Zona Cesarini’, ‘B Space Invader,’ and ‘Tabula Rasa’ have already graced the Port Street taps, and for the Meet the Brewer, we will be tasting five of their wonderful beers, accompanied by some culinary delights.
– Photos / Meet The Brewer with Black Jack Brewery – Monday 20th May 2013
A collection of slight blurry pictures (and memories) from the Meet The Brewer with Rob from Blackjack Breweries.
Thanks to everyone who came down and helped Rob feel at ease!
– Copenhagen – A Family Outing by Rosie Setterfield Price
Once upon a time Port Street, Common and the Beagle sent their champions forth to make a foray into the far away land of the Danes for the Copenhagen Beer Festival. They were intent on the researching of excellent beers and breweries, selflessly putting themselves in the way of danger (largely in the form of flight related traumas and hangovers) to better enhance their beery knowledge and thereby (if possible) improve upon the repertoire available to their valued customers.
Despite many woes and much hardship (some of us really don’t like flying, cyclists in Copenhagen are somewhat vicious and the ginger contingent may have gotten sunburnt to some extent) they were victorious! Hereafter follows the tale (in beers) of one adventurer’s journey…
– Begyle / Jonny Quest (Black IPA) ***
– Den Gale Brygger / IDUN Spontangaeret (Paradise Apple Sour) ****
– Amager / Gluttony (DIPA) ***
– Cantillon / Fou Foune (Apricot Lambic) *****(*******)
– Revelation Cat / Boon Dry Hopped Warrior (Lambic) **
– Boon / Boon to be Wild (Lambic) ****
– Mikkeller / Beer Geek Breakfast (Coffee Stout) ****
– Jolly Pumpkin / Madrugada Obscura (Hoppy Stout) *****
– Mikkeller / Invasion (Farmhouse IPA) ***
– Jester King / El Cedro (Belgian Hoppy Sour) ****
– Port Brewing / Wipeout (IPA) ***
– Lagonitas / New Dog (Pale Ale) ***
– Xbeeriment / #44 (Whiskey Barrel Aged Imperial Stout) **
– Mikkeller / Spontandoublueberry (Blueberry Lambic) *****
– Kernel / London Sour Raspberry (Sour) *****
– Three Floyds / Dark Lord (Imperial Stout) **
– Amager / Lambicus Raspberry **
– Boxing Cat / TKO (IPA) ****
– Boxing Cat / Sucker Punch (Pale Ale) ***
– Anchorage / Andromadous (Belgian Black Sour) ***
– Against the Grain / Golden Sower (IPA w. Brett) ***
– Kernel / IPA Columbus ****
– Firestone Walker / Union Jack (IPA) ****
– Mountain Goat / IPA ***
– Westbrook / Grumpy Old Time (Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Sour Ale) *****
– Not De Molen/Merciless / Untamed Forces (Sour Ale) ***
– Stillwater/ Existent (Black Saison) **
– Surly / Pentagram (Sour Ale) ***
– Jester King / Das Uberkind (Sour Ale) *****
– 8 Wired / Hop Wired IPA **
– Brodies / Romanov (Imperial Stout) ****
– Mikkeller / 1000 IBU (DIPA) ****
– Spiteful / GFY (Imperial Stout) ****
– 3 Fonteinen / Oude Geuze ****
– Amager / Envy (IPA) *****
KEY – Brewery / Beer (style) * Rating
Words by Rosie Setterfield Price
Pictures by Duncan James Sime