WYCHWOOD King Goblin6.6 abv
Much better than the standard version.Must have been quite good as I drank it before I took the photo.Richer maltier better.

ALLENDALE BREWERY Tar Bar'l 4.5abv
4.5 abv is about the right strength for a stout but sorry Ian its not quite good enough.There are so many better stouts than this.

RIDGEWAY BREWERY Hampster of Doom5.8abv
Yet another brown ale without bite,or much brownness.Come on get in gear guys.

Rogue 8 hop IPA 8.88%

This I've been saving as it a 660ml bomber. Nice IPA not sure what 8 hops makes to an IPA. It does taste nice. But to me is this a double IPA? Dont really know but I did enjoy this as I was eating a spicy pizza.  Good beer but I'm not sure 8 hops is a good thing, however i do like the fact that it's in a bomber bottle wish I could get more of them.

Edge Brewery - Beer 3

Edge Brewery 

Accidental Jedi 10.9%

After a really long night at work I needed a beer and really wanted to try another from Edge. This is a triple IPA and its good my only regret is that it's a small bottle. It has a lovely caramel background, I'm not pick up on anything else. Another good beer from Edge brewing. 

WOLF - STRONG RUBY ALE - ALLENDALE BREWERY

My 4th from Allendale Brewery and this does not disappoint. A very warm, deep red hue. Heaps of flavour, very complex, lots going on under the lid. Definitely a full bodied taste. Kinda like burnt caramel, but not sweet. The bottle says hedgerow berries, I get that, a definite rich and ripe fruit undercurrent (currant!! ha ha!)  Two hops and six malts in this baby - Target and Bramling Cross on the hop side and Pale Ale, Vienna, Dark Crystal, Amber, Chocolate and Wheat for the malts. Wow.
5.5 % volume.  

A P A - ALLENDALE PALE ALE - ALLENDALE BREWERY

So wanted this to be good. My 3rd from Allendale Brewery in Northumberland. Been a while since I've had an IPA and this is bloody lovely. Real depth of flavour, you could almost chew it!  Four hops and 3 malts make up this marvel - Columbus, Bramling Cross, First Gold and Galaxy for the hops and Pale Ale, Caramalt and Vienna for the malts. Runs the whole spectrum of flavours  with tropical fruits and citrus initially then the bitterness from the hops punches through and takes the reins all the way down.  5.5% volume.

Cloudwater

Cloudwater 

IPA Nelson Sauvin 6.5%

This is a IPA that uses Nelson Sauvin hops and just like the rest of the ones I've had that uses the same hops I'm not sure I like the flavour. It describes itself as dank, juicy and hoppy. To me this has a very strange taste. Not sure I like this, what makes it worse is I've got another one of these to drink ( why is it I buy two of the ones I dont like and only buy one of the ones that are gorgeous) 

BLACK GROUSE - OAKED PORTER - ALLENDALE BREWERY

My 2nd from Allendale Brewery, and my 2nd ever Porter.  It isn't really my bag to be fair but I'm all for trying to broaden my palette. Not overly strong in flavour, I get the chocolate, but its quite subtle, rum and raisin aromas too. Brewed with 3 hop varieties, Target, Fuggles and Bramling Cross, and 6 malts - Pale Ale, Amber, Crystal, Wheat, Chocolate and Cara. Its not winning me over, but I'm glad I tried it.  4% volume. Brewed in Allendale, Northumberland.

Rye 6

Headlands brewery

Groupe G Belgian RyePA 6.5%

This beer uses belgian yeast strain and rye and Mosaic hops. It has a fruity taste which I think comes from the Belgian yeast. It doesnt have the spiciness from rye. Its a very different sort of beer. I did seem to enjoy this. 

CURLEW'S RETURN - CASCADE RED ALE - ALLENDALE BREWERY

Been a while, sorry peeps!  Anyhoo this is my 1st from Allendale Brewery who are based in erm. Allendale, which is a gorgeous little village in the North Pennines, Northumberland. Been there and want to end up there but not just yet. This is a cracking light ruby red ale. Citrus elements kick it off, then the bitterness wades in and the result is a really good refreshing yet full flavoured drop. I could (and will) drink this till the cows come home. (Hope theres lots of cows and they're out really late).
Made with Columbus and Cascade hops, using a trio of malts, Pale Ale, Dark Crystal and Dark Cara.  4.2% volume.

BUTTS BREWERY Organic ale 4.6abv
A bit on the aleish side as opposed to the beerish side for me but wasnt bad a decent 3 hopped organic ale.Better than o.k.

BUTTS Blackguard Porter 4.5abv
No photo of the beer,Mrs andynapoleon having swiped out of my longing hand.I had one mouthful which was very nice.A good thick chocolate and coffee mildly flavoured porter.
 

New Zealand - Tuatara Beer 11

Tuatara brewery 

Foxhole commemorative pale ale 4.5%

This beer is made for those the anzac who braved and sacrificed themselves during world war 1. My first thought was it's a bit watery and thin but as it went on it got better and better. You get a lovely smell from hops used sorry I'm not sure what they are. I think this may be my last beer from Tuatara. There has been some okay beers to some expecially  good ones. 

New Zealand - Tuatara Beer 10

Tuatara Brewery

Ardennes 6.5%

When I poured this my first thought oh no not another lager style of beer. But it's much better than that. It's very similar to a trappist style of beer. Tastes very much like other belgian beers. I'm liking this. Very good. 

NOSS BEER WORKS Mew Stone 4.3abv
This beer is from Devon.Please read the blog entry last but one.It will save me the problem.Very good.

KINGDOM Pilsner 5.0abv
This is the Cambodian version of that Lager you drink while your in the country and it tastes fine,then you get home and it magically turns in to that ordinary Lager you can get anywhere and you dont usually bother.

RUDGATE BREWERY Battle Axe4.8 abv
This brewery from York has made one of those ordinary but hugely drinkable session bitters of good character.lovely I will have another,well I would if I had one.

New Zealand - Tuatara Beer 9

Tuatara brewery 

Wilder Brew 5%

This is a beer that uses wild hops from New Zealand. Its smells so good has a lovely fruity flavour but tastes weak and watery.  

New Zealand - Tuatara Beer 8

Tuatara Brewery

Solstice 5.6%

Spiced saison 

Have just acquired some more beer from Tuatara brewery from New Zealand. This beer is a Saison style of beer and it uses ginger and Kaffir Lime Leaves. That is not too bad maybe slightly sweet and not for everyone. It in a way feels like summer drink and not for October. Im enjoying this beer although I'm not sure saisons are for me.

Firestone Walker 

Luponic Distortion 5.9%

This is a really good IPA from Firestone Walker. Ive now had about 2 or 3 from this brewery, what I've had from this brewery has been good. What limited smell I have tells me this is exceptional beer. They have done a very good job with beer. However in the UK it is extremely hard to get hold many beers from Firestone Walker. This one was bought of a new website and only bought this just to make it worth while. The only downside to this beer is that it should be drunk within 90 days and its out of that 90 day mark shame my guess is it would have been even better.

FLACK MANOR Flacks Double Drop 3.7 abv.
A bit like the Garlic beer this didn't really taste of much a part from being quite a decent drinkable ale.Perhaps not a light ale but not really a bitter either.No great hoppiness.Not much too say about it apart from if someone stuck one in my hand whilst thirsty,I would certainly drink it.Probably wouldn't remember it the next day.

VAN STEENBERGE BREWERY Gulden Draak 10.5
From Belgium this is neither a golden beer or a particularly nice one.Its far too sweet as you sometimes get from high alcohol beers.It was too sweet for me but Mrs andynapoleon finished it off with her fish and chips with curry sauce,which probably hid its worst excesses.Not for me.

THE GARLIC FARM Garlic beer4.1abv
Now I here you shouting at me already.WHAT.Youre always saying there are some things you shouldn't make beer from.And normally you would be right.I had hoped this would taste of garlic so I could condemn it as foul or as I quite like garlic,I could say you will be pleasantly surprised about this.Unfortunately I cant do either as the beer has no discernible garlic flavour ,its just a bit of a reasonable light ale.Whats the point garlic farm.

THORNBRIDGE BREWERY Wild Raven BLACK IPA 6.6abv
This fortunatly was quite strong and thus didn't feel like all those I.P.A. beers I hate.This is not very citrus nor is it made with Ingredients no civilized man would put in ale.For an I.P.A this is not at all bad and I am not suprised Thornbridge ,who are building a reputation for good unusual beers have managed to pull this off.On a more personal note to Thornbridge,you need to make kill your darlings a core beer not a seasonal one.Now finding it very difficult to get.

Double IPA'S

The Difference between Double IPA's 

Double IPA's

This post is to show the difference between double IPA'S how different they can be. So I  have 7 different beers and I hope to drink all of them, yeah that's not going to happen but I will give it my best shot. I'm sure eagle eyed viewer's will notice that there is some Cloudwater DIPA all but one has been tried before. In fact three are new beers. 

But firstly what makes a double a double?

IPA vs. Double IPA

The Double IPA generally uses more hops (though not literally "double"), lengthier brewing processes (e.g. Dogfish Head's 90 Minute IPA, which is boiled for longer than its 60 Minute variant), sometimes secondary fermentation, etc. It has higher alcohol content, IPAs stopping around 7.5% ABV, while Double IPAs can soar to above 10%.

To me this mean lots more hops and a higher alcohol level. I believe the craze has come from America and beer fans have kept asking for more and more hops. This still doesn't help me understand what a double IPA is, It was not long ago that I had a Triple IPA from Stone Brewery and that was 10.8% abv (click here for the review). The above quote says double IPA's can soar to 10% abv. So I guess the question is are they a way in which brewer's using marketing to sell more beer and at a high cost? What I do know is that they are generally very hoppy and usually strong. Some people will say that they are sweet I don't pick up on any of that normally, probably I have a sweet tooth. 

First Beer

Birrificio Del Ducato
Machete 7.6%

So my first beer that's a Double IPA. This is a lovely IPA. It's very Hoppy. It has a flavour that I can not put my finger on. The only thing I would say is that it comes across as dry. This beer is not one I would be having again. This beer is also cloudy do like that though.

Second beer

Renaissance
M.P.A 8.5%
Imperial India Pale Ale 

This is from new Zealand its called Marlborough Pale ale. This beer is to showcase New Zealand Hops. Its so different to the last one. This beer is very strong tasting and I think it's overpowering the hops. New Zealand hops are very different to american hops like Chinook, Citra. Nelson Sauvin is very much like a white wine flavour. In fact it's name comes from Sauvignon Blanc grapes it tend to give a sort of Gooseberry flavour. 

Third Beer

Cloudwater brewery
DIPA V8

This is the latest version of Cloudwater's DIPA range. This version was released for the manchester beer festival. It pours an orangey hazy and has little head to the beer. It uses Nelson Sauvin, Citra, Simcoe & Chinook hops as with the last one which also had Nelson Sauvin hops it does sort overpower the other flavours. This to me is not as good as the last version, however every version I have had has been totally different.