Another Empire

I tick off number seven on the list this week, and my second Marston’s beer – Old Empire. This is my second IPA, and as you may recall, stands for India Pale Ale. Typically, IPAs are stronger than your average beer and usually quite bitter. Marston’s version is no different.

I wrote at some length last time about how I felt many IPAs weren’t actually that pale. But, I admitted, this is probably more about what I think of as pale rather than the beer hue itself. This beer is, however, fairly pale and crystal clear as you might expect.

Marston’s is a pretty big brewery, and as well as Pedigree and Old Empire IPA, produce a broad range of beers which you can get hold of. When I quickly skimmed their website earlier today, they list a number of other breweries such as Jennings and Bank’s, and I wonder if they just kindly advertise these other ale-makers or have a hand in them also. Many of the larger breweries have bought up the smaller ones, which is often a shame as the little guy just can’t compete with the big business breweries.

About the beer

The 300 list classes this as an IPA.

I really like Old Empire, and irrespective of how you feel about big breweries, this is not a bad bottle of beer. It’s strong, at 5.7% as you’d expect from an IPA and has that good level of bitterness also. It doesn’t whack you in the taste buds with hops, but a slower bitter tang that hands on the tongue. It is a mass produced beer, which I know many don’t like, and perhaps has some of those characteristics. It’s a better alternative than some other so called IPAs I could name, and I don’t think you would be disappointed if you tried it.

Alcohol: 5.7%

My rating: 7/10

Whether you love the big name breweries, or prefer a smaller, local brew, you have to give credit where it’s due here.

The great thing about Old Empire, and Marston’s beers in general, is that you can find them without much trouble. Most large supermarkets supply them, and in fact, I picked up my bottle from our local Home Bargains at a basement price of only £1.59. That’s not bad for a good pint.

How does it compare to other IPAs? Well, looking back at my notes, the only other IPA I’ve tried so far was the Burton Bridge Empire – the name is simply a coincidence! I notice I’ve scored them both a 7, which seems somewhat unfair to the Burton-on-Trent beast. That was a great beer, and had real character and strength. Perhaps the truth is though, that while the beers are both IPAs, they really are quite different animals. Even side by side in the “IPA” box, you see a big difference in them, and that’s what I love about ale! Every single beer is different, and you never quite know which you are going to love the most – this one, or the next! Keep tasting, that’s what I say!

Empire Strikes Back

Burton Bridge Empire pale ale is an IPA. In case you have ever wondered, IPA stands for India Pale Ale. It doesn’t originate from India, and is not Indian Pale Ale but I believe has its roots in sending British beers overseas. To endure the journey, they were brewed stronger than your average beer, and that should still be the same today.

You see a lot of beers boasting the title “IPA” these days but I’m not always convinced they are true IPAs. In my book, two things are true about a proper IPA. 1) They are pale and 2) they are brewed strong (perhaps to the 6%+ range but certainly 5.5%). You see plenty of examples in the supermarkets and elsewhere of ale that are dark and weak, and yet still claim to be IPAs. Not so in my humble opinion!

The Burton Bridge Empire pale ale is both strong and pale, and an excellent example of what I think of when I hear the term “IPA”.

About the beer

Burton Bridge Empire pale ale – my fourth beer on the 300 list and is classed as an IPA – you may have guessed.

It is pale and golden, and if I had to sum it up in one single word, that would be “rich”. This is truly a “rich” beer, and its sumptuous taste doesn’t disappear as soon as you swallow it. You don’t get punched with bitterness, as some IPAs can, but rather the richness of the malt and hops fades leaving a lingering bitterness on the tongue. It really is a splendid beer!

Referring to my previous post about not wasting your units; this is furthest from doing so. A pint or bottle of this beer could last you a fair while if you savour it. At a hefty ABV too, you won’t need too many before you reach the recommended daily alcohol limit!

Alcohol: 7.5% (that’s 3.75 units for the 500ml bottle and above the daily intake recommended by the new guidelines)

My rating: 7/10

 

This is a great beer, and one I’ve not had before. If you get a chance to try it, I’d recommend you do so. It’s brewed by Burton Bridge brewery, in Burton-on-Trent and if you can get to their brewery tap and try it, you won’t regret it. For those of us who don’t live in the area, you may find it harder to come by.

Where did I get mine? Believe it or not, I bought it from Amazon! They don’t just stock CDs, books and the like these days, and actually have a fair few brews to choose from. You have to watch the delivery prices, as they can really sting you if you’re not careful, but a pack of six Empire ales was a little more than £20 delivered. That may seem quite expensive, but don’t forget how strong this beer is and you won’t find it on 4 bottles for a fiver in your local Asda!

More on where to get your beer in a future blog I suspect!

A final word about bottle-conditioned beers. Empire ale is an example of a beer that is bottle-conditioned and what this means is that there is live yeast in the bottle and it will therefore have sediment in it. If you don’t pour it carefully, you will get a cloudy beer. This is worsened by buying online, as it will only get shaken up and disturbed on route to your home.

Again, more on bottle conditioning in a future blog. But for now, if you procure one, just make sure you pour it slowly and carefully, and where you can see the beer clearly. Stop pouring if you see the sediment coming out! It won’t hurt you, but could affect the taste of your beer.

Pedigree Yum

Sincere apologies to Marston’s for in any way associating their beer with a popular dog food… but it was literally the best I could do!

We return to our 300 beer challenge and hit the third beer so far – Marston’s Pedigree – in case you hadn’t figured that out. Pedigree is a pale ale, and like some IPAs, really isn’t all that pale. Looking again at the definition of a pale ale, I realise I need to reassess what I think of as “pale”. This is a beer you can see through, but it’s not light or golden, which is what I associate with a “pale” ale. In all honesty, this is my own misapprehension, and pale doesn’t mean golden or straw coloured as I imagine inside my skull.

Perhaps I should have said up front, but I like dark beers. I don’t mean that I like them to the exclusion of paler beers, but I guess I do prefer a dark brown or black hue to my beverage. While the market for craft and real ale continues to grow, there does seem to be a lot more golden ales around than dark. Perhaps that’s just my impression, but the major supermarkets seem to stock a lot of the golden beers in all shapes and sizes.

Pedigree is a pale ale – as I’ve mentioned. And this is not to be confused with a bitter. Had you asked me beforehand, I might have made the mistake of thinking that it was a bitter – as I’m not well versed in Marston’s beer (yet). The label on the bottle however is very clear, and if that wasn’t enough, one taste should tell you it’s not a bitter.

Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not criticising at all, it’s not meant to be a bitter and therefore shouldn’t taste like one. It is, very proudly, a good example of a pale ale.

About the beer

Marston’s Pedigree is a pale ale and is not bitter – I emphasise. You don’t get a huge wallop of hops when you drink this, and I know there are many who don’t favour these “hop bomb” beers that seem to be around nowadays. Instead, Pedigree is subtle and malty, and therefore almost sweet on the palette. It’s not flavourless by any means, but won’t hit you round the face like some beers might.

Alcohol: 4.5%

My rating: 6/10

I rate this beer a six, not because it’s somehow lacking, but rather because it’s not the sort of beer I would drink regularly. It’s a great example of its class, and does taste really good. If you find bitters too, well, bitter, then you might prefer this sort of brew. The good thing about a challenge like this is that you can try lots of different types of beer and see which you like, and which you don’t.

A friend of mine often says “I don’t like red wine…” To me, that a bit like saying “I don’t like music.” You may not like some, or even most, types of music, but there’s bound to be something out there you do like. The same is true for wine, and indeed, beer. So get out there and see what you can find!

A nice Lidl surprise!

OK, I know it should be pronounced “lee-dl” but I couldn’t resist a little pun! Taking a slight detour from the 300 beers list this time, I’ve sampled my first Hatherwood Craft beer – the Green Gecko IPA.

While the big supermarkets have branched out and not only sell their own branded beers, as well as an ever growing range of real ales, the smaller supermarkets have done too. Aldi have won medals for their wines and here we have an example of a beer produced by Lidl. I wouldn’t have thought to go into Lidl looking for beer, but the good people over at BrewUK.co.uk pointed me in their direction.

Just before Christmas, I went to our nearby Lidl and found that they offer a number of their own craft beers. I picked up a Golden Goose, Purple Panther (a porter) and a Spiced Winter ale (which I had in the run up to the festive season). I was particularly interested in trying the Green Gecko IPA, as I’d heard good things. As an aside, they also sell a few other craft beers including a lager.

About the beer

This does not appear on the 300 beers list, but don’t let that put you off!

The beer is fairly pale (when compared to a porter say) but is more brown than gold. It packs a good strong bitterness, as you would expect from an IPA and was, on the whole, very enjoyable. I wasn’t bowled over with the scent of hops, as you sometimes are these days, but it wasn’t lacking in flavour. I felt it lacked a little “mouth feel” or body, but often bottled beers do when compared with their draught equivalents.

Alcohol: 5%

My rating: 6/10

When you compare this beer to some of the mammoth beers you’ll find on the 300 list, it probably won’t stand up against them. This isn’t meant as a criticism though, as the Green Gecko and its siblings is not trying to be a world beater. It comes in at a reasonable £1.25 (or thereabouts) which is pretty darn cheap. As the saying goes, you tend to get what you pay for, but this is a very reasonable pint for not much more than a pound.

If you have a Lidl near you, why not take a punt? Or a pint, if you prefer!

If the other beers in the range are good, I’ll be sure to write about them also. I’m particularly looking forward to sampling the Purple Panther porter, but then, I’m a sucker for a dark beer!