7. Boulevard IPA

Beer 7 - Boulevard IPA

Brand: Boulevard Brewing Co
Consumption date: 15/01/16
Description: Single Wide IPA
Nationality: American
ABV: 5.7%
Source: Revolutions, Clapham Junction
Price: ~ £5

This American IPA reminds me a bit of Brooklyn Lager, another export from across the pond which was something of a gateway drug into the world of craft beer for me. The Boulevard is full of flavour, with some mild smoky caramel tones and some bitter hoppy notes. I liked that this was different from some of the recent IPAs I've come across and I would like to drink this again one day. 

Perhaps a little heavy for my tastes definitely worth a try if you like that sort of thing.

My rating for this beer:

2.5 beers out of 5

6. Mahou

Beer 6 - Mahou

Brand: Mahou
Consumption date: 15/01/16
Description: Premium Spanish Lager
Nationality: Spanish
ABV: 5.5%
Source: Revolutions, Clapham Junction
Price: £4.50

Disappointing. When a drink is marketed as a "premium lager", I'm not expecting much but at the very least a mildly refreshing beverage. This exotic sounding lager from Spain lacked flavour, character and soul. It became a chore to finish and reminded me why I don't really drink much lager these days.

A bit of google research informs me that this is in fact Spain's number one beer brand, which seems crazy to me, there surely must be cervezas far superior to this. I will be actively avoiding this beer from now on.

My rating for this beer:

1 beer out of 5

5. Stone Saison, Stone Brewing

Beer 5 - Stone Saison

Brand: Stone Brewing
Consumption date: 12/01/16
Description: Spiced Saison with lemon thyme and lavender
Nationality: USA (San Diego)
ABV: 6%Source: Brewdog bar, Clapham Junction
Price: Too much for a bottle (Price not remembered)



I always thought it was going to be a challenge to complete this beer 366, but I had not fathomed how much more difficult it was going to be to document the beers as well. So here we are two weeks later writing about a beer I remembered drinking. None-the-less I hope you enjoy my memory notes on this beer.



To the main event - The Stone Saison. The saison is a beer style that has been gaining my attention from a number of breweries as 2015 was drawing to a close so when I saw this flying the flag solo for Saison beers at the Brewdog bar it was a likely choice. But what can I say about this beer? It was drinkable, it didn't have me ranting and raving about it, but I was suitably satisfied, but it's certainly not going to be challenge for any top 5 honours in my list. This is not a beer I will be ordering again. Perhaps you might take more of an interest than I, although I imagine that will depend upon your palette. For me this beer was flavoured beyond need with the herbs adding too much of a spiced floral note. I do not condone this in my beer.

My rating for this beer:

1.5 Beers out of 5.

4. Brewdog Jack Hammer

Beer number 4

Jack Hammer

Brand: Brewdog
Consumption date: 12th January
Description: Ruthless IPA
Nationality: British
ABV: 7.2%
Source: Brewdog, Battersea Rise
Price: £5.30 (2/3 pint)

Jack Hammer was one of Brewdog's former prototype beers in 2012 and although it narrowly came 2nd (to Cocoa Psycho Imperial Stout), it has been brewed and sold regularly at Brewdog's bars and online shop. Boasting a 7.2% ABV, it is understandably served in 2/3 pints which is reasonable at £5.30 given its strength - with a 10% discount courtesy of being with an Equity for Punks Brewdog shareholder this becomes very good value indeed.

As is shown on the glass, Jack Hammer is flavoured with great variety of hops which give it a crisp taste with bitter tones, full of flavour without being overpowering. Under normal circumstances the strength might put me off but Jack Hammer manages to find a perfect balance of flavour and strength, and is definitely a beer I'll look to drink more of in the future. 

My rating for this beer:

3.5 beers out of 5!

3. Khukuri Lager

Beer number 3

Khukuri Lager

Brand: Khukuri
Consumption date: 10th January
Description: Premium Nepalese Lager
Nationality: Nepalese
ABV: 4.7%
Source: Le Raj restaurant
Price: £6.50 (660 ml bottle)


When looking for a refreshing beer to wash down a lovely curry, I'm used to choosing between Cobra and Kingfisher so it was a pleasant surprise to see an alternative at Le Raj restaurant in Epsom Downs.

At £6.50 for a 660 ml bottle it's not exactly cheap but relatively in line with restaurant prices today. It might have been something to do with the spice of my beef vindaloo, but the Khukuri went down very smoothly and quickly for a large bottle.

Given the assault on my taste buds from the curry, it's perhaps a bit difficult to judge the taste of the beer, that said it did a good job of cooling my mouth whilst being refreshing and enjoyable at the same time. Perhaps Khukuri would be a different experience without accompanying a hot meal, but this was a solid, if slightly expensive lager which I would certainly drink again if given the chance.

My rating for this beer:

3 beers out of 5!

2. Brewdog Punk IPA

Beer number 2

Brewdog Punk IPA

Brand: Brewdog
Consumption date: 8th January
Description: Trans-atlantic fusion IPA
Nationality: British/Scottish
ABV: 5.6%
Source: Sainsbury's Local
Price: £1.50 (2 bottles for £3)



Punk IPA: The beer that started it all for me. A couple of years back I would routinely drink mass produced continental lager and thought that this was it, that beer couldn't be enjoyed on a higher level. How wrong I was.

It wasn't love at first sip, the first time I tried this funky blue and white bottle of "India Pale Ale" at a local public house. I remember finding it distinctly average and had assumed it would be added to the list of beers I'd try once and never be persuaded by again. Over time, Brewdog's staple beverage has permeated the mainstream and can be found in shops, pubs and bars across the land. It's great that one can now pick up a couple of bottles with your shopping after work, a snip at £3 for 2 on a current special offer.

Nowadays, the crisp fruity tones of Punk IPA are a regular and enjoyable experience - an always solid choice of drink which can be enjoyed on an evening out, with food, or while relaxing at home. At 5.6% it's not exactly a session beer but speaking from experience I would say one can enjoy some fantastic and lengthy sessions on the Punk. The growth of Brewdog has seen their product range expand significantly, and some of their other beers are appearing in high street shops and pubs, but you can see why Punk is here to stay. It would be great if more pubs were selling it on draught and it wouldn't surprise me if we saw Punk on tap in more and more venues in 2016.

Overall, a solid beer which goes down smoothly and leaves a lovely taste in your mouth.

My rating for this beer:

4.5 beers out of 5!

1. India Rubber Ball, Pressure Drop

Beer Number 1

India Rubber Ball

Brand: Pressure Drop
Consumption date: 7th January
Description: Citra IPA with Clementine
Nationality: British/English
ABV: 7.2%
Source: Oddbins
Price: £3 per bottle

What attracted me to this beer?
I've been a fan of the Pressure Drop brewery for a while. They can generally be relied upon for a good beer. Particularly in the Pale ale style. Added to that the eye catching label draws me in with its geometric shapes and deep red colour. Furthermore the appeal of a 7.2% strength further solicits me. Lucky here that I didn't notice the clementine flavouring until after I'd purchased this as my previous interactions with Orange beers haven't been expressly enjoyable.

Pleasantly strong this is a bottle conditioned Citra style IPA. The clementine flavour addition is light and doesn't make a huge impact on the taste. It's major effect is on the aroma with a clear orange nose alongside the hops. Evidently it also adds colour to the beer which, far from its "pale" description, takes a quite thick dark amber set honey colour. The taste is fairly bitter, staying on the tongue for a reasonable time length after swallowing. This ale is pleasing to the taste and one that I would probably drink again.

The hit comes with the price. £3 is fairly steep for a shop sourced beer and certainly would take it's toll on the wallet with a sustained purchase run, despite that I would still recommend you try this one.

My overall rating for this beer:

 3.5 beers out of 5!

Welcome

Welcome to Beerism 366.

We are a small collective of people who enjoy and love drinking, discussing, thinking and talking about beer. The ambition is to drink a new beer everyday for a year, or at least average that across the year. In the aid of not becoming chronic alcoholics we have opted to take this challenge together and consume 366 new beers in 2016 as a group. Posting on this page we will be detailing the new beers we encounter, conferring the best, and worst, of what we drink, smell and share with any readers who happen across our path.

Enjoy and drink responsibly!