13. Jack of Clubs, Wild Card Brewery

Beer number 13 - Jack of Clubs


Brand: Wild Card Brewery
Consumption date: 19/02/16
Description: Ruby Ale
ABV: 4.5%
Source: Wild Card Brewery, Walthamstow
Price: Unknown (received as a Christmas gift set of four Wild Card Beers)

Having visited the Wild Card brewery a few times previously this seemed a well thought out gift. The Jack of Clubs, not one of their styles I've tried previously, is a dark red Ruby ale with a short lived aftertaste of spiced hops. The initial body is very malty and smooth, not personally to my taste but thankfully it fades quite quickly rendering it pleasant enough to finish.

I don't see this beer as particularly distinctive or stand out in any way and such I'm struggling to add many more words to this review. If you like malt and spice to form the core of your beer experience the Jack of Clubs will likely be your kind of tipple, but for me there's just not enough going on here.

Wild Card describe the beer to have grassy aromas and digestive biscuit flavour - Two things which, the lack of occasion of, speak for themselves for this beer.

The score:

1.5 beers out of 5

12. Babylone, Beer project Brussels

Beer number 12 - Babylone

Brand: Beer Project Brussels

Consumption date: 17/02/15
Description: Bread Bitter
Nationality: Belgian
ABV: 7%
Source: Beer52
Price: £14 for 8 mixed beers (£1.75 per bottle)

When I opened the box and saw (as per usual) a few promising looking beers, a number of mediocre efforts and a few that are unlikely to be pleasant to my taste I was once again disappointed in Beer52 and immediately cancelled my membership. I just don't understand why they have a preferred flavour profile and requests section if this information is entirely ignored in packing my box. None-the-less I collected up the familiar enjoyments and the interesting sounding efforts for later consumption.

The Babylone, which I must say is one I had down as a not so good prospect turns out to be a pleasant number. Historically having never been a fan of bitters I didn't think much of it on first glance but it has been a nice, flavour rich surprise to drink. Of course the bitter notes are there. What else would you expect? The way they have hopped this bitter has helped pack a punch of excitement into the beer and added an extra dimension to the flavour. What they describe as their "GBH" (grains, bread and hops) smacks of woody, smoke taste textures and caramel finish. They identify it as fruity, yet I am not so sure. Perhaps under-ripe fruit which is drawing in that wood to the flavour. The only negative I'm going to level at this beer is that the malty taste that underpins everything is a little too prevalent for me. Probably worth a trial, yet I doubt I'm buying this again. Although Jamie Oliver seems to think its "Pukka"

The score:

3 beers out of 5

11. Hackney Golden Ale

Brand: Hackney Brewery
Consumption date: 12th February
Description: A light and refreshing golden ale with a hoppy aroma
Nationality: English
ABV: 4.0%
Source: The Wheatsheaf Pub, Tooting
Price: £4.10 (pint)

This is the first beer on this blog that I enjoyed so much I didn't even think to take a picture of it. That said this doesn't concern me too much as I know I'll be back for more soon. I'll admit to being saddened and slightly bitter about the fact my regular after work pub no longer stocking my previous favourite Friday night tipple, the Hackney Session IPA. However my favourite brewers north of the river have a further string to their bow in the form of the Hackney Golden Ale, a cask beer served at a very reasonable £4.10 per pint.

Beer served through handpumps are something of an unknown entity for me - while I have dabbled from time to time, I'm yet to find one I love enough to keep going back for more...until now. It's taken a bit of time to acquire the taste for Hackney Golden Ale but its citrusy aromas and light flavour give it a very refreshing and enjoyable taste. Very much a session ale, one can see why Hackney Brewery are starting to make waves in the London beer scene. Will definitely drink again.

My overall rating for this beer:

4 beers out of 5

10. Goose IPA

Goose Island Goose IPA

Brand: Goose Island Beer Co
Consumption date: 10th February
Description: IPA with bright citrus aromas and a bold hop finish.
Nationality: USA
ABV: 5.9%
Source: Waitrose
Price: £1.90 (355 ml Bottle)

Waitrose: Known mainly for its middle class clientele, free complementary coffee and...craft beer selection? I'd only popped in to get some bread and milk and found myself in awe of the large selection of craft beers and ales that Waitrose now stock. I decided to go for something different and plumped for the Goose IPA. At £1.90 a bottle, what's the worst that could happen?

I was a bit disappointed in this beer. Yes, there are some pleasant-ish citrus aromas but the hops are a little too bold and it leaves a slightly too bitter aftertaste for me. 

My overall rating for this beer:

2 beers out of 5

9. Kernel Pale Ale

Kernel Pale Ale

Brand: The Kernel Brewery London
Consumption date: 23rd January
Description: Straw colour pale ale with spicy lime and mango aromas
Nationality: English
ABV: 5.4%
Source: Craft Beer Co, Brixton 
Price: ~£4.50

After competing valiantly in the FA People's Cup, the Craft Beer Co. provided a local venue with plenty of beer choices available. Among the dozens of interesting looking but risky unknown beers it was great to see a familiar face in the form of Kernel Pale Ale, a beer I am somewhat acquainted with and would like to get to know better.

It's definitely one the paler pale ales I've enjoyed and I find it to be a consistently refreshing, crisp tasting smooth beverage. To me the ingredients of Kernel's beer are very well balanced - the hops are spot on and a visit to the Kernel brewery in London is long overdue.

It sounds like Kernel's popularity is growing and I hope to have more opportunities to enjoy their range of beverages.

My overall rating for this beer:

3.5 beers out of 5

8. Wild Boar India Pale Ale, Buxton Brewery

Wild Boar India Pale Ale

Brand: Buxton Brewery
Consumption date: 7th February
Description: Straw colour pale ale with spicy lime and mango aromas
Nationality: British/English
ABV: 5.7%
Source: Honest Brew
Price: £12 for 6 bottles (£2 each)

It's a big sporting day - Man United play Chelsea in what could be the most uninspiring 0-0 in history in the afternoon ahead of the Super bowl between the Broncos and the Panthers tonight. Even with work tomorrow this must be a day for a drink. Fortunately having received my delivery from Honest Brew a few days ago I'm fully stocked for the festivities.

Pleasantly the football was slightly better than it promised to be, let's hope the Super bowl keeps up the entertainment. But now to the main event. How was the beer?

The Wild Boar is a typically quaffable IPA. The aftertaste is fairly bitter and perhaps has faint notes of those fabled fruits from the description but is predominantly just a clean malt flavour. The bottle keeps a significant yeasty deposit once complete, but it's better there than in my mouth so I've got no issues on that.

For my first beer from Buxton brewery it is a strong introduction and leaves me with interest to return.

My overall rating for this beer:

4 beers out of 5