Like Beer? Buy This Book

I am only 50-odd pages in and already Pete Brown's book charting his journey to recreate the journey taken by India Pale Ale - Land of Hops & Glory - has had me alternately captivated and laughing out loud.

And if you don't buy it for yourself (which you should) then any beer lover/history buff/sailing enthusiast would undoubtedly be delighted to received it.

Well done Pete, I thought Three Sheets to the Wind couldn't be topped - but you're doing well so far!

Roll Out the Barrel

Here's an outcome from my rum trip I hadn't expected, a couple of brewers have been in contact about flavour profiles for possible barrel-aging projects, which is really interesting and, if I'm honest, quite flattering!

I'd be really interested to hear from any of you out there who have tried other drinks that have been wood-aged or have tried wood-aged beers that they loved/loathed and why? I think it would be very interesting - I'll stick my oar in about my favourites at a later date, so as not to sway the crowd!

(P.S. Laurent, I know I still have to try the Abbey de Saint Bonn Chien - I'm sorry and I will, I will, I will soon, I promise!)

The pic is from a very useful site that offers images from books that are out of copyright.

This is a Rum One!

Well folks, I have a new drinks interest but don't worry, I'm not cheating on beer altogether just having a serious flirtation with the fantastically diverse drink of rum.

I've just been privileged enough to spend a week in Barbados learning all about the Caribbean's rums with the West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers Assocation for the body's True Rum campaign and, wow, I've discovered some corkers!

Now, I don't know about you but my previous experiences of rum have all been bad, I don't like Bacardi and Malibu makes me feel ill just smelling it, but the rums I've been sampling are a totally different kettle of flying fish altogether.

This absolutely amazing, informative and, at most times, side-splittingly hilarious press trip has opened my eyes up to the quality coming out of the Caribbean- and even if they aren't the slickest marketeers in the world don't be put off, because the authenticity of these products are what set them apart.

With the company of my new partners in crime - the legend that is Ben Illis, master mimic Graeme Jackson, the ever-giggling Sara, the truly gorgeous David 'Laslohoff' Laso Tabliega and puffer fish-footed Paddy (who has the most infectious laugh in the world) - I've not only discovered the absolute passion with which rum is produced in the Caribbean but its astonishing diversity too.

I'll be writing more extensively on the subject for a number of titles, including Times Online which I'll post the link to when I've done it, but here are some to look out for:

El Dorado 15 Year Old
Pretty much my favourite find was the El Dorado 15-year-old,with a slightly tropical fruit nose, backed by lightly toasted hazelnuts and demerara sugar it moves on in taste to leather, pear and sandalwood flavours that resonate through the mouth with silky ease.

Rhum Barbancourt Estate Réserve
A 15 year-old rum, made entirely from sugar cane juice in Haiti, which presents some red apple skin & caramel to the nose, with a hint of oak from the Limousin oak barrels, and a lovely leather tobacco finish.

Cockspur VSOR
Cockspur rum may be a familiar name but there's nothing run-of-the-mill about this rich & delicious number, with the VSOR standing for Very Special Old Reserve.

Recommended to me by the equally delicious Daniele Biondi, the WIRSPA Italian rum expert & founder of Rum Club Italiano all the spirits in the bottle are a minimum of 12-years-old and its rich impression starts with an intense autumnal colour in the glass and just doesn't quit from there.

With its slightly caramel orange and sweet biscuit nose, with a touch of sandalwood, it opens on the palate to a rich earthy spiciness that ends with a pleasant touch of astringence from the wood aging.

R.L. Seale's Sixty Six
Available in the UK in July, this is a really complex sipping drink with touches of raisin, charred oak, vanilla and a finish that's feels like you've been sitting in an old leather couch smoking a damn fine cigar (minus the bad breath of course!).

Exclusive News - Pimp My Handpull

You heard it here first folks - Wells & Young's has pimped the traditional handpull.

Starting with Bombadier, and moving through the brands, the brewery will be making the poor old handpull more appealing to those who do want to drink decent beer but are easily distracted by shiny lager marketing.

I'm impressed with this bold move, whether you like the design or not you have to agree that the handpull is well overdue an update and if it means that cask beer will be on in more pubs then hoorah!

It would be lovely to frequent a style bar with my mates and have a pint rather than being forced(!) into drinking cocktails or wine for a change and apparently swishy joints are throwing their doors open to this concept already.

So, tell me what you think - are you pro pimping the handpull? What would you do differently? Can real ale ever be sexy? Will Kate Moss consider cask beer the next must-have accessory? Am I getting a little carried away?!

Look Sharp!

Is Sharp’s head brewer Stuart Howe’s bark worse than his bite? And why is he Rick Stein’s favourite beer maker?

Find out the answers to these and more questions when Stuart comes to town with a selection of his favourite beers from the Cornish coast.

lovebeer@borough is playing host to Sharp’s head brewer Stuart Howe on May 9, to personally introduce his very special brews.

On show will be some never before casked and rarely seen beers – as well as all the Sharp’s favourites like Cornish Coaster, Doombar and Special.

The more esoteric offerings will include:
• Chalky’s Bark (exclusively in cask) – a newly-launched ginger-flavoured beer & deliciously refreshing at just 4%
• St Enodoc - an 8.5% Belgian-style beer that has been conditioned for 11 months
• The simply named 4 – an 11% barley wine-style beer that’s a natural match for blue cheese

Commenting on the event Howe says: “As a London lad it’s nice to bring my beers home, so to speak, and I’m looking forward to sharing them with London-based beer lovers and those from further afield.

“Our range is designed to cover everyone’s tastes, from the simple refreshment of Cornish Coaster to the food-matching capabilities of Chalky’s Bite through to the sip and savour nature of the St Enodoc - I know everyone will leave having found a new favourite.”

Tasting session times are noon & 3pm - tickets cost £15 and the venue (as ever) is lovebeer@borough, above the Rake, 14 Winchester Walk, London, SE1 9AG or email: melissa@love-beer.co.uk to reserve.

Look forward to seeing you then!

This post promotes a tasting at lovebeer@borough, which I am a partner in.

New Look

I get bored with my hair colour, make-up, wardrobe and shoes on a very regular basis - much to my bank manager's horror - and it suddenly occured to me that I was a bit bored with the look of my blog so I've changed it.

If you don't like the new layout however, please do let me know and I'll change it back.

Anyway, whilst I've got the words new look floating about the biggest new look I'd like to see in pubs is better bloody glassware - seriously people how much research needs to be done before you realise that one of the most immediate and effective changes you could make to get women to drink more beer would be to put it in a better receptacle - and breathe!

Sorry, now I've stopped ranting, the point of this post when I started was to provoke some discussion.

You see, much like my shoes, handbag, clothes, hair & make-up I like the beers I'm drinking to look nice, so I like drinking beer from stylish glassware and I was wondering how many of you out there would like to see more stemmed branded glassware in pubs for handpulls as well as bottled ales like the Badger one pictured?

Whilst I completely appreciate that a lot get nicked and they are a pain to collect as they don't stack, surely pubs that take pride in their beer and creating an inclusive atmosphere have staff smart enough not to give them out like candy with the Carling but reserve them for the more discerning drinker?

Also, would you like your local brewery to produce glasses like this and would you be willing to pay a couple of pennies premium on your beer in order to enjoy it from a glass like this?

These are just questions, not solutions, I know how strongly I feel about it (I'd start a ban the Nonik glass campaign if I thought I could get away with it) but how does everyone else feel about it?

Look forward to hearing your thoughts...

White Horse and Dark Knights

I feel I need to share the news that the new X-Men Origins movie both sucks and blows - an achievement I feel - not even Hugh Jackman could keep me interested (yes, yes I know, call double standards if you like but still...).

On the up side, the White Horse's London Best Fest has some utterly amazing beers - Golden Pride & Fuller's London Porter on cask, Meantime Special Porter and its Scotch Ale, which isn't due for release for another year and I can't wait to taste it then - not wishing to diss it, it's great, but will be awesome with a year's conditioning I think.

Got to play cricket tomorrow so presume it will probably be gone by the time I go back on Monday - enjoy it whilst you can!