Hop Wars

The Quest for Hoppy Beers

I become ever more addicted to the hop bug and want to have a bit of a Hop War between 4 beers... exciting hey?

Thornbridge Halcyon, Mikkeller Stateside, Moor Hoppiness and BrewDog's new version of Hardcore IPA. I think I know what will win, but i'm not going to tell you!

I'll just tell you what the winner was and say that I got it right!

I need to find a comrade or two to take on this thankless task...

Balls of Steel

New Pub Opening! Haven't said that in a while...

Tony and Sarah Lethbridge have BALLS!

They are opening a pub... now... well on Wednesday, and I am looking forward to seeing how they get on. Since I moved to South Somerset last August I have driven past what was once The Kings Arms at Charlton Horethorne every day on my way to work. I speculated that it would be another pub turned into a private residence, but to my astonishment it is being re-opened as a pub. However the local freebee paper The Blackmore Vale have told me the bad news that it is going to be a gastro pub and hotel. I hate this description, and if the owners were the ones who described it I am sure I will be disappointed.

The BMV says they have spent over a million on it in the last year adding 10 luxury en-suite bedrooms, with a restaurant that seats 70 and a smaller dining room that seats 20.

It worries me a lot that they don't mention the bar or the beer. I wait with baited breath for Wednesday to see if I have a pub to stop at on my way home from work, or one that I drive straight past.

Happy Adventuring!

Love Lager?

The Session: Love Lager

Being new to this sort of thing, I keep stumbling my way into new stuff... Today every blogger seems to be writing about Lager, for something called The Session. I don't know the why's or wherefore's but a spot of reflection to the moments in my life when for some odd reason I partook in a sip or two of lager sounds like fun. It is a very long time since I last thought about lager and it brought a smile to my face, even the really good ones don't get me out of 2nd gear, but reading a couple of other blogs has brought a smile to my face and some happy memories. It seems that all beer lovers have had their lager moments and i am probably no different.



When I was a youngster having my first beers, unlike most others, lager wasn't the 'go to' option, my Dad is preserved in a bottle of red wine and would rarely have a beer. There were always a few cans of Carling in the house, but even my untrained palate knew they were absolutely terrible. 'Me and my mates' all drank Cider (it was Somerset) or real beer whenever we were in the pub. It wasn't until I reached the ripe old age of 18 and headed off to Australia for my GAP year to the far flung town of Toowoomba that I had no choice but to drink lager. Now the only place to be seen in 1996 in Toowoomba was The Spotted Cow, a legendary pub, that is now coincidentally a mecca for great beer from all over the World, with its own European style Cafe bar... unbelievable. Back then it was very traditionally Australian and I loved it, I drank pot after pot of XXXX Heavy... for the unitiated a pot is about half a pint, but in Queensland your beer gets pretty warm, pretty quick. The choice at the pub was XXXX Heavy, light, or gold, VB and probably one or two others. Heavy was the strongest, and from Queensland so thats what I drank! (Tasting notes won't follow!)




I quickly decided that if I was going to enjoy my year in this funny town I better enter into things, drink the local brew and do what the locals did. So I thank the lager for an incredibly good time in Australia and some great friends (and also thank PH-S, CJ, AM, BS, ML, AC*, NK*, CM, AL'S, SH-S and many others).


My other 'lager time' was inevitably at university when I worked at an enormous pub on the edge of Birmingham Uni campus. Worked, lived, played and made more friends for life in there actually. In fact looking back it seems that lager has been at the forefront of making the mates that last a lifetime...

Maybe it's a better drink than I thought.

Happy Adventuring!

Beer & Food Matching Menu

We are hosting a Beer & Food matching dinner party for a customers 40th Birthday next weekend.

I think I have decided on the menu, but not all of the beers...

What do you think?


Fresh Oysters paired with Deus

Warm Thai Prawn Salad paired with a Belgian Wit - haven't decided which yet...

Venison loin with chocolate and Imperial Stout sauce paired with Aventinus? Porter? Kriek?

Vanilla Cheesecake topped with Strawberry Fruli Coulis paired with Paradox Speyside

Cheese & Barley Wine

I'm salivating already...

Beer Ventures

Gifts & Competition this Spring!

Win a Case of BrewDog Beers! We have recently started stocking the controversial, yet brilliant BrewDog beers, so to celebrate these great brews and the oncoming start of Spring we have decided to have a competition to win a case of beer. Simply go to the contact page on the Beer Ventures website, enter your personal details and answer the following question in the message section.
Closing Date Friday 3rd April. Winner will be notified. Open to residents of the UK only.

What is the name of the Beer Ventures mascot?

The 6 Nations

The 6 Nations has just a few weeks to go and we still have a case of beer you will love to go with it. The only way to enjoy the rugby on the TV is with a Beer Ventures '6 Nations Case'. Not only that but we will also provide you with a scorecard both for the rugby and more importantly to rate each nations beers against one another. There is also a Rugby Quiz for those of you with a competitive nature... Beers from all 6 Nations including a French Biere de garde, an Italian Double Malted Lager, and a classic English IPA.

10% Off Special Offer!

Order a ‘6 Nations Case’ Before 14th March and get 10% off the total order – Just type ‘6 Nations’ in the discount section of the checkout screen

New Products

The Hogsback Brewery Gift Case includes a branded pint glass, t-shirt and beer towel with 9 fantastic bottle-conditioned Hogsback beers.

Phoenix Lager is an award winning all malt lager from Mauritius. An unusual place to brew a beer you might think, but Phoenix has been brewed since the early 60's and has quite a following. 'A polished, golden yellow beer with 5% alcohol. Phoenix beer is pasteurised after bottling, according to natural conservation methods.The quality of the underground water also allows them to produce a beer with no chemicals additives. Time of maturation before distribution is meticulously controlled.'

Follow the BeerAdventurer on Twitter - http://twitter.com/BeerAdventureror

join the Beer Ventures group on Facebook.

Happy Adventuring!

Beers I Love Today

Beers for Today

As the first hint of Spring has come and gone and I look out the window at the daffodils being pummelled by a 60 mph wind I have to remind myself that its less than a month until the clocks change and the thought of those long summer evenings don't seem quite so far away. My seasonal beer palate doesn't know quite what to think, it is starting to hanker after lighter beers and sunnier flavours but still knows there are still a few, long, dark nights ahead.

I have a real hankering for big hop flavours, there just can't be enough hops for me right now. The hoppier the better, so my list below is not as balanced as it should be, but hey ho, its about me and what I like! These are some of my favourite beers of the moment:

1, Hoppiness (Moor Beer, England)

- this beer is a blend of two other beers that I just adore. In fact all three could easily have made this list. It is a 50/50 blend of JJJ and Revival, two great hoppy beers with very different characteristics. The JJJ is a triple IPA with masses of hops in it... to balance this out, it weighs in at a hefty 9% and is one big beer, full of tropical fruit flavours and sweet malt. Revival is a 3.8% beer that tastes like it should be considerably stronger, it has delicious resiny pine hop bitterness that is very refreshing. The end result is Hoppiness (6.3%) a delicious blend of the sweet tropical fruit and refreshing resiny hops. Once this is bottled (which I'm assured is coming soon) it will become a classic I'm sure, a perfect Spring beer.

2, Trois Monts (France)

- a new favourite that I really enjoy drinking at lunchtime with a 'picky' lunch. Cheese, breads, cured meats, olives, salads... whatever I find in the fridge really, put it all out on the table and tuck in with this tasty beer to wash it all down. Be careful not to have too many at lunch though, as it packs a punch at 8.5%, it is not as funky as some other Biere de Garde's but it is flavourful with lots of carbonation, a big rocky head and a well balanced bitter aftertaste.

3, Aventinus (Schneider, Germany)

- I find different things to enjoy in this beer every time I have it. Some days its the rich banana and chocolate, others I really find a stronger port wine flavour, the raisins and dried fruit flavours are always there, but sometimes much stronger than others. The different flavours in it, also mean that it pairs very well with different foods such as banana and chocolate desserts and game dishes, I particularly enjoy it with Venison. I love the fact that it always tastes slightly different but it always has a familiarity, it's like having a favourite jacket that can be worn whatever the weather and changes use with the seasons. Its an all time favourite that hides its 8% strength incredibly well and is to be drunk whenever the mood takes.

4, Stateside (Mikkeller, Denmark)

- I absolutely love American style IPA's and this beer is first class, if it was cheaper I would happily drink it all of the days and all of the nights! Stateside is a deep amber colour with a good head that hangs around for ages. The aromas are of citrus and pine hops, not as over-powering as some crazy hopped beers I've had, with a fresh fruit sweetness on the second nose. It has grassy, citrus hops at the start, with sweet malt balancing it out very nicely, leading to a dry and mildly bitter finish. This is a hoppy IPA, but not one that assaults your taste buds, it has a touch of mouth-coating oiliness but in a very pleasant way! Delicious.

5, Hardcore IPA (BrewDog, Scotland)

- The first time I had this beer I was disappointed, not because I didn't like it, so much as, it wasn't what I was expecting. Over the last couple of years the 'hardcore' IPA's I have tried have been American and thus excessively strong, with crazy hop bitterness. This beer isn't one of those and so to me wasn't hardcore. However it is a great beer that has grown on me to the point that I happily include it in this list. It is 9% and has plenty of sweet malt along with a respectable hoppiness that you would expect in an IPA. The hops give a nice grassy aroma and palate with some butterscotch and an orange fruitiness. There is a decent hop bitter finish, but this is certainly not an extreme IPA in the American sense. However it is a great drink and whilst it doesn't do all it says on the tin it makes me very happy and I keep finding myself taking another bottle home from work with me.

6, Karmeliet Tripel (Bosteels, Belgium)

- The Belgian Tripel style has always enticed me, and this one is top my list. The creamy texture from the oats make this quite a unique beer, it is made using 3 grains, wheat, barley and oats and somehow blends the three characteristics perfectly. It pours a golden yellow with a big, white, rocky head. The aroma is fruity, apples and pears, with some hay... at a tasting I did, it was once described as horsey on a summer's day, I quite like that description in a funny kind of way. The taste is complex, there is sweetness (a bit of honey I think), citrus - lemons and oranges and spice, all wrapped up in a light, crisp, yet creamy package. An amazing beer, and the wife's favourite to boot!

7, UBU (Purity, England)

- A premium amber beer that I have a real soft spot for, having been fortunate enough to have spent a day brewing it. A favourite beer in my pub days, often stocked after winning best beer at one of our Festivals. Beautifully balanced with a subtle sweetness that makes it soooo moorish, and at 4.5% you can certainly drink far more of it than you can many of the others on this list. I have enjoyed many a pint outside and it is this thought that makes me include it here.

8, Snake Dog IPA (Flying Dog, USA)

- I have talked of American IPA's when discussing some of the other beers and have selected this one as a personal favourite. Many will disagree with me and to a large extent they will be right, but this was one of the first beers of this style I tried, and instantly appreciated. It has masses of citrus hops from start to finish, it will be too much for some, not enough for others, but give it a go... its a great beer.

9, Jaipur IPA (Thornbridge, England)

- Not another IPA I hear you say, but its just that time of year and I've got my hop head on! This really is a very well made beer, great balance, lots of hops but it won't blow your hop head off. The aroma is of fruity hops, pineapple comes to mind, and the taste follows through with a great combination of tropical pineapple, spicy hops and citrus, all finished up with a warming alcohol finish, you know there is some strength to this... but not too much at 5.9%. It looks innocent enough as it's quite pale for an IPA, but the dry, citrus hop bitter aftertaste leaves you knowing you've had a much bigger beer.

10, Weizen Rauchbier (Schlenkerla, Germany)

- I am ending with a couple of smoky beers as I can't get enough of anything smoked (weird as I've never been a smoker). I thoroughly enjoy all of Schlenkerla's beers and have written about them on here before. The Weizen wins out this time because it is such a great friend to food. Smoked fish, cheese and meats all work really well with this beer, and I just love it with pork belly.

11, Paradox Smokehead (BrewDog, Scotland)

- My absolute dream of a beer, Islay whisky is my favourite, so to make a beer with Islay whisky casks is A OK in my world. This is an Imperial Stout aged in Islay casks that has taken on all of the smoky character that epitomises this style of whisky. It is complex, sweet and smoky and there is no better way to finish a good evening than with a glass of Paradox Smokehead and maybe a wee dram alongside.

There you have it, my beers for Spring! When I started this yesterday there were 12 and I can't work out where or how I lost one. But I've built up such a thirst with all this writing about beer that I now just want to have one. The hop drug has me by the balls and is pulling me towards the fridge.

Enjoy the beers.

Happy Adventuring!

Barley Wine & Cheese

Beer & Food at The Stapleton Arms

On Thursday when the rest of the beer enthusiast world (or enthusiastic beer world?) was drinking copious amounts of black lager at the launch of Zeitgeist I went along to the Stapleton Arms (in Buckhorn Weston, Dorset) for a Barley Wine & Cheese tasting. I did send my spy's to Zeitgeist (so more to follow) and had some excellent feedback both on the beer and the evening.

Justin Hawke who is owner and brewer of Moor Beer Brewery lead the evening which included six strong beers and six cheeses. It was a very relaxed evening an opening few words from Kav the landlord and a description of what the beers were from Justin and then a help yourself style open table. I had invited my friend Mal to join me, a man who will eat or drink anything put in front of him, but wouldn't normally consider talking about it. He thoroughly enjoyed the evening but confessed to having never talked so much bullshit in all his life! I don't think I've ever seen him with quite as bad a hangover either...

The beers selected for the evening were Moor's JJJ - a strong Double IPA, so heavily hopped that it broke the pump on the copper the first time it was brewed! Thomas Hardy's Ale - the classic 11.7% Barley Wine. Fuller's Vintage Ale - full of strong aroma's. BrewDog's Hardcore IPA - heavily hopped but with a lovely balancing sweetness. Anchor Old Foghorn - big flavours and aromas of toffee and raisons. Hogsback A over T - full of rich fruit flavours.

The cheeses were Montgommery Cheddar, Green's Cheddar, Stinking Bishop, Ogle Shield, Exmoor Blue and Shropshire Blue. Only the Shropshire Blue and Stinking Bishop were not local.

I meant to take notes and do a full write up on here of exactly what went with what etc... however we may have had a couple too many beers before we started, and then topping up with a number of over 9% beers lead me to not quite managing any notes at all and a slightly fuzzy memory!!

What I can say, was that five of the beers were absolutely fantastic and one was very wishy washy in comparison. We started with the Anchor Old Foghorn, a favourite beer of mine that I have previously reviewed on here, it goes well with a number of cheeses. Hogsback A over T was next it was lovely, rich and fruity and was a big hit with the Stinking Bishop that accentuated the fruit. Moor's JJJ was next, with sweet malt leading to heavy tropical fruit hops, it was a big hit especially with the Cheddars and Ogle Shield. We followed this with BrewDog's Hardcore IPA, which had similarities to the JJJ, but I can't for the life of me remember which cheese it was best with!

The Fuller's Vintage Ale was the biggest disappointment of the night. It hinted at lots of big flavours with the strong, spicy fruit aromas but failed to deliver on any of it. One of our tasters described it as a weak cup of tea, and I don't think that was too far off the mark.
Thomas Hardy's was a nice way to finish its tremendous sweet fruit flavours matching the Shropshire Blue best.

My apologies for the undetailed write up of what was an excellent night. It was nice to do a tasting in a very free and easy way without being talked at too much, Justin and Kav worked their way around the tables for those who wanted to discuss the beers further or needed help in what to look for. The good news is, that I am taking the next tasting evening at the Stapleton Arms in a months time.

So what did I learn from the evening?

Definately not to take my mates if I want to write something later!

But it is more fun that way!