Waterloo Dark

Got this from Bruges! Last one from the haul. Lovely dark colour and big off white fluffy head. Smell is dark fruits and a slight sweet Brady smell, probably yeast. Taste is of dark fruits but it is a bitter Belgian beer! The high ABV is apparent with a little booze warmth. I think it's a really good beer, awesome label too.

Mikkeller/To-Ol Coffee IPA

Yes, coffee IPA. Weird ain't it? Got it from Doncaster Beer Festival. Poured quite a hazy burnt orange colour, not much head. Smells of earthy hops, then with a strong coffee smell, sort of like Sainsbury's own brand instant coffee. Tasted quite sweet, then the coffee becomes quite prominent, instant black coffee is how I'd describe it. Not much of the hefty 10.8% ABV either. Probably not everyone's cup of tea (geddit?). But I liked it!

Mikkeller 1000IBU Ultramate

Got this from Doncaster beer festival. Pretty amber coloured, touch hazy. Uber hop smell, grapefruitage. Small head. All you can smell is the hops. The insane bitterness hits you immediately and lasts for ages. Slight touches of malt here and there, but it is mostly bitter with a bit of hop flavour.

If you don't like hoppy beer, steer clear of this one.

Williams Bros Alba

Got this from Trembling Madness, amber ish, not much head. Smells rather malty with a touch of tree. This is meant to be a spruce and pine beer which was introduced by the Vikings a few years ago... It tastes tree-ey like the pineage in some hops, there is also a fair amount of malt sweetness. I suppose a purely tree based beer wouldn't quite work. There is a fair bit of heft in the alcohol but it is not evident in the taste. Nice overall! To come, is a couple of Mikellers from the Doncaster Beer festival which was great. My favourites being Steel City Shakti Clag and Titanic Harry Senior. Non beer related, new blogger layout is rubbish.

Doncaster Beerfest!

Doncaster beer fest tonight looking very forward to it, will be great. Shall post about it once I've recovered! Some great looking ales on!

I haven't posted that much because I have been taking advantage of the nive weather and drinking a Cask from next door but one so not much to review.

Marston's Mocha

Marstons can often be a safe bet, with Pedigree and Old Empire being liked by pretty much every real ale drinker. But this can make those beers, as great as they are, a touch normal. Mocha is an exception. Being a brewer the 'crafterati' often scoff as being boring, this beer rivals the loudest advertised flashy coffee beer. This dark brown porter ish beer has a rocky off white head shouts dark chocolate and coffee. I.e. mocha and there is even more in the taste. If you do not like coffee, you shall not like this beer. I love it, it's great, a fair %6 though so would be a struggle to session.

Sam Smiths India Ale

Sorry I haven't blogged for a bit, been a touch busy. This is one from Trembling Madness, went again on Wednesday and got a few more interesting beers! Well firstly, I love the bottle it is all old fashioned, saving it for homebrew. The smell is a touch hoppy, with a hint of pine and citrus, but it is mostly a chewy malt aroma. The taste is rather malty, biscuity and chewy, very nice. Not particularly hoppy, but it isn't an IPA unlike some people think.