Warrington's Oktoberfest 18

Saturday 4 October 2014 meant it was time for me to attend Warrington's main annual beer festival with my wife.  For anyone considering attending the Saturday evening sesssion of this annual three day event in future years, the Oktoberfest is more than just a celebration of beer from around Britain.  The Saturday evening session also provided a fairly decent band with a wide selection of music.

As I move forward to focus on other blogging projects, I regret to announce that this will be the final post of THE ANDY WATTO REAL ALE EXPERIENCE.  So for the final time sit back and relax whilst I give my thoughts on some of the land's most obscure beers.

Poslethwaite by the local Coachhouse Brewery was so dire I was tempted to take it to the gents.  For me, it's ashy taste was not fitting of one of Warrington's favourite sons.  To be fair, the taste did improve as the drink progresssed.  Score 4/10.

HSD by Cornwall's St Austell Brewery provided a bit of a woody smell, and a taste I would describe as a cross between coffee and beer.  All in all the taste was reasonably pleasant, but not better than sex!  Score 5.5/10.

Ghostly Pale by the Rudgate Brewery provided a nice smooth flavour.  Unfortunately as a lover of pale ales, I have to say it did not quite hit the heights I would expect.  Score 6/10.

Dunham Massey Brewery's East India Pale Ale provided a sweet flavour that never really got going!   Unlike other beers I consumed this evening, I plumped for a pint of this beer rather than a half.  Believe you me, it was almost torture!  Score 4.5/10.

Lighthouse by Adnams Brewery gave me what I considered to be a nice hoppy feel.  Score 7.5/10.

Quaffabull by Chester's Pied Bull Brewery provided a smooth taste with a slight hoppiness.  Score 6/10.

Drunken Duck by the George Wright Brewery had a coffee and fruity flavour which gave me a nice pick me up feel.  Score 9/10.

Shanghai by a Worksop Brewery called Double Top provided a smokey cum floral flavour.  Score 6.5/10.

Inferno by the Oakham Brewery provided a very nice, light and fruity flavour.  Score 7/10.

When I was given Firefly Bitter by O'Hanlons Brewer, I really had asked for Cascade by the Liverpool Organic Brewery.  My past experience with beers from the Liverpool Organic Brewery has not always been good.  Therefore, I did  not have the stomach for an argument.  Then again, my first taste of Firefly literally went up my nose the wrong way.  Score 3.5/10.

A rare visit to Warrington's oldest pub.

The Barley Mow is Warrington's oldest pub, and dates back to 1561.  The last time I entered this pleasant establishment a few years ago, they may have had one cask ale on at best.

How times have changed!  There were four available when I popped in during the week, ahead of meeting up for a meal nearby with my wife's family.  I opted for a taste of Big Red by the Ossett Brewery and Proper Job by the St Austell Brewery.

Big Red by the Ossett Brewery is a bit of a malty beer which provided a smooth, but not spectacular taste.  Score 7/10.

Proper Job by the St Austell Brewery provided a most megatastic first impression.  The taste provided by this pale ale was simply delicious.  Unfortunately the taste did then become a bit boring.  Score 8/10.

Various Ales in early 2014

Grand Slam by the Belhaven Brewery has a very mild and thoroughly enjoyable pale ale taste, which was consumed in the Waterside Pub in Warrington.  Score 8.5/10.

Mere Blonde by the Burscough Brewery has a nice fresh and crispy taste, very much like any other pale ale taste.  It was very pleasant indeed.  I consumed this in the Freshfield Pub, Formby.  Score 8.5/10.

Midsummer Madness by the Phoenix Brewery certainly gives off a fresh hop aroma.  Unfortunately it tasted too much like Cider on first impressions.  It did gradually become a pleasant enough taste.  Midsummer Madness was consumed in the Albion Pub in Warrington.  Score 7/10.

Piffle by the Woodward and Falconer Brewery is a light coloured smooth beer with a hint of fruitiness.  I first sampled this impressive beer in the Boathouse Pub in Parkgate on the Wirral.  It was in fact so good, I purchased a box of four to take home.  Score 9.5/10.

Wires 2 Wolves Inaugural Real Ale Festival!

If anyone asked me if I am a Rugby League fan, I would openly admit that I have a mild allegiance to the Wire, or if you prefer in modern and commercialised language WARRINGTON WOLVES.  It is naturally so that my mild RL allegiances should lie with the Wire, as I have been a Warrington resident for over 17 years.

My mild allegiance with the Wire started I would guess properly in 1999, when they were in a Challenge Cup Semi Final against Bradford Bulls.  A friend was playing in an amateur Rugby Union match that day on the edge of Warrington.  During half time of the Union match, I watched some of the Challenge Cup match in the Clubhouse.  I recall one pivotal point in the match when the scoreline was close, and Warrington missed a golden opportunity to score an important try.

Warrington went on to lose that match, and just a little over a year later I did take the plunge not long after meeting my wife, to go and watch a Rugby League match for the first time.  The Wire beat Salford City Reds (recently rebranded as Salford Red Devils) who had a certain ageing Martin Offiah in their ranks.  The Wire chant that day was very much to the effect that he was not famous anymore.

So we will now move onto the beers I drank in the inaugural Wire 2 Wolves beer festival, which I attended with my Wire-mad wife (pictured with me above).  The beer festival was held in the South Stand of the Halliwell Jones Stadium.  Amongst the beers I drank were Off the Richter Scale, Spotland Gold, and Roof Raiser.

Speak and Spell by the Revolution Brewery had an asparagus taste on first impressions.  But it did then grow on me.  Score 8/10.

Off the Richter Scale by the 4Ts Brewery gave signs of my ideal pale ale paradise.  It was though a fair way off the standard.  Score 7/10.

When I was drinking Roof Raiser by the Brown Cow Brewery, I made the cardinal sin of enquiring if a Leigh Centurions fan supported Wigan Warriors, having taken the smallest of glances at the gentleman's shirt.  As for Roof Raiser itself, the taste was too much like water, but bearable.  Score 6.5/10.

Spotland Gold by the 4Ts Brewery provided a ridiculous taste without a taste, and was a bit gassy.  Score 4/10.

Lonesome Pine by the Ulverston Brewery gave a taste which provided a most delightful mix of hops and fruits.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Score 9.5/10.

Old Boston Plum Porter by the Allgates Brewery had a taste which I considered to be reminiscent of a bacon cheeseburger.  Many fellow ale drinkers may disagree of course.  Score 6/10.

The Albion, Warrington

Since late February 2014 I have been tending to frequent the Albion from time to time.  Part of the reason for this is the new landlady, who had previously run another pub nearby which I also drink in.  So I will give you my personal run down on some of the beers I have drank in the Albion over the last few weeks.

Supreme Bitter by the Nottingham Brewery provided a hoppy and pleasant pale ale taste.  Score 7.5/10.

Golden Sovereign by the Flipside Brewery started a bit like lemonade, then turned a bit like chalk.  That said, it was not to the detriment of the quality in taste.  I have tasted a lot worse.  Score 6/10.

Dragonslayer by the Merlin Micro Brewery provided a very strong, but not particularly unique taste.  Score 5.5/10.

Loaded by the 4T's Brewery provided that pale ale taste that hits all the right buttons for me.  Score 8/10.

Stone Cutter by the Lymestone Brewery was a very boring taste really, and a bit gassy.  Score 6/10.

Triple Pond by the Peerless Brewery gave a bit of a Newcastle Brown taste.  At first I felt the more I was tasting it that I may be getting a cold.  It did get more bearable though.  Score 6/10.

Best Bitter by the Liverpool Organic Brewery gave a wonderful uplifting taste at first.  Unfortunately, Best Bitter did get a bit boring to the point of becoming watery.  Score 6.5/10.

Untouchables by the 4T's Brewery started off a bit watery, but then became a bit more tolerable.  Score 6/10.

Navigation IPA from the Navigation Brewery in Nottingham did not provide a regular uplifting pale ale taste on first impressions.  Could the strength in excess of 5% be a part of the reason?  It was certainly not up to the pale ale standard I would look for.  But that said, at least it did not force me into a situation which forced me to storm the bar in protest!  Score 5.5/10.

Merlin Gold by the Merlin Micro Brewery is a light golden beer which gave a very good taste sprinkled with citrus and lemon.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Score 9.5/10.

Maid Marian by the 4T's Brewery was a gorgeous light ale.  The good Landlady at the Albion said that it had gone down well with the punters.  The hoppiness was most delightful.  It also made me feel relaxed and refreshed, although probably too refreshed.  Score 9/10.

Non-League Football Match in Stockport

I was in Stockport on Saturday 1 February 2014 to watch AFC Liverpool play Stockport Sports in the North West Counties League.  Stockport is also a town I visit fairly regularly to meet up with a very special mate.  I met up with my good friend in the Magnet Pub, which is a ten minute walk from the Town Centre.  I was last in the Magnet four months previously when my friend celebrated his 40th birthday.

In the Magnet, I plumped for Buxton Blonde by the Buxton Brewery.  I found Buxton Blonde to have a refreshing and gassy taste.  Score 8/10.

After the Magnet, we took a small bus ride to the Woodley area of Stockport.  Stockport Sports FC play in Woodley, and the club was previously called Woodley Sports.  Prior to kick off, there was time to nip into the White Hart on the main road that runs through Woodley.

With the closing stages of Sunderland's derby win at Newcastle being played out, I ordered a pint of Golden Sheep by the Black Sheep Brewery.  I generally get a good buzz from Black Sheep beer.  Unfortunately, not on this occasion though.  Golden Sheep's very plain taste did nothing for me.  In fact when I heard another customer order a pint of John Smith's, I wondered if I had been served a pint of the correct beer!  Score 3.5/10.

Despite the disappointment of that very poor pint in the White Hart, my mood turned to elation as AFC Liverpool went on to beat Stockport 4-1.

Derby Day on Merseyside

I was in Liverpool during the evening of 28 January 2014 for one reason: Liverpool v Everton, the Merseyside Derby!  Upon arriving in Liverpool, I made my way to the familiar environment that is the Ship and Mitre Pub.

In the Ship, I plumped for Mary Rose Bitter by Hornbeam Brewery.   I found Mary Rose to have a nice sweet flavour with a hint of fruit.  Score 8.5/10.

A few doors along from the Ship and Mitre on Dale Street is the Excelsior Pub.  I popped in there for a pint prior to taking the short train and bus ride to Anfield.  In the Excelsior, I tried 24 Carat Gold by the Liverpool Organic Brewery.

I felt 24 Carat Gold had a bit of a funny taste which I just could not put my finger on.  It had a hint of water in it, but not in a bad way like a beer I commented on in my previous post.  Score 7/10.

To be present when your team beats your traditional local rival is always special.  But to see the Reds beat the Blues 4-0 was much better than I could have anticipated.  My only disappointment was we didn't smash our record derby win, which was a 6-0 win back in 1935!  That said, I should be clear that I am not the kind of Liverpool supporter that does not like to see Everton do well; just as long as it's not too well!

Prior to catching the last train home, I returned to the Ship and Mitre.  With the elation I was feeling, nothing was going to put a downer on my mood.  Amazingly, Blonde by the York Brewery improved my feelings of elation!

Blonde had a most delightful and refreshing taste, with a hint of fruitiness.  Score 9/10.

A very wet day in Chester

On Friday 24 January 2014 I met up with my best mate in Chester.  Meeting up in Chester (where my friend lived once upon a time for a couple of years) is something we both do every now and then, when our busy lives permit.  During this particular trip to Chester, we visited a few pubs of course as usual.  There were though a few beers that did not quite live up to expectations.

The first pub we visited was the Albion Inn on Albion Street.  In this pub I consumed a half pint of Manchester Pale Ale, which is brewed by JW Lees.  Manchester Pale Ale met most of my expectations of a pale ale.  Unfortunately I found myself searching for that WOW factor.  Score 8/10.

On entering the Bear and Billet pub near the river, I saw a very interesting slogan on a beam that was above the bar.  It read "alcohol, because no great story ever started by eating a salad."  During our visit to the Bear and Billet, I consumed a pint of Cheshire Cat which is brewed by Weetwood Ales.  Cheshire Cat is billed as a pale ale.  But it is not a very good one, with too much of a watery taste.  Score 6/10.

The Brewery Tap is a pub I have visited on a couple of previous occasions.  As an establishment it appears very impressive.  On one of my previous visits, the staff were courteous to allow me a taste of a very obscure ale.  I really should have done the same on this visit.  I purchased a pint of Growler Bitter, which is brewed by the Growler Brewery.  I consider Growler Bitter to be a ridiculous specimen of a beer!  It was a very watery taste that simply became more watery, and only the slightest ale flavour could be detected.  Score 2.5/10.

My final alcoholic beverage of the day was consumed in The Town Crier, just over the road from the railway station.  That final drink was Top Totty by the Stafford Brewery.  This ale was banned from sale in a House of Commons bar two years ago, due to it's picture of a half naked lady on it's pump plate!  Top Totty provided me with a kind of taste that just could not get going.  It was though much better than that watery rubbish I tried earlier!  Score 6.5/10.

Bullshit, Old Fart & Knob Head! Maybe Cat Piss will follow?

During my trip to Manchester Christmas Market on December 9 2013, I purchased three very curious Real Ale Bottles from a Stall.  It would appear that all the ales on sale from the stall were the product of Direct Beers.  The three ales I purchased were Bullshit, Knob Head and Old Fart.  I finally got round to drinking them over the last week.

With an alcohol content of 3.9%, Bullshit is quite a light ale with a slight hoppiness,  The title is very apt as Bullshit promises much, but does not quite deliver.  Score 7/10.

Old Fart Best Bitter gives off a sweet and almost vinegar-like aroma.  With an alcohol content of 4.8%, it is definitely the stronger of the three beers.  For me, this bitter leaves a comfortable and neutral aftertaste.  Although, the main reason why I believe Old Fart hits the heights, is the hoppiness that gives this beer a very balanced taste.  Score 9.5/10.

Knob Head is a pleasant enough pale ale that does not quite hit my high expectations.  Despite being refreshing in it's taste, it is brought down a bit by a heaviness that lurks in the aftertaste.  Score 8/10.

Direct Beers appear to specialise in selling their products online.  Maybe I should now consider ordering one of their other beers.  Due to my fondness of pale ales, it would be rude not to go for Cat Piss!