Meantime, a Porter arrives from London…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Since yesterday’s post was about a recipe made to go with a beer tasting, it seems fitting that this post is about one of the beers tasted.

“Meantime”  (bottle conditioned London Porter)

750 ml
Vol.Alc. 6.5%
Cat. –
(written around the face of a pocket watch) “Traditional and exotic, brewed for flavour”, “Time, care and attention”

(written around the face of  pocket watch on the neck of the bottle), “Custodians of History, brewed with style”

(front label:)
“The first London porter brewers changed brewing forever. By applying the new scientific principles of the day they unlocked Porter’s power to shape an epoch.

Our Porter is based on a recipe from 1750 to bring you the aromas and flavours that made London the world’s brewing capital.“
(rear label)
“The huge historic importance of one beer, London Porter inspired us to recreate this great beer style. Time, care and attention have enabled us to produce a blend of beers bringing you the flavour of the 1750′s: share this beer with friends and enjoy with barbecues, fish or shellfish. The ruby colour and bottle conditioning are proof of it’s heritage and authenticity.

As you might have gathered, we’ve done this kind of thing before. So why not try one – or all – of our other beers?“

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(written on bottle cap)
” The Greenwich Brewery, Remove Cap, hold glass open end up, pour, taste, swallow.”

Meantime Brewing Co, 2 Penhall Road London SE7 8RX
Starköl, Allergens: contains barley. Brewed to a unique recipe devised by Alastair Hook, Brewer, Owner & Founder of Meantime Brewing Co.

http://www.meantimebrewing.com/

Review: (Note: you need to be aware that Tamara confessed afterwards to being more of a light beer drinker LOL)

Himself: “Nice and full, not so bitter, prefer this to other beers, don’t think you should drink more than three of these (Rating = 9)”

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Andrew: “Really like this one. Really nice and smooth (Rating = 9 and a bit)”

Friedel: ” Yeasty, surprisely I really like it, smoother caramel, not bitter (Rating = 7)”

Tamara: “Multi purpose, wart burner .. how does the flavour compare? well,  this is for when you really get desperate (Rating = -10 )”

Evan: “A slightly acidic aftertaste, not as good aftertaste as the others (Rating = 8)”

Li: “Not my thing, I’m trying to like it , fizzy finish at the end, smooth enough to drink …the scent is beautiful but aftertaste shouldn’t finish that way, (Rating = 5)”

Erik: “Subtle delicate flavours, a little lace and chamomile (Rating = 3)”

Alicia: “Too much for me to drink a whole glass, I like the other beers better, liquorice flavour, I don’t like this.” (Rating = not given)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

So, clearly this is a beer for the dark beer purist…  …or a few of them at least.

If it’s from Russia, … is it Brewed with Love?

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Another beer review from the our little group of tasters.

As usual it’s a blind tasting so that no preconceived ideas can influence the ratings.

Scores are given out of 10, (1 being a low score and 10 being the highest possible).

As writer-upperer-of-the-reviews and dedicated beer hater, I remain sober know what’s on the menu, as does the member of the team who choose it ( in this case, Andrew who gets to indulge and remains mildly sober)

No,  they are all sensible, and no-one drink drives, people either stay over or walk home or use public transport.

BEER: “BALTIKA”

6 Porter, Brewed in Russia, (Baltika” in Russian text) Premium
500 ml

Vol.Alc. 7.0%

Cat.–

(All other information on the bottle in literally microscopic Russian Cyrillic text…

Not only is the type minuscule but it also  has been rather badly printed onto the label.

We might have a fair few languages between us in this house  but Isuspect that this label may even defeat a native speaker of Russian!)

Review:

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Himself: “Sweet taste,  nice pleasant extent for summers day …Dutch? Russian? (Rating=7)”
Andrew: “Nice and heavy. (Rating = 7)”
Friedel: “Not my kind of beer at all (Rating=4)”
Tamara: “I could plausibly drink this one (Rating=5)”
Evan: “I really like it, nice and dark (Rating=8)”
Li: “Malted, I like it,  am not sick of it yet, flavour is rather strong (Rating=7)”
Erik:  “Mildewed leather , too heavy, not my kind of beer (Rating=4)”
Alicia: “I  like it but can only drink one glass, heavy (Rating=7)”

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

… and a better look at that glass emblem…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Look Out! This Might be “Dangerously Delicious”!

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Our little beer-tasting club has been back in action,  and as the non beer drinker in the group I have been busy noting the details in the bottles and writing up the resulting reviews.

Our group do taste several beers in an evening but I’m writing them up as separate  posts so that each beer gets it’s own personal review and page.

BEER: Ramese Bier ‘Mamba Porter’ gevaarlijk lekker”

(Translation= Ramese Beer ‘Mamba Porter ” dangerously delicious”)

0.75 liter

Vol.Alc. 6.4%

Cat.I bier

Mamba Porter is een volle Amerikaanse Porter, Koffiemouten,Chinook, Amaryllo en Crystal hop, verzorgen een verassend fris karakter. Dit bier is gebrouwen door Ramses Snoeij bij de brouwerij de Horne in Kaatsheuvel en bevat uitsluitend natuurlijk ingredienten. 6.4% Proost!

Aanbevolen drinktemperatuur 6-12 C, Ingredienten: Water, Mout (EBC 118), Hopbloemen (EBU 66), Iers mos en Wyeast Irish Ale. Koel en donker bewaren.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Translation:

Mamba Porter is a full American Porter, coffee malt, Chinook, Amaryllo and Crystal hops, produce a surprisingly fresh character. This beer is brewed by Ramses Snoeij at brewery de Horne in Kaatsheuvel and contains quality natural ingredients. 6.4% Cheers!

Best served at a temperature between 6-12 C , Ingredients:  Water, Malt (EBC 118) Hop flowers (EBU 66), Irish Moss and Wyeast Irish Ale.  Store in a cool dark place.

www.RamsesBier.nl

Review:

(Note: it took about 5 minutes for the head to go down)

Himself: ” a little bit bitter side, nice and full think it’s dutch or danish, Rating =8“
Andrew: ” I really quite like this, Rating = 8“
Friedel: ” I hate it, it tastes like aspirin, Rating = 2″
Tamara: ” Undrinkable, Friedel why are you giving to 2 points?”
Evan: “Definitively what beer should be like, proper beer… might have wanted to give more, Rating =9″
Li: ” I like it, it’s  not what I’d usually drink and it needs food to stand up next to it like the salsa chili, this has a very overpowering flavour, needs bold food: lots flavor, lots of spice, Rating = 5″
Erik: “It’s carbonated, so first I gave it a 1, after a while I decided that although it’s  not style I like , it’s good beer so I changed my rating: Rating= 6″
Alicia: ” I don’t know how you can not like this one, It’s my favourite so far and I don’t like dark beers that much so this is surprising, a very complex flavour, Rating = 9″

Clearly,  judging from the very wide variations in the reviews here if you prefer a very strong complex flavoured Porter, then Ramese Bier ‘Mamba Porter’ will suit your taste. On the other hand, if lighter porters are more your style, then this might the “aspirin” you thought you might need tomorrow.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)