I got to try three new ales this week! I had to share with IDJ, but we didn’t mind as we like to try new booze but can’t afford a load of bottles.
First one was a Christmas ale bought in Lidl: Shepherd Neame Tin’s Ale. I love Christmas ale, but this one, I’m afraid, falls well short of the mark. It didn’t have any spiciness, no hint of cinnamon, nutmeg, or even pine tree. I didn’t like it at all, unfortunately. Perhaps if I didn’t already have my palate set for a real Christmas ale, i would have at least liked it as a normal ale. As it was, nope. One sip was enough for me not to want more. Very low 4% alcohol, too.
Next up was Morland Hen’s Tooth ale. iDJ didn’t like this one at all, and calls it ‘incredibly average.’ It was, but I didn’t mind. I’d drink it over Budweiser, Heineken or Carlsberg if offered it at a party. It did have a bitter after taste that came in pretty ‘after’ a swallow. Alcohol content 6.5%.
Greene King Strong Suffolk Vintage ale was the best of the three, for both of us. At 6% it has a bigger flavour than the Hen’s Tooth, and a really nice burnt caramel taste – which is a flavour that is easy to do wrong. We don’t care for warm beer, and ale isn’t meant to be ice cold… and even we would admit it was better after warming up a little.
heretherebespiders 
mmmmm. . .five o’clock can’t come soon enough. especially since i just tried to spell “five” and left out the “ive” and couldn’t figure out why the word looked funny. yeah, i’m done.
Especially especially since you posted after 8 pm!
haha, touche! definitely time to crack open a few bottles of my own now.
Most people here in Holland have trouble trying out new beer. Heineken and Grolsh is the only beer they like.
Really? Both rather ordinary, really, though I save the Grolsch bottles for the future day I can make my own beer again! Are they just not big drinkers? Would they drink spirits instead, or wine?
I am very spoiled by the German-owned “Trader Joe” chain. You can buy singles of all sort so f funky beer. My current favorite is “Jumping Cow,” an amber ale that is probably a bit like your last and favorite there. And you do have to have the chill off, which is harder to make people understand here. Just keeping mine in the basement about does it.
We have a lot of micro-breweries locally and now you’re making me want to go taste a flight of beers.
Now I’m jealous! We have very few craft brewers here. Socks lives in your general area, and she sent me the beer menu from the Brickskeller… Drool…
Now I know what’s “ale-ing” you, Spiders.
Yes? Do tell!