Laphroaig, Four Oak, Single Malt Scotch Whisky

enjoy a good murder mystery film but the one that I was watching this evening was so full of potential murderers that it had become deeply confusing. I tried to keep up, but my mental pin board had filled with pictures, red string and notes. I decided that the only way to cut through the plot line was to have a whisky. It may not help but it would make it more pleasurable.  

 Opening a new bottle is always a treat. I am very familiar with Laphroaig (or leapfrog as a friend of mine calls it) but I was curious as to what the four oak part was going to add to the experience. It certainly did not take away the glorious medicinal and slightly smoky aroma that comes from the newly opened bottle.  

I poured some over a couple of ice cubes and settled back into the film. The familiar deep smoky and peaty taste rolled around my mouth and introduced a taste of Scotland into my life.  

There is nothing not to like about this whisky, it tastes exactly as I expected, I still have no idea what the four oaks add, but whatever it is I am glad it is there. 

The Suburban Brew, Gateway Lager

I had had a slothful Sunday that was full of playing with a small child whilst its mother could catch up on the vital things in life, like sleep. It had been a very pleasant way of passing the afternoon and I felt that the evening should be passing in an equally pleasant way by sampling a beer or two. I decided that a lager would be the best way forward, I decision driven by the fact that there was one in the fridge. 

In my world a larger should be an uncomplicated drink, it should have a sweet aroma that can contain a little citrus, as this one did. Once in the glass it should be clear and golden, which this one was. Ther should be bubbles, lots of them. This one had all my desired attributes.  

This was definitely a summer lager. It was clean, crisp and refreshing, if a little watery. I could drink this in quantity and still find little to fault it.   

Unionbridge, Bitter

was doing a little reminiscing last night, I was watching a few videos and thinking about my carefree younger life where aches and pains were transitory, and anything seemed possible. I thought about the long nights in pubs with multiple pints of bitter beer and how, in my memories, I never had a hangover and was able to operate as a capable human being the next day. These sorts of memories required a bitter beer to bring those memories to life.  

In my imagination a bitter beer is brown and smells of a slightly sweet malt. This one ticked all those boxes and with it came memories of long summer evenings with good friends.  

I settled into this lovely smooth and comfortable beer with a malty aftertaste and a trove of youthful memories, it was as if I had found an old photo album full of blurred pictures that mean the world.  

How could I not like this beer? I was raised on similar stuff. 

Bowden Brewing, Galactic Battle Yak, American Pale

Supporting a team is hard work, following the emotional highs and lows of a game is almost as hard as being out on the field engaged in the struggle for dominance. I had spent a good part of the afternoon engaged in supporting and despite my enthusiastic attempts the wrong team had won. Now my throat was dry, and I was mildly disappointed. I needed something to cure both malaises. A beer was the ideal remedy.  

I am not really sure of the difference between a Pale Ale and an American Pale. This one was certainly pale. It was a very pale straw yellow and came with a mild cloudiness. The smell of grapefruit hung about the top of the beer but not so much as to indicate one of those hideous fruity beers.  

The first sip revealed an innocuous mild flavoured beer with the taste of grapefruit lurking in the background. It was nice, but not exceptional. 

The Suburban Brew, Tram Track Stout

There are times when only a stout will do, and this evening was one of them. It had been a long day of activity and decision making that had left me dazed and confused. I needed something to help me restore the equilibrium and this looked just the thing.  

The malty aroma as I poured the black beer into the glass promised that this was going to be a nice stout. It looked think and black with a proper cream coloured head. There was honesty in its appearance.  

The honesty continued with the taste. It was a good solid thick sweet stout with an earthy aftertaste that gave me pleasure with every mouthful. It was the ideal beer to bring me back to ground.   

Unionbridge, Pale Ale

The stars aligned and resulted with me being alone in the house on a Saturday afternoon with truly little to do. I made full us of the time by having a little nap after which I made myself a small meal. I then sat on the sofa, listened to music, and read a book. This was my idea of heaven. All it needed was a beer to complete my idyll.  

I selected this beer as I wanted something light, I had a book to read after all. I poured it into a glass and found a cloudy pale urine sample yellow coloured beer sitting in the glass with clouds of bubbles moving through it. It was topped off with the smell of clean fresh bread.  

The first gulp revealed a nicely uncomplicated refreshing beer unencumbered with any bells and whistles. This was the perfect for my relaxing evening.  

Pirate Life Brewing, Sunlit Aussie Wheat Ale

I am on a quest, a quest to find a wheat beer brewed in Australia that comes somewhere close to the wheat beers brewed in Germany. I have been down several blind allies on this quest, but I hope that one day I will find a good Australian wheat beer. Tonight was another foray into that quest  

The quest started well with the sweet yeast smell that filled the room once I opened the can, it was not the strong smell of yeast and bananas that I look for, but it was close enough  

Once in the glass it looked golden and slightly cloudy. It looked a bit thin, but I could ignore that. The body of the beer was full of bubbles, more bubbles than strictly necessary.  

I took a sip and was disappointed by the taste of sweet lemon hiding in a bed of yeast surrounded by a watery liquid. It was a nice beer, but it was not a wheat beer as I know it  

The quest continues.  

Bowden Brewing, Sleepy Time, Dark Chocolate and Lavender Porter

My day had been active and all I wanted to do was sit on the sofa and wind down for the evening. I had picked up this beer a few days ago and it seemed the ideal beer to help teh process of transitioning from wide awake to a bed semi stupor.  

I poured the beer into a glass; the aroma of old woman’s perfume filled the air. I like the smell of Lavendar, but this was unexpected form a dark beer. At least I could not see though the beer and that was a positive.  

I took a sip; the dark chocolate flavour was hidden by the overpowering taste and smell of Lavendar that became stronger the more I drank. It did not have the restful and stupefying effect that I was hoping, it was more a puzzlement at why this combination of flavours was put together.  

 In short, a good porter wasted. 

McHenrys Tasmanian single malt whiskey

Quite a while ago I took a trip to Tasmania and discovered that there are a not insignificant number of distilleries there that produce whiskies of various qualities. One day I visited the McHenrys distillery and spent a pleasant few hours sitting in a garden and sampling their wares. The end result was that I left the place clutching a bottle of what I thought was the best one. I had left it in the cupboard for a long time because sometimes bottled drinks do not travel well. Something happens as they get further form home and the taste I loved becomes something horrible. I hoped this would not be the case for this whiskey  

I finally summoned the courage to open the bottle, the smell of caramel filled the air and hinted that this whisky had travelled. I poured the pale brown liquid into a glass with some ice and took a sip. The combination of caramel and spices hit my pallet. It was as good as it was when I was sitting in that garden when on holiday. The flavours recalled that glorious sunny day. I do not know why I had waited so long to open the bottle 

Shapeshifter Brewing, Trans-galactic, Dry Hopped Kiwi Fruit Saison

It is always sad when a long weekend comes to an end, the extra day or two seem to fly by far too quickly. This long weekend had featured being outside and watching kites, something that I thoroughly enjoy. However, being out in the sun all day can leave me exhausted and a little dehydrated. It was the excuse I needed to sit down on the sofa and have a beer. 

I was not over enthusiastic about this beer. The name and the pictures of the can gave me the impression that the brewer could have been a bit over enthusiastic with the fruit to the detriment of the beer. I was expecting cloudy but instead got a golden and clear beer full of bubble and with an aroma of melon. At least it did not smell of citrus. 

My expectations of fruitiness were correct. It was obviously full of kiwi fruit but without the acid. It was, in my opinion, a step up from an orange squash beer but not a big step.