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Fun story, Paul...but which beer were you drinking?
Not like me but I had forgotten exactly what it was. I know Wetherspoons do a lot of American beers which they brew here so I thought it might be on of those. Then, spotting that the chain - and this pub in particular - have a Facebook page, I was able to pinpoint it pretty much. Given the time of evening and position on the bar (such detective work!) I'm assured by the manager that it was Hop Hog, an IPA (India Pale Ale) from the Feral Brewery of Australia.
More here: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/champion-wa-brewer-hops-to-it-in-london/story-fndo486p-1226472831460
It was very nice.
This afternoon I shall be sampling the beers in two pubs in my neighbouring village of Elsecar here the Barnsley area of South Yorkshire, England. My first port of call is The Crown where I'll sample between one and three pale ales (my favourite type) almost all local, one of which will be from the Ossett Brewery (the pub having a regular order from them).
http://www.ossett-brewery.co.uk/beers/core-beers
My favourite of their core range is Inception with all the qualities I like. The Yorkshire Blonde is a little mellow for my tastes but it was the one on yesterday.
Then an hour in The Market, where I most likely will be drinking Acorn Barnsley Gold, brewed in the nearby town of Wombwell, which is their regular real ale though they may have something else worth sampling. Notes given later!
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One of the best "house beers" of JDW's is their Devil's Backbone American IPA, which is available on tap and included in their daily "club" specials (chicken club, steak club, sunday roast, etc). Much better than the other beers available in these wallet-friendly meal deals (like Carling, Tuborg, Carlsberg).
ND: Maker: Sambrook's Brewery, SW11 3QG London
Beer: Pumphouse Pale Ale (bottle-conditioned, 500ml)
Style: English Pale Ale (EPA),
ALC.VOL.: 4.2%
"Our Pale Ale is brewed with Maris Otter pale malt and contains a mixture of Admiral, First Gold, Celeia and New Zealand Hallertau whole leaf hop. This gives our pale ale a light, dry and zesty tate with a citrus aroma." [brewery notes]
Colour: Light orange, hazy. Minimal white head.
Nose: Dominant floral notes, some citrus, faint herbs.
Texture: Medium-bodied, not too fizzy. Rather firm. Low carbonation.
Taste: Dry floral notes are very strong at first. Some biscuity malts, very moderate citrus. The floral notes persist until the finish, hoppy bitterness nore pronounced, and increasing in the finish. Faint citrus note remains. Finish also includes pinewood (but not resin). Medium long, hoppy aftertaste, muted bitterness.
Impressions: A straightfaced, no-nonsense, dry and medium bodied English pale ale. Predictably, not as aggressively hoppy as the American variety. Very refreshing, sessionable.
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ND: Maker: Samuel Adams Brewery, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Beer: Rebel IPA (bottled, 355ml)
Style: American IPA (APA)
ALC.VOL.: 6.5%
"Rebel IPA is brewed with 5 varieties of West coast hops: cascade, simcoe, centennial, chinook, & amarillo. It’s everything we love about West coast style IPA’s. Big citrus & grapefruit flavors with subtle pine notes for a flavorful refreshing brew." [brewery notes]
Colour: Light orange, hazy, decent creamy white head.
Nose: Pinewood, herbs, faint caramel, rather mild grapefruit (less aggressively fruity than some APAs).
Texture: Medium body, not fizzy, but not too full in mouthfeel either.
Taste: Grapefruit (again, as not as fruity as some), barley, mild herbs, faint pinewood and caramel at first (not sweet!), wee bit of alcohol noticeable. Nicely balances hoppy pinewood and creamy caramel towards the middle, finish is bitter, hoppy, floral, with a faint resinous note.Lasting but only moderately bitter aftertaste, with mild citrus.
Impressions: A good deal maltier than most of APAs, also less gratuitously fruity and resinous than some, less "in your face" overall. Well-rounded APA, a wee bit alcoholic.
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ND: Maker: Schloßbrauerei Irlbach, Irlbach, Germany
Beer: Irlbacher Goaßkopf Halbe Ur-Märzen (bottled, 500ml)
Style: Oktoberfest beer/Märzen
ALC.VOL.: 5.6%
Colour: yellow golden, clear, decent fluffy head
Nose: Sour bread, barley
Texture: A little rough, not too watery, a wee bit oily, relatively low carbonation. Medium body.
Taste: Caramel, plenty of malt, very limited hops - bread notes at first. Neither truly sweet nor truly bitter. No fruit. Malt dominates the middle and finish, bitterness is minimal. A little bit more bitter (without ever being hoppy) in the aftertaste, but again grains dominate.
Impressions: Rather undistinguished Märzen, limited range and depth of taste. Drinkable though, with well-integrated alcohol.
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ND: Maker: Brauhaus Brandmeier, Cadolzburg, Germany
Beer: Cadolzburger Roggen (bottled, 500ml)
Style: Rye beer/Speciality Grain
ALC.VOL.: 5.4%
"A true speciality brew, the type of which is bow being made by just a few German breweries. In a time-consuming and complex process, three different types of grain are brewed to make this special beer. The rye contributes a deft, traditional note, the wheat adds freshness and the barley malt rounds out the whole thing." [brewery notes, my translation]
Colour: Dark brown, hazy, with huge beige head.
Nose: Slightly sweetish, bread-y malted barley, teensy bit of vanilla.
Texture: Medium body, only a tiny it watery, creamy. Active carbonation.
Taste: Soft, yeasty start. Caramel, a bit of toffee (but not truly sweetish), wee roasted malts. Caramel notes and bread towards the middle, slightly sour, still yeasty finish and aftertaste. Very mild bitterness, no noticeable hops.
Impressions: Interesting, very yeasty beer with a pleasent "roundness" about it. Clearly, the use of three types of grain pays off. Not terribly characterful, but eminently drinkable.
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Just a regular Sunday. 
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Saltaire makes some very good beers, their Triple Chocoholic is one of my favorite stouts.
ND: Maker: Brauhaus Brandmeier, Cadolzburg, Germany
Beer: Cadolzburger Tributo Colonia (bottled, 500ml)
Style: Kölsch(?!)
ALC.VOL.: 4.9%
"A blond, top-fermented beer; lean and quaffable, highly sessionable and lightly hopped. Drink one, you'll drink more." [Commercial description, my translation].
Colour: Bright yellow, hazy(!), good head.
Nose: Mild citrus, some floral notes, a bit of barley. Grassy.
Texture: Remarkably full, not watery. Active carbonation.
Taste: Pronounced floral hops and mild citrus at first. Some malt background, too. Increased hoppy bitterness towards the middle. Even a wee bit of resin. Finish, too, is hoppy and bitter, with balancing malt notes. Lasting moderate bitterness in the aftertaste, with a tiny bit of citrus left.
Impressions: A good, fresh, dry and very quaffable pale ale style brew with some character. So, in essence, not like a Kölsch at all!
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ND: Maker: Broughton Ales, Main Street Broughton Village, Biggar, Scotland
Beer: 6.2 I.P.A.
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
ALC.VOL.: 6.2%
"A New IPA-chestnut brown with a fruity aroma and delicious hoppy aftertaste."
Colour: Deep amber, clear, medium but lasting creamy white head.
Nose: Grassy, some citrus, floral, herbal, a bit of grapefruit.
Texture: Full-bodied. A bit oily. Medium carbonation.
Taste: Hoppy and very bitter up front. Herbal and floral notes, with malty background. Teensy bit of citrus, not much else on the fruit front. Wee creamy, too - especially towards the middle. Hoppy bitterness persists throughout into the finish. Herbal and floral notes, too. Long-lasting, bitter and slightly floral aftertaste. No fruit remains.
Impressions: This is a beer with a capital H for hops and a capital B for bitter. Somehwere between a premium bitter and an English IPA. Very flavourful, the alcohol is skillfully obscured by the bitterness and the floral and malty notes. Truly an excellent beer!
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Strict set of rules though: No drinking at home, just at the office.
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ND: Maker: Anchor Brewing Company, San Franciso, California
Beer: Liberty Ale (bottled, 355ml)
Style: American Pale Ale (APA)
ALC.VOL.: 5.9%
"Originally brewed in 1975 to commemorate Paul Revere's ride, this brew is a heavily hopped ale (Cascade hops) with a copper color and a hoppy nose."
Colour: Light amber; wee hazy; big, frothy white head.
Nose: Grapefruit, floral and herbal notes. Malty base.
Texture: Rather full-bodied, a bit raw. Not fizzy. Medium carbonation.
Taste: Strong hoppy, floral notes at the outset. Grapefruit present but muted. Grainy touch. Malty balance adds depth. Malt is more noticeable towards the middle, bitterness decreases. Some spicy pinewood there as well. Floral notes and again increased bitterness are dominant in the finish and aftertaste, which is lasting and includes pine and citrus.
Impressions: One of the classic American independently brewed craft beers. I've had many of those a few years back, but none since. Good to have one again!
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This afternoon: Anchors aweigh!
ND: Maker: Vielanker Brauhaus
Beer: Vielanker Pilsener (bottled, 500ml)
Style: German Pilsener
ALC.VOL.: 4.8%
Colour: Yellow golden, hazy(!), big white head.
Nose: Sour yeast, citrus, bit of hops.
Texture: Not too watery, medium-bodied, not as fizzy as many Pilseners (mild carbonation!)
Taste: Floral hops are much more noticeable than with most Pilsener-style brews; one is looking in vain, thankfully, for the patented cardboard notes that come with Warsteiner et al. The hops come with a citrusy note, too, and some yeast. Middle is lightly hoppy, yeasty, minus the critic note. Finish floral and only very moderately bitter, smooth, balanced. Short aftertaste of yeast.
Impressions: A pleasantly original German Pilsener, far removed from the plastery mainstream brands. Híghly quaffable.
Before: Anchor Brewing, San Francisco, California
Beer: Anchor IPA (bottled, 355ml)
Style: India Pale Ale
ALC.VOL.: 6.5%
"Anchor IPA™ is made with 2-row barley malt and fresh whole-cone hops, its bright amber color, distinctively complex aroma, spiky bitterness, malty depth, and clean finish unite to create a uniquely flavorful, memorable, and timeless craft IPA. "
Colour: Dark amber, clear, impressive off-white head.
Nose: Grapefruit, pinewood, caramel
Texture: Full-mouthed, not watery, a tad oily, alcohol is noticeable
Taste: Strong grapefruit, herbs and pinewood at the start, resinous and very bitter towards the middle, fruit notes now muted. Bitter and hoppy finish, with some nice caramel for balance. Aftertaste is moderately bitter, but lasting. Good IPA, closer to the American than the English variety.
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Yes, these are my "now drinking" notes. [Some people at ratebeer have 17,000+ notes - I wonder how they manage]
And what better way to end a boring office day than this:
ND: Maker: Fuller, Smith & Turner PLC (Fullers), Chiswick, London
Beer: 1845 Celebration Ale
Style: Strong Ale/Premium Bitter
ALC.VOL.: 6.3%
"First brewed in 1995 for the 150th anniversary of the brewery. Winner of CAMRA Champion Bottle Conditioned Beer of Britain (1998-1999). Described by Roger Protz as ’a rich beer with a fruit cake aroma, spices and nutmeg from malt and hops resulting in a dry, fruity finish’." [brewery note]
This is my NO.1 beer, of all beers, and has been for a number of years. I will just quote my review of 2009, the only thing that has changed is the style of the bottle [the old one was sturdier, nicer].
"50cl dark brown bottle, as pictured. Pours a perfect, clear mahogany with a big, frothy beige head. Good retention, plenty of lacing. Aroma of roasted malt, toffee and ripe plums. Body is a little lighter than that of "Golden Pride" and "Vintage Ale", but ultra smooth, with low carbonation. Oily mouth feel. Complex taste of caramel, coffee, and dark fruit, but with a compensating note of dry hops that quickly negates the initial sweetness. Gets more bitter as you keep drinking and the beer warm up a little. Dry, hoppy finish and lingering, medium bitter after taste. Despite the increased abv, there’s no real alcoholic note to speak of. Smooth! Another superbly balanced and eminently sessionable brew from Fuller’s (I must get around to visiting their Chiswick brewery next time I’m in London), with sweet and bitter notes superbly complementing each other. A wee heavy winner in the strong ale category. Drink irresponsibly!"
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