Hoppy in the dark - ale

Drink makes                      Drink name                            Drink type                  Drink strength

       Newcastle                         Hoppy in the                            India pale ale              5.2%
                                                       Dark

Now I'm really confused!
The is the Newcastle brewery .... brown ale ... and all that as far as I can tell however that Newcastle brown ale is now brewed on the Continent and this is brewed in North Yorkshire... ah, who cares.

As it goes, this bottle looks a bit dull. It's a limited edition and it's a pale ale.
On poring it doesn't look to pale to me!

The smell as you would imagine from the name have hops there but it's faint. I sort of expected to be bowled over by a rich and Strong aroma but never mind.

It tastes quite strong and a bit bitter with a slightly zeshy aftertaste but nothing too overpowering. It actually tastes darker than it looks if that makes any sense.
I could probably drink this all night and not notice it somehow turning my legs to something approximating jellied stilts.

I'd buy this again if I can find it :)



tasty rating
Good as a drink 7/10 Good as an ale 7/10
Can't put down factor 05/10
Good at getting you drunk 5/10
Bottle art 4/10
Rated = 56ish out of 100% because I can't count and I don't understand percentages.
c==[]{::::::::::::::::::::>   Sword

brewery link

www.livecanny.com

Like a night owl - ale

Drink makes                      Drink name                            Drink type                  Drink strength

        Newcastle                          Nocturnal                               Ale                             4.5%
                                              Like a night owl

Now here's eye catching bottle... no, not in a casual acts of violence type of a way but in an Orange cracked earth in the background way!
Nice colour is Orange. Hawaiian shirts, some fruit... David Dickinson.... geese bills? ... the google blogger button... erm... yer, they all Orange and they're just fine. What am I talking about?
I'm confused. More than usual. Is this made by the Newcastle brown ale makers because it looks like it. Lets check the back. Doesn't say but I'm guessing not as it says it's brewed in North Yorkshire by the looks of things!


I've opened the bottle and the smells are promising. Defiantly hops and a prominent bit of molt in there with a hint of caramel... Almost fruity.
Good amber colour too.
The taste is bitter sweet and again molt and hops in a good balance.

Dam. The cap says this is a limited edition. for shame.

On reading the back of the 355ml (small. Ale's usually 500ml) bottle there's something about the clocks going back and evenings drawing in. I guess that's an explanation of the name but that doesn't really matter because it's a good tasting ale.

I needs me some more Newcastle ale.... from North Yorkshire.


tasty rating
Good as a drink 8/10 Good as an ale 9/10
Can't put down factor 07/10
Good at getting you drunk 5/10
Bottle art 6/10
Rated = 70ish out of 100% because I can't count and I don't understand percentages.
ORANGE!

ere's t-Internet link

www.livecanny.com

drop cake?

The things you find in your phone!

This was a cake me and a friend made for someone called Paul if you hadn't already guessed.

Now when I say "made" I actually mean I bought 3 different cakes and dropped them on each  other. Then my friend got some doughnuts and put them on the top and sprinkled some short bread on it then added some spoons!

We called it drop cake as that was our primary method of creation... alright creation is going a bit far.

I think it was treacle tart, chocolate fudge brownie cheesecake and some kind of chocolate cake at the bottom.
Surprisingly enough My friend had some and didn't slip into a Diabetic coma. which is nice.

Bacckus Cherry Beer

Drink makes                         Drink name                               Drink type                     Drink strength

Bacckus Cherry Beer ?          Bacckus Cherry Beer?                Bacckus Cherry Beer?      5.8%

What a name. I wish I was called Bacckus... I'd make everyone call me 

~~BACCKUS THE DESTROYER~~

as would be my want.

Bacckus Cherry Beer! I'm a sucker for beers that taste like fruit and I like unwrapping things!
This beer is off to a good start... and I haven't even tasted it yet!

 The 1930's ish looking guy on the paper wrapping looks a tad dodgy though. I can't help but think he could be celebrating running of his neighbours dog and child simultaneously or repeatedly smacking an hysterical woman. Yes, his face definitely says I'm celebrating after a particularly savage act of violence and whats more I loved it.

The rapping says it's Belgian and I'm not going to argue. I can't read allot of the information on the wrapping paper and whats more I don't want to! It's not because I'm ignorant it's just that I'm Dyslexic and reading for me is a last resort.

Wow, This thing smells of cherries! So sweet smelling too! I wouldn't open this out side in the summer for fear of being carried off by wasps.
I'd be happier if it smelled a bit more like beer but never mind.

Maaaaah that's a strong favour! Like black cherries and sherbet. The beer in a glass looks deceptively like a bark beer with just a hint of redness to it. The smell is very pleasant but more like sweets than the actual taste it's self which also has a tartness to it which as first is a little of putting until you get used to it.

I need to find this in a pub that sells this and just sit in their beer garden on a nice hot day and try to relax as the beer and wasps join forces to try and rob me of my drink.

I'm liking this stuff

BACCKUS!!!

tasty rating

Good as a drink 9/10 Good as a beer 9/10

Can't put down factor 10/10

Good at getting you drunk 6/10

Bottle art 7/10

Rated = 82ish out of 100% because I can't count and I don't understand percentages.

WARNING. Bacckus art looks like a killer.

www.vanhonsebrouck.be

Sole Star - pale ale

Drink makes                        Drink name                              Drink type                  Drink strength

  Adnams                                Sole Star                            Amber pale ale              2.7%

Sole Star. hmm. The first thing I'm always attracted to in an ale, stout etc is of cause the bottle art.
I know some people favour a good name the Old Fart, Bishops Finger or Flying Herbert and that's fine but I like a good image.
This one though looks like a seaside poster. It looks faded, as if it's spent too much time in the sun. This is I'm sure the look that they were going for but that would usually put me right off. I'd burn a deckchair as soon as look at it and now all I can think about is dogs pooing Merrily on the beach!

It claims to be an amber pale ale so I'm guessing it looks like a normal ale but tastes like a pale one!?!   well OK then.
This pale ale has a subtle smell, as if I'm smelling the drink through a hose pipe. It's not defiantly a bad start but I do like a good sniiiiiiiiiiiif before drinking.

On poring some of this bottle into the oldest pint grass I could find (odd. I cant ever remember buying even one pint glass) I must agree that this is indeed an amber pale ale, slightly carbonated and with a slightly stronger smell of citrus.

This tastes weak and bitter. A strong citrus aftertaste. That's about it really.

I've just had a look on the back of the bottle and it basics says light, floral, citrus, caramel. Not sure where the caramel is... maybe it fell out when they weren't looking.
The back also says that the ale is named for the "brightest star which rises first over the sole bay brewery every morning". What a lovely story.

The hole reason I bought this ale is because it is 2.7% and I wanted to find an ale/beer of approx 3% that actually tastes good. I know they're out there! somewhere.

Adnams do some good drinks and in fact this ale is starting to grow on me. As I get used to the citrus taste it's becoming more enjoyable and the bitterness is going.

Perhaps I've missjudged this ale... smell's no stronger though.  I was going to say that the only thing this had going for it was that it wasn't larger but I think it was just those beggingnig few sips... and I mean really, who sips beer!?!


If you like light citrus tasting beers then this one may just be the one for you.


tasty rating
Good as a drink 5/10 Good as an ale 3/10
Can't put down factor 03/10
Good at getting you drunk 3/10
Bottle art 2/10
Rated = 32ish out of 100% because I can't count and I don't understand percentages.
Beach poster are rubbish

bad food

I don't usually eat frozen food meals but when I had breaded fish and Alphabet shaped potato pieces I couldn't help but try to spell out the rudest word I could manage. I feel I was let down by a suspicious lack of   S!

It's food like this that instantly turns you back into a child.

fish and chips and lemon top icecreams

Ah, Whitby food.

I love Whitby. It's tacky and quaint and sells the sort of food that turns you Diabetic and fills you with cholesterol as soon as you sniff it.

On this jaunt to the cobbled, seagull infested, vampire toting, sugar purveyors of doom I stopped off in the car with 4 of my friends to sample some fish and chips which is the main reason to stop off there right?

The thing is you stop off at Whitby for fish and chips and you forget how expensive it is.

So after having a look around we went with a take out from the Quayside. The place does have a restaurant part but that's a bit more expensive and you don't get the company of massive seagulls looking at you and of cause the chance to see a tramp do a muttering little dance. good times.

The fish & chips from said place were really good. I'd recommend them. Frankly I just just happy to find a place that didn't have almost runny chips... you know when they're left for too long and they ether go hard or an oily slop. *gip.

And then after that we found somewhere that does lemon top ice creams!  Get in!!
I've not had one of those since I was a kid.

 quayside website link ... apparently they have a web cam

 http://www.whitbyfishandchips.com/index_QS_01.html

Wasabi Sushi - restaurant - Manchester

I've recently been to Wasabi Sushi in The Printworks in Manchester.

I'm quite a fan of sushi, in fact I'm a fan of almost any food that is or can be served to me on a conveyor belt!

(Heck I'd eat most food even if it had been shot from a cannon onto my plate. 

Who am I trying to kid. That's a bonus!)

My point, before I forget it, is that sushi is not for everyone. In fact one of the people I was eating with at the time was not a fan (1 out 8 people. sometimes peer pressure is a good thing... it's usually not though). Thankfully Wasabi Sushi is not just about the sushi. It also does other Japanese cuisine. He therefore had chicken katsu curry after we told him it was just like chip shop curry!

The rest of us went for a good deal they had on which was £8.50 for a main and 3 of the cheep sushi plates.

I went for a Pork Yaki Soba type thing which was good but I've had Yaki Soba and it wasn't the same.
As I saw though, it was still good (Soba being the type of noodles used I believe).

The sushi was good too except for the one with cooked tuna in. I also had one with raw tuna and that one was great! I suspect that the cooked tuna was from a can and had mayo in it because I can't stand canned tuna.
The raw salmon was good too and some others in our group ordered spicy fish which looked amazing!

So if you are in Manchester and in the area of The Printworks why not give it a try.

Although, if you have a fear of lifts or enclosed spaces I suggest you do not go to the toilet there. It felt a bit Japanese horror style when using it.

Here's a link to the place

http://www.theprintworks.com/the_place/venues/wasabi_sushi/

Bem Brasil - restaurant - Manchester

I was in Manchester the other week for a stag do and we ate at a great place called Bem Brasil...
NOT Ben Brazil. Bem Brasil!

This place as I just said was great.
 Just make sure you go to the right one as there are two in Manchester.

I think it was £25 a head ... I can't for the life of me remember the alcohol prices but I do remember that they did cocktails for about £7 or £8.

They also has a salad bar... I think they were somewhat confused to what constitutes a salad bar though because I saw salami in there but never mind.
They also give you some free chips but that looks like their way of making sure you eat less tasty tasty meats!  sneaky.

I can not express this enough 

IF YOU LIKE LOTS OF MEAT THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU!!

The waiters come to you, walking around the tables with barbecued meat no a stick and you need to pick up some small tongs and hold strips of meat as they slice it off. Sometimes it's Lamb, sometimes it's chicken, sometimes it's stake! At one point a guy came over with a load of sausages but I saw that as just filler and therefore to be avoided.

Without a doubt though if you like stake try the Brazilian Stake. It's amazing!

Also you have a small circle with green on one side and red on the other. If greens up you want more... I'll let you work out the rest of that one out your self.

Oh, they also do Pineapple covered in Cinnamon on a stick for some reason. Didn't try it... didn't have meat in it.

I tell you what though. Chicken's hearts were nicer than I was expecting. A bit chewy though (no, not the Wookie from star wars).

After leaving there I had a thought...

If I wanted to brake up with a vegetarian, I'd do it their because I have a sneaking suspicion you wouldn't even have to try.

here's a link to Ben Brazil

http://www.bembrasilrestaurants.com/

1845

Drink makes                    Drink name                          Drink type                Drink strength

Fuller’s                             1845                                      Ale                             6.3%

First impressions are important I’m told which is probably why I’m drinking alone tonight with nothing but a V for vendetta mask and a chest burster plushy from the movie Alien for company. This ale’s bottle however looks impressive . Dam impressive even! 

It’s labels (yes, I have an obsession with bottles labels) are so grand and with gold imitation shininess and squiggly bits and mythical animals AND most of all number I feel quite overwhelmed… I felt I had to buy this ale so as it wouldn’t invade the bottle next door and stick a flag in it!

I says celebrating 150 year of something and matured for 100 something else’s and that it is an award winning strong ale…. Isn’t that nice…. Not sure who gave the award thingy though. Too much small righting on the back for my liking so I guess I’ll never know.

On opening there is a strong rich smell full of hops and spices with a hint of fruit…. And something else that makes me thing oddly of Bovril!  Of all the things to smell. I like it.

Poring a small amount in a glass, just to look as the colour before necking it like a feverish tramp having withdrawal symptoms, you can see (OK you can’t but I can) that it is quite dark, not stout dark of cause but that’s to be expected. More like a conker. Out of the bottle now stronger smells are given off. It’s much sweeter, like toffee.

The flavour is very strong! Spicy and bitter. The sweet toffee taste is there too.

This ale is overwhelming in it’s strength. A real smack in the mouth, possibly from that tramp I mentioned earlier.

What ever Award it was that this ale won I can see why they (who ever they were/are)  liked. 

tasty rating
Good as a drink 8/10 Good as an ale 7/10
Can't put down factor 07/10
Good at getting you drunk 6/10
Bottle art 7/10
Rated = 70ish out of 100% because I can't count and I don't understand percentages.
WARNING WARNING. DANGER DANGER. That is all.

simply dark ale

Drink makes                    Drink name                          Drink type                Drink strength

Simply                              Simply Dark Ale                   Ale                             4.5%

Simply Dark ale.

It’s bottle decked out in bands of some sort of grayish colour, that is vaguely reminiscent of that smelly mug at the bottom of some woodland ponds that smells like gorse it’s self was given form then abandoned, and white!

I like labels on bottles. On the hole they give you something to ponder over as you drink. The only thing worth pondering on this one though is why are there what looks like two sets of Hedgehogs piles under a leaf - YES I KNOW IT’S HOPS!!!

The sad thing is that what drew me to the bottle in leTesco de booze aisle (OK. You can’t make Tesco posh… well I cant) was it’s PURPLE CAP!

It looks like a bland suited man will a purple bowler hat on! Who can resist that? Not me apparently.

This drink on opening has a subtle a smell of hops … and that’s about it.

On tasting I feel that the flavour is bitter and well like hops! After another taste I read the back of the bottle which says full bodies which I can agree with, smooth… hmm, and fruity flavours which on having another sup I’m thinking that actually there is a slight bit of fruit in there but fruity makes me think of a much stronger taste.

On saying that, it is still a nice ale and I can think of a few people who I can recommend it to or I guess if I’m feeling generous buy them one for their birthday… na, screw ‘em.


tasty rating
Good as a drink 6/10 Good as an ale 8/10
Can't put down factor 04/10
Good at getting you drunk 5/10
Bottle art 1/10
Rated = 48ish out of 100% because I can't count and I don't understand percentages.
It's gotta be close though right!