Prof’s Ale Stars Best – the rest

Here are the rest of the Ale Stars Best.

Schlenkerla Marzen Rauchbier. For many reasons other than just the beer, I am including this one in my Top Seven. This was a beer experience and, though I had had this one before it was fun drinking it in the company of those who hadn’t. From Chris’ pronouncement that; “Yay verily I declare that someone hath dunked a hock of smoky bacon into my draught”, to the announcement by Shandy that “It apparently takes 6 or 7 pints to fully appreciate this smoked beer” to the looks on the faces of the ‘first timers’ wondering what they had got themselves into. Classic. But the favourite moment of the night was when Shandy asked the gathered crowd if there was anyone who really didn’t like it. Brian quickly and proudly raised his hand as if to lead the room in revolt to find he had joined a club with him as the only ticket-holder.

Young’s Christmas Pudding Ale. This one had featured, coincidentally, in a Beer Dinner that I hosted on the Friday before Ale Stars and was almost a completely different beer second time around. Served with a rich chocolate brownie, drowned in Kahlua chocolate sauce the beer showed it’s ‘dark’ side with warm malty-coffee, chocolate and rich stone fruit notes. Served with pizza, the other side surfaced – fresher fruit tastes, coconut and (my personal favourite from Simon/Rob) butterscotch popcorn.

Hargreaves Hill ESB. A beer that has become more than just a well crafted and easy drinking American Pale Ale Style English Special Bitter. Beer. Just riht to kick off a session of Ale Stars – enough interest to satisfy the inner beer Nerd, but not too heavy that it spoils the feature beers. The quintessential SUB, I still recall fondly the first time Chris and I were sharing one upstairs when we bumped into Ben and Reeksy and we all recognised each other as ‘Ale Stars’. Not only was a friendship forged there, but so too the concept of Sneaky Upstairs Beers, the knowledge that this Ale Stars thing might be a long-term commitment and the realisation that Ale Stars was about to become more than just a beer sampling night.

And finally, Mountain Goat Rapunzel. The feature beer for the Belgian Blond Ale Ale Stars session, based on the Belgian classic, Duvel, and sharing the spotlight with the very same beer on the night. Coupled with the fact that head brewer and Rapunzel creator, Dave Bonighton was there and that Shandy WASN’T there – just kiddin’ – that he night was hosted by yours truly, made this beer memorable. The fact that it was universally enjoyed and also featured heavily in your comments on this blog as a favourite is testament to the worth of this brew.

That’s it. The Prof’s Top Seven. Special mentions to Bridge Road Brewers Chestnut Lager (cracker), Stone & Wood Draught Ale (almost TOO easy drinking!) and Holgate Nut Brown Ale (nicely surprising) as local offerings that served to please the crowds and highlight the health of the craft brewing scene in this country. Here’s cheers to many more.

Cheers
Prof. Pilsner

The Prof’s Ale Star best

Time for me to put pen to paper and declare my Best Seven from the 50+ beers experienced by The St Kilda Taphouse Ale Stars.

Thanks to those who responded with their picks – don’t think I waited this long because I wanted to copy yours, rather than think of my own! Much ...

I thought about ranking them in order, but I think that’s probably akin to ranking your children by how much you love them. I had enough trouble getting my list down to just seven without the pointless task of serving up a favourite. So here goes ...

Part One; The First Few

Red Hill Imperial Stout. In the same way that some blokes say, “I only drink VB,” I used to be a bit of a “I don’t really like Stout,” sort of bloke. Until my very first Ale Stars night. The Guinness was the first up beer and made me realise why I don’t like stout – but by the time I got to the Red Hill, I had a bit of a Eureka Moment. I drink stout now.

Weihenstephaner Festbier. I am an unabashed fan of beers from this venerable brewing institution and had tried everything from the Original and all the various Weizens through the Pilsner (personal, all-time favourite) Vitus and Korbinian. But I had never had the Festbier. I remember commenting at the time that this one was ‘dangerously smooth’ for its drinkability which hid beautifully the higher alcohol content.

Timothy Taylor Landlord. Had heard SOOOOO much about this one from Shandy ‘Why don’t you and Timothy just get a fricken’ room’ The Ale Star Czar and remember that he had it as a his number one Pick Without Thinking desert island beer. I had not had a great deal of experience when it comes to English style Pale Ales and was not really expecting a lot of this. I got a lot more than I expected. Welcome to the list, Timmy!

The last one for Part One is Bridge Road Brewers Saison and for similar reasons to that I gave for the Landlord and Stout. A style that I knew of in name and theory only but one which now has some permanent shelf space in the fridge. Being able to share the experience alongside the brewer also made the night a little more special and for this reason alone I could slot this beer into the top seven.

The last three will get an airing tomorrow.

Cheers
Prof. Pilsner

Ale Stars – The Best?

Calling all Ale Stars and anyone else who likes to contribute to Beer Polls.

In twelve meetings we have sampled around fifty beers with nary a dud amongst them. Imports and locals, refreshing and robust, light, dark and everything in between, we’ve tried them all. And, while beer folk in general and this blog in particular, are not about ratings and rankings it can still be fun to narrow the large field to a select few.

In this case, seven.

Last Ale Stars meeting was a Shandy-selected ‘best of’ of sorts and here’s our chance to nail down the Rest of the Best, if you like. I’ll pick my best 7 from the full (well, as full as what I can remember) list of Ale Stars tried and tested ales, lagers, porters, stouts and weizens.

The list.

Samuel Smith’s Taddy Porter, Bright Brewery Staircase Porter, Red Duck Queen Bee Honey Porter and Meantime Coffee Porter, Guinness , Cooper’s Best Extra Stout, Red Hill Imperial Stout, Young’s Double Chocolate, Can You Believe I’ve Remembered Them All So Far, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Weihenstephaner Festbier, Erdinger Oktoberfest Weisbier, Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen, They’re All In Correct Order Too, Saison Dupont, Trois Monts, Bridge Road Saison, Silly Saison, Still Goin’ Strong, Redback Original, Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier & Vitus, Hoegaarden Grand Cru, Promised Aventinus – Couldn’t Get It, Neil Brought Along Some Sebastian, Lucky That, Pilsner Urquell, Hofbrau Original, Emerson Pilsner, Bridge Road Chestnut Lager, Sunner Kolsch, James Squire Golden Ale, Cooper’s Pale Ale, Hargreaves Hill ESB, Its An APA, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Sam Smith’s Old Brewery Pale Ale, Fuller’s London Pride, Worthington’s White Shield, I Better Not Have Missed Any, Cooper’s Sparkling, Bridge Road Australian Ale, Stone & Wood Draught Ale & Pale Lager, That Was A Huge Night, Strong Suffolk Vintage Ale, Emerson Old 95, Feral Razorback, Rogue XS Imperial Red, Still With Me?, Holgate Nut Brown Ale, Meantime Winter Time, Nearly There, Lobethal Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, Don't Remember Much Of That Night, Young’s Christmas Pudding Ale, Murray’s Sassy Blond, Red Hill Belgian Blond, Duvel, Mountain Goat Rapunzel, That’s Orl Ah Got To Say About That.

Now excuse me while I sit down for a bit, take a breath and have a beer while I pick my best seven.

Cheers
Prof. Pilsner