Day 141, Beer 141 - Sharp's Brewery & Rick Stein's "Chalky's Bite"

Today's Beer

Name – Chalky's Bite

Brewer – Sharp's in collaboration with Rick Stein

Classification – Aged beer (with wild fennel)

Strength – 6.8% ABV

Verdict - At A Glance

On the eye – Deep straw gold.

On the nose – Vivid high note citrus. Faint aniseed.

On the tongue – A uniquely flavoured 'Belgian' homage. Powerful and immediate, yet equally poised and elegant.

On the subject – Fans of the much loved brewery Sharp's (now under the protection of Molson Coors) and fans of the much loved chef Rick Stein (now under the protection of BBC 2) have been brought together by one of contemporary western society's most cherished concepts – the 'Celebrity Beer Collaboration'. Gentle cynicism aside, the end result is rather wonderful in this particular case, and that's probably because both parties got where they are today on good old fashioned merit. Stein's fondly remembered pooch has two beers dedicated to him, the other being the ginger infused Chalky's Bark. 

On the market – Your best chances will be in Cornwall, but word seems to be spreading fast. In the meantime, why not go online and buy from Chalky's former owner himself.

On the whole – 8.5/10

Full Review

Until embarrassingly recently, fennel was out there in the great food unkown as far as my palate was concerened.

I knew fennel quite well, and had eaten it in various dishes over the years, but it was really the point of it that I hadn't grasped.

However, thanks to my blindingly attractive girlfriend and a wholesale change of eating habits – fennel is now among my very favourite edible things.

But drinkable fennel? 

Was I quite ready for that?

Well, if my reaction to Chalky's Bite is anything to go by, then I am absolutely ready.

Described as being 'naturally flavoured with wild Cornish fennel', this bottle had me slightly spooked at first glance. But there was something about the names Sharp's and Rick Stein which made me wonder whether this beer could possibly be anything other than very special.

And having now consumed a glassful with the greatest of ease, I can reveal that 'very special' is exactly what it is.

These two giants of their respective trades have come together and delivered on the substantial promise which such a collaboration suggests. 

It's a splendid creation. A big, hearty beer with a delicate, genteel soul is how I might sum it up. A grizzly bear with Victorian sensibilities.

The label waffles on (as so many labels love to do) about the various why's and wherefore's behind the product's existence, and amongst all of this is a claim that they were bearing in mind the 'Belgian greats' when they began to concoct the recipe.

Well, it's hard to know precisely what a 'Belgian great' means (about as hard as precisely defining a contemporary British beer), but the fact is that you can really get a sense of that thought process in the final result. It doesn't scream 'I'm brewed in the style of a Belgian great' but it cleverly evokes the feel of such a statement, as though the drink itself is quite literally bearing Belgium in mind as it tumbles into your mouth.

It's very cleverly done.

And the cleverness doesn't stop there.

The flavours have been assembled in the most refined and 'pitch perfect' way, and the sequence in which they occur to you is mesmerising and really quite remarkable in terms of execution. It feels like a whole new batch of precise mathematical principles have been applied to this flavouring process, with one theme leading on to another in an almost endless loop of sublime taste.

It's a spicy, resinous affair, with a warming richness and a tremendous sweet versus sour dynamic which does plenty to keep that Belgian flag fluttering.

Spiced apples, grapefruit and gooseberry from the hops are held aloft in fine style by some richly nutty malts – and all of this is held together by that fresh, vibrant fennel. The delicate licorice, pine and aniseed elements which the fennel brings to the beer are ceaselessly entertaining. I was held in thrall by them to the very last.

To say that I approached this collaboration with high hopes is perhaps an understatement. But to have seen those expectations greatly surpassed has been a genuine thrill.

Chalky bit me very hard.

And I loved it.

Day 136, Beer 136 - St. Ives Brewery's 'Boilers'

Today's Beer

Name – Boilers

Brewer – St. Ives

Classification – Golden ale

Strength – 4.0% ABV

Verdict - At A Glance

On the eye – Rich, deep and vibrant orange gold.

On the nose – Subtle tree fruit and popcorn.

On the tongue – A rarefied, elegant beer with some delightful citrus and a stunning bitter dryness.

On the subject – With the same entrepreneurial gusto that fuels the creation of so many micro-breweries these days, former licensee Marco Amura decided to ditch the pub and go it alone and is now producing his own beers with the temporary assistance of Wooden Hand Brewery in Truro. There's little doubt in my mind that if enough people discover this beer, it won't be long before he's got a mighty brewhouse all of his own.

On the market – Still only six months old, the reach of this brand is still essentially limited to Cornwall, meaning that Cornish beer lovers get to roll around in a state of permanent ecstasy, whilst the rest of us are forced into buying online.

On the whole – 8.5/10

Full Review

To discover an entirely new brewery is always exciting.

But to discover an entirely new brewery which is producing properly excellent beer is quite something else.

Having spotted a selection of these bottles purely by chance during a recent trip to St. Ives, I quickly telephoned my bank manager and pitched him the idea of my purchasing some. After several hours of heated negotiation, he agreed that I could buy a fifty percent stake in one bottle, with the remaining fifty to be paid back to him via quarterly instalments over the next five years.

I was thrilled to be given the chance, even though I did feel that the final settlement figure of seventy-eight pounds and sixty-seven pence was a little extreme for a single jar of ale.

However, having since opened it and drunk its contents – I think I got myself a genuine bargain

This is a gloriously bitter, dry, citrus-intense beer, with a slick smoothness of body, and a captivating orange zest and wildgrass finish.

There's an understated elegance and composure, a sort of casually aristocratic feel to the drink, the balance is superb, and the overall 'build' is impressively precise.

For a début offering, this is a massively precocious display.

Punchy, immediate, and engaging to the very last drop, its considerable impact is all the more remarkable when you remind yourself this is a relatively low strength beer. At 4.0 % ABV, this is entirely sessionable stuff, and that's just the best kind of reminder to receive when you're reaching the bottom of the glass. If only I'd struck a better deal with the bank, I might have gone on to have one of the best evenings of my life.

I have been blown away by this Cornish golden ale, it's been a real find, and I'd recommended this brewery as one you should rapidly be turning your attention to.

Some beers instantly reveal the promise of their creators.

This beer tells me that Marco Amura is going places.

A True Cornish 'IPA' Story

Look, I had intended to post a few bits from here in Cornwall during my visit, but it's all far too lovely and the pubs are far too good.

So it's going to be a four day break for the blog - and I'm far too content to care.

But here's a odd little true story to tide you over...

Yesterday, my strikingly attractive girlfriend and I went to a very lovely pub owned by St Austell's brewery. I will refrain from naming the venue, partly out of common decency but mostly because of an irrational fear of bloodthirsty reprisals. (I am still down here, after all).

Anyway, the pub was completely lovely, as was the barman, and the beer he served up was immaculately kept.

But he and I argued like dogs all the same.

Our epic bar-side battle was fought over the famous, multi award wining St. Austell beer 'Proper Job'.

I'd noticed that alongside the Proper Job pump was another St. Austell brew called 'IPA', and I remarked how interesting it was that two of the four cask ales available were IPA's.

What follows is my best recollection of the dialogue that subsequently developed....

BARMAN - How do you mean?

ME - Well, St.Austell have given you four pumps, and they've got you serving Proper Job as well as another IPA called 'IPA'.

(Short pause. BARMAN's face wears a look of friendly disgust.)

BARMAN - Proper Job's not an IPA.

(Longer pause. Much, much longer.)

(At the end of this truly colossal silence, Cornwall sinks very suddenly into the Atlantic, never to be seen again. At least, that's how it feels...)

ME - (Eventually...) Er....

(ME knows his face is in danger of wearing that very same look of 'friendly despair'. His mind races with a thousand sudden doubts about his knowledge of beer, because BARMAN works here - he actually works for St Austell - so the likelihood of him being wrong is totally minuscule. And yet...)

ME - I'm pretty sure it is.

BARMAN - It's not.

ME - It is, I promise you.

(ME knows that making such 'promises' about the classification of BARMAN's ale is risky, but he's feeling emboldened by the iPhone in his pocket which, among other things, contains his own recent review of this legendary beer.)

BARMAN - (Chuckling with indignation now because this is his job and he serves this beer all the time - so he just knows he's right...) Of course it's not. These two are totally different beers! They couldn't be more different!

ME - Yeah, that's my big bugbear issue about the name 'IPA' at the moment, it's lost all meaning with so many different ales laying claim to it.

BARMAN - Proper Job's not an IPA. The rep from St. Austell might have mentioned it, wouldn't you think?

ME - Yes. I would.

BARMAN - (Tapping the pump marked 'IPA'...) This one's the IPA.

ME - I'd say that's definitely an IPA, yes.

BARMAN - (Tapping the Proper Job pump...) This one's Proper Job.

ME - Which is an IPA too. The name refers to the use of an authentic recipe from years ago. It's meant to be a return to the 'real deal' IPA style, that's what they mean by 'Proper.'

(Another pause.)

(The first stirrings of doubt begin to flicker across BARMAN's face, and ME senses it's time to land the killer blow. He reaches into his pocket for his phone.)

ME - Let me bring in some reinforcements. I'd better check I'm not going mad.

BARMAN - I reckon you already are. (But he's sounding less certain now. He glares sideways at the Proper Job pump like it were the ghost of a dead relative...)

ME - Drat! No signal.

BARMAN - It all depends who your provider is round here. It's a nightmare. Who are you with? (He seems keen to switch subjects now...)

ME - Vodafone.

BARMAN - (Sounding disappointed...) You'll be alright with that.

ME - It keeps going in and out of reception, I'll just give it a second...

(Suddenly, from the very end of the bar, a new voice enters the conversation. A young woman has her mobile firmly in hand...)

WOMAN - Got it here.

(BARMAN's head turns abruptly towards her. Huge beads of sweat now populate his increasingly furrowed brow...)

WOMAN - He's right. It's all here. Proper Job IPA, St Austell, award winning beer based on an original recipe, blah blah blah...

ME - There we go! I have to say that's quite a relief!

BARMAN - (With admirable generosity of spirit...) Well I never!

(At this point, ME's scintillatingly beautiful girlfriend offers up the statement "He does know his stuff..." which could have been taken like a bullet by our BARMAN, but thankfully, he's all smiles now.)

BARMAN - I take my hat off to you, Sir. I doff my cap!

ME - Oh, no need for that. I'm just glad I'm not losing my mind.

BARMAN - No no, you were absolutely spot on with that.

ME - You might want to see what the brewery rep has to say about it.

BARMAN - I certainly will, yes.

(One final pause begins, but this one's a much more comfortable affair, with everyone gazing down at the row of shiny pumps in front of them.)

BARMAN - Anyway. Now that this has all been settled - what can I get you?

ME - Well, as it happens, I really fancy an IPA.

(And with that, everyone collapses into a large heap, laughing their merry heads off.)

Day 121, Beer 121 - St. Austell's "Admiral's Ale"

Today's Beer

Name – Admiral's Ale

Brewer – St Austell

Classification – Premium ale/ESB

Strength – 5.0% ABV

Verdict - At A Glance

On the eye – Rich, deep chestnut. Really quite handsome. Quite bubbly and 'lively' for a bottle-conditioned beer, but I ultimately found that to be a bonus with this beer.

On the nose – Very special. Rampant citrus, chiefly apple and blackberry, with soft sweet-biscuit malts.

On the tongue – Packed. Utterly rammed with flavours. But not quite the flavours you are prepared for... (see below). 

On the subject – Well, whether you take great interest in industry awards, or whether you look down your turned-up nose at them, this beer couldn't care less either way. It's far too busy polishing the contents of it's very own trophy cabinet. Seriously, if you want to get in touch with this beer, you'll have talk to it's people. It doesn't have time for riff-raff since it became 'World Beer Of The Cosmos Totally Ever' and goodness knows what else. During a recent rare interview, Admirals Ale was quoted as saying that all other UK beers should “go get themselves some lives!”

On the market – All over the place. You can't miss it. By all means pretend you can't find one and buy online at the brewery's own shop.

On the whole – 8/10

Full Review

The 'Admiral' in question here is of course Admiral - or 'Lord' - Nelson, and it's funny how names like his still have a nasty tendency to drag me kicking and screaming all the way back to school.

It's really only a best guess, but I think the name of my history teacher was “Mr Jenkins.”

As far as I can recall, he was a fairly sweet natured, youngish guy, with an infectious sense of humour, a certain 'laddish' charm and an enviable supply of tolerance. But he was still a teacher, so I hated his guts.

To be honest, my recollection of him as a person isn't massively clear, but this is probably because I spent almost every moment of his classes doing nothing other than wish for the ceiling to collapse suddenly and kill us all.

I didn't like school much.

Today, however, I'm wishing I had paid more attention when 'Mr Jenkins' was telling us all about the legendary 1st Viscount Nelson, because today I have sampled a beer by St Austell Brewery which suggests that this national hero was actually a figure of huge contradictions. I really don't recall hearing anything about this particular aspect of dear old Horatio's character. But then, I took on board so very little information during those sessions it's a wonder that I know anything about him at all.

Didn't he invent French people?

Or discover North Norfolk?

Anyway, having just (rapidly and enthusiastically) sunk this premium bitter dedicated to the man himself, I think I've learned something quite remarkable about the human being that lies behind the legend, something altogether less well-known about this Super-Mariner-Brother which is considerably more intriguing than any of his historical exploits. It's a little-known fact about a well-known man, a fact which a certain Cornish brewery is clearly very keen for us all to be aware of, and which I'm going to take the liberty of revealing to you right here and now...

Vice-Admiral Nelson smelled remarkably different to how he tasted.

Incredible, isn't it?

It's an awesome slice of genuine insight which – without this beer – so many of us might never have known.

And here's the ingenious way in which this deliciously educational drink provides us with this knowledge.

Cracking the lid on this beer is like slamming nose-first into a mountain of freshly picked apples and hedgerow berries. The intensity of that initial citrus waft is electrifying, with that dominant apple theme filling your captivated mind with images of verdant juicy orbs hanging from endless rows of heavily laden trees.

It's mightily good. Few beers have ever been quite so welcome to invade my nostrils, an invasion made all the more pleasant by the faintest undercurrent of roasted cashew and macadamia nuts which issues gently forth from the malt.

However, shortly after this sensory firecracker explodes, another of your senses proceeds to bombard your brain with a startlingly different set of images – and herein lies the flavour-derived suggestion that Lord Nelson was a highly contradictory character.

The taste of this ale could hardly be more different from it's aroma. In the mouth, this is a much darker, broodier, maltier affair, with swathes of burnt treacle, steamed dates, licorice and candied fruits all emerging from shadowy hidey holes to beguile you and melt your tongue into submission. 

After all that zesty razzle-dazzle you've had coming from the fragrance - these deep, rich and roasty flavours are an overwhelming surprise. 

'Where the heck did that come from!', was my one and only thought for a good two minutes.

But lovers of crisp bitterness need not worry – it's not as though the aforementioned hop-fuelled citrus leaves the party at the tasting stage – it's merely joined by a bunch of guests you never dreamt had been invited.

This is a proud, robust and elegant tasting brew, one which would enhance an Autumn evening as well as any other beer choosing to market itself in such a way.

Maybe Nelson really was a man of contradictions, and maybe this beer reflects that rather ingeniously. 

Or maybe it's just a coincidence that this ale is so deliciously 'multifaceted.' 

Whichever way you look at it, this is a rich, fruity, zesty, roasted-malt marvel of a beer.

A beer you should definitely be looking to sample if you haven't yet done so.

Day 98, Beer 98 - St. Austell's "Korev"

Today's Beer

Name – Korev

Brewer – St. Austell

Classification – Cornish Lager

Strength – 4.8% ABV

Verdict - At A Glance

On the eye – Vivid straw gold

On the nose – There's just way too much to say here (See full review...)

On the tongue – A very excellent assemblage of cleverly chosen and cleverly pitched flavours.

On the subject – It is becoming the done thing for breweries to have at least one craft lager on their lists among the usual crowd of bitters, golden ales, premium ales, milds, porters etc. This effort from St. Austell has to be among the best, and sits as well in their range as any other of their brews.

On the market – A growing presence nationally would be great news for lager in general. In the meantime, try the breweries own online store.

On the whole – 8.5/10

Full Review

I have to begin with what struck me first.

This is easily one of the most violently aromatic beers I've yet uncapped (although 'unleashed' might be more appropriate term) here on The Year.

As I was setting up the 'pour shot' I was essentially being gassed by huge wafts of the most glorious vapour rising from the glass – which is all the more remarkable when you consider that the beer itself had been significantly chilled as the variety demands.

What a truly striking sensory experience the fragrance of this ale is!

But what about the next bit, which many would argue is ever so slightly more important?

Well, I'm happy to report that the taste of this drink ain't all that bad either. However, the flavours at play here – whilst they are in abundance and really quite wonderfully complex – are far more nuanced than that powerhouse aroma would suggest.

This, though, is no bad thing, because if those flavours were equally strong - this would doubtless be a very tough beer to drink any more than a few mouthfuls of, whereas in reality it's the sort of beer I could stick with all night with consummate ease.

A flurry of flavour themes – dry ones, citrus ones, nutty ones, peppery ones, grapefruit and berry bush high notes, tree bark and old leather low notes – all compliment and contradict each other with a playful quality that serves to dazzle and delight.

St. Austell have produced a master-work here. In some ways it's a very traditional and authentic rendition, and yet in other ways this is a quite visionary lager - which all lovers of beer should seek out and savour.

'Korev' literally means 'lager' in traditional Cornish language, which makes this a lager named Lager.

I think that name speaks for itself.

Day 92, Beer 92 - St. Austell's "Proper Job"

Today's Beer






Name - Proper Job

Brewer - St. Austell

Classification - IPA

Strength - 5.5% ABV


Verdict - At A Glance

On the eye - Warm light amber.

On the nose - Cake malts. Faint but sharp top notes.

On the tongue - Intense peppery citrus, a hugely hopped grapefruit marvel.

On the subject - Cornwall's St. Austell have concocted a highly authentic version of this classic beer style. In fact, I'd say they this could well be the most faithful rendition of an original IPA currently available. The bottle-conditioning is nicely executed, which has allowed this beer to become extremely popular.

On the market - Pretty ubiquitous. In the unlikely event that you can't find one - try the brewery's own online shop.

On the whole - 8.5/10


Full Review

Historically speaking - this is the real deal.

The first India Pale Ale styles were characterised by fulsome use of hops, giving the beers a distinctive feel which, among other things, made them feel much more alcoholically potent than they actually were. The folks overseas - to whom these ales were shipped - quite liked that particular feature, and a classic was born.

With Proper Job, St. Austell have gone comprehensively back to the drawing board and conjured up a beer that is about as authentic as can be imagined. This veritable hop grenade simply explodes in the mouth, simulating the very same refreshment experience that those baking hot ex-pats must have enjoyed and marvelled at back in the day.

A jar of this makes you realise the whirlwind journey that this beer variety has gone on in recent years. This ale is nothing like the IPA which currently tops the Bottled Beer Year chart. The recent American-led IPA revolution has seen a huge shift in definition, but even before the U.S. intervention, the domestic IPA 'scene' here in it's birthplace had become largely populated by brews which had a far more balanced feel - often making them indistinguishable from standard bitters or premium ales.

There's very little that could be considered 'standard' about Proper Job. It really is quite special. Far closer to many golden ales found in the contemporary market, this beer zings with sharp citrus and zesty fruits. These top notes soar above the subtlest of malt bases and a delightfully pitched pepper theme strings the whole drink together with an elegance that beguiles, satisfies and excites.

It's very cleverly assembled, this beer.

It stands as an excellent example of the current trend towards highly hopped beers - and yet it makes almost no attempt to fly the flag for fashion, sitting happily as it does upon the shelf amongst the more traditional brews available in the modern mass market.

But it is right that it should do so, because this beer is as much a history lesson as it is a new sensation.

It's a beer with an ultra-radical feel, but which is actually nothing other than a museum piece.

That's a real achievement.

But then - this is a real beer.

Day 50, Beer 50 - St Austell's "HSD"

Today's Beer

Name – HSD (Hicks Special Draught)

Brewer – St Austell

Classification – Strong Cornish Ale

Strength – 5% ABV

Verdict - At A Glance

On the eye – Tawny toffee. An utter delight to behold.

On the nose – Rich fruit cake and faint celery. Quite a subtle aroma for its strength.

On the tongue – Hop dominant...but bitterness never tasted so sweet!

On the subject – The folks at St Austell must have known how good this ale was before naming after their founder Walter Hicks, who began the St Austell tradition back in 1851.

On the market – Not the most widely available beer from the St Austell portfolio... Ocado stock it, or try the brewery direct.

On the whole – 8/10

Full Review

Try as I might to overcome it, there's just something about the words 'strong ale' which never fails to excite me.

This beer fully encapsulates the reasons why.

The flavours in play here, which mostly orbit around a dominant hop theme, are both delicious and understated - but its the second of these qualities that is so attention grabbing and exciting. After all, this is not the weakest alcoholic beverage in the cosmos – and therefore you might expect its flavours to be pretty bold and aggressive.

Not a bit. 

And, in this case at least, that's a very good thing.

The fact that this 'strong' beer doesn't push its weight around, or isn't insistent on forcing any one particular flavour upon you, makes for a strong ale with a pretty good attitude, in my view. All too often a beer wearing the name 'strong' will consider itself permitted to bully your tastebuds with whatever it pleases - which you won't always thank strong beers for.

This ale has a different approach.

Don't imagine, though, that this brew is without flavour at all. This is really my point – it is packed with flavour. But the various flavour themes are there for you to choose to savour, or to focus on at your own pace, reather than having it all hammered-home regardless.

Of those various flavours on offer - date pudding, treacle-laced biscuits, ginger and blueberry do the best job of standing out amidst the ever present bitterness of the hops and the constant reassurance of the skilfully selected malts. But beyond even this, there's plenty of other stuff to discover over the course of a glass or two.

And on that subject of multiple glasses – at 5% ABV, this beer lies well outside what might be considered 'session' strength. But, believe me, I wouldn't allow that to prevent me from setting up something of a camp with a few jars of this stuff.

It's just so marvellously modest and reserved, it really isn't very long before your mind drifts away from trying to pinpoint precisely how strong it is, or what ingredients are making it so tasty – you just wind up savouring it regardless.

This is a very fine strong ale, which I strongly recommend.

St. Austell's Cornwall Beer Wall.

This is a delightful image.

Is it not?

St Austell's have sent these alarmingly photogenic beers to hog some serious limelight here at The Bottled Beer Year.

They are, from left to right -

Clouded Yellow - (Wheat Beer)
Korev - (Cornish Lager)
Proper Job - (IPA)
Tribute - (Cornish Ale)
HSD - (Strong Cornish Ale)
Admiral's Ale - (Premium Ale)


Let's hope humans can love them as much as cameras clearly do!

Stay tuned for the full reviews.