Day 128, Beer 128 - Royal Tunbridge Wells' "Sovereign"

Today's Beer

Name – Sovereign

Brewer – Royal Tunbridge Wells

Classification – Blonde ale

Strength – 3.8% ABV

Verdict - At A Glance

On the eye – Warm straw gold.

On the nose – An aggressive citrus kick from the hops proceeds a gentle toffee caress from the malt. By no means unlovely.

On the tongue – High impact citrus, high impact bitterness, high impact wonderfulness. A very impressive lower strength beer.

On the subject – The Royal Tunbridge Wells Brewing Company's manifesto states that they are “...responding to the rise in demand from the discerning beer drinkers of Kent and beyond.” All I can say is, the discerning beer drinkers of Kent must be pretty darn demanding if this brewery's ales are the response. Quite simply, these are uncommonly good beers.

On the market – From the aforementioned phrase '...drinkers of Kent and beyond', I'd say there's still a fair bit of work to be done on behalf of those drinkers living on the 'beyond' side of things, but I'd also say that it's only a matter of time before these bottles are springing up everywhere. Whilst you're waiting, try online at Master Of Malt.

On the whole – 8.5/10

Full Review

The British microbrewery scene is in such excellent health right now, I almost feel inclined to do excitement-fuelled cartwheels all the way to the pub and back.

On reflection, though, I'm not at all certain that the British microbrewery scene would want to see me hospitalised indefinitely on it's behalf, so I reckon I'll just remain motionless and express my strong feelings of joyous pride with the aid of carefully chosen words rather than poorly executed gymnastics.

Don't be too disappointed.

Today's beer is merely the latest in an ever extending line of top-notch, innovative, dynamic beers from young, small-scale companies spread across the country who are consistently pushing the major players into the shade with their artistry and craftsmanship.

Sovereign is a crisp, refreshing, high citrus gem, with that same invigorating sense of 'something new and different' which radiates from so many of these modern creations.

Most notable about this ale, is the manner in which it utterly disregards it's own alcoholic content, blasting you with an intensity of flavour and a rich complexity that leaves you staring in bewilderment at those low numbers on the label.

It's impact is quite incredible for a 3.8% beer, and it's crammed full of surprises – not least in the sublime finish, which swerves this way and that between an almost electrically-charged gooseberry note, to soft swathes of fresh buttermilk. This feature alone is stupendously delicious.

I cracked the first of my three Sovereign's a couple of months ago after they'd been delivered to me at London's Theatre Royal Haymarket (where I was being forced to thrill record-breaking audiences half to death with my comic acting skills at the time) and I was kind-hearted enough to share (microscopic) amounts of the beer with some of my fellow cast mates. Their reactions to it were quite dramatic. This was partly because some of them were non beer drinkers who were experiencing 'real ale' for the very first time and finding it nothing like what they had been led to expect, and partly because they were all actors – so everything they do is 'quite dramatic'.

It was at this point that I first began to see why the recent hop revolution had been such a huge hit. Aside from being quite lovely, all these hop dominant ultra-citrus ales are a giant leap away from 'beer' (as perceived by the unacquainted) towards a whole bunch of other types of widely enjoyed beverages. Wine drinkers, cocktail drinkers, cider drinkers and even juice drinkers (and who isn't one of those!) suddenly have a bunch of beers within which they can find something familiar.

“I'd actually drink this again”, was the response of one of the more stunned cast members, renowned for her fondness of vodka and tonic. I could only smile knowingly at her like a smug git, in spite of all my efforts not to.

Of these new golden greats, Royal Tunbridge Wells' Soveriegn is the perfect representative.

It's certainly one to confidently offer to the proud non beer drinker in your midsts.

And among it's more immediate rivals in the 'under 4' category – this really is a stand out brew.

Day 102, Beer 102 - Royal Tunbridge Wells' - "Dipper"

Today's Beer

Name – Dipper

Brewer – Royal Tunbridge Wells

Classification – Bitter

Strength – 3.7% ABV

Verdict - At A Glance

On the eye – Lustrous chestnut. (What could be observed from what little of the beer was salvaged... read on!)

On the nose – Vivid spices and rich citrus. Intensely fresh-feeling.

On the tongue – Dry, sharply bitter, and packed with spiced fruit. Lovely.

On the subject – One of the newest (or perhaps 'freshest' suits them better) breweries around, these guys are brewing beer like they've done it for decades. These bottled versions are new (fresh) additions to their output. Seek them out, is all can say can.

On the market – I might have just said 'seek them out' but I didn't say that's going to be easy. Brand awareness is growing, but while you're waiting for your local supermarkets to stock up – try online at Master Of Malt.

On the whole – 8.5/10

Full Review

This was something of an adventure.

The diminutive glass in the picture above will provide something of a clue as to the precise nature of the adventure, but basically the fact is that by the time the adventure had come to an end – only a small amount of beer remained for me to actually drink.

Perhaps someone can explain to me why this ale – which had sat unmolested for around two weeks waiting to be selected for tasting – exploded with extreme violence upon opening. My guess is that the twenty minute visit to the fridge just prior to opening had some bearing on what transpired. I know from bitter experience (no pun intended) that bottle-conditioned beers can behave very badly when exposed to sudden changes in temperature, but from ambient room temperature into a fridge? Is that really too much for yeast to handle? And if so, does that mean we really shouldn't be chilling our bottle-condition beers prior to opening?

That would really be a shame. These ales should not (contrary to urban myth) be consumed at room temperature, but nor should they be served ice cold. Therefore, a quick 'treatment' in a fridge (or a freezer for any non-bottle-conditioned beers) is the ideal scenario. But if this nuclear chain reaction is going to occur – even just every once in a while – then the fun is eventually going to completely eroded by ever increasing cleaning bills.

Anyway, the happy ending in this case was that – miraculously – I did eventually manage to get some quantity of beer into a glass, which meant that I did get a chance to get to know it.

And I'm certainly glad that I did.

Because it turns out that when it's not cascading upward toward the ceiling like some reverse Niagara Falls – Dipper is actually a very well behaved and a very lovely ale.

In fact, it is absolutely delicious.

In terms of flavour, this just has to be one of the most dynamic bitters around. In fact, so dynamic is this beer, that the claim to be a 'bitter' at all is almost guaranteed to stir up some debate. There is a very decent bitterness present, so the classification might as well stand, but there is so much else going on in this drink that you'd understand if the brewery had just hedged their bets and called this an 'ale', because it's appeal reaches far beyond the usual boundaries of bitter.

Richly woody and nutty with soft caramel sweetness and held together by the most gloriously vivid spiced apple principle theme, this is a complex, intensely fresh and hugely immediate drink experience.

The sharpness and clarity of the intricate citrus notes is wonderfully complimented by herb and floral textures which vary in effect from thrilling to slightly hypnotic. It is these flavours and their (gorgeous) dominance of this drink's character which makes you wonder about the bitter status. Some will say the drink is too loaded with rich flavour to be a proper bitter, and I reckon they'd have a something of a case.

But Royal Tunbridge Wells appear to be the kind of brewery which has no qualms about pushing boundaries and going wherever their taste buds take them, and I like this quality in their marvellous creations.

Whatever their formula is – it's clearly a winning one. This beer alone is proof of that.

The rules of craft beer classification are changing, and have been now for some years. Breweries like this are rewriting those rules or tossing them away entirely. The results can often be inspiring and delicious. Not always, but pretty often.

This result certainly is. 

It's a hugely flavoursome and characterful ale which - at just 3.7% ABV - has to be among the most punchy and assertive session strength beers around.

I just wish I'd had a little more of it to enjoy.

Day 86, Beer 86 - Royal Tunbridge Wells' - "Royal"

Today's Beer





Name - Royal

Brewer - Royal Tunbridge Wells Brewing Co.

Classification - Best Bitter

Strength - 4.1% ABV


Verdict - At A Glance

On the eye - Deep, rich chestnut. A very nice looking beer, providing you ignore the lumps of matter lying on the bottom of up your glass. ('Oh dear, not this again', I hear you cry...)

On the nose - Sniffable darkness. Treacle, liquorice. 'Darth Beer.'

On the tongue - A revelation. Multiple beer styles, combined and refined to unique effect.

On the subject - Royal Tunbridge Wells Brewing Company is barely more a year old, but this beer suggests a far greater heritage. Simon Lewis is realising his dream in fine style. Him and his small team have to be one of the most exciting prospects for British brewing. One sip of today's beer would convince anyone of that.

On the market - Just inexcusably rare. Having said that, this beer (like so many other great beers from small micros) will never be a best seller whilst it is delivered with poorly executed bottle conditioning. Breweries who cannot afford to do this process well simply have to ditch their obsession with being awarded that ill-conceived CAMRA approval badge and focus more on sales. CAMRA may approve of bogey-like slabs of yeast in their bottled beers - but most ordinary consumers do not. Not one little bit.

On the whole - 8.5/10*

(* - Another fine beer marked down half a point due to the same old poor bottle-conditioning reason! Heartbreaking.)


Full Review

A tough review, this one.

In fact, it made me start thinking about not doing beer reviews any more.

I've grown monumentally tired of discovering wonderful beers which arrive in my glass in a state of self-inflicted ruination. I've grown even more tired with having to moan about it. I've also grown tired of feeling like I'm lacking the necessary PhD in 'Pouring Ale Correctly'. Most of all though, and in a nutshell - I'm tired of having to downgrade my rating of great beers because they've been spoiled by poorly executed bottle-conditioning.

Yes, the self-inflicted ruination I speak of is that which causes some beers to bring with them into my glass big solid lumps of horrid looking stuff which has absolutely no business being there. Or rather, they have no business being there beyond keeping CAMRA happy, who feel that - by virtue of the gloopy lumps being there at all - they can comfortably award the drink their badge of approval.

'CAMRA says this is real ale' - says the badge.

'Well, in that case I know it's probably full of gunk, so I need to avoid it' - says the ever growing number of enlightened consumers.

It's so terribly disheartening at the best of times, but I don't mind saying that when the drink being spoiled is one such as RTW's 'Royal' - it begins to feel less upsetting and more like a criminal offence.

This beer is quite simply sensational, and in honour of what this beer was before it was so very badly packaged, I'm going to set aside my grievances (even though those grievances are so severe that I will never buy this product until the essential changes are made) and I'm going to tell you what this majestic drink experience would be like in an alternate universe where only good bottle-conditioning techniques existed.

This is being sold as a 'best bitter', and I guess that's fine by me, but it drinks like no other 'best' I've ever come across, and although many of my favourite ales are classified in this way, I think this beer is being done something of a disservice by being labelled in this way.

Basically, this brew is far too revolutionary and unique to be adequately served by the best bitter name.

This recipe is off the grid by any conventional standards, and it shows that the people who plonked all that yeast into the drink at the last minute are the very same people who exacted the most scintillatingly high standards to every other stage of the process. This beer demonstrates tremendous flair and ingenuity, and it's clear that the majority of the work going on in the brewhouse is absolutely first class.

A brooding, darkly complex beer, which borrows greatly from the 'dark beer' model, and yet it is happy to grab elements from all other beer styles like stout, golden ale and even experimental spiced or fruit beers.

It's no car wreck though, all of these styles intertwine, compliment each other and enhance the overall effect. It really is quite dazzling. It sits comfortably alongside no single beer variety, but seems instead to rise above them all, like some one-label beer style all of it's own.

Treacle, gooseberry, cinnamon, grapes, parsnip, black cherry, passion fruit, grapefruit, caramel - all at the most quaffably judged intensity.

It smells like the beer version of a classic movie villain - menacing and darkly charismatic - yet it drinks like the smoothest of matinee idols. This is an epic scale, Cinemascope offering from a small micro, but the only way you'd ever know this beer was from a small micro, is by the way the whole magnificence of the experience is reduced almost to a none event by blobs of yellow grime that have no right to be there in the first place

Get rid of those blobs, and this beer can be enjoyed for what it is - an indisputable modern classic.

As things stand - it can barely be enjoyed at all.

Well, Well, Royal Tunbridge Wells!

Sat in an appropriately stately and regal fashion on the window-ledge of a certain beer-lover's dressing room here in London's West End - are four of the best from Royal Tunbridge Wells Brewing Company.

When deciding to send them over, I wonder if those clever folk at the brewery spotted the happy irony that their crown-adorned beers would be arriving at the Theatre 'Royal' Haymarket?

I felt embarrassed that a red carpet hadn't been laid on for their grand arrival, but I'll be sure to make up for that by treating every last one of them with the kind of heightened respect due to your average monarch.

Or, failing that, I might just drink them.

The beers form part of RTW's range of 'Spa Fine Ales' and they are - (from left to right)

Sovereign - Blonde ale (3.8% ABV)

Royal - Best bitter (4.1% ABV)

Beau - Porter (4.8% ABV)

Dipper - Bitter (3.7% ABV)


The mysterious black, label-free bottle in the picture is of course the Beau, which usually wears a coat like this -






But, with this beer being grabbed straight off the production line, they sent the thing through naked.

Technically, this particular beer should be one of the freshest to be sampled here on The Year.

All four will get their own full features over the coming weeks.

I'm royally excited.