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Beartown
Betwixt
Bollington
Dunham Massey
Spitting Feathers
Station House
Storm
WC Brewing
Woodlands
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Beartown
 Beartown
Black Bear (5.0% alcohol by volume)
Brewed in Congleton by Beartown. Bottle from Holly Tree Farm, but available
in selected outlets in Cheshire.
Pours easily with only a little head formation. the yeast stuck to the
bottom of the bottle. The beer is dark brown in the glass and the aroma
is subtle. The first taste gives a distinct prickle on the tongue from
the natural secondary fermentation in the bottle, and this "mouthfeel"
slows down the drinker a little. The taste has a distinct and pleasant
smoky edge, and while the beer is full bodied it is by no means heavy
or cloying. This is a bottled version of the draught beer found in Beartown's
own pubs, and is a fine example of a premium strength brown ale.
Beartown Kodiak Gold
(bottle awaiting tasting)
Betwixt
"Brewed on the Wirral peninsula betwixt the Mersey
and the Dee."
"BeLotment (bottle awaiting tasting) A rather old example,
brewed in 2007! Dry-hopped in the cask using allotment-grown Wirral hops.
BeWilder (4.3% alcohol by volume) A limited edition brew, from
2007! Dry-hopped in the cask using wild Wirral hops.
This was a bottle that had been hiding at the back of my cupboard for
many months, so its opening was something of an experiment. I was pleasantly
surprised. A soft hiss and an easy pour with very little froth. The yeast
was glued conveniently to the bottom of the bottle and the beer poured
a clear golden colour. The flavour was clean and just a little astringent,
but not at all unpleasant. After a few sips, it grew on me and I very
much enjoyed this hoppy, slightly fruity beer. The label explains that
the name comes from the inclusion of some wild hops in a recipe which
starts out as the brewer's regular beer, Sunlight. This experimental brew
may be hard to come by in future, following the excessive zeal of a telephone
engineer around the telegraph pole where the donor plant was growing!
Dark Matter (4.0% abv) Based on a Czech black lager
recipe but brewed with ale yeast and UK-grown American hops. Deep, dark
and Chocolatey.
Ice Breaker a strong seasonal mulled-wine-spice
& port-fortified which they recommend serving either cool or warmed
as a mulled ale, with a drop of honey.
Bollington
Brewery Co
Bollington Best (4.2% alcohol by volume)
Within days of learning that Bollington Brewing Co were producing their
ales in bottle conditioned form, I found myself buying a pack of bottles
at the Vale.
After the obligatory three days to let the yeast settle after getting
them home, it was time to try it. The opening formalities were trouble
free with no foaming and the yeast could be seen swirling at the end of
the pour, making it a simple matter to retain the last mouthful in the
bottle, leaving a clear golden pint. The aroma was
light and hoppy. The taste was powerful, with dominant hop and a back
taste of malt. It was very easy to drink and I was surprised at how quickly
I went back to it; no prickly carbonation to slow you down. This would
be a great addition to any cellar and I think that it would be an excellent
adjunct to a meal. Why don't more restaurants have the imagination to
serve good beer and move away from their wine mono-culture?
Bollington Dinner Ale (4.3% alcohol by volume)
Easy opening and pouring and although the yeast sediment that makes this
a real beer was fairly mobile, it was easy to retain most of it at the
shoulder of the bottle. I say most, and the beer, showing as a deep copper
brown the glass, was not entirely clear. I detected a malty aroma. The
taste was full-bodied and well-balanced with malt to the fore with hop
in the aftertaste. This beer drinks above its strength; a good value in
every mouthful. Very enjoyable.
Bollington Oat Mill Stout(5.0% alcohol by volume)
A drinker-friendly opening and pouring, with no head at all. The beer
is almost black in the glass and the aroma is subtle. The taste is what
this is all about. Deep, rich and full-bodied it was pleasurable in the
extreme. With almost a hint of liquorice or fruit cake in the palate,
this is a complex beer, but the malt that creates all this is balanced
neatly by enough hop in the aftertaste. Only a week
before tasting this bottle I had appreciated the quality of this beer
on draught in the Vale, and the bottle was no less enjoyable. Strongly
recommended.
Dunham
Massey
 Big
Tree Bitter (3.9% alcohol by volume)
Should that be big taste bitter? Remarkably full-bodied and flavoursome
for its strength, it put me in mind of Fullers 1845. A classic medium
tan in the glass it has a touch of malt in the balance with a hint of
fruit. Opening was uneventful, with the yeast sediment sticking obligingly
to the bottom of the bottle. Mouthfeel was just right without excessive
tongue-prickling from the carbonation. The label shows the local Arboricultural
landmark This was one of the earlier recipes from this microbrewery; they
clearly hit the ground running. This beer can hold its own with anything
out there.
 Cheshire
IPA (4.7% alcohol by volume)
Now this is what I call an IPA! Massively flavoured, it takes no prisoners
with its full body and powerful hop character. Opening and pouring took
a little care to keep the yeast in the bottle and get all the beer into
an oversized pint glass, with a tall white foam head topping a golden
clear glassful. The aroma is subtle, clean, fresh and a little hoppy.
There is apparently some wheat in the mix although I did not detect it.
Every mouthful was an experience, with just a little carbonation character
from a vigorous fermentation in the bottle, but this is nothing compared
with the dominant hop experience visited upon the back of the tongue.
Remarkable.
Chocolate Cherry Chocolate Cherry Mild
(3.8% alcohol by volume)
Brewed at Dunham Massey in Cheshire. Bought from the brewery shop on Oldfield
Lane, but available in the National Trust shop nearby and at selected
local outlets.
Opens and pours with no problem and left a little grainy yeast in the
bottle. It looks almost black in the glass. The aroma is subtle with a
hint of fruit. How to describe the subtleties of the taste? Rich, dark,
almost stout-like with a pleasing sharpness to balance the malt. And the
cherries? Not even remotely overpowering; definitely a backing singer
rather than a diva. Given the complexities of this beer it is no surprise
that it is a serial award winner at CAMRA beer festivals. Every larder
should have some.
 Dunham
Massey Dunham Dark (3.8% alcohol by volume)
Brewed at Dunham Massey in Cheshire. Bought from the brewery shop on Oldfield
Lane, but available in the National Trust shop nearby and at selected
local outlets.
At last, a real mild in a bottle, and from a local microbrewer! The long-awaited
moment came and I was not disappointed. It poured easily with no undue
foaming and looked jet-black in the glass. The first taste elicited a
"Wow!" Rich, smoky and with a hint of liquorice, this is a masterpiece
of the craft brewer's art. The aroma is gentle and clean while the mouthfeel
is just lively enough, with no unpleasant tingling. This beer is bottled
straight from the conditioning tank, with no additional priming and it
works.
Strongly reminiscent of the old Chester's "fighting" Mild; this
is a very welcome addition to the local bottled beer scene.
Dunham Massey Deer Beer (4.5% alcohol by volume)
Brewed at Dunham Massey in Cheshire. Bought from the brewery shop on Oldfield
Lane, but available in the National Trust shop nearby and at selected
local outlets.
Opened and poured easily into a pint glass very easily with no excess
foaming. Tawny dark in colour with a pleasant distinct hop aroma. This
was a good example of a traditional English ale; encouraging frequent
return visits to the glass; it slipped down quickly and happily.
Light (bottle awaiting tasting)
Little Bollington Ale
 Dunham
Massey Milk Stout (4.0% alcohol by volume)
Brewed at Dunham Massey in Cheshire. Bought from the brewery shop on Oldfield
Lane, but available in the National Trust shop nearby and at selected
local outlets.
Easily poured with no undue froth. A deep black beer with a roast aroma,
massively flavoured with complex smoky or roast notes and a balancing
sharpness. The label shows, as you would expect, a cow, but more helpfully,
it reveals that lactose, barley, wheat and oats are in the mix. It reveals
that this is a classic, full bodied sweet stout with a creamy roast malt
character. I couldn't agree more. It is a pleasure to find a beer of this
style.
Porter (bottle awaiting tasting)
Stamford Bitter (bottle awaiting tasting)
Stout (4.2% alcohol by volume)
Brewed at Dunham Massey in Cheshire. Bought from the brewery shop on Oldfield
Lane, but available in the National Trust shop nearby and at selected
local outlets.
This was a really easy bottle, opening and pouring with no fuss at all
and leaving a yeast deposit visible in the bottle. I found myself quickening
the pour to create a bit more of a head, as I always feel that a black
beer looks good with a collar of tan. Perhaps this is too much brainwashing
by those ads for unspeakable overpriced pseudo-Irish keg stout?
Black it is, too, deep, deep black. The aroma is richly smoky. The first
taste was almost overwhelming, dry and rich. It kept its fascination all
the way down the glass, complex and satisfying. I suspect that the inclusion
of wheat and oats in the mash adds to this sophistication; certainly,
this was a most satisfactory purchase. I can't wait to find it on draught!
 Treacle
Treat (4.1% alcohol by volume)
Brewed at Dunham Massey in Cheshire. Bought from the brewery shop on Oldfield
Lane, but available in the National Trust shop nearby and at selected
local outlets.
As we have come to expect, the opening was free from drama with the ale
pouring into the glass with no excess foaming and leaving the yeast obligingly
decorating the bottom of the bottle. The beer is a classic deep brown
and I would describe the flavour in the same terms. The addition of treacle
is relatively subtle and the overall effect is of a darkish, slightly
malty best bitter.
This is a seasonal special brew, based of course on Halloween. The label
portrays an evil-looking pumpkin head surrounded by flames. I especially
like the name, cleverly combining the American term "Trick or Treat"
with a reference to the treacle added to the mash.
Winter Warmer (bottle awaiting tasting)
Spitting Feathers
.....currently bottle Special Ale (4.2%) and Basketcase
(4.8%) and a few of the seasonal beers as real ale in a bottle.
The new Brewery Tap in Chester sells bottles and presentation packs, and
I picked up Old Wavertonian Stout and Special Ale for tasting
shortly.
 Old
Wavertonian (4.4% alcohol by volume)
Bottle acquired from the Brewery Tap in Chester
My first sight of real ale in a bottle from this micro-brewer, this was
a pleasant introduction. Easy to open and pour, with the yeast visible
coating the base of the bottle after the pour.
Black as pitch in the glass with a lacing of pale brown head when poured
carefully.
The aroma is distinctive, smoky, earthy and rich. The taste is a revelation,
complex, powerful and fascinating, with just a touch of dry sharpness
in the aftertaste to counter the malt. The label is very informative,
telling us that this is a robust dark stout. (I couldn't agree more.)
The palate is described as roast barley, chocolate and coffee with a very
full body and a smooth lingering finish. It is proud too, to be free from
colourings, flavourings and artificial additives. Real ale in a bottle
generally is, of course, but I am pleased to see this stressed to the
layman reading the label. The message continues that the ale is not filtered,
pasteurised or carbonated and that the active yeast completes the fermentation
in the bottle. This gives wonderful fresh flavours and pleasant natural
effervescence. If only all beers were so "up-front" about their
virtues!
An excellent beer
Special Ale (bottle awaiting tasting)
Station
House
 1st
Lite (3.8% alcohol by volume)
Discovered at Holly Tree Farm Shop, but available at good off-licences
and the brewery shop.
The label is adorned by a cockerel and helpfully tells the uninitiated
that "this bottle conditioned unfiltered beer contains some yeast
sediment". The beer includes some wheat as well as barley and is
as light and golden in colour as you would expect. Opening involved a
little frothing, but a little patience saw it all poured readily into
a pint glass. The yeast sediment was mostly stuck to the bottom of the
bottle. There is little aroma; what there is was clean and hoppy. Once
the initial liveliness had subsided, this was a satisfying beer, clean
tasting and refreshing. No doubt the three varieties of American hop have
something to do with that.
Station House Aonach (4.9% alcohol by volume)
I wasn't sure how to characterise this beer on tasting, until I saw the
label which helpfully explains that it is a typical Scottish-style 80/-
beer, dark amber in colour, late hopped with New Zealand hops.
It certainly has a typically Scottish malty aspect but there is sufficient
hop in the aftertaste to give this a good balance. At this gravity, it
has a pleasing warmness, perfect for a cold windy night.
Like the other Station House beers sampled recently, this had a sticky
yeast which meant an easy pour with no rogue sediment to worry about.
The degree of carbonation was perfect, with no drama at opening time yet
a pleasing tingle on the tongue.
The name of the beer is a little obscure. The Gaelic word means variously,
a fair, meeting or moor and there are several Scottish peaks bearing the
term. However, the label bears the likeness of a border terrier pup and
the beer is named after the critter in question.
 Station
House Buzzin' (4.3% alcohol by volume)
The bee on the label gives the clue; this is a honey beer. Not sweet and
sticky as the uninitiated might suspect, but well balanced and refreshing.
The honey does just enough to match the bitterness of the hops. The bottle
opened with a soft "pffft" and no fuss at all, and the yeast
remained obligingly on the bottom of the bottle, so that the pale golden
beer poured clean and bright. Despite a portion of wheat with the barley
in this recipe, there was no cloudiness. The slightly fruity taste grew
on me, and by the end of the glass, I was enjoying it very much.
Lammastide wheat beer (bottle awaiting tasting)
Three Score (bottle
awaiting tasting)
Storm
Brewing
Storm Brewing Ale Force (4.2% alcohol by volume)
Brewed in Macclesfield, Cheshire. Sample from Holly Tree Farm shop,
but available from many independent outlets in the county.
An easy bottle to pour, with well-behaved yeast. An attractive subtle
aroma from the Fuggles hops complementing a classic amber coloured ale.
The first impression of the taste is a strong one, with the powerful flavour
from the Fuggles predominating on the front of the tongue. This continues
all the way down the glass; a big mouthful of flavour. This is not a beer
for cissies. I found the mouthfeel to be slightly carbonated, indicating
a vigorous secondary fermentation in the bottle. I read from the label
that a blend of pale, chocolate and crystal malts is used, but in my view
this is about the colour; the beer is all about the hops. Very distinctive.
Storm Brewing Bosley Cloud (4.1% alcohol by volume)
Brewed in Macclesfield, Cheshire. Sample from Holly Tree Farm shop, but
available from many independent outlets in the county.
Pours easily, with the yeast highly visible in the bottom of the bottle,
so that a timely halt to the pouring ensures a clear pint. The beer is
pale, clear and golden, with only a slight hop aroma. The taste is clean,
crisp and dry, with more hop than malt on the tongue. The label is informative,
detailing the combination of wheat, lager and pale malts with Fuggles
and American Cluster hops used to create this light golden ale. A beer
which grows on you, I found that it was somewhat undistinguished to begin
with, then I wanted more. Subtle.
Storm Brewing Desert Storm
(4.0% alcohol by volume)
Brewed in Macclesfield, Cheshire. Sample from Holly Tree Farm shop, but
available from many independent outlets in the county.
Opened with no fuss at all and poured clear and quickly
into the glass. A small amount of yeast was visible, stuck to the bottom
of the bottle. The aroma is understated, but the flavour most certainly
is not! A massive attack of hop fills the back of the mouth, with Fuggles
and Goldings blended in the mix. The ale is a medium brown in the glass,
a result of the blend of pale, crystal and chocolate malts in the brewing
process.
Storm Brewing Downpour (4.3% alcohol by volume)
Brewed in Macclesfield, Cheshire.
This was the first time I had seen one of the bottles with the classy
new labels, this one featuring raindrops splashing in the eponymous deluge;
looks good. Getting it into the glass was easy, although a few bits of
floaty yeast decided to join me. A few minutes' patience saw most of that
settle at the bottom of the glass, whence it gave no more trouble. The
beer was clear and golden yellow with a subtle aroma. The taste was clean
with a hint of fruit, the Challenger and American Cluster hops giving
the light taste you would expect. A fine example of a session beer.
Storm Brewing Hurricane
Hubert (4.5% alcohol by volume)
Brewed in Macclesfield, Cheshire. Sample from Holly Tree Farm shop, but
available from many independent outlets in the county.
The bottle opened with no foaming, and pouring was straightforward, although
the last half inch of beer had to be left in the bottle, as the yeast
could be seen drifting up to the neck. Hurricane Hubert was brewed and
named to celebrate the fact that Hugh Thompson joined the firm on a full
time basis. The beer is a full-bodied but easy drinking amber ale, rather
reminiscent of Fuller's 1845, if lower in gravity. Helpfully, the label
tells us that the hops are Goldings, while the malt is a blend of pale,
chocolate and crystal. My overall impression was of a well-balanced beer
of character, and the aftertaste kept tempting me back to the glass. Excellent.
Storm Brewing Looks Like Rain Dear (bottle awaiting
tasting)
Storm Brewing Storm Damage
(4.7% alcohol by volume)
Brewed in Macclesfield, Cheshire. Sample from Holly Tree Farm shop, but
available from many independent outlets in the county.
The bottle opens with a soft pffft indicating life from the secondary
fermentation in the bottle. Pouring into the glass is simple, producing
the adman's dream; a pure white half inch collar of foam. Use of an oversize
lined glass meant that this could be accommodated easily. The granular
yeast can be seen readily so it can be left in the bottle, leaving a delightfully
clear golden glassful. I could detect little in the way of aroma. The
label tells us that the beer is brewed from a blend of pale and lager
malts, flavoured with a combination of Fuggles and American Cluster hops.
Unsurprisingly, this produces a clean tasting almost lager styled ale.
At this strength, the beer is no lightweight, but it is pleasingly moreish.
Storm Brewing Windgather (4.5% alcohol by volume)
Brewed in Macclesfield, Cheshire. Sample from Holly Tree Farm shop, but
available from many independent outlets in the county.
The first impression is given by the bottle label; a simple black design
with a distinctive thundercloud logo. Helpfully, the label also tells
us that the hops used are Fuggles and Challenger. For those who like to
know a little more about the beer we are buying, this is a laudable step.
The name is clever; not only does it fit in with the "storm"
theme but it refers rather neatly to a well-known local spot, the Windgather
Rocks.
This is a bottled version of an ale which has won the Champion Beer of
Cheshire Award. The bottle opens with no frothing and pours very easily
into a pint glass, with a small head and no overflow. The beer pours clear,
with no hint of cloudiness and the well-behaved yeast can be seen sticking
to the bottom of the bottle. The beer is a classic tawny golden-brown,
and gives a delicate aroma of hop. The taste is clean initially with a
hint of malt on the back of the tongue. There is a slight prickle in the
mouth from the natural carbonation of the fermentation in the bottle,
giving it just the right amount of life to invite you back to the glass
quite quickly, without any of that unpleasant gassiness of processed beers.
Overall, this is an excellent beer, and one which we can be proud is brewed
by a couple of guys in Macclesfield. If only the big brewers had this
kind of commitment.
WC
Brewing
Golden Cascade
Woodlands
 Bee's
Knees (4.5% alcohol by volume)
Brewed in Wrenbury using Cheshire spring water.
Described on the informative label as "a tan beer
with a hint of honey and nuts". I therefore approached this tasting
with some trepidation, being a traditionalist. I generally like my beers
to taste of malt (a bit) and hops (a lot). It opened readily with little
in the way of foam and poured into an oversize pint glass without resort
to a jug. The beer is indeed tan in colour, and the aroma is clean and
beer-like, with only a hint of sweetness, rather than the muesli I had
been fearing. The taste was a pleasant surprise, gently hoppy, clean and
refreshing with no obvious honey notes or sweetness.
The level of carbonation was the usual, and the beer invited me back to
the glass.
I think that the brewer has avoided the pitfall of overdoing the "novelty"
additions, and while they may subtly affect the taste, this is basically
a darn good beer. I wonder if, in a blind tasting, the honey would be
detected by many?
I like the label too. I guess he is meant to be a bee, but he looks more
like a Beano character in pyjamas.
Drummer Bitter 3.9 (alcohol by volume)
This bottle opened with no fuss, and poured quickly with almost no head
at all. The yeast sediment can be seen easily and trapped in the bottle
so that the beer pours clear. The colour is interesting; it looks almost
red in the glass but held up to the light it alters to a light tan. The
aroma is reminiscent of Goldings hops, and these come through in the flavour,
too. The balance is predominantly hoppy. Mouthfeel was very good, with
just enough life to interest but no excessive carbonation. At a gravity
more modest than many bottled beers, this is a good and characterful drinking
ale.
 General's
Tipple 5.5% (alcohol by volume)
Something of an Indian Pale Ale, tan in colour with a full-bodied
character and pleasing but not assertive hop character. The label shows
one of the stalwarts of the Raj. At this gravity, it packs a bit of a
punch and there is a distinct mellowing effect on the consumer as the
beer slips down. My bottle was a little lively on opening and this led
to the inevitable slight clouding as the sediment was disturbed* but it
tasted clean and fresh. A satisfying beer.
*A second sample proved much more co-operative, with a sticky yeast sitting
at the bottom of the bottle.
India Pale Ale 4.1% (alcohol by volume)
Available from farmer's markets and selected outlets.
The water used by Woodland bubbles up from a spring on the farm and the
bottles are filled straight from the fermenting vessel, with no fining,
filtering or priming. Opening the bottle was a little exciting, with some
beer lost*, but a little more attention on my part could have avoided
this. Certainly the beer that was left was well worth it. The yeast sat
in a well-behaved manner at the bottom of the bottle and the beer poured
crystal clear. Described as a light version of the cask conditioned beer,
this is lemon-gold in colour with a clean aroma and a massive hop flavour
imparted by the Target, Challenger and Fuggle hops. The flavour keeps
calling you back to the glass. The label shows a tusker with howdah and
I would definitely prefer this refreshing and complex ale to the usual
pasteurised Indian lagers to be found in curry houses.
*I am told that this was an isolated problem caused by one batch of bottles
being left too long in the warm conditioning room. It should not normally
be an issue.
 Light
Oak 4.0% (alcohol by volume)
A little lively on opening the bottle, but it all poured into a pint glass.
The yeast remained co-operatively stuck to the bottom of the bottle, enabling
a pale clear glassful. The aroma is subtle and the colour is pale, almost
golden. The taste is fairly well balanced with perhaps a little more malt
than hop in the character.
Midnight Stout (4.4% Alcohol by volume)
This was a long anticipated treat. I have had the beer on draught on several
occasions and found it to be superb. With great anticipation, I found
it a routine opening, no volcano, yeast left in the bottle. Pitch glorious
black in the glass wiith a roast, smoky aroma. The taste? Wow! Incredibly
rich with a strong smoked malt on the back of the tongue being balanced
by a more astringent prickle on the front. This was a pleasure worthy
of the wait and I kept going back to it every few seconds for confirmation
that it was so good. This is one of the beers to give to a wine buff with
the words; 'now tell me about "complex".'
A brilliant exposition of the art of the brewer. Woodlands, I salute you!
Mild (bottle awaiting tasting)
Redwood (bottle awaiting tasting)
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