Once a mutual gathering of list-ticking anoraks and wierdy beardies with a fondness for Morris dancers, the beer festival has seen a sudden rise in mainstream popularity, predominantly due to a renaissance in cider and perry drinking. I’ve compiled a novel selection of widely available European beers that should cater to all tastes.
Newcastle Brown Ale
As accessible a dark ale as was ever brewed, Newcastle Brown has proved popular with both enlightened students and Northern football hooligans, who have discovered that the heavyweight bottle makes a fine bludgeoner.
Hoegaarden
This delicious Belgian white beer is an acquired taste, due to its unique stench. A variety of Hoes are available, including the (8.7%ABV) Grand Cru and potentially fatal Hoegaarden Forbidden Fruit (9.0%).
Leffe
Pronounced ‘Leff-ay’, this Belgium bevy is dangerously sweet and deviously strong, available in a wide range of strengths, from the light Leffe Blonde (6.7%ABV) to the evil twin Leffes, Radieuse and Triple (both 8.4%).
Wells Banana Bread Beer
Pique your pal’s curiosity with the strangest fusion since H.B. Reese stuffed chocolate discs with peanut butter. Robust (5.5%ABV) yet light and refreshing, it shouldn’t work but it does.
Young’s Waggledance
Brewed by super-intelligent bees, this distinctive brew (5%ABV) titillates the tip of your tongue with the subtle suggestion of honey. Frightfully compulsive.
Wychwood Hobgoblin
Wychwood Brewery’s most popular beer, this 5.2%ABV dark ale is strong but extremely palatable, with a bitter toffee aftertaste. The current marketing slogan “What’s the matter Lagerboy, afraid you might taste something?” says it all; this is a brew with attitude.
Carl Doherty created http://www.holycr4p.com under supervision of his doctor, who conceived the criticism and categorisation of every film that Carl watches as a way of tackling his obsessive compulsive disorder. Carl has now watched 23 films, and is not entirely sure he liked any of them. Carl currently resides in Southend-on-Sea where he shares an abandoned warehouse with a buffy-tufted marmoset named Tautilus Samson. Together they have all sorts of adventures. He is currently completing his second non-fiction book How to Build a Quantum Flux Capacitor in 8 Easy Steps, the sequel to the bestselling Manipulating Time and Space on a Budget. Or maybe not.
Read more of Carl’s comic, graphic novel, and film related features and reviews, as well as more on Real Ale at http://www.holycr4p.com
