Beer Review May 2018

I tried four new beers over the Bank Holiday weekend. Here are my thoughts on all four.

Windhoek Lager 4.0% abv
Packaged in a green bottle which always makes light strike susceptible (the dreaded Becks aroma!), I'm glad to say this beer was clean with no evidence of the said off flavour. It was actually a pretty good 4% lager, easily out performing the bigger standard brands of similar abv (you know who your are Mr Fosters etc). The nose was very clean and the flavour quite full and malty with a bit of biscuit and slight hop bitter finish. I would not describe it as crisp as the malt flavours came to the fore, but I'd gladly enjoy another

Really liked the embossing on the rear of the bottle and the label suggested a beer of tradition and quality which the beer backed up. The brewery (Windhoek) is based in Namibia so a first for me to drink a beer from this country, they date back to 1920 and are of German heritage and use traditional ingredients to produce a first class beer. They are now part of the Heineken stable, which means their beers may become more accessible and there will be further importance based on quality and consistency. A good beer, I'd certainly drink again.

Pelforth Blonde 5.8% abv
Having visited northern France a few times (an easy trip living in Plymouth), I can confirm I'm a bit of a fan of some of the French beers of this region and the Pelforth beer did not disappoint. A bit spicy perfume on the nose, the palate was quite delicate with a hint of a Belgium style beer about it. Perhaps a bit peppery with an understated sweetness followed by a dry finish. I liked the beer and would drink again.

The branding is bit fussy and confusing to a non-Frenchman but maybe that's part of the charm, it certainly had shelf standout. The bottle shape too was unusual, the tapered body narrowing to the base is not something we see a lot of in the UK.

The name Pelforth is derived from the word Pelican which was once a popular dance and the Pelican brewery was established in 1914. Production ceased during World War Two but began again in 1950. Pelican was changed to Pelforth over time and it too is now part of the Heineken stable of beers.

Quilmes Beer 4.9% abv
Perhaps my favourite of the beers I tried here, this beer originates from Argentina. It as quite dry which I like and helps with drinkability. Clean, crisp with just the hint of honey and at 4.9% offered enough abv to make it interesting. A good beer and one I would drink again.

The brewer was founded in 1888 from German heritage, it is now established as a huge brewer in its homeland with a market share in excess of 70%. Perhaps that makes it less interesting to some but the beer I tasted was pretty good so I'd be happy to drink again. The branding has a flamboyant touch to it and perhaps not something that's going to help if it wants to crack the UK market. The name too does not flow of the tongue, unlike the beer which clearly did!

Krombacher Low Alcohol Pilsner 0.5% abv
A beer of less than 0.5% abv is not something I reach for that often and my expectations were not high. It was ok, a bit worty both on the aroma and the palate. Reminded me a grain store smell. Quite sweet but not the fullest, it has a hint of lager and lime about it. The brewery, Krombacher brews to the Reinheitsgebot and is a brewer of tradition and quality.

Its difficult to be objective about these beers so one has to put aside the natural desire for an alcoholic beer. In Germany all the bigger brewers will have a low abv offering and they'll be popular beers in their own right. This beer was certainly on a par with some of the beer non-alcoholic beers such as San Miguel 0.0. Perhaps that's as  far as I can go with this one!

Beers of the Bird Table

The early spring is a fine time to observe garden birds and their feeding habits around the bird table and feeders. Different bird species have individual characters just like beers, so for fun I've listed an analogy of birds and the more popular ales. Hopefully I won't offend anyone, either bird fanciers or beer enthusiasts with my comments, it's just for fun!


Black Cap & Brewdog Punk IPA
The Black Cap is a recent interloper on many garden bird feeders and something of the bird table bully. He does not care about other birds, he is unconventional, does it his way and takes what he wants when he wants. However as a new visitor he is a welcome addition to any bird table despite his selfish habits.

As a beer analogy, that just has to be Brewdog. A recent arrival in the beer market and totally unconventional, they do the opposite to what other brewers do and are happy to step on a few traditional toes! None-the-less the beer is still pretty good and a welcome option on many bars and supermarket shelves.

House Sparrow & Doombar
An unremarkable grey/brown bird and ten-a-penny on many bird tables. They are always there, normally arriving in small flocks, they ascend the table for a short while then disappear. Perhaps the most frequent of all birds on the table, its easy to take them for granted but without them the table would be a lot less busy and by their very brown nature, they allow the brighter marked birds to strand out from the crowd. So in many ways, they provide the essential background for the other birds to shine. If we have no sparrows, we'd surely miss them.

The beer equivalent would be Doombar. An unremarkable but inoffensive brown beer its everywhere. but, just like the sparrow, without Doom to set the playing field, how would we know the other beers are so good? Some might be pleased if we had no Doombar, but there have always been big volume if somewhat bland beers that dominate the market i.e. Courage Best etc. They are essential as often drinkability is what required most and that means a beer that's easily available with a non descript but accessible flavour.

Bullfinch & Proper Job
The Bullfinch is a shy but common bird. When you see him its always a thrill. Superbly marked, Mr Bullfinch is unmistakable and certainly stands out from the crowd. Mrs B is not that bad looking either and its common to see pairs rather than single birds. However they are a reserved couple, never the first to the party and often heard rather than seen. If you get Bullfinches cherish them and encourage them to stay, they are one of the stars of the bird table.

Proper Job is the Bullfinch of the beer world. On draught it's common but not often seen. A frequent visitor as part of many a guest ale programme, its still not easy to find. However once you have it, then it's unmistakable rich citrus hop and bitter backbone, combined with the sharp golden straw colour make it a welcome guest and a beer to encourage the licensee to keep.

Chaffinch & Old Speckled Hen
The Chaffinch is a handsome looking bird. When first seen the male in particular is a good looking fella, but then you come across other more striking birds, the fore-mentioned Bullfinch, the Goldfinch or the Great Tit, all birds that arguably challenge the place of the Chaffinch in terms of looks. However, the Chaffinch is a staple and frequent visitor to garden bird tables, its just they are not quite the stars.

A beer analogy would be Old Speckled Hen. Once the beer of choice of many, its a good beer but not quite a great beer and has been surpassed by many new more interesting arrivals to the bar. The Old Speckled Un as it was originally known, was the forerunner of guest beers from the late 1980's and set the playing field for later arrivals. Its easily dismissed now by beer enthusiasts and those who don't appreciate the commitment to the beer market of the brand owners Greene King. A bit like the Chaffinch, a little under appreciated.

Magpie  & Hobgoblin
The Magpie is a big noisy bird, strikingly marked, its also a very loyal bird as couples bond for life. Their reputation for thieving and bullying smaller birds is probably warranted. When it visits the bird table everything else disappears, including our cats! They muscle in, will empty a meal worm feeder in less than an hour then pose as if to say, come on, I'm not frightened of anything. You cant help admiring the Magpie, for all its cheek and bravado.

The beer analogy would be Hobgoblin. Just like the Magpie, it has a band of loyal enthusiasts and it shouts from the shelves with its quirky label design. Its a big bold beer as well, not subtle, its full flavoured, raisins and toffee the marked flavours. Hobgoblin always stands proud on the shelves and bars, nothing to hide, as if to say, that's who I am, if you don't like me I don't really care, I'm here stay. There are better beers out there with far more complexity of flavour, but none-the-less, Hobgoblin will be a regular part of many a BBQ or party over the summer months.

I hope you enjoyed my ramblings here, its just for fun and not mean't to upset anyone. Other suggested garden bird and analogy beer combinations would be as follows.

Raven & Guinness
Goldfinch & Thornbridge Jaipur
Blue Tit & Fursty Ferret
Blackbird & Fullers London Porter
Robin & Adnams Ghostship