Order Of Merit: Beers 17 to 24
To completement the main beer list I wanted to write a
bit more on some of my favourite beers. A top 10 seemed too
limiting and a top 50 seemed to lack discrimination so in
the end I have settled on an Order Of
Merit. Therefore you find here 24 beers, listed in
alphabeticaly order, that I believe have shown
distinguished service in bars across the world. Think of it
as my ideal mixed case.
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A very English pale ale. Light ruby ale that is
dry, crisp and bitter with a good lingering taste.
Describes itself as perfectly balanced - and that
isn't far off.
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Brewed in the German town of Bamburg this is a
smoked ale that is aged in 700 year old cellars. Dark
ruby coloured, almost black, beer with a smoky, burnt
malty taste that is balanced by a slight caramel
sweetness. Goes very well with smoked or spiced
sausage. Initially similar to a porter, further
tasting shows it to be distinctly different with a
good depth of flavour and no coffee edge.
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This is an everyday beer in the finest sense - a
beer you could happily drink everyday. It has a light
brown colour and a gentle malty taste that is never
bland but is not overpowering either. It is almost
elusive with each mouthful calling for another to try
and tease out another subtlety in the taste. They say
it's "moreishly drinkable", I just say more! The
"Free Beer" they produce for Tate Modern is more
radical but well worth a try.
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There are a range of artisan brewers in Northern
France who seem to have inherited the Belgian flair
for brewing and combined it with a Franch traditional
laying beers down to age which produces what is known
as "biere du garde". Due to France's wine tradition
these beers can be difficult to find as these small
French brewers are often ignored. Thiriez are a
perfect example. Based on the outskirts of the small
French village of Esquelbecq the bar no more than 50
metres from hte brewery sells Stella Artois but not
the local brew. However pop into the breweries
tasting room and you will be much better catered for.
The Ambree is a dark amber beer with a full hoppy
taste that is wonderfully balanced with a gentle
bitterness and a hint of orange. The Cave A Bulles
beer shop in Paris has a good selection of beers from
brewers like these.
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A light faro lambic that is very refreshing with a
good depth of flavour. It has a flat, dry initial
taste that is followed by a brief flash of peach and
a lingering apple aftertaste. Baffingly brilliant in
taste, the experience is enhanced by it being served
from an earthenware jug in the A La Becasse bar in
Brussels.
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Many things are added to stouts, but this
chocolate stout doesn't actually have any chocolate
in it, it just refers to the hops used. It still has
a sweet taste though. Bundles of flavour with
liqourice elements to it and much lighter than many
other "real ale" stouts without sacrificing any depth
or complexity.
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The brewers refer to this as a "good ordinary
bitter" which is selling themselves short in my
opinion. Good Old Boy is Light hoppy ale that is deep
brown in colour. Strongly flavoured for a 4% ale and
a very good session beer that won't become
overpowering but is not bland. It's bitter initial
taste is quickly overtaken by a fruity, hoppy flavour
that fades in the aftertaste.
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Dark bitter trappist ale that is stunningly
smooth. Almost closer to a liquor than an ale. A base
that is a coffee tasting porter, with a spiced fruit
top and a smooth middle. A beer so well balanced that
it trips all the tastes receptors on the tongue
equally and is absurdly packed with flavour.
Deceptively drinkable and very fine indeed. The best
beer in the world? There certainly aren't any
finer.
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Order Of Merit:
Beers 1 to 8
Order Of Merit:
Beers 9 to 16