Calling all Ale Stars and anyone else who likes to contribute to Beer Polls.
In twelve meetings we have sampled around fifty beers with nary a dud amongst them. Imports and locals, refreshing and robust, light, dark and everything in between, we’ve tried them all. And, while beer folk in general and this blog in particular, are not about ratings and rankings it can still be fun to narrow the large field to a select few.
In this case, seven.
Last Ale Stars meeting was a Shandy-selected ‘best of’ of sorts and here’s our chance to nail down the Rest of the Best, if you like. I’ll pick my best 7 from the full (well, as full as what I can remember) list of Ale Stars tried and tested ales, lagers, porters, stouts and weizens.
The list.
Samuel Smith’s Taddy Porter, Bright Brewery Staircase Porter, Red Duck Queen Bee Honey Porter and Meantime Coffee Porter, Guinness , Cooper’s Best Extra Stout, Red Hill Imperial Stout, Young’s Double Chocolate, Can You Believe I’ve Remembered Them All So Far, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Weihenstephaner Festbier, Erdinger Oktoberfest Weisbier, Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen, They’re All In Correct Order Too, Saison Dupont, Trois Monts, Bridge Road Saison, Silly Saison, Still Goin’ Strong, Redback Original, Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier & Vitus, Hoegaarden Grand Cru, Promised Aventinus – Couldn’t Get It, Neil Brought Along Some Sebastian, Lucky That, Pilsner Urquell, Hofbrau Original, Emerson Pilsner, Bridge Road Chestnut Lager, Sunner Kolsch, James Squire Golden Ale, Cooper’s Pale Ale, Hargreaves Hill ESB, Its An APA, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Sam Smith’s Old Brewery Pale Ale, Fuller’s London Pride, Worthington’s White Shield, I Better Not Have Missed Any, Cooper’s Sparkling, Bridge Road Australian Ale, Stone & Wood Draught Ale & Pale Lager, That Was A Huge Night, Strong Suffolk Vintage Ale, Emerson Old 95, Feral Razorback, Rogue XS Imperial Red, Still With Me?, Holgate Nut Brown Ale, Meantime Winter Time, Nearly There, Lobethal Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, Don't Remember Much Of That Night, Young’s Christmas Pudding Ale, Murray’s Sassy Blond, Red Hill Belgian Blond, Duvel, Mountain Goat Rapunzel, That’s Orl Ah Got To Say About That.
Now excuse me while I sit down for a bit, take a breath and have a beer while I pick my best seven.
Cheers
Prof. Pilsner
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12 comments:
Can't believe I missed the last Ale Stars, stupid wisdom tooth.
My selection from the last year would have to be;
Holgate Nut Brown Ale - my favourite Aus beer this year
Emerson Pilsner
Mountain Goat Rapunzel
Strong Suffolk Vintage Ale - the fact I really enjoyed a Greene King beer astounds me
Hargreaves Hill ESB - the classic "cheeky beer before Ale Stars starts" beer
Meantime Coffee Porter
Youngs Christmas Pudding Ale - oddly delicious
see you next month (minus the tooth!)
ahoj,
ben
Nice picks Ben. A couple I'd have in mine I reckon. And you're spot on - HH ESB is the perfect Sneaky Upstairs Beer - more than enough character without spoiling the palate for the main event.
PP
That's a hard call...I'm gonna go the Mountain Goat Rapunzel
Oops, I was hoping this was an Ale Stars popularity contest ... and I don't mean the beers.
My personal favorite was the Bridge Road Saison, although my memory could be skewed by the beers and the cute brewer from Bridge Road ... oops
Briony,
Ben told me last week that he was keen to get another Ale Stars guernsey - depending on the theme, could we offer him the November gig?!? Maybe in a separate poll we could rank the Best Looking Brewers (and Ale Stars Hosts) just for you.
Dan,
I have a sneaky suspicion that Rapunzel will get more than a few nods.
PP
Timothy Taylor Landlord
Hargreaves Hill ESB
Bridge Road Saison
Red Hill Imperial Stout
Holgate Nut Brown Ale
Samuel Smith’s Taddy Porter
Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier
This was very difficult. I think to really be sure I should try them all again!
Nice picks Mark. And very nice justification for going around again!
PP
Hi Prof,
I only tried about half of these but I will go with:
Bridge Road Saison
Murray's Sassy Blonde
Timothy Taylor Landlord
Duvel
Stone & Wood Draught Ale
Also I've developed a bit of a relationship with James Squire Golden Ale because I can get it just about anywhere. Like any relationship, it is hitting me pretty hard in the wallet lately.
G'Day Brent,
I hate to tell you but ... it's not goin to get any cheaper any sooner. The more decent beer you drink, the harder it is to 'go back'! At least the Golden Ale is a mid price range beer - and one of the Profs favourites! Keep an eye out for it when Dan's or Liquorland has it at around $14 for 6 - then buy a slab!
Nice choices for the Ale Stars Best. Make sure you say G'Day next Ale Stars so I can put a face to the name.
Cheers
Prof. Pilsner
Samuel Smith’s Taddy Porter
Young’s Double Chocolate stout
Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen
Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier
Strong Suffolk Vintage Ale
Hargreaves Hill ESB
Mountain Goat Rapunzel
Nice choices Steve. No messin with some of those beers, they're big lads.
I’ve missed a few nights which makes the beers that i’m choosing from a little light on.
Having said that, the bookends are dead easy.
Timothy Taylor Landlord is the Usain Bolt of the group whilst Fuller’s London Pride the Eric the Eel Moussambani of the group.
1. Timothy Taylor Landlord
2. Meantime Chocolate Beer (wasn’t part of Ale Stars, rather a sneaky one post Ale Stars, discussing something I cannot remember with Dr Lager)
3. Hargreaves Hill ESB (one of the great sneaky beers)
4. Bridge Road Chestnut Lager
5. Holgate Nut Brown Ale
6. Either the Weinstephaner Festbier or the Oktoberfest Weisbier (I liked one of them...)
7. Red Hill Imperial Stout
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