Perhaps rather foolishly, I thought I’d let Chris do a guest post on all the beers from Lichfield that I didn’t try:
Today you’ve got Chris, the housemate whose face is unfortunately beginning to pop up around these parts, lucky you. I’ve been given the great honour of a guest blog this week, and I’m on strict instruction to avoid crude sexual references and swearing, so with that in mind, let’s get stuck in and bang it out.
I was pretty excited when I arrived, being in a lovely hall full of shields and beer and especially being the youngest person in the room (until a baby showed up near the end and ruined it). The first beer certainly delivered: a smashing, crisp, amber number called Nettlethrasher. Without wanting to spoil it, this was easily the best beer of the day, and flavoursome from start to finish.
The next one, Odin’s Horn was a solid second challenger, which had a pleasant woody start, and a tangy citrus finish, but very little going on in the middle. The honey notes were welcome.
By this point, I felt pretty smug, having had two good openers, while Tom hoovered up the chaff.
Aunty Myrtles was my next offering, and a bit of a departure. This was a darker, thicker affair, with a fruity middle, a bit of maltiness and a nice bitter end. At 4.5%, it had a good thrust about it. The notes claim it has a strong hop finish, though I must say I didn’t get that.
Lichfieldians have a refreshingly generous concept of half-pints, so from this point on, I’m not sure what order the beers were in, so let’s go with St Austell’s Ruck and Roll. At 4.0%, this was standard all the way through. Amber coloured and mediocre in flavour, it faded away at the finish. I’ve nothing much to say about it, and my notes at the time don’t exactly illuminate matters. Let’s move on.
Less average was Grendel’s Winter Ale, from the brilliantly named BEOWULF BREWING of Brownhills. Basically beer broth, it was muddy, meaty and moreish. Flavour that lasted longer than my attempts at alliteration. At 5.8% it had a lot of love to give. Good stuff.
Stamina waning, I move onto the final “half” pint that Tom hasn’t already covered: Kinver Edge. Back to the amber ales, this one has a thin middle, but a strong finish, with plenty of bitterness and no small amount of sourness. Nice and crisp, and one I’d sink a few of if I saw it around. Stiff opposition for the day’s champion, Nettlethrasher.
Nettlethrasher: 
Kinver Edge: 
Odin’s Horn:
Aunty Myrtles:
Grendel’s Winter Ale:
Ruck and Roll:
As you can see, he’s far too witty and good at this blogging malarkey, so don’t expect to hear from him again.
365daysofales 