Beer and Grapefruit

Has anyone noticed the new fashion for making beers with strongly citrus-scented American hops?

Brewdog beers are a particular example -ever single one I've tried is full of 'citrus', the Punk IPA is agood example. Their 'Elvis Juice' actually has grapefruit in it!

It's not just Brewdog. I tried some of Trooper's Light Brigade and bingo - citrus. A beer for Help for Heroes called 'Light Brigade' surely ought to have a traditional British flavour?

Last night I discovered that Wychwood have a Hobgoblin IPA. I should have looked at the label 'Fuggles, Gold and Styrian "& then amped up by the addition of some mighty American hops".

It seems the latest fashion is light (colour not ABV!) IPA with citrussy American hops.

I Don't get me wrong, I find these beers refreshing, but all my favourite beers are true bitters with dark rich hops not these sweet style ales.

At least they taste of something, unlike lager!

Rant over

Neil

Can’t have grapefruit due to some of my blood pressure medications, so it seems like I’m not missing out then😜

Then again those of us that don't drink could say they are spoiling perfectly good fruit juice be diluting it with beer

Personally I'm really enjoying the current revolution in brewing. I like trying different styles. Fruity IPAs are great as are really dry hoppy American style IPAs. Many of my friends think I'm crazy as I'm also into Sour beer, which is an acquired taste . That said nothing wrong with a traditional English bitter as long as it is a decent one.

Growing up in Nottingham a long time ago (back when Queen Victoria was a lad) Shipstone's bitter was very highly hopped and those unaccustomed to the bitterness found it upset their stomachs hence the nick name ****stones.

It is quite hard to find a traditionally hopped bitter today, but living in the West Midlands now I can recommend Banks's Bitter, or even better their mild.

The best traditional brews nowadays seem to come from micro breweries, but if you ever get to Tipton in the Black Country (just round the corner from the Black Country Museum) try the Lumphammer beers in Mad O'Rourke's Pie Factory. The Desperate Dan Cow Pie is an experience too!

The citrus flavours were a bit of a novelty for me but they seem to turn up a bit too often in my locals guest beer lineup. The Oxford area was dominated by Morrells and Morlands but both were closed by Greene King, Old Speckled Hen is still a decent pint but the Morlands Original doesn’t seem like anything that left the Abingdon Brewery but not a bad session beer. I welcome the “craft” beers as they seem to broaden the lager drinkers horizons and I know many youngsters who enjoy real ales now. Fruit flavoured cider what’s all that about?

Mike

+1 for Banks Mild, it was the best thing about Unimation Robot courses in Telford. Hard to find in Oxfordshire though. We used to travel miles to the few Wadworths pubs round Oxford and fortunately a friend managed to talk the landlord of one into hosting the British Motorcycle Riders Club Oxford on a Monday night, happy days.

Mike

I enjoy an occasional bottle of light ale from the supermarket, by a Cornish brewery. Golden Hare is one of them. There was a beer I tried in San Fransisco when I was over there called Steam Brew, similar to British bitter.

Ed.

Another vote for Bank's Mild. Hook Norton mild is also superb, but not widely available. The Greene King takeovers of many regional brewers was terrible, although Morland bitter was never that good. I generally avoid GK pubs like the plague. We are lucky in Oxfordshire having a number of great new brewers making excellent beer .

Like "Nick Clarlke 3", I was weened on "Shippoes" and endorse his comments. A magnificent draught bitter if kept well. The Ferry at Wilford serving the best IMHO.
However back to the unexpected posting by the editor.....
I worked in Belgium for several years and acquired the taste for Belgian fruit beers in hot weather especially Kriek lambic. But not tried these new versions Neil describes and wont rush to do so. These days my preference is for the Czech beers such as Staropramen.

Trouble of course is taste in beer is likened to taste in women, seldom will 2 men agree on what is palatable.

I seem to be one of those people who are particularly sensitive to bitter flavours. I find many craft beers (and sprouts!) far too bitter for my taste - there seems to be something of a competition for hipsters to make beers as bitter as possible. A nice , malty pint of best for me. I was brought up on Wadsworth 6X and Brakespear.

Rod

The majority of the Oakham brewery beers have some-or-more of the Citra hop I like them. Bishop's Fairwell is one of our regulars at the pub. (No relation to the Shepherd Neame Bishop's Finger, which should only be used as an herbicide).

Given the choice, I'd go for Green Jack Baltic Trader and do when they have it in beer festivals, but it's a bit suicidal and needs diluting with brandy or similar...

Won't say no to Old Peculier, but it doesn't travel well. Adnams make some nice beers, but they're nicer in draft than in bottle.

Edited By Mark Rand on 14/09/2018 00:02:04

Those of us in the north west will remember Greenalls. Horrible stuff. When they stopped brewing the chief brewer set up Coach House. It's in a wriggly tin shed on an industrial estate so you don't expect much but it is really good. Other good ones in the area are Wood's Shropshire Lad and Titanic Plum Porter.

What I do find silly is transporting beer hundreds of miles, it's 95% water and we've got plenty of that. I had some Doombar last week, all the way from Cornwall. It's good stuff when I'm down there on holiday, but either it doesn't travel or (more likely) the pub had let it go off.

Doom Bar used to be great but is now mediocre and sold everywhere. Unless you like the taste of wet cardboard it is a very poor excuse for a beer. Sharps brew some great stuff but Doom Bar is no longer one of them. "ABDB" is a phrase used by my one of my friends reference his drinking preference. "Anything But Boom Bar" It's a Bitter for non bitter drinkers. That said it is commercially very successful and has a huge slice of the cask ale market.

there seem to be many beers that have a slight fruitiness to them, my favourite being grapefruit (only a hint mind you).

i cannot have normal grapefruit as such as it defeats the purpose of the statins they have persuaded me to take.

doesn't stop me having the beer though

I used to love a pint of draught Abbot Ale from a barrel with a tap on. Heavenly stuff especially when the barrel was half empty. Sadly, these days, my old innards cannot handle such magnificence. Chardonnay and uisge beatha now rock my cradle.

Rik

I had a meal in Mad O'Rourke's, but I was driving!

Neil

As a student in Aberystwyth the choice of bitters was mainly Banks' or Bass (my preference) or Triple Crown (for when you were skint). Elderly locals would nurse a pint of 'mix' 1/2 of bitter + 1/2 mild.

Wadworth's 6X was always looked forward to as the beer of the Cropredy Festival

Neil

Abbot and Old Peculiar are fine beers, as are Black Sheep and there's a bottle of Riggwelter in the fridge.

Living in Burton I have great appreciation for Marstons (remember the 'Great Victorian Bloke ad, copied from the IK Brunel cartoon?)

Brains SA is the King of Bitters (Skull Attack).

These days I find I like my beer colder than I used to.

Neil