19th March 2015
Opaque dark brown beer, small pale tan head. Palate is smooth and fairly dry, decent fine carbonation. Sourish dark malts, savoury too. Dark fruits with a trace of apple. Touch of marmite. Light dry finish. This really should not be my cup of char, and at first I wasn’t digging it but slowly and seductively it won me over until I was enjoying the sour and salt contrast.

330ml bottle from Gonzo Beer, Coventry. Deep cola black no head. Slightly fizzy body. Aroma is chocolate, sharpe fruit and coffee. Taste is fruity and tart. Nice.

Keg at Mother Kelly’s - London. Pours Hazy brown with a weak creamy head. The nose holds some fruity vinegar, burnt wood, sweat. Medium sweet fkavor with tart berries, acetic bite, slight alcohol, salt, molasses. Medium bodied within be, spritzy carbonation. Cleansing and acetic on the finish with notes of brown sugar, blackberries, wholegrain toast, plums. A bit scattered, but interesting.

Bottle from Mother Kelly’s. It pours black with a small tan head. The nose is earth, roasted malt, liquorice, dark fruits, molasses and light tang. The taste is earthy, tangy, toasty, Granny Smith apple, must, lactic, balsamic vinegar and umami notes with a dry finish. Medium body and moderate carbonation. Tastes a bit like an infected stout. Doesn’t quite have the balance I would like.

Bottle purchased from the Refectory, which is the Northern Monk, Brewery Tap, Leeds, Holbeck, consumed nsumed at home, Sunday 1st March 2015. A slight funky sour edge on the nose. A very tart mouth wakener. A touch of dark fruit, balsamic and soy but sweet and very tangy, like this. A7 A4 T7 P4 Ov14 3.6.

Bottle. Described as Imperial Black Gose. Nose is vanilla light coffee bean a slightly sweet almost cola note, coco, and a chewy creamy note I can’t place.... coffee ice cream? Maybe a hint of the salt but I am looking for it. Taste is salt, leading to an emerging lactose and vanilla, cream, a slight tartness and vinegar note in the finish. The coco emerges as the drink warms. It’s an interesting beer, but I am not sure it’s a harmonious one. The salt flooded rather than harmonised with the flavours from the base beer. Glad I tried it. Also Ardwick is miles away from Chorlton, I’ve resisted the urge to mark the beer down for absurd South Manchester snobbery.