Last month (the 25th June to be precise) we made our annual visit to the Scottish Real Ale Festival at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh. As some other people needed to be up early on the Saturday and because Adele was in town anyway we went on the Thursday evening again so things weren’t too mad. Now they may have done this last year I can’t remember, but this year they had names on the bars so it was (in theory at least) easier to find the beers you were looking for. The following are the beers I sampled:
Top Banana from Caledonian – I broke my own rules having this one, as it is one I’ve sampled on more than one occasion in the past. I justified it to myself as it is very difficult to find anywhere. As the name suggests it is a banana beer, not as strong a flavour as something like the Wells Banana Bread beer, but very nice all the same.
Vital Spark from Fyne – This was a darker beer. The tasting notes mention a hint of blackcurrant, but I don’t remember getting that when I had it. Still very nice though, and no sign of Para Handy either.
Dark Munro from the Highland Brewing Company – This was the champion beer of Scotland in 2007, and allowed me to have something that was like Dark Island, although not actually Dark Island. It was very good, and I certainly wouldn’t turn my nose up at it but given the choice Dark Island everytime I’m afraid.
Orkney IPA from the Highland Brewing Company – Given Deuchars IPA is my tipple of choice when out – well at least it is a good fall back in Edinburgh (and in the bars near my office in Twickenham) I am always keen to try other IPA offerings. I really like the hoppiness of a good IPA and this was one was especially quaffable. I will be keeping my eye out for it again.
Lady MacBeth from the Deeside Brewery – Yet again I was disappointed with an ale claiming to be a raspberry beer. I really do not get the breweries in this country. We have probably the best raspberries in the world in Scotland yet I’ve yet to taste a raspberry beer produced by a Scottish brewery worthy of being called a raspberry beer. Maybe I was spoiled by our trip to Canada in 2005 and the raspberry beer produced by the Amsterdam brewery in Toronto (I’d forgotten it was styled on the belgian ones), or the Belgian raspberry beers – but you’d think someone would come up with one that had a bit more raspberry flavour, or maybe that’s just me. In fact it may be something I investigate myself. I’ve been thinking about giving the whole home brewing thing a go and this might be a good place to start.
Crag’s Ale and Starboard from the Plockton Brewery – I had no idea that there even was a brewery in Plockton until I saw the festival programme and for me it was a must try. You see part of my family is from the area, and I used to spend many a happy summer staying with my Great Aunt, but enough about about my past what about the beers. Crag’s Ale was quite light, and I’m sure as I was ordering it another punter at the bar said it wasn’t very good. I wouldn’t say that at all I found it very pleasant. The Starboard was more IPAish but not as strong a taste as I would have liked. Still not a bad drink though.
Criffel IPA from Sulwath Brewers – Again another very nice example of an IPA, nice and hoppy just how I like it.
Ginger Explosion from Traditional Scottish Ales – This is one of their seasonal ales and if I’m honest I was a little bit disappointed. Others had tried this before I got there and said it was quite a strong ginger flavour, don’t get me wrong the beer was nice I just thought the ginger could have been a little more prominent, but may be that was just me. Actually despite my mini rant about raspberry beers earlier, it seems this crowd may have an answer. They seem to do a raspberry beer, Red Mist, that seems to warrant further investigation. It is also this lot that do the Aleoween that we had last year at the Guildford Arms – let’s hope that makes a re-appearance.
All in all another great year at the festival, now to track down some of the above (and ones I never got to) in the pubs.
This post sees a milestone of sorts breached, it is the 100th post. It is a little disappointing it has taken me so long to get this far, so that is something I must try and improve on.