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Just found a magnificent beer ... on my doorstep!

squeezyjohn

Well-Known Member
Hello - sorry - another beer thread. But then again it is very nice stuff, beer.

I just thought I'd share with you the name of a brilliant beer I have just discovered that is brewed just 4 miles down the road from me. It's called "Abingdon Bridge" by a new micro-brewery, Loose Canon. It's ingredients are purely barley malt, water, hops and yeast (Robin? is that OK?)

The thing is, Abingdon, where I grew up was a very important brewing town - some of you might know the brand Old Speckled Hen that was originally brewed by the Morlands Brewery that had a history back to 1711 before it was taken over by a larger company, closed down and all it's most popular products shifted to production in a large factory (they don't taste the same at all). This new micro-brewery was set up by a guy in his 20's who wanted to see the tradition stay in the town which I find so impressive.

The beer itself is a classic English red-brown bitter, 4.1% alcohol, but has a clean taste unlike any of the commonly available brands, probably due to the nature of it's simple ingredients and no additives. He's only really pushing it locally and from the brewery shop at the moment, but if anyone comes across it - or visits Abingdon on their travels, it's well worth seeking out their shop and getting some. They also make a lighter beer and are currently making their first batch of Christmas brew which will be stronger and sweeter.

So again, apologies if it sounds like an advertisement. I don't have any affiliation with the brewery at all except geography - but I am occasionally so heartened in life to find people making high quality traditional produce on my doorstep. I'm aware that trying to "sell" English beer on a forum with a strong Belgian and German contingent seems silly. I just wanted to express my delight in discovering it.

Cheers

Squeezy
 
Erm, do we actually have any more (active) Germans on the forum? :)

So much for "strong" German contingent...
 
Strong Belgian and German contigent? Irrelevant. I enjoy any artisan beer that has been brewed with ample atttention for tradition.
Last summer, I tasted several local brews from the South of England, and they were all very well balanced beers.
I assume this is a "flat" style ale? (not being that acquainted with English beer classification).

Barley, water, yeast and hops are indeed the allowed ingredients of the German Reinheitsgebot.
Robin is likely not going to answer. He requested the termination of his account last week, and unless he reenlists, he wont be able to post a reply.

Kind regards,
Bart.
 
They are selling it both in barrels, which is the typical draft bitter I think you mean Bart. But they also do a bottled version which has a little more "fizz" to it. Not many english ales take to being put in a bottle so well - the sharpness of the CO2 often detracts from the flavours of the malt, but this one takes it very well indeed.

That's a shame about Robin - I know he shouted sometimes, but he had a certain style and definitely plenty of knowledge I learned from.

Cheers,

Squeezy

PS - I just got a couple of bottles of english wine from a vineyard also very close to my home in an attempt to try and continue my trend of buying locally where possible. The whites are very good. Very good indeed - although on the weaker side like most english wines are (there is just not enough sun for strengths over 11% most summers). They also did a red wine - which was .... like you'd expect english red to taste ... I will still be getting those from hotter countries!
 
All this talk is making me want to go out and get some more local wines and beers. Where I'm currently living, we have a few hundred years of wine-making tradition thanks to the Spaniards. We also have a large concentration of German settlers... so there is plenty of beer-making as well. (The combination makes the street names interesting!) The style of beer-making is different from what I'm used to, but it is certainly well within acceptable tolerances. (I was introduced to the New England styles, which get their heritage from, well, England).
 
I have been on an Octoberfest beer kick lately. There is a place by my office that is clearing them out to make room for their regular stock. If you wish, check out my blog for information on some I have sampled already.

montateconbayamontate.blogspot.com
 
I've been on a Belgian beer kick lately...much like my hones. :lol: I wish I knew more about "good" German beers to pick a few up on the next weekend but I'll have to read up on them first.

It's Autumn in New York right now and when it starts to get chilly I love dark heavy beers with a nice strong alocohol kick to them, I really love those Trappist beers, Rochefort 10 being my favorite right now.

I've followed Robin's posts since I starts out on SRP, I learned a lot from his posts, Farewell and good luck to you, Robin!

Nick
 
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