MagicPhil's Tasting Notes 2003

London Drinker Beer and Cider Festival 2003

Camden Centre, Bidborough Street, London WC1,
close to Kings Cross/St. Pancras)

Wednesday 19th. - Friday 21st March 2003
Open Wed + Thurs 12-3pm + 5-10.30pm;
Fri 12-10.30pm.
Last admission 10pm
CAMRA members admitted free Wed + Thurs lunchtime
+ 50p up to 1pm on Fri, £1.50 at all other times
(non-members £2.50)
A range of regional beers, beers rarely seen in London,
cider, perry + imported beer. Hot and cold food.

Entertainments:
Breweriana Auction wed eve.
Thurs quiet night.
Live music on Fri eve.

This and previous years of MagicPhil's Tasting Notes at:-
http://www.littlebluerhino.demon.co.uk/ldbf.htm
or at the US mirror site:-
http://www.magicphil.net/lbr/ldbf.htm

Magicphils Disclaimer:
No warranty is implied for any beer mentioned. It should not be implied that any beer not mentioned is disparaged.
Magicphil drinks ordinary bitters and does not drink milds; and does not, therefore, review them. If other persons wish to have Milds reviewed, it is open to them to do so. Any person who chooses to read the reviews below, or indeed to base their actions on them in any way is to be cautioned that Magicphil will not hold himself liable for the actions of such persons.
This disclaimer is forced on Magicphil by comments he has received at previous beer festivals.

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N.B. There are no Festival Programme Summaries(FPS) in the programme this year but the type of beer (as defined in the programme) is given.

MagicPhil's Tasting Notes -Volume 1

Wednesday 2.30pm. 19/03/2003

1st Pint. Boggart Brewery, Bitter, Bitter 3.8%abv
MagicPhil(MP) says: says:A light brown beer with a lot of nice fruity flavours with immediate citrus (grapefruit); a slight haze, but this would not seem to affect the flavours. Not a session beer for me, too strong in its flavours, not in as good condition as last year. Good, could be (has been) better.
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2002 Review
1st Pint. Boggart Hole Clough Brewery, Bitter, Bitter 3.8%abv MagicPhil(MP) says: A dark-straw coloured bitter with a lot of citrus immediately evident in the mouth. The flavours go on in the mouth and, for me, become a little too sour/sharp; However, this beer is in prime condition and really should be tried. Recommended.
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2nd Pint. Brewsters Brewery, Hophead, Bitter 3.6%abv
MP says: A dark straw coloured beer, this has good citrus apparent in a less overpowering way. This a lighter, refreshing beer with, for me, the potential to be a session bitter. It is, again, slightly hazy, but this does not change -I would think- its character much..

3rd Pint. Rebellion Brewery, IPA, Bitter 3.7%abv
MP says: A mid to dark brown beer that does not immediately deliver great flavours, my first impression was that it was lacking character. There are some flavours that develop, but this is not a "deep" flavourful beer. It is better than I had thought at first, but lacks 'body'. Again, a slight haze is apparent. I may try this beer again, since I think it has potential to be _much_ better.

MagicPhil's Session Pick: None

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MagicPhil's Tasting Notes -Volume 2

Wednesday 5.30pm. 19/03/2003

1st Pint. Tring Brewery, Side Pocket for a Toad, Bitter, 3.6%abv
MagicPhil(MP) says: A mid-straw, almost golden beer, very light and pleasant, a little sweetness, none of the strong, sometimes harsh citrus, that I have found in some of the earlier beers. There is a little grapefruit there, but it is mellowed by the touch of sweetness. There is no great development in it, but it is a well crafted drinking bitter.
Recommended

2nd Pint. Bullmastiff Brewery, Gold, Bitter, 3.8%abv
MP says: A medium straw coloured beer. I found this a strange beer, there are some good flavours to start with, but as I drank more of it, I felt as though I was sucking old bananas, and then old smoked bananas! I don't know, maybe it is an acquired taste. Not for me though, not more than one.

3rd Pint. Dent Brewery, Aviator, Bitter, 4.0%abv
MP says: A mid-brown beer, no easy citrus, a little initial sweetness, no great development, perfectly adequate but no more. Some people might drink it as a session bitter. Too much sweetness for me though to drink a lot of it. Recommended

MagicPhil's Session Pick: Tring Brewery, Side Pocket for a Toad, Bitter, 3.6%abv

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MagicPhil's Tasting Notes - Volume 3

Thursday 2.40pm. 20/03/2003

1st Pint. Oakham Brewery, JHB, Bitter, 3.8%abv
MagicPhil(MP) says: A very light, pale straw coloured beer, light citrus with some bite, bit of pepper, a good long flavour to it, but does not develop as much as I would hope. There is, perhaps, a little too much acidity here for me, but very good flavours. Slightly hazed, but no problem.
Recommended.

2nd Pint. Storm Brewery, Beauforts Ale, Bitter, 3.8%abv
MP says: A mid-brown beer, very little head to it, first impressions of a vaguely appley flavour? with some licorice -although faint. It is a darker, more malty beer than the last, with if not bananas, then a hint of banana skins and orange peel! The flavours do develop in this beer, and may only be recognised after 1/2 pint or so, especially after a strongly citrus beer like the last. I _might_ go back and try this again, maybe as the first of a session.
Slightly hazed.

MagicPhil's Session Pick: Oakham Brewery, JHB, Bitter, 3.8%abv

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MagicPhil's Tasting Notes - Volume 4

Thursday 5.40pm. 20/03/2003

1st Pint. Broadstone Brewery, Best Bitter, Bitter, 3.8%abv
MagicPhil(MP) says: A light brown bitter that seems to provide everything up front, there is little development that I find. There is some fruit here -a little- there is some pepper here -a little- but the rest is a rather too sweet length. It might make a session bitter for a sweet tooth. This beer was probably in the best condition so far of the beers that I have had this festival.
Star for Effort.

2nd Pint. Old Cannon Brewery, Best Bitter, Bitter, 3.8%abv
MP says: A mid-brown beer in good condition, there is a little citrus there, late on, there is rather more sweetness, it seems to lack any great character. It could be almost anything. Why there is a 40-50 pence premium on this beer (2.20p a pint rather than 1.70-1.80) I have no idea.
Poor value. Avoid, purely on grounds of over-pricing.

3rd Pint. Mordue Brewery, Five Bridge Bitter, Bitter, 3.8%abv
MP says: A honey coloured beer, golden, more hazy than I would accept in a pub; flavours, initially are good, well balanced at first taste, more body than might be expected at 3.8%. In the end it's just too sweet and sticky for me, it could be one of any number of "honey" ales over the years. Again, this is priced at 2.10p rather than 1.70-1.80p. Poor value. Avoid, purely on grounds of over-pricing.

4th Pint. Swan Brewery, Trumpeter Best, Bitter, 4.0%abv
MP says: A mid-brown beer, rather malty with some licorice flavours, in good condition, flavours develop later on. Not perhaps the beer for me, but well crafted -malty.

MagicPhil's Session Pick: Broadstone Brewery, Best Bitter, Bitter, 3.8%abv

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MagicPhil's Tasting Notes - Volume 5
Friday 3.40pm. 20/03/2003

1st Pint. Caledonian Brewery, Deuchars IPA, Bitter, 3.8%abv
MagicPhil(MP) says:A light-medium straw coloured beer, perhaps a little sweeter than I remember it from having it in the past, good flavours, not overpowering. Quite pleasant, lack of development.

2nd Pint. Crown Brewery, Hillsborough Pale Ale, 3.9%abv
MP says: A light golden bitter, pleasant enough, but overpriced AGAIN at 2.20p a pint. Good flavors, lack of great development again, but a very good drinking bitter.
Would have been recommended but for the price. Avoid.

3rd Pint. Bank Top Brewery, Gold Digger, Bitter, 4.0%abv
MP says: A very pale yellow coloured beer, very pleasant, only a few flavours to start with, but good promise, a touch of citrus, a good drinking bitter.
Highly recommended

4th Pint. Rebellion Brewery, Legless, Bitter, 3.8%abv
MP says: A mid-brown beer with no immediate body to it, there is something of everything here, but overall it lacks character and style.

5th Pint. Crouch Vale Brewery, Brewers Gold, Bitter, 4.0%abv
MP says:A dark straw coloured beer that delivers a lot of flavors immediately, there is sweetness here, there is citrus, there is even a little malt, it does last in its flavours. It may be a little too sticky for me at the end. Recommended

6th Pint. Fullers Brewery, Cranberry Honeydew (organic), 4.3%abv
MP says:A pale straw coloured beer, with first flavours of almost overwhelming sweetness. Supposedly, the cranberry has been put in to cut down on the sweetness, but on this showing it does not succeed. On this outing, this is another of the beers that are brewed for the (non-bca) bottle, there is everything immediately in the mouth once you take a drink; there is no development of flavours, no depth. I had hoped for more from this. But knowing how Fullers (and various other brewers) have made their beers more bland/sweet over the years perhaps I should not bother any more: disappointing.

MagicPhil's Session Pick: Bank Top Brewery, Gold Digger, Bitter, 4.0%abv

MagicPhil's Reserve Session Pick: Crouch Vale Brewery, Brewers Gold, Bitter, 4.0%abv

MagicPhil's Beer of the Festival: Bank Top Brewery, Gold Digger, Bitter, 4.0%abv

MagicPhil's Reserve Beers of the Festival: Tring Brewery, Side Pocket for a Toad, Bitter, 3.6%abv

Magicphil says:
It has been notable for me this year, and for some other people, that the condition of the beers on the first two days has been not as good as has been in the past. In at least one instance, I would not have accepted the pint from a pub. What has changed, I know not, but something has.

I might also mention the over-officious stewards who bully people who are smaller than they are (these stewards are mostly the same people every year, I am afraid) when a "Please can we keep this fire escape clear" would be appropriate rather than a "YOU CANT STAND THERE, DONT YOU KNOW ITS A FIRE ESCAPE" when there is NO sign saying that it is a fire escape that needs to be kept clear. It is notable that one is applied to smaller people and women, I am afraid, whilst frequently nothing is said to several large beer drinking men doing exactly the same thing, and occupying exactly the same area in front of the fire exit.

This is one of many issues that need dealing with if the festival is to progress from what it has been, to what it might be.

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