BITTER and TWISTEDDec 19 '03 Write an essay on this topic.
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Battling my way through the moronospere that is Princes St in the feverish grip of the pre-Christmas period, I was sorely in need of some rest and recuperation. Right on cue, my eye wandered past the neon hell of Macdonald's...ahem...'restaurant' to the splendid Victorian façade of The Guildford Arms public house. Well, it would have, if the architectural delights of the front elevation of that illustrious hostelry had not been obscured by a garish, plastic banner. And what was proclaimed from that banner? BITTER and TWISTED Best Beer in Britain on draught HERE It was like a sign........... .....as most banners generally are. So, quickening my pace I soon caught up with that wandering eye, picked it up and shoved it in my pocket, then walked into the bar....ouch! If only I'd put that eye in my socket, rather than my pocket, I might have seen the that one coming. Did you? Anyway, enough bletheration, let's crack on. Harviestoun Brewery is a microbrewery which was established by Ken Brooker in 1984. It lies in the shadow of the Ochil Hills in Clackmannanshire, between the traditional Scottish brewing town of Alloa and the sedate little town of Dollar. Five of their ales are brewed all year round as well as a different seasonal beer monthly. The cask version of Bitter & Twisted was declared The Best Beer in Britain 2003. This is the second year in a row that a Scottish beer has won this accolade - Caledonian's Deuchars IPA won in 2002, the first ever Scottish beer to do so. Any bets on 2004? Apparently, the name of this beer was chosen with 'a twist of lemon' in mind, although no lemons were harmed in the making of this brew - the bitter lemon-like flavour is due to the late hopping with Styrian Goldings. --------------------------INTERLUDE------------------------- A guy walks into a bar with a dog under his arm, puts the dog on the bar and announces that the dog can talk and that he has $100 he's willing to bet anyone who says he can't. The bartender quickly takes the bet and the owner looks at the dog and asks, "What's the thing on top of this building which keeps the rain from coming inside?" The dog answers "ROOF." The bartender says, "Who are you kidding? I'm not paying." The dogs owner says, "How about double or nothing and I'll ask him something else". The bartender agrees so the owner turns to the dog and asks, "Who was the greatest baseball player of all time". The dog answers with a muffled "RUTH." With that the bartender picks them both up and throws them out the door. As they bounce on the sidewalk the dog looks at his owner and says "It was DiMaggio, right?". ------------------------------------------------------------ Back to the beer........ THEY SAY: "Blond in colour, B&T has a superb hop profile, combining the aromatic Hallertau Hersbrücker with the spicy Challenger. It’s finished by ‘late hopping’ with Styrian Goldings, which gives a sharpness like the twist of a lemon." B&T pours a very light and clear, pale golden colour with a decent, almost rocky, off-white head which lasts quite well and leaves a wispy lace sticking to the glass. The aroma has a gentle citrus tone, most noticeably lemon, with some grassy, floral and perfumy notes also very prominent along with a touch of earthiness. There's not a lot of malt aroma - maybe a little caramel and a crumb or two of biscuit, but it's well in the background. It's fairly light-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and a good level of carbonation without being gassy. The initial taste is decidedly bitter with citric lemon flavours being the most dominant. It's quite zesty, vaguely spicy, and it's also somewhat herbal, with a definite, pine resin accent which adds to the bitterness. Malt-wise, there's some bready flavour but the malt really struggles to keep this balanced. The finish is predominantly of citrus hops with a vague, pear-like quality and a surprisingly warm afterglow considering the low alcohol content, leaving a slightly dry, definitely bitter, aftertaste. • The Verdict • At 3.8% ABV, this is a remarkably tasty session ale. It's creamy mouthfeel ensures easy-drinking and the hopping levels lead to lots of interesting flavours and aromas. If I could find a fault, I would say it might have benefited from a higher level of malt as it lacks a little balance - a very minor quibble. So, is it the best in Britain? Well, who am I to argue with the esteemed judges who declared it so. It's certainly very good, that's for sure. The bottle differs slightly. It comes in at 4.2% ABV and is a little less creamy. Also, the head is far less pronounced or long-lasting. it's possibly a little more bitter in the bottle but overall, there's very little variation from the cask version. They claim that less carbon dioxide is used in the bottling process leaving it less gassy than most bottled beer. Hmmm, never heard of bottle-conditioning guys? Harviestoun Bitter and Twisted is widely available in most supermarkets. Prices vary, but at the moment, a 500ml bottle costs around £1.44 in Asda. Would I drink it again? - I would have to be acrid and distorted not to. Thanks for reading, Sláinte İproxam2003  |
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