Please Choose my Lunchtime Beer
Please Choose my Lunchtime Beer
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budfox

Original Poster:

1,510 posts

158 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
quotequote all
If off to Bocabar in Bristol for lunch and they have a fine selection of beers to choose from:

http://bristol.bocabar.co.uk/beers-ciders

Last time I went for the Rochefort 8, and was disappointed. At 9.2% it didn't taste at all strong and it was rather too fizzy for my liking.

What would you choose from that list?

Thanks

ZedLeg

12,278 posts

137 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
quotequote all
Probably the Brewdog Punk, I'm not a big fan of Belgian beers and while the Harvieston stout is great it might be a bit heavy for lunch time laugh

C0ffin D0dger

3,440 posts

174 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
quotequote all
Rochefort 10 is one of my favourite beers. Strong, dark, and flavoursome. Nice on a winter's evening. Not on that menu though so not a lot of help.

I'd be giving this one a go, sort of beer I love:

HARVIESTOUN OLA DUBH 12 Special Reserve [8%] £5.75
Scotland. Based on Harviestoun’s award-winning Old Engine Oil black ale and aged in oak casks that previously held Highland Park 12 Year Old whisky. Chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and some peat compliment a smooth, velvety finish.

vanordinaire

3,701 posts

191 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
quotequote all
The IPAs (probably the Brewdog Punk) would be my choice normally but for lunchtime I'd go for the ginger beer or one of the ciders.

BorkFactor

7,278 posts

187 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
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For something like that, I would be tempted to try something I hadn't tried before and isn't readily available in supermarkets etc. I don't know what it is like down in England, but up here you can get Punk IPA in pretty much any pub or shop you go in to. That said, it is very nice.

The "Flying Dog Raging bh" is also very good, same idea as Punk IPA but stronger and a fuller flavour in my opinion.

I have had 13 Guns before as well, it isn't bad but nothing special. I am generally not a fan of Belgian / Czech / German beers so couldn't advise there.

The Harviestoun Ola Dubh would probably be my choice though. Old Engine Oil is fairly mediocre from a bottle, but perfectly nice. If the description for the special reserve one is accurate I would get one. In fact, I am going to have a look for a bottle myself!

oxford drinker

1,927 posts

258 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
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I'd choose Delerium Tremens Blonde, if I had £5 + to spend on a beer wink

budfox

Original Poster:

1,510 posts

158 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
quotequote all
Well I went for the Ola Dubh as recommended and it was quite superb.

As on my previous visit the beer was a bit too chilled, but after ten minutes the flavours improved no end.



At nearly £6 for 330ml it's expensive of course, but then if treated like a wine and drunk slowly it's not so bad.

Having said it's expensive, I can't find it online for less than I just paid, and a triple pack (albeit with the 16 and 18 varities) is £26 on Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Harviestoun-Highland-Odyss...

C0ffin D0dger

3,440 posts

174 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
quotequote all
I was also having a look on-line for a bottle or two as I'd not come across this one before and it sounded good. Prices are a bit silly, it is only beer after all, so they've matured it in oak whisky casks but that still doesn't really justify the cost.

It annoys me that you have to pay so much for Belgian beer in the UK, last year I did put in an order through the Belgian Beer Factory website as you could get stuff like Rochefort 10 significantly cheaper than here even including the shipping. Only problem with them is it seems like it's a bloke running it out of his garage or some such as the beer took weeks to arrive after some prompting and didn't exactly instil me with confidence for future orders. I guess it's a supply and demand thing in the UK, if more people drank it then it would get imported in bigger volumes and therefore cheaper.

No excuse for beer made in Scotland though frown

budfox

Original Poster:

1,510 posts

158 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
quotequote all
Tempted with some of these:

http://www.belgianbeerfactory.com/crates-box-case/

Coming in at about £1.50 to £1.80 delivered to the UK for a case of 24. Seems pretty good value.

There are hundreds of different beers on that site though, very hard to choose one.

hoegaardenruls

1,224 posts

161 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
quotequote all
I looked at the list, and the Harvieston was the one that jumped out.

Will have to look that one out as Brewdog's Paradox whisky-aged beers have all been good, and the Islay one was superb.


mizx

1,583 posts

214 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
quotequote all
budfox said:
Well I went for the Ola Dubh as recommended and it was quite superb.

As on my previous visit the beer was a bit too chilled, but after ten minutes the flavours improved no end.

At nearly £6 for 330ml it's expensive of course, but then if treated like a wine and drunk slowly it's not so bad.

Having said it's expensive, I can't find it online for less than I just paid, and a triple pack (albeit with the 16 and 18 varities) is £26 on Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Harviestoun-Highland-Odyss...
Not a big deal really but you'd think they'd have a cooler for cellar temp. 12, 16 and 18 Ola Dubhs come to 14 quid on Beers of Europe.
C0ffin D0dger said:
I was also having a look on-line for a bottle or two as I'd not come across this one before and it sounded good. Prices are a bit silly, it is only beer after all, so they've matured it in oak whisky casks but that still doesn't really justify the cost.

It annoys me that you have to pay so much for Belgian beer in the UK, last year I did put in an order through the Belgian Beer Factory website as you could get stuff like Rochefort 10 significantly cheaper than here even including the shipping. Only problem with them is it seems like it's a bloke running it out of his garage or some such as the beer took weeks to arrive after some prompting and didn't exactly instil me with confidence for future orders. I guess it's a supply and demand thing in the UK, if more people drank it then it would get imported in bigger volumes and therefore cheaper.

No excuse for beer made in Scotland though frown
yes Don't ask what this cost winkhttp://i67.tinypic.com/2427kzp.jpg

I thought about trying that site when it came up in another thread, doesn't inspire much confidence no. Has fairly good selection, but quite a few things missing I hoped to find, mostly lambics and gueze. I don't like to have most Belgian styles too regularly other than sours, but Beers of Europe (order nearly every month from them biggrin) and Beer Merchants together have more varied Belgian selection.


Edited by mizx on Thursday 29th October 20:48

Europa1

10,923 posts

217 months

Friday 30th October 2015
quotequote all
budfox said:
If off to Bocabar in Bristol for lunch and they have a fine selection of beers to choose from:

http://bristol.bocabar.co.uk/beers-ciders

Last time I went for the Rochefort 8, and was disappointed. At 9.2% it didn't taste at all strong and it was rather too fizzy for my liking.

What would you choose from that list?

Thanks
9.2% for a lunchtime beer?! Christ, what do you drink when you're seriously tying one on?!

C0ffin D0dger

3,440 posts

174 months

Friday 30th October 2015
quotequote all
Europa1 said:
9.2% for a lunchtime beer?! Christ, what do you drink when you're seriously tying one on?!
You don't have to be downing pints of the stuff! Perfectly acceptable to have a glass of red wine with you lunch and that is 13-14% ABV.

Moderation is key. Unless you want to get pished of course, then have several in short succession laugh

Personally always found something quite pleasurable in getting a bit drunk of a lunchtime, pre kids anyway, exiting the pub late afternoon onto a busy high street with lots of people going about their business, looking stressed whilst I smugly think to myself that I've been sat in the pub all afternoon and I'm drunk biggrin