Looking for the original Bar Towel blog? You can find it at www.thebartowel.com.

We have a trivia question in order to register to prevent bots. If you have any issues with answering, contact us at cass@bartowel.com for help.

Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!

Search found 981 matches

by old faithful
Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:11 am
Forum: General Beer Discussion & Random Talk
Topic: Drink to your health, 1918-style
Replies: 3
Views: 2723

There seems a contradiction, in that the ad on the eve of World War I shows a beer that seems quite dark yet an ad from the post-WW II era suggests the recipe from the late 1800's had not changed. However, I suspect there were, originally, two Pabst Blue Ribbon beers. If so, one certainly was a pale...
by old faithful
Wed Nov 05, 2008 5:50 pm
Forum: Local and Imported Beer Reviews
Topic: Fuller's 1845 Ale
Replies: 18
Views: 8051

Revisiting this recently, my opinion only increased and this is because I drank it cold. Usually I drink English beers only lightly chilled or at room temperature. But when you drink Fuller 1845 cold, the strong hop flavours meld better with the rich malt and esters than taken warm (IMO). An analogy...
by old faithful
Wed Nov 05, 2008 5:13 pm
Forum: Local and Imported Beer Reviews
Topic: Corporal's Bitter Brown
Replies: 34
Views: 15028

What he said. This is a fine effort, a brown ale in the northern English style, very drinkable and fresh with a mocha-like note. I've had unfiltered beers from this brewery that did go sour (not this brand) but this bitter brown is in tip-top shape and essentially a real ale. The bitter and "ac...
by old faithful
Mon Nov 03, 2008 5:52 pm
Forum: Local and Imported Beer Reviews
Topic: Fuller's 1845 Ale
Replies: 18
Views: 8051

The new stock just appeared (in Toronto) at Queen's Quay. It is better than ever: super-fresh with a rich estery (cherry) top-note and a base of rich malt and insistent hops. Cleanly and faultlessly brewed. Lovely drink of beer and cellaring may (I suspect) only make it better.

Gary
by old faithful
Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:01 pm
Forum: Beer Events & Festivals
Topic: Bar Towel 10th anniversary! November 4th @ Victory Cafe
Replies: 30
Views: 11079

See you all there and thanks, Cass, for organising this and all you do on this site.

Gary
by old faithful
Wed Oct 29, 2008 12:59 pm
Forum: Local and Imported Beer Reviews
Topic: Adnam's Broadside
Replies: 19
Views: 8144

I agree all round, Jon.

Gary
by old faithful
Wed Oct 29, 2008 12:56 pm
Forum: Local and Imported Beer Reviews
Topic: Post Road Pumpkin
Replies: 14
Views: 7134

I've now tried Post Road and agree it is excellent, it reminds me somewhat of that Weyerbacher in fact, a lower-gravity version. It says on the label Brooklyn Brewery and "Utica", so I assume it is made by FX Matt for Brooklyn Brewery at the historic brewery in Utica (well-worth visiting i...
by old faithful
Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:50 pm
Forum: Local and Imported Beer Reviews
Topic: Adnam's Broadside
Replies: 19
Views: 8144

Just found this description of First Gold at www.breworganic.com: First Gold is one of England's new dwarf hop varieties, a cross-pollination of Whitbread Golding and a dwarf hop plant. With a higher alpha acid than its cousins this hop is versatile for bittering but has the good clean aroma and fla...
by old faithful
Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:35 pm
Forum: Local and Imported Beer Reviews
Topic: Adnam's Broadside
Replies: 19
Views: 8144

Wow, excellent to have this information and from such an authoritative source, thanks Fergus!

I find the taste of this hop (First Gold) most interesting and would like to learn more about it.

I greatly enjoy Adnams beers and have consumed them with regularity in London since the early 1980's.

Gary
by old faithful
Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:55 pm
Forum: Local and Imported Beer Reviews
Topic: Post Road Pumpkin
Replies: 14
Views: 7134

There was lots at the St. Clair West LCBO last night (the one next to the subway of that name). Best pumpkin I had was a winy Weyerbacher at Gingerman in NYC recently. It didn't overdo the spices and resolved to a winy, estery richness. Quite something. Imperial Pumpkin it was called (circa 8% ABV) ...
by old faithful
Tue Oct 28, 2008 8:52 am
Forum: Local and Imported Beer Reviews
Topic: Adnam's Broadside
Replies: 19
Views: 8144

I just checked the brewer's website and while nothing is said about American hops and Broadside, I note that the brewer's Explorer beer uses some U.S. hops, here is a part description of Explorer from the site: "Adnams Explorer ABV 4.3% A blonde beer suffused with the aromas of a grapefruit gro...
by old faithful
Tue Oct 28, 2008 8:38 am
Forum: Local and Imported Beer Reviews
Topic: Adnam's Broadside
Replies: 19
Views: 8144

In recent years, U.K. brewers have experimented with American hops and there was a small fashion for American-styled pale ales. (Actually, use of American varieties is not new, it has been intermittent for a long time by some U.K. brewers at any rate). I only thought to do this after I mentioned my ...
by old faithful
Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:21 pm
Forum: Local and Imported Beer Reviews
Topic: Adnam's Broadside
Replies: 19
Views: 8144

American hops, surely. Tastes like a West Coast pale ale or IPA. Good but surprisingly American in style, IMO.

Gary
by old faithful
Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:08 pm
Forum: Beer Events & Festivals
Topic: Volo Cask Days - Oct 17-19
Replies: 224
Views: 51007

Good report. If Josh Rubin liked London Pride, he'd have loved Fuller ESB. And while I agree that in principle cask beer is a local concept, it does not have to be so, necessarily, as the quality of the Fuller's ESB showed, or the Penombre (Black IPA) from Quebec. Recently in New York I had some exc...
by old faithful
Mon Oct 20, 2008 8:27 pm
Forum: Beer Events & Festivals
Topic: Volo Cask Days - Oct 17-19
Replies: 224
Views: 51007

Just a note to the cognoscenti that there are many beers left and more coming onstream, e.g., Wellington's Iron Duke, Vaisseau des Songes, Great Lakes' Oatmeal Chocolate Stout, Hopping Mad Pale Ale. I stuck with Fuller ESB again - tasting better than ever - and a welcome draught of Wind & Sail D...