608: Poppyland | East Coast IPA

The Brewery: “Now in its seventh year of operation Poppyland Brewery has gained a reputation for doing different. For me, Martin Warren the Poppyland Brewer, it has been a challenge in semi-retirement, a means of self expression and it helped to satisfy my creative instincts. It made a small living too. As an ex-museum curator I couldn't help myself from revelling in the character and culture of North Norfolk and I reflected this in my beers. I have produced extraordinary ales that were far removed from industrial beer found in supermarkets or even beer found in British pubs. I have been exploring just what beer can be, using the best ingredients and new techniques, seeking to innovate and aiming to really please my customers. I often drew inspiration from the local environment and local history. Where I could I used local ingredients - wild and cultivated. Where I couldn't, I got the best ingredients from all over the world - like hops and yeasts.”

The Beer: “Strong, hoppy, pale ale featuring premium coastal Maris Otter malted barley from Branthill Farm near Wells next the Sea, Norfolk.”

Powerful but a tad on the sharp side for me - but a fine IPA from this little brewery on the Norfolk coast. Bottle conditioned and as usual I wasn’t careful enough to pour a clear pint but never mind. 5.4& A.B.V. August 2019.

607: Humpty Dumpty Brewery | Little Sharpie

The Brewery: “Humpty Dumpty Brewery was founded in 1998 in Reedham, Norfolk, and moved to its current location on Church Road in 2001. We take our name from the GER Class T-19R steam locomotives that operated on the Norwich – Lowestoft line in the early 20th Century……..The 2-4-0 engines were front-heavy and looked as if they might fall off the line, and so were dubbed “Humpty Dumpties”.”

The Beer: “One of our core beers. When: All year round. Description: Our best-selling golden session bitter. A delicate hop aroma leads to a light clean tasting finish.”

Sampled in a the riverside garden of a lovely pub just a mile away from where this was brewed. It neither offended or excited but that’s me and golden ales. Would doubtless make a good session beer and I hope future visits to Norfolk bring forth the opportunities to try more from their range. 3.8% A.B.V.

The Ship, Reedham, Norfolk. August 2019

606: Green Jack Brewing | Gone Fishing ESB

The Brewery: “Welcome to the Green Jack Brewing Company website. Green Jack was founded in 1993 by Tim Dunford, we are a multi-award winning traditional real ale brewery based in Lowestoft in Suffolk. From humble beginnings Green Jack has now grown into one of the largest real ale breweries in East Anglia. In 2009 we built a new 38 barrel brew house in an old smoke house in the heart of historic Lowestoft.”

The Beer: “…is very traditional in style, even though it is brewed with American hops. A deep amber coloured ale, Gone Fishing is fruity and malty - it goes down far too easily for a beer of this strength.”

Oh wow. How I loved this - and their description is perfect. Despite it’s strength it was VERY easy drinking. A fantastic pint that was brewed just up the road from where I was at the time. Worth a shout out too is the Sailor’s Home pub for supporting local smaller breweries - and giving us the chance to sample their wares. 5.5% A.B.V.

Sailor’s Home, Kessingland Beach, Suffolk. August 2019.

605: Mauldons | Mid-Summer Gold

The Brewery: “ Since 1795, the name Mauldons has been associated with well respected, award winning quality beers…..From our Micro brewery In Sudbury, we produce traditional bitters, stouts and porters, the most famous being the award winning Black Adder Stout….”

The Beer: “A light crisp beer brewed with East Anglian malted barley. The presence of First Gold hops gives this summer beer a refreshing finish.”

This followed the powerful and delicious Black Adder and given that golden ales are not my favourite I wasn’t expecting much. I have to say though, that in the pub garden on a warm afternoon, I quite enjoyed it. Would have been more enjoyable a tad colder possibly. 4.0% A.B.V

Sailor’s Home, Kessingland, Suffolk. August 2019.

604: Mauldons | Black Adder

The Brewery: “ Since 1795, the name Mauldons has been associated with well respected, award winning quality beers…..From our Micro brewery In Sudbury, we produce traditional bitters, stouts and porters, the most famous being the award winning Black Adder Stout….”

The Beer: “A dark bitter stout. Roast and nut aromas with a fruity balance of hops and dark malt provide an excellent lingering finish.”

I was really pleased to get the chance to try another Mauldons beer whilst staying at Kessingland on the Suffolk coast and wasn’t disappointed. What a pint, I thoroughly enjoyed this and it’s worth mentioning the pub too. Up to seven real ales, many of which are constantly changing. Related entries.

Sailor’s Home, Kessingland, Suffolk. August 2019.

604: Elgoods | Saturday Night Beaver

The Brewery: “Elgood’s Brewery is a family business established over 200 years ago and run by the Elgood family since 1878. …Today’s Chairman is Nigel Elgood, who ran the brewery as managing director from 1968 to 2002……In that year he handed over the running of the business to the eldest of his three daughters Belinda, who continues as the managing director; while her two sisters Claire and Jennifer are directors. We are very proud of our family history and its association with Elgood’s Brewery.”

The Beer: “A pale ale, with a delicate biscuit malt”

July’s seasonable beer in their movie range from Elgood’s appealed to me because of the pump-clip…yeah I know. Anyway, it was pleasant enough, sitting by the river in Maldon in Essex on a pleasant summer’s day, but didn’t really excite. Ok though. 4.5% A.B.V.

The Queens Head, Maldon, Essex. July 2019

603: Exmoor Ales | Apollo

The Brewery: “Founded in 1979, Exmoor Ales was one of the pioneer ‘Micro Breweries’ to stand against the onslaught of keg ale flooding the market from the ‘Big Brewers’. We concentrated on crafting ales of character and flavour which gained the support of the public and helped lead to the cask ale revival of the early eighties. That we were following the right path was confirmed when, with only our 13th ever brew, our 3.8% session bitter simply know as Exmoor Ale, was named Champion Best Bitter in the 1980 Great British Beer Festival”

The Beer: “Orange-gold in colour, and 4.2% abv, Apollo uses three American hops in the blend, Apollo, Cascade and Willamette, the usage of which, according to Davis, ‘was a brilliant chance for us to go all-out and throw lots of American hops in and see where it took us. I have always loved New World pale ales and IPAs, especially those with Cascade and Willamette in combination, as I think they produce some wonderfully aromatic beers, with oodles of grapefruit and lychee character. So this was a great chance to do a New World pale ale, but in the Exmoor style!”

Reading the pump-clip, I didn’t think I’d be over keen on this - but in the interests of ‘research’ and all that….Extremely hoppy and not for me, although given that it was drunk on a very hot summer’s night I found it perhaps more palatable than I would usually.

The Six Bells, Fulbourn, Cambridge. July 2019.