Another beer brought over to my place on Saturday (cheers Séan) was Meantime London Pale Ale. As it happens, I bought a bottle of it on my last trip to Sainsbury's, so I've had well more than my fair share of this recently, and it's one that warrants repeat visits.A straight-up honest half-litre bottle contains a slightly hazy orange beer at 4.3% ABV. The head forms tight and lasting, with zesty fruity aromas ascending from beneath. These continue in the slightly grapefruity notes in the flavour -- signature of the American hops. But they're not allowed dominate, sitting next to some of the delicious floral English variety, redolent of juicy oranges with a hint of peach and some black tea tannins giving a dry finish.
Basically, this has all the benefits of the US and UK pale ale styles with none of the catches: no overcarbonation, no metallic tang, no tiddly bottle and no understated flavours. Beautiful.
So I'm psyched for next week's trip to London and a return visit to the Pig's Ear Festival in Hackney on Wednesday evening. Anyone out there going to be around?
Hi Beer Nut,
ReplyDeleteI fly back into London on Wed night so wont be around. Next time though!
I'll fly out of London on Wednesday evening, so it's Pig's Ear on Tuesday, I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteMaybe a lunchtime pint on Wednesday?
Alas, it'll be 3.30pm before I land in Heathrow.
ReplyDeleteGosh sarnit. We'll be at Pig's Ear all day Thursday and Friday so looks like we'll miss you. How on earth can you do Pig's Ear properly in a single evening session?? Leave some beer for us!
ReplyDeleteThe miracle is that I'm there at all. If anyone at my meeting on Thursday morning suggests changing when or where we have it each year, there will be sharp words from the Beer Nut in the corner.
ReplyDeleteIf you find yourself at a loose end in Central London for an hour or two might I suggest De Hems in Macclesfield Street in the heart of Chinatown.
ReplyDeleteGood selection of Dutch and Belgian bottled and cask beer in a long-established Dutch bar which is a nice haven considering its surroundings.
It's the road between Shaftesbury Avenue and Gerrard St.
Whole free hours in London? I dream of such things, but it never happens.
ReplyDeleteBut thanks for the suggestion, nevertheless.
I use De Hems all the time when I visit London.
ReplyDeleteIt's central for meeting all my old chums who work in Soho AND - the most important thing - is a quick walk to Picadilly Circus for the tube to Paddington and the Heathrow Express.
Living in Cork the last Aer Lingus flight out is around 10ish which means getting to Heathrow for about 9.15pm which means back-timing everything to the very moment you can down your last drop and run out of the door of De Hems without missing your flight.
Which is easier said than done after a few hours on the piss with strong bottled beer from Belgium and Holland.
As I say, well worth a visit for anyone homeward bound in a hurry.