The random beer generator that sits behind the walls of Marks & Spencer in Jervis Shopping Centre threw up a bottle of M&S IPA a few months ago. I've yet to encounter an M&S beer that's worth what they're charging for it (though the Carlow-brewed Irish Stout comes close), but the high turnover means I'll always buy a bottle of whatever's there just in case this is The One.The IPA is not The One. It's barely even a Half. There's a vague hoppiness to the aroma but it makes it clear that big, sweet crystal malt is the driving force behind the whole thing. We get a little bit of hard bitterness at the start of the flavour, and a hint of floral notes at the end, but otherwise it's sweet, slightly sticky, toffee malt all the way through. Nothing is cloying or difficult, but none of it is particularly interesting either. This is a Marks & Spencer jumper of a beer.
Do you get the M&S bottle conditioned range your side of the water? I rate that very highly. They even let you know who brewed those ones. Not bad names, either - the likes of Cropton and Woodforde's.
ReplyDeleteApart from the dodgy cans, the only ales we get happen completely randomly, one at a time.
ReplyDeleteYorkshire Bitter is the only bottle conditioned one to show up so far, and only because there was a rapidly-expiring surplus, I think.
Thanks for the link - I enjoyed reading your Cropton review.
ReplyDeleteSomething I've noticed with bottle conditioned beers: UK BC beers taste bloody awful if the sediment slips in - it seems very important to let the bottle settle and then pour very carefully to avoid the foul gunge.
However, Belgian and Dutch BC beers it's up to you and it certainly doesn't taste bad at all. Indeed, some beers you keep the sediment until the end as a yeasty delight.
Why the difference? I can't fathom.
Well it took me several years to learn why clear beer is so important to UK drinkers. But now that I know, I see what you mean.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think this one was too bad, but we certainly don't get the best of the M & S range in Ireland.
ReplyDeleteThis might interest you, its Marks & Spencer beer with tasting notes by Roger Prozt along with some brewer info
ReplyDeletehttp://www.beer-pages.com/notes/results.php?score=1&source=marks
This page might be a litter old as Dublin brewing company are list as the brewers for the Irish stout!
Maybe you need to forgive an oblivious U.S. reader, but what is this magical random beer generator you speak of?
ReplyDeleteMerely a reference to the fact that M&S have a very wide beer portfolio which is provided simultaneously to stores in the UK, but they appear one at a time on the shelves in Ireland, suggesting that some machine is throwing them out and retracting them at randowm.
ReplyDeleteMy metaphors suck, OK?
LOL. Tis OK. I guess I was just hoping that someone had invented a real beer randomizer!
ReplyDeleteM&S Cornish IPA is a fantastic beer. One of the best RAIBs I've ever tried!
ReplyDelete