Try your luck

The big Wetherspoon on Camden Street, Keavan's Port, does seem to be quite good at what I want a Wetherspoon to do: turning over the cask ales with decent regularity and having them on a few at a time, plus Jaipur as a regular. Irish cask ale would be a double-plus bonus, and it does happen, though it's a rarity. Today's post begins with three beers from a random dismal Sunday in February.

Brains's flagship bitter The Reverend James has appeared on these pages previously, back in 2006, when I found it assertively hoppy. That seems weird, now, for a bitter, so I thought it would be worth a revisit to see if 2022-me's palate finds it any different. It settled a clear and attractive dark garnet colour and from the first sip I understand what 2006-me was getting at. This is no twiggy brown bitter nor chewy malt bomb, despite the appearance. The primary flavour is lemon: an almost spritzy freshly-squeezed effect. The body is light for 4.5% ABV and there's a dry tannic quality providing backing support for the citrus. A very mild soapy quality is the only slight bum note, but it's minor. This is a highly quaffable, thirst-quenching bitter, perfect for the session, though my session wasn't going that way.

Next it's Wolf Brewery from Norwich, and Granny Wouldn't Like It. I'm not sure why she wouldn't: it's a 4.8% ABV red ale which was SIBA's Supreme Champion Cask Ale in 2005. Granny should be all over it. A dark chestnut red, it smells sweetly of milk chocolate and tastes even sweeter. To the chocolate you can add strawberry jam and a wood-sap bite in lieu of bitterness. The pumpclip says it's "oaky" and I guess that's what that is. I'm not wowed -- it's a red ale, after all -- but I enjoyed it. The cask dispense really moves it up a bracket for me: I can't imagine it would be up to much served cold and fizzy from the keg, but cellar temperature with a faint sparkle makes it a real charmer.

Two good beers in a row is unusual for a Wetherspoon session. What are the chances of making it three? The decider was Kingsdown Special Ale from Arkells. There's a whopping 5% ABV to deal with so of course I left it to last. It's a dark brown colour, though still clear. This is one of those plummy English dark strong ales, with notes of port and cork. For all that it's quite easy drinking: you get the sweet fruit up front but it fades quickly off the palate without any sticky residue. I think I'd like some sticky residue. As-is there's a certain blandness to the offer. I enjoyed it, but I think I wanted something bigger and more rounded to finish on. Oh well.

I was back a few days later when Loddon Bamboozle had been added to the line-up. I've not been a big fan of Loddon's wares so far but this is a good one. Their beers, in my experience, tend to be quite thick and soupy, and this bright golden one has a bit of that, but the malt is plastered over with a layer of floral perfume and honey which improves it no end. While still no thirst-quencher, it works well as a dessert, sweet and sippable, feeling far above its 4.8% ABV. One pint was plenty, though.

Regardless, I can't say there was a bad beer in this lot: all well-made and well-kept. There are worse ways to spend €11.80 on beer on Camden Street.