The Ormskirk Baron: 2016

Cornish Crown One Hop One Grain

Not bottle conditioned

Cornish Crown One Hop One Grain [baron rating 1/5] - 4.1% gold ale,metallic sweetish smell,earthy orange squash taste,unpleasant dry finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

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Thank you to Cornish Crown for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Cornish Crown ales direct

Uprising Treason

Not bottle conditioned

Uprising Treason [baron rating 3/5] - 6% copper ale,toasted solvent smell,sweet resinous marmalade cloying taste,sweet fruity finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

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Thank you to @bob_beer from Best of British Beer for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Uprising ales from Best Of British Beer

Looking forward to baron rating Vedett beers

A "Duvel Vedett care package" arrived some weeks ago and I've been that busy/lazy/remiss that it's only now that I'm actually writing about it (so sorry R&R Teamwork!)

Great branding & a very stylish glass!

Duvel Moortgat Brewery

Vedett Extra Blond [baron rating 4/5] - 5% "well-hopped pilsner" premium lager
Vedett Extra Ordinary IPA - 5.5% "IPA, but not really from India and not really a pale ale"
Vedett Extra White - 4.7% wit beer, bottle conditioned & unfiltered

Look out for 'baron ratings' of these beers soon, and a big thank you to Emanuele from R&R Teamwork for sending these through to me!

Buxton Extra Porter

Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Buxton Extra Porter [baron rating 5/5] - 7.4% black ale,coffee vanilla dark choc smell,roast coffee burnt taste,dry vanilla coffee finish

Buy Buxton ales from Holborn Ales

Shropshire Brewer The Golden Arrow

Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Shropshire Brewer The Golden Arrow [baron rating 4/5] - 3.9% gold ale,biscuity tangerine smell,grainy citrus bittersweet taste,bitter finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to @bob_beer from Best of British Beer for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Shropshire Brewer ales from Best Of British Beer

Brighton Bier Bier

Not can conditioned

Brighton Bier Bier [baron rating 4/5] - 4% gold ale,orange tangerine smell,crisp citrus bitter taste,fruity pithy finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to @bob_beer from Best of British Beer for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Brighton Bier ales from Best Of British Beer

Bude Porthbud

Can conditioned with perfect carbonation

Bude Porthbud [baron rating 3/5] - 4% copper ale,posh marmalade smell,frothy zingy citrus taste,smooth lime finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to @bob_beer from Best of British Beer for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Bude ales from Best Of British Beer

Looking forward to baron rating La Virgen ale

Spanish beer? What do I think about Spanish beer? I think I've not tried very much of it! Luckily for me BASCO got in touch with me this week asking if I'd like to try some Spanish beer and snacks - sounds like a great idea! Not only did they send a couple of bottle of La Virgen Jamonera but also a lovely looking pack of Serrano ham!

Beer and cured meats, a match made in heaven!

La Virgen

Jamonera - 5% amber ale

Thank you to Cornish Crown for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Cornish Crown ales direct

Animal Oink

Not bottle conditioned

Animal Oink [baron rating 3/5] - 4.6% amber ale,sweet red cherry smell,boiled sweets bittersweet taste,long sweet finish

Thank you to @bob_beer from Best of British Beer for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Animal ales from Best Of British Beer

Windsor & Eton Conqueror 1075 2012

Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Windsor & Eton Conqueror 1075 2012 [baron rating 4/5] - 7.4% black ale,smoky berry smell,vanilla choc huge taste,cloying burnt bitter finish

Thank you to Leigh for bringing this round for a baron rating!

Buy Windsor & Eton ales from Holborn Ales

Listen to what Chris, Leigh and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Magic Rock Cannonball can

Not can conditioned

Magic Rock Cannonball can [baron rating 5/5] - 7.4% gold ale,pine tropical smell,sweet resinous zingy fruity taste,pithy bitter resin finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

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Thank you to Paul Kruzycki from Ales By Mail for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Magic Rock ales from Ales By Mail

Cloudwater DIPA v6

Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Cloudwater DIPA v6 [baron rating 5/5] - 9% hazy gold ale,tropical ripe pineapple smell,thick fruity sweet resin taste,long bitter finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

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Thank you to Chris for bringing this round for a baron rating!

Buy Cloudwater ales from Source Deli

From the cellar: Greene King Suffolk Springer

Not bottle conditioned

Greene King Suffolk Springer* [baron rating 5/5] - 6% dark ruby ale,boozy xmas cake smell,sweet molasses plummy raisin taste,fruitcake finish

* means that this bottle has been cellared/aged and is not indicative of what it would be like if drunk fresh.

I had this bottle hanging around since 2010, the Best Before Date was November 2011 so at the time of the review this beer was over five years old. Not quite sure why I'd not baron rated it sooner, think I was expecting it to be horrid. Maybe a fresh bottle of it is not that great but this aged one was really something special.

Listen to what Chris, Leigh and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Wild Beer Bibble

Not can conditioned

Wild Beer Bibble [baron rating 4/5] - 4.2% copper ale,biscuity spicy smell,fruity mild peppery taste,big herbal bitter finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

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Thank you to Paul Kruzycki from Ales By Mail for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Wild Beer ales from Ales By Mail

Hillside Summit

Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Hillside Summit [baron rating 4/5] - 4.9% ruby ale,blackcurrant cherry smell,balanced creamy roasted bitter taste,black cherry dry finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

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Thank you to Paul (@Hillsidebrewery) from Hillside Brewery for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Hillside ales direct

Island Records Session IPA

Not can conditioned

Island Records Session IPA [baron rating 4/5] - 4.5% copper ale,tropical citrus smell,pithy fruity bitter taste,chalky tobacco bitter finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Paul Kruzycki from Ales By Mail for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Island Records ales from Ales By Mail

Wychwood Gratis

Not bottle conditioned

Wychwood Gratis [baron rating 3/5] - 4.2% gold beer,grassy earthy smell,juicy bittersweet but lacking body taste,lager-like finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Emanuele from R&R Teamwork for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Wychwood ales everywhere!

Cornish Crown Red IPA

Bottle conditioned with dull carbonation

Cornish Crown Red IPA [baron rating 2/5] - 6% murky copper ale,fleshy fruit smell,burnt sugar fruit taste,sweetish fruity finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

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Thank you to Cornish Crown for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Cornish Crown ales direct

Cornish Crown Porter

Not bottle conditioned

Cornish Crown Porter [baron rating 4/5] - 5.2% ruby ale,choc vanilla smell,balanced vanilla sweet choc but bit thin taste,smoky burnt finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Cornish Crown for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Cornish Crown ales direct

Hillside Over The Hill

Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Hillside Over The Hill [baron rating 4/5] - 3.5% black ale,choc burnt smell,choc creamy roasted bitter taste,blackcurrant bitter finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Paul (@Hillsidebrewery) from Hillside Brewery for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Hillside ales direct

Wychwood King Star

Not can conditioned

Wychwood King Star [baron rating 4/5] - 5.6% gold beer,grassy herbal smell,buttery menthol bittersweet taste,dusty dry clean finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Emanuele from R&R Teamwork for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Wychwood ales everywhere!

Pistonhead Flat Tire

Not can conditioned

Pistonhead Flat Tire [baron rating 4/5] - 4.5% gold beer,cereal nectarine smell,fresh crisp mild fruity bittersweet taste,clean finish

Cornish Crown St Michaels

Not bottle conditioned

Cornish Crown St Michaels [baron rating 2/5] - 4% amber ale,soil caramel smell,earthy caramel spicy malt taste,cloying bready bitter finish

Thank you to Cornish Crown for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Cornish Crown ales direct

Looking forward to baron rating Wychwood Gratis gluten-free beer

Not only have Wychwood released a lager recently but they are now addressing the ever growing sector of Gluten-free beers. Brewed due to an enquiry from Marston's Inns and Taverns' pubs, it will be available in 330ml bottles. Apart from the bottle they also send some Gluten-free snacks, Rude Health's organic Mini Corn Crackers & The Pumpkin snack bar:

Gluten-free beer & snacks

Wychwood Brewery

Gratis - 4.2% crafted golden beer brewed with the flavoursome Styrian Golding hop to give a light floral aroma, but a heady and firm bitterness, for a sharp and bold aftertaste

Look out for a 'baron rating' of this beer soon, and a big thank you to Emanuele from R&R Teamwork for sending it through to me!

Hillside Legend Of Hillside

Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Hillside Legend Of Hillside [baron rating 5/5] - 4.7% copper ale,sweet orange smell,chewy peppery citrus bittersweet taste,big bitter spicy finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Paul (@Hillsidebrewery) from Hillside Brewery for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Hillside ales direct

Cornish Crown Golowan Ale

Not bottle conditioned

Cornish Crown Golowan Ale [baron rating 4/5] - 4.1% gold ale,mild citrus smell,zingy lime orange spicy bitter taste,bitter finish

Thank you to Cornish Crown for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Cornish Crown ales direct

Marshall Blonde

Not bottle conditioned

Marshall Blonde [baron rating 1/5] - 6% gold ale,acetone solventy smell,tart banana sour apple taste,cloying lingering vomit-like finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Buy Marshall Blonde from Morrisons

Looking forward to baron rating Hillside ales

I met Paul from Hillside Brewery back in May when judging at the SIBA Wales and West beer competition. He was showing us pictures of their barn conversion which looked like it was going to be an excellent bar, function area and a great addition to the brewery.

A month ago a box of Hillside samples showed up, here are the details:

Hillside Brewery

Jolly Jester - 9% Belgian style beer
Legend of Hillside - 4.7% English IPA, with a subtle honey flavour, and a strong hop finish
Legless Cow - 4.2% best bitter, has a rich caramel flavour with a smooth citrus hop finish

Over the Hill - 3.5% dark mild, a full bodied, single-hop malty dark mild
Pinnacle - 3.8% pale ale, great session beer leaving a fresh fruity finish
Summit - 4.9% ruby ale, a bold well balanced ale with rich malty flavours, deep caramel notes and a hint of toffee and chocolate to finish

Look out for 'baron ratings' of these beers soon, and a big thank you to Paul (@Hillsidebrewery) from Hillside Brewery for sending these through to me!

Harbour Session IPA

Not can conditioned

Harbour Session IPA [baron rating 5/5] - 4.3% copper ale,orange smell,piney refreshing lime orange bitter taste,bitter pithy lime finish

Wimbledon Quartermaine IPA

Not bottle conditioned

Wimbledon Quartermaine IPA [baron rating 2/5] - 6.2% copper ale,heavy candied sweet smell,sugary orange spicy taste,soapy citrus finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Paul Kruzycki from Ales By Mail for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Wimbledon ales from Ales By Mail

Looking forward to baron rating Duvel's Tripel Hop Tasting Box

A couple of months ago I was invited by drink and food PR firm R&R Teamwork to join them down in London for a Duvel evening where you could try six of the previous Tripel Hop limited edition beers. Duvel Tripel Hop is a wonderful beer (in all it's versions) but London is just a bit too far from Ormskirk for an evening of drinking. I did suggest that if they wanted to send me the six beers then that would be great but it was more of a tongue-in-cheek comment rather than actually expecting to receive them...

6 bottles, 1 pencil & a Tasting Notes book

Duvel Moortgat Brewery

I'd normally explain what each beer in the pack is and what the bottle label says about it but in this case the only difference on the label is the number on the front. I can tell you that they are brewed to the recipes used over the past few years for the Tripel Hop specials. Each one is regular Duvel brewed with an additional hop, these are: Amarillo, Citra, Sorachi Ace, Mosaic, Equninox & HBC291.

Look out for 'baron ratings' of these beers soon, and a big thank you to Emanuele from R&R Teamwork for sending these through to me!

Everards Two Tribes

Not bottle conditioned

Everards Two Tribes [baron rating 2/5] - 4.5% gold ale,clean fruity citrus smell,buttery spicy citrus taste,slight biscuit finish

Salopian Sienna

Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Salopian Sienna [baron rating 4/5] - 4.4% copper ale,fresh piney smell,smooth resinous peachy chewy peppery taste,bitter finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Jake (@SalopianBrewery) from Salopian Brewery for handing this over for a baron rating!

Buy Salopian ales from Holborn Ales

Peerless Triple Blond

Not bottle conditioned

Peerless Triple Blond [baron rating 3/5] - 4% gold ale,very mild fruity smell,lemony sweet citrus bittersweet taste,dry smooth fruity finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to @bob_beer from Best of British Beer for sending this through for a 'baron rating'!

Buy Peerless ales from Best Of British Beer