The local beer scene finally came good at the weekend. The Humphrey Bean, our local JDW in Tonbridge had a really good beer on from Daniel Thwaites, of Blackburn. Golden Wunder, their 4.6% seasonal beer has been specially brewed as the company's Oktoberfest offering. It was a fine, well-hopped golden ale. I'm not sure what visitors to the main event in Munich would think of the beer, but so far as I was concerned it certainly hit the spot.
Brewing a beer to celebrate the Bavarian capital's legendary festival of imbibing seems a relatively recent phenomenon in Britain, but last October I spent a couple of weeks in the United States, visiting my sister and her family. It seemed that most craft brewers over there had produced an Oktoberfest special; many of them being produced in the traditional Maerzen style. The offering from Great Lakes Brewing Company (based in Cleveland Ohio) was the most widely available Oktoberfest beer, and very good it was too. Several other craft breweries had also produced Pumpkin Ales, especially for Halloween.
I digress. Returning to the subject of good English ale, last night we held our CAMRA committee meeting in the Royal Wells Inn; a comfortable, and well-appointed hotel bar overlooking the common in Tunbridge Wells. The Harvey's Sussex Best was on fine form. My faith in our native beer has at last been restored!
2 comments:
I've been fortunate enough to drink their beer in Ohio near Cleveland. I was quite impressed!
Sorry, not really wishing to show off. The best thing was it was all on expenses :-)
Beer always tastes that little bit better when someone else is paying - as does food! I felt the same way back in March, when I was in Cologne on business!
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