Bar of the Month February: Beerd

In January, I decided to start writing a monthly feature on some of the best beer bars in the UK. I started with one of my favourite places; the Holborn Whippet and decided to ask around for suggestions from this month. So, after a couple of  suggestions on Twitter, I've chosen Bristol's Beerd.

Beerd is part of a growing scene of decent beer focused bars in Bristol. It's owned by Bath Ales, so naturally the selection features a number of their beers. On keg, you'll find Bath favourites such as Dark Side stout alongside other great craft and European beers. Expect Belgian and German offerings such as Palm and Flensburger.

On cask, there's Bath's own S.P.A (Special Pale Ale) alongside a healthy fridge full of bottles featuring amongst others Thornbridge, The Kernel, Flying Dog, Brooklyn and Goose Island.

A real plus point for Beerd is that all the whole draft selection is offered in one third, half, two thirds and pint glasses. So, if you want to get stuck into a couple of pints of your favourite brew you can, but equally if you want to work your way along the bar and still be able to walk out through the door at the end of it, that's also an option!

The funky interior at Beerd

Aside from the excellent beer range, Beerd has another piece of bait to lure you in with - its fine selection of pizzas. There's plenty of choice for both meat eaters and vegetarians alike and at the end of the day, great beer and pizza is always going to be a winning combination!

Not being in the Bristol area myself, I haven't yet checked out Beerd but I will make sure I do next time I'm in the area. Are you Bristol based and if so, what do you think of Beerd's selection and their food offerings?

I've left it a bit late in the month to do this piece, so I'll be picking a bar of the month for March pretty soon. Why not leave your suggestions as a comment below. Or tweet them to me: @thehoptimist1.

Beerd is at 157-159 St Michaels Hill, Cotham, Bristol, BS2 8DB. It opens from 10am - 11pm daily. 

Beavertown America F*ck Yeah Pumpkin Ale

Beavertown America F*ck Yeah

London's Beavertown are brewery that are pretty hard to ignore right now. They make some fantastic beers including 8 Ball which is a rye IPA and a delicious smoked porter called Smog Rocket. After trying these, I was instantly intrigued by America F*ck Yeah, their spiced American Pumpkin ale. 

We don't generally do pumpkin ales in this country, they're very much an American thing. Often released as an Autumn seasonal beer, everyone from Dogfish Head to Brooklyn and Stone have had a crack at Pumpkin ales.

I must admit, I've tried a couple of pumpkin ales that I wasn't keen on. The taste can often be confused overwhelmed by spice. It turns out I just needed to find the right one!

America F*ck Yeah is a damn fine beer. The addition of pumpkin to the mash lends it a warm earthy quality and contributes to the beautiful hazy orange colour of the beer. The best thing about this beer is its balance. There's a presence from the hops but there's also the hearty pumpkin flavour alongside a touch of sweets from the malts and just enough spice.

The beer has a beautiful aromatic quality to it, with hints of ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Every element of America F*ck Yeah's flavour profile is perfectly balanced against each other. It's a brilliantly comforting drink for the Autumn or winter and makes a nice change from using a darker beer for the same purpose.

The range of different beers being produced by microbreweries in the UK at the moment is expanding all the time. From Wild Beer Co's Saisons to Thornbridge's Vienna Lager and Camden Town's wheat beers; breweries are making distinctive takes on European and American beer styles. America F*ck Yeah is for me a beer that builds on this spirit of innovation that we have in the UK brewing scene at the moment.

Personally, I'd like to see a lot more breweries having a crack at an American pumpkin ale. It's easy for a brewery to get this style wrong by having the spicy flavours out of balance with the other elements elements of the beer. This is however, something that Beavertown has definitely managed to avoid.

There are still a few bottles of America F*ck Yeah kicking around but it is a limited edition beer, so it may now be hard to find. However, if we show Beavertown how much want them to, then they may just brew it again!

Craft Beer London: The App and the Book

The Craft Beer London iPhone app from Blue Crow Media

For sometime now, there have been a number of mobile apps for locating bars in the in the capital, but 'Craft Beer London,' which is curated by London based beer writer Will Hawkes is the first to focus on the capital's burgeoning craft beer scene.

It's a great time to be drinking beer in London, as the choice is  phenomenal. The city boasts two Brewdog bars, the Camden Town Brewery Bar, three Craft Beer Co bars and numerous other top drinking spots, off-licences, breweries and brew-pubs. Some of them however, are a little less obvious than others and having an app to help locate them is a great tool for the drinker who is looking to try something new.

I've had the app for a few weeks now and I've got to say, it is pretty neat. Thirsty punters can flip between looking for bars, off-licences and breweries. You can search for bars based upon name or use your location if you're out in town and can only see bars that have crap on tap.

It's already helped me locate a couple of gems. I work near Brixton, but hadn't taken in the excellent Crown and Anchor before, which has a brilliant range of beer including Dark Star, Brooklyn and often Thornbridge and others. 

The app has also made me pay attention to a few innocuous looking street corner off-licences  whose unassuming façades give nothing away of the beer bounty within!

The functionality of the app is great and it also looks really nice. It's regularly updated and at the moment has to be the best tool for tracking down down interesting beer and bars in London. 

The Craft Beer London Book, by Will Hawk on Vespertine Press

Now, if you're wanting to relax in your armchair at home and consider a possible trip to a brewpub or want to look out a location for meeting a friend, then the companion book to the app may be up your street. It's published by Vespertine Press and available here for £10, which seems like a bit of a bargain!

I can't wait to get my hands on a copy and will write a post about it when I do. The cover image and design of the book look great and if the app is anything to go by, it should be an excellent reference tool for the discerning London beer drinker.