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A few travels by bus, train, etc, let me try lots of beers beyond Preston.
Acorn Brewery – Blonde 4% **** More golden than pale, nicely headed, crisp tasting and modestly citrussed. Real ale – The Ferret, Ashton, Preston.
Acorn Brewery – Yorkshire – Pride ***** Traditional malty and dry straw-pale ale with a berry-citrus edge to it. Real Ale – The Ferret, Ashton, Preston.
Brew York – Haze Of Thunder 4.5% **** Very standard but acceptable citrus saturated pale ale with Simcoe hops you can certainly taste. Real Ale – Vinyl Tap – City Centre, Preston.
Dark Star Brewery – Hophead 3.7% *** Another citrusy light bitter – these are beginning to all taste rather cliched and alike. A trend I’d like to see end. Real Ale – Market Tavern – City Centre, Preston.
Eden Black Brew Co. Eden Black Penrith Porter 4% ***** Pleasant refreshing dark ale, traditional, cold taste, heart warming and session ale strength too. Real ale The Wainwright Inn Keswick, Cumbria
Farmyard – Sheaf 4.1% **** Subtly hopped golden ale, with a modest citrus aftertaste. Real Ale – The Ferret, Ashton, Preston.
Fixed Wheel – Chain Reaction Pale Ale 4.2% **** American style pale ale, a citrussy orange ale that is as golden and pale as they come and quite refreshing. Real Ale – Vinyl Tap – City Centre, Preston.
Hopstar – Lancashire Gold 4% ** Lively, dry over hopped, mildly citrussed attempt at a traditional bitter that is drinkable but dull. Real ale, Bolton, Lancashire.
Jennings – Cumberland Ale 4.2% ***** A classic barometer traditional benchmark bitter, light copper coloured ale, hoppy and with no nonsensical citrus novelty add ins. Real ale, Twa Dogs, Keswick. Cumbria
Lakeland Beer – Helvellyn Gold 4.2% **** A decent hazy golden ale with an IPA quality taste and sour aftertaste. Craft Beer – Keswick, Cumbria
Marston’s – Dragon Ale 4% **** Traditional and described even in the official beer notes as ordinary. A dragon being emblematic of Wales made this a very apt drinking choice for the venue I was in. A fine light tasting copper coloured little number. Real ale. The Queen Victoria – Llandudno
North Riding & Five Towns Brewery – A Little Wonder 4% ***** Interesting collaboration between two breweries resulting in a first class traditional golden ale without the current trend for adding citrus touches to everything. Real Ale – Vinyl Tap – City Centre, Preston.
North Riding – Rum And Raisin Dark Mild 3.8% ***** This tastes as strong and full bodied as the name promises despite its low gravity which is great. Real ale – Guild Ale House – City Centre, Preston.
Pennine Brewing Co – Heartland 3.9% ***** Unexpectedly Moorish malty ale that seems much richer than it is, with a caramel finish too. Real ale – Tap End – Ashton, Preston
Pentrich – Paper Wings 4% *** Multi-hopped with blueberry citrus add ins – ok but not great. Real ale – Plau – City Centre, Preston.
Potbelly Brewery – Captain Pigwash – 5% ***** Cheekily named in parody of a TV cartoon pirate, this chocolate porter is a dreamy creamy ale to die for. Real ale – Tap End – Ashton, Preston
Problem Child – Heidrun 4.2% ***** Darkish golden ale, dry tasting and quite distinctive taste. Slightly foral bouquet, session ale strength. Real ale – The Ferret, Ashton, Preston.
Thornbridge – Brother Rabbit 4% **** Lemonised pale ale, giving it a tangy citrus edge. Real Ale – Vinyl Tap – City Centre, Preston.
Titanic – Avalon 4.8% *** Munich malted pale ale, with the taste of oranges – decent but not one of Titanic’s best Real Ale – Black Horse – City Centre, Preston.
Wilderness Brewery – Isn’t That In Wales? 3.8% **** Yes, the brewery is Welsh. A fine pale golden ale that tastes a lot more full bodied than most ales of such a modest ABV. Surprising and worth a try. Real Ale – Vinyl Tap – City Centre, Preston.
Photos taken by me
Arthur Chappell
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