Brewed by Carlsberg Danmark A/S Style: Strong Pale Lager Copenhagen,Denmark
A true Carlsberg classic, Elephant Beer was first launched way back in 1959. The elephant represents both strength of the beer and an exotic taste, or at least that’s what the pen notes say.
The inspiration came from Architect J. L. Dahlerup who, in 1901, created a tower resting on four elephants carved in granite. He in turn got the idea from the Minerva Square in Rome, where an obelisk supports an elephant.
This became known as The Elephant Gate and today is part of the main entrance to the brewery in Copenhagen.
The four elephants each bear the initial of one of Carl Jacobsen’s children: Theodora, Vagn, Helge and Paula. Carl Jacobsen, of course, is the son of Jacob Christian Jacobsen, the founder of the Carlsberg brewery.
Since then, the Elephant Gate has been a famous Danish landmark, and this is why Elephant beer is so important to the Carlsberg group, representing both historic and family ties.
The Elephant beer is made in the Carlsberg Brewery in Copenhagen and exported all around the world.
Review: 330ml bottle Bottle of Carlsberg Elephant Beer: ABV: 7.20%
Comes in a 330ml (11.2 ounce) nice green bottle. With an alcohol content over 7% you are expecting a kick with this brew.
Would look nice to drink cold from the bottle.
On pour a nice clear golden yellow colour, with a good foamy head which settles to a decent looking lager, no real lacing.
A real beery smell, with a very strong tinge of alcohol, and a very sweet, grainy maltiness apparent, some hints of honey.
On taste I got a creamy mouthful, with some grains
Lots of sugar, a very sweet malt after taste, too sweet in fact. I found this NOT NICE at all, too harsh to drink! Lots of alcohol in the taste
Overall, it was too strong, a bit chemical, a bit flat, and a very bad chemical aftertaste. It is certainly a strong beer to drink!
For sure its strong and has a kick but that’s in absence of any discernible taste or flavour. I found it very difficult to drink, lots of bitter hops, too many, and the malts kicking in to the fore. Not for me.
Brewed by “Les Frères Papinot” (Brauerei Locher Appenzeller Bier) Switzerland
Calvinus beers have been brewed by the Papinot brothers of Geneva (“Les Frères Papinot”) under the umbrella of the small scale, but popular, family run Locher Brewery in Appenzell for over 15 years. So even though it is classed as a Geneva bier, at the moment this is strictly not quite true.
Having said that though the recipes and brewing methods are taken directly from Geneva, and the name gives reference to Calvin the protestant reformer, a man with strong links to the city.
Beautiful Alpine spring waters are used in the brewing process with organically grown barley, hops and yeast. There are three types of Calvinus beers: light, wheat and dark.
Brewed with wheat from the Appenzell region, this Witbier is brewed in the best craft tradition, unfiltered, containing Alpine spring water, organic wheat, barley, hops, yeast, coriander and orange peel.
On pour a lovely yellow colour shows with a very nice creamy frothy head, all of which looks pretty good. The head is damn good, very bubbly, but it does die a little after, with not much lacing. Beer turns to a murky cloudy colour after a while when it settles.
The smell is strong, a lot of sweet smells, mainly wheat and yeast, and some citrus.
A very strong taste, full of sweet grains at the start. This is a very tasty beer, full of taste. A taste of cream, wheat and yeast, with each mouthful nice and smooth, and very light. Even if it was very sweet you do get used to it, and this beer is a bit of a slow burner. In the end I did enjoy drinking a couple of these beers. Wide tasting and pretty refreshing. Not bad.
Review: Bottle of Calvinus Blonde (organic) Beer: Style: Belgian Pale Ale 5.20% ABV
Only organic ingredients are used for this pale, naturally cloudy beer that was originally brewed according to a secret recipe from Geneva.
On pour a lovely looking beer appears, golden yellow colour, with a big frothy creamy head, that looks good, but which dies a little, the colour changes too, gets a bit murky and cloudy by the end which doesn’t look great to be honest
A nice aroma, faint but has a good beery smell, smells of citrus, bready malts and earthy hops.
Taste was a little hard for me to describe, wasn’t strong, was malty and deep tasting. Bitter aftertaste, hoppy and earthy, with a long finish. Crisp and good in the mouth.
Was drinkable for sure with light flavours, not bad, could be a session beer, but nothing to write home about either, and, dare I say it, a little boring, but drinkable all the same.
Brewed by Oettinger Brauerei Style: Pale Lager Barad-dûr, Germany
Finkbräu De Luxe, another Lidl special. Special in that its dirt cheap, catering for students and those that are skint, you can get a bottle for about 50 cents, or less depending on where you are.
Brewed by Oettinger Brauerei, a brewery giant from the small town of Oettingen in Bavaria, Germany who have a long history, dating back to the year 1731.
With most brands selling nationwide, Oettinger Brauerei have a reputation for offering a wide range of beers and soft drinks on the low price range, and for mostly getting involved in the retail sector. These low prices have made them a hit, with the brewery one of the main market leaders in the country.
Review: 25 cl Bottle of Finkbräu De Luxe: ABV: 4.5%
The Lidl France special that’s as cheap as shit.
On pour a good creamy head appears but which dies a death. The beer has a lovely clear yellow colour. Quite a bit of fizziness, and didn’t have any lacing.
Aroma is a typical beery smell, a strong smell of sweet grains, which I liked.
There was little or no taste, or at least nothing I could discern. A slight initial taste found at the start, of hops, but fell flat on the mouth. Also was a bit dry in the mouth, no taste at all, disappointing. No real stand out taste here, some malt and hop flavors but mostly watery.
Brewed by S.A. Damm Style: Pale Lager Barcelona, Spain
Estrella Damm, known as the Mediterranean beer, was formed in Barcelona in 1876 by August Küntzmann Damm, a recent arrival from the Alsace region of France, fleeing the Franco-Prussian War. Both he and his wife settled down in the Catalan capital, and August continued with his passion for brewing, bringing the skills he learnt back home but this time using the advantageous Mediterranean climate and excellent locally produced natural ingredients to produce good tasting beers. Today the S.A Damm has its very own malthouse where it can produce its own malt barely and still use the exact same recipe that August used all those years ago.
Over 125 years of brewing has made this brand the oldest in the whole of Spain, and the name Estrella means “star” in both Catalan and Spanish.
Estrella Damm is available in many countries, including Australia, and in the UK as a 4.6% version. In the United States, it is available through United States Beverage, LLC.
Review: Bottle of Estrella Damm: ABV: 5.4%
Estrella Damm, the Mediterranean beer, a perfect accompaniment to some Tapas or exquisite Spanish seafood.
On pour, a massive head appeared, light clear yellow in colour. The large head took a while to settle, all that carbonation I guess. Not really much to look at, a fairly standard euro lager, had some slight lacing.
I did like the aroma. Had a typical beery smell, was very good on the nose. Smelt clean and crisp, of sweet malts, grassy hops and a touch of citrus.
Was a very light beer to drink, quite easy to guzzle down. Not a whole lot of taste to be honest, but a hint of an aftertaste, the faint bitter hops in the end. The beer was a typical Euro lager, crisp and clean, smooth and very easy to drink. I’d imagine it wouldn’t be too bad to have it, served cold, while staring out to the Mediterranean Sea on a hot summers day.
Brewed by Empresas Polar Style: Pale Lager Caracas, Venezuela
Don’t know a whole lot about Venezuela to be honest, Hugo Chavez and his social revolution and that they tend to win a lot of world beauty pageants (6 Miss World, 7 Miss Universe, 7 Miss International and 2 Miss Earth titles: Thanks Wiki!).
So it was great to come across a Venezuelan beer at the local offy, called Polar with a very distinctive logo of a Polar beer, go figure!
Polar is Venezuela’s most popular brand made by Empresas Polar, the largest brewery in the country, founded in Caracas by Lorenzo Alejandro Mendoza Fleury, Rafael Lujan and Karl Eggers in 1941. Since then they have diversified into all kinds of industries, mainly in the food and drinks industry. The brewery produces other beers but Polar is by far the most popular, and can be purchased in America (if you search hard enough for it), but mainly on the holidays islands of Aruba and in and around Venezuela.
So they have the most beautiful women on the planet I wonder what kind of beer they have…..
Review: Bottle of Cerveza Polar: ABV:5.00%
The Polar Pilsner from Venezuela, the vacation beer perfect for the beach and served ice cold.
The appearance wasn’t too bad, looked good. On pour, a nice white head developed which quickly dissipated. The beer was a pale, yellow colour, and with some thin lacing
I found the aroma was pretty strong, a very acute smell, very sweet, of malts, grain, very citrusy. I did like the smell.
Taste was interesting. I did taste what felt like some fruit, lemon and apples. This beer tasted more like a fruit juice than a beer, very sweet.
Was very easy to drink, had a good flavour and taste on all fronts, grainy and sweet malts. Easy to drink, nice good mouthfuls, a nice feel on the tongue. Not a strong beer, and no strong aftertaste, but still pretty sessionable, with a very crisp, clean finish and smooth to drink.
Not a bad beer overall. Can imagine it must be nice sipping it ice cold on a beach near the Caribbean.
Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar Starring Jay Chandrasekhar
Kevin Heffernan
Steve Lemme
Paul Soter
Erik Stolhanske
Jürgen Prochnow
A lazy afternoon, raining outside and with not much on, I decided to choose a movie that had some beer related theme, so I picked the first one that came up on the googley, Beerfest
These kind of movies, “low brow comedies”, are always hit and miss. I had enjoyed “Dude, Where’s My Car?” (Even with that knob Ashton Kutcher in it) for example, but found “Euro Trip” horrendous.
So I don’t have high hopes for this movie. I am sure it will tick all the stereotype boxes as it is set in Europe in and around the time of the Oktoberfest in Germany. Lets guess there will be a lot of lederhosen and funny German names.
But let’s wait and see, to the movie……..
“Bring on the beer, they’ve got the nuts”, the “hilarious” tagline on the movie poster.
The basic premise of the movie is that two brothers (Wolfhouses) travel to Munich for Oktoberfest, to spread the ashes of their believed beer drinking grandfather, only to stumble upon a secret beer competition described as a “Fight Club” with beer games. The secret beer fest is run by Baron Wolfgang von Wolfhausen (Jurgen Prochnow, of Das Boot fame), who the brothers discover is a distant relative. The baron insinuates that the brothers grandfather was a thieving stable boy who stole a famous Bavarian beer recipe, and their grandmother was nothing but a prostitute. After making an ass of themselves at the beer competition, swearing revenge and honour they return to the USA to set up an American team to do battle with all those crazy Europeans at the next beerfest.
The motley crew that is assembled is an unlikely bunch, we have a male prostitute named Barry (Jay Chandrasekhar), a man mountain called Landfill (Kevin Heffernan) and a Jewish lab nerd with a Phd in beer, Fink (Steve Lemme), and the two Wolfhouses brothers, Jan (Paul Soter) and Todd (Erik Stolhanske). The five team members, are known as the “Broken Lizard,” comedy writing group, who have made a few similar movies of this ilk in the past. A lot of the movie is focused on This Magnificent five training hard for this fest, and those sneaky Germans trying to recover the stolen recipe. The movie ends with the ultimate battle of beer games between the Americans and the “krauts”, all rounded off in the “Das Boot” (Boot of beer) challenge!
Of course with Jurgen Prochnow we get a lot of Das Boot references, and Donald Sutherland guests at the start, as the Wolfhouses grandfather who drinks himself to death, while Willie Nelson also makes a silly pot related cameo in the end.
The movie scored a low enough 41% on the Rotten Tomatoes site, with an average rating of 5/10, but it did make a small profit at the box office taking just over $19 million in the US, from a budget of $17,500,000, thus cornering the frat boy beer swilling market for that year!
So is the movie any good?
I have to be honest I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did. The story is good for what it is, and I didn’t have to use up too many of my precious brain cells figuring out any plot lines here, but all the characters are pretty damn funny, and the movie is a good laugh. I really don’t get why it has got mostly negative reviews as for me, a drinker who likes the craic, there were definite moments in the movie that I could relate to, and some of the beer references were spot on.
The opening scene is a cracker. A can of beer cracked open, a bottle filled, the can chucked on ground. Classy, with the added on advisory to not to try and copy any of the drinking stunts at home, “Dont drink this much! If you attempt to drink this much, you will die!”
Overall, the characters are quite likable, and Yes I was actually rooting for the American beer drinking team (Go USA!). Most of the gang are drunk all the time, and most scenes are set in bars or drinking parties, so whats not to like? Inebriation all around: lots of falling down, hangovers, vomiting, beer conquests, beer games, beer fights, and tits, and lots of them.
The acting is pretty good too from all involved, with Kevin Heffernan and Jay Chandrasekhar putting in star performances.
The Germans (the “krauts”) are portrayed as angry, all the time, which is always funny, that and the way they use English: “It was ze greatest beer in all ze world!” I am sorry but that never gets tiring! (and I am currently learning German!)
Of course some scenes are silly. There is one scene with a frog and wanking, which is beyond moronic, and Landfill’s brother joining the gang just makes no sense at all.
Found the “different stages of drink” (drink, fight, singing, hangover, drink again) was brilliantly done, and the training tool on how to drink like the Germans was amusing, but the highlight of the movie for me was Barry’s conquest after a night on the town. Hilarious. And he didn’t give a shit! Just the way I like it!
A movie called BeerFest, well its not Hamlet, (actually that would be a good tagline!), you know exactly what you are going to get…..people guzzling vast quantities of beer, getting wasted, acting the maggot, and with a bit of nudity and puking thrown in, yeah that’s all good for me.
Its stupid, but its fun stupid, plus I was drinking when I watched it! So, if you are looking for a comedy with a lot of laughs to beat a slow Sunday, to recover from your hangover or whatever, then this is the movie for you.
Brewed by Rye River Brewing Company Style: Range of small batch beers Kilcock, Co. Kildare, Ireland
Drinking in an Irish beer session can produce a lot. For most of us it gives us a stomping hangover, and a not so pretty toilet the next day. But for three lads, Alan Wolfe, Niall Phelan and Tom Cronin, this drinking session gave birth to a great idea. Now I have loads of great ideas when I am on the gargle, but unlike them I have no experience with the likes of Molson Coors, Guinness and Heineken, as the aforementioned have. Bored with the uncompromising corporate world, and wanting to try something new and exciting they decided to buy a brewery.
So in late 2013 Rye River Brewing Company was established in the small commuter town of Kilcock in Co. Kildare. The company borrows its name from a river that passes through the town. Starting off with 3 they have quickly jumped to about 50 employees, and for one simple reason: Success.
Their flagship brand, McGargles, has proved very popular, served in 250 bars round Ireland, exporting to about 15 countries including the USA (into 150 pubs in New York) and Canada, and winning many awards along the way including eight medals at the International Beer Challenge in London.
But that doesn’t tell the whole story. The brew team have the extensive experience in the drinks industry that is required to make this work. Niall is ex-Molson Coors, Alan ex-Diageo, and Tom ex-Heineken. The company’s Head Brewer, Alex Lawes is well respected within the industry and is a 3rd generation Guinness brewer, and they have a Yeast Expert in Preet Singh, all amongst a team of about 50 making Rye Brewery the success it is.
They have built a state of the art brewery, the first 100% Irish made brewery to be built in over 100 years, and invested heavily in the brewing team and technology with the ability to produce high quality beers. Having one of the most advanced breweries in the country is not enough though. Soon they hope to have a 5,000 sq ft visitors and conference centre opened. They also plan to open their own bottling line saving on imports.
They also distribute for well-known brands San Miguel and Bavaria, along with craft beers Coiso from Denmark and Innes & Gunn from Scotland.
They have brought a little humour to an industry that is in danger of taking itself too seriously. One has to only look at the beer snobs and hipsters throttling the life out of what should be a fun market. Go onto any beer forum and be amazed at the seriousness of it all. Christ its beer, no need to take it too heart. Take a chill pill, or in fact have a McGargle’s Granny Mary’s Red Ale!
The McGargle’s Irish Family Beers have been a sight to see in the stalls of shops and off licenses with its unique and striking imagery. A range of small batch beers that include IPA, Irish red ale, lager, stout, pale ale, and wheat beer. Each beer has a story, representing a member of the typical Irish family with its own unique personality and tale to tell. That and the clever tagline “You can’t choose your family but you can choose your beer!” It all looks great, and definitely stands out. I love this. Usually an Irish beer will play up the stereotype twee shite, the shamrock and all that, but this is something a little bit different. It’s very different, yet still typically Irish, the dysfunctional Irish family that we can all relate to…….Granny is head of the family, the mad uncle, and a hyper daughter amongst the rest. There is one or two in every family, or at least a less extreme version of that.
For Kilcock this exciting new venture is a return for the town to past glories. Kilcock which takes its name from the 6th century Saint Coca who founded a church in 550 A.D beside the Rye River. Even though Kilcock is a small town in Ireland it is quite well known, mostly as it is a town that many recognise from the bus or train making a stop on its way to Dublin. Also the town was a major trading centre from as far back as the medieval period thanks to the Normans who laid it out as a principal trading centre. As the Normans were experts in building successful towns, holding markets and fairs and in trading, well all that work builds up quite a thirst. Over time several small brewing and distilling industries popped up in the town. The first official record of Brewing & Distilling here dates back to May 1595. In fact on one occasion Kilcock was home to five breweries, two whiskey distilleries and two malt houses.
With the opening of the Grand Canal in 1796 further increasing trade into Kilcock, trading agricultural goods off to Dublin by barge, 6 distilleries opened to facilitate in this new found enterprise.
All this history means something. The town of Kilcock has the brewing heritage and in what was once Kelly’s bakery dating from the 1700s Rye River Brewery found a location to call home. One would like to think that the brewers of the past are looking down kindly, gently pushing the team into making top class beers. For the future Rye Brewery want to be the best little beer business in the world.
They also want to involve the people of Kilcock in their meteoric rise. They are creating jobs, fuelling the local economy and bringing a much needed boost to a forgotten town that would love a return to the grand old days of prosperity. People now have a reason to visit the town. People tend to forget that breweries are big productions, bringing much need revenue and employment into a town.
But apart from their expertise the team have the passion and the love of their craft.
One thing I must commend Rye Brewery is their effort to get the general wider public involved in the craft beer revolution. They provide hop kits, and offer help and advice to people who are seriously interested in home brewing, and are attracted to the brewing business. They want to involve the general public into the process. If you can’t bring the beer to the people then bring the people to the beer!
I feel that Rye are an Irish version of those Scottish scallywags Brewdog, showing a lot of fighting spirit, with a hard nose for business, but all done with a healthy dose of humour. It’s great to see how fast that Rye have risen, and the future looks dead exciting for both the people of Kilcock and the wider beer community in Ireland. Perhaps the McGargle Family might lighten up a bit?
For more on Rye Brewery and all the exciting work they are doing, please have a listen to this excellent podcast with 11PMSomewhere interviewing Niall Phelan, one of the founders of Rye Brewery. 11PM Somewhere Podcast
The McGargles Story
The island of Leannclann is more than just the home of the McGargles Brewery. There you’ll find cantankerous auld ones, swearing dwarves, ambiguous lotharios, flirty daughters, and out-of-control hippies. This is just what the McGargles call family.
McGargles has come a long way from the family bathtub where it was first brewed, and weary travellers thirsty for a drop often brave the danger for a taste of the legendary brews. Although most are never seen again, on quiet nights, whispers of “one more pint” can be heard on the wind.
A McGargles family night out has been known to bring whole towns to a standstill. Don’t be afraid to join in though. Everyone is welcome in the McGargles family, as they say: you’re at your Granny’s now!
You can’t choose your family, but you can choose your beer.
Review: Bottle of McGargles Granny Mary’s Red Ale, Irish Ale 4.4% ABV
Granny Mary is as fiery and strong as her malt-driven Red Ale, and is known for her temper, which is as bitter as the hops that balance it. With the arching of an eyebrow she could make or break your day, and for some reason, just plain refuses to believe in dolphins.
A popular brew with Rye’s customers. Brewed with earthy Fuggles Hops and a combination Vienna and Cara Munich Malt.
The appearance showed a very dark deep reddish colour with a slight thin white head.
A really nice aroma of pale malts, caramel and toffee, lovely.
Taste: A light bodied taste of caramel that lingers on the tongue. Not a strong taste, a bit grainy, but an easy enough beer to drink, easy and light on the palate, and light bitter finish. Clean and nicely balanced.A good introduction to the McGargle Family range of beers.
Review: Bottle of McGargles Knock Knock Ned’s India Pale Ale 6.5% ABV
Knock Knock Ned, like his brew, spent years entertaining crews of Merchant Seamen. Don’t be fooled by his height – this world renowned pirate impersonator with his two wooden legs, is as hoppy as his Indian Pale Ale, and equally as rugged.
Ned’s IPA is balanced with three types of specialty malts. Rich hops, Cascade, Target and Hallertau to give this IPA a distinct and unique flavour.
The appearance was one of a dark reddish amber colour, looked nice, with a decent enough white head that doesn’t stay around, leaving some lacing.
A slight aroma of malt and floral hops
A lot of depth to this beer, a lot going on with the taste buds. The taste is sweet and malty.
Found it to be a very strong tasting beer, that had a very sweet bitter aftertaste. A beer I enjoyed drinking slowly, noting the6.5% ABV that can be felt throughout! Overall not too bad, a good strong beer to enjoy unhurriedly.
Review: Bottle of McGargles Fancy Frank’s Lager, Pale Lager 4.5% ABV
A clean, full flavoured and somewhat fruity lager.
Pours a light straw coloured appearance with a small head, a pretty standard looking lager.
Aroma is sweet and smelling of malt
On taste I got a lot of fruity flavours, full of fruit in fact.
Tasting of malt, the fruit and very sweet. A crisp lager, short sharp, and did the business.
Review: Bottle of McGargles Cousin Rosie’s Pale Ale 4.5% ABV
Cousins Rosie’s Pale Ale perfectly balances bitter citrus fruit notes with a caramelised palate. It’s a strong, hoppy Pale Ale with a well-rounded finish. Just remember, Cousin Rosie drank it long before it was cool.
Cousin Rosie’s Pale Ale perfectly balances bitter citrus fruit notes with a caramelised palate
On pour a pretty good looking beer appears, a nice dark amber ale with a decent white head that leaves pretty good lacing. A looker!
The aroma was also pretty good, a smell of fruit and malt. A good ale smell
Taste the fruits, the citrus, and of the hops with a slight aftertaste. This beer had great depth to it, a nice good feel. With a lot going on in the taste, its good to take your time over this beer, appreciate the tastes, take a good mouthful, and enjoy.
Decent enough beer, I certainly liked it, and will be eager to give this one another try in the future.
Review: Bottle of McGargles Uncle Jim’s Stout 4.5% ABV
A smooth, well rounded stout.
As you would expect for a stout it has a dark black coloured body with a good sized frothy white head which sticks around. Looks the part.
Aroma wasn’t too strong, faint malts, and caramel.
Absolutely gorgeous taste of chocolate throughout in this stout, loved it. Dark malted, toasted, and coffee on the taste buds. Not a heavy drink, pretty easy to drink. The chocolate lingers long in the mouth.
Would really love to have a crack of this stout on draft, must be very pleasurable! One to check out again for the future.
Overall, I enjoyed the Stout and the Pale Ale the most, while the gang I was with went with the Red Ale. I will definitely try and get that Stout on draft, if possible, and it will be interesting to see if there are any new additions to the McGargle family in the future.
(Hot off the press: Rye Brewery are currently in the process of moving to a new and improved location………….so watch this space!)
Brewed by Ceylon / Lion Brewery Limited Style: Imperial Pils/Strong Pale Lager Biyagama, Sri Lanka
A beer from Sri Lanka? Now there is a novelty. And the beer bottle looks enticing too. A big lion on the bottle looking angrily at me, “buy me, roar!
Lion beer
Lion Brewery is a Sri Lankan owned and operated brewery that produces Lion Lager, a bestseller in both Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
The Ceylon/Lion Brewery was the first brewery established in Sri Lanka. In 1849, Samuel Baker, the famous British explorer and officer, set up a small brewery mainly to cater for the local expats and other well to do types who were making their money on the tea plantations in the beautiful cool climate of Nuwara Eliya, with its perfect natural spring water. It was only until 1881 that the brewery started to get serious and began brewing on a commercial basis, with the Ceylon Brewery Company officially taking over the operations.
In 1993, the Ceylon Brewery was took over by Carson Cumberbatch & Co Ltd, a diversified group of Sri Lankan businesses. This group turning the brewery into Sri Lanka’s leading beer brand. This success didn’t go unnoticed and in 1996 the Carlsberg Group acquired a 25% share in the brewery.
To note, the company is called Lion Brewery, with the Ceylon Brewery remaining as a holding company.
Also the brewery now has its headquarters and operates out of the town of Biyagama, just outside the capital Colombo, with the Nuwara Eliya operations now closed.
The brewery rules Sri Lanka with an impressive 82% of the market share, and apart from the extra strong lager they also produce a regular lager and a stout. Lion can be bought in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia amongst others.
Review: Bottle of Lion Strong Lager 8.80% ABV
A Gold medal winner in 2012 from the Monde Selection, the Michelin Guide version of beer, the lager came in some pretty impressive imagery, the bottle showing a very intimidating lion face. I guess signifying strength and prowess. Perhaps his name is Cecil?
On Pour we have a dark golden colour, with a nice sized white head that dissipates quick enough, leaving pretty good lacing . Looks decent, like a proper beer.
Got a very fruity aroma, an apple and a lot of sweet smelling malts. The smell was quite strong, all that fruit!
For a lager that is 8.8%, it was very well hidden, not feeling the true strength at all.
There is a very fruity taste to this beer, very overpowering. The taste lingers in the mouth, very sweet with a good grain taste. Some bitterness in the aftertaste.
Interesting beer alright, could actually be a decent session beer considering the ABV. as it was very easy to drink. I had four of them, and was fine! (I think!).
Brewed by Holsten-Brauerei (Carlsberg) Style: Pilsener Hamburg, Germany
When I was a kid Holsten Pils was a big player. I remember the great ads they had on the box, and the London football team Spurs had them as a shirt sponsor on and off for over 10 years.
Me, just a nipper, wasn’t quite sure what all the fuss was about, but that’s the power of advertising, making Holsten a major player in the UK lager market.
Not so sure how the beers sell these days, not so well perhaps, but I managed to find a few cans for a review, and I might add these were bought in Germany and not the standard fare you might get back in the UK. Not really tried Holsten before so wasn’t sure what to expect.
The beers are made by the Holsten Brewery (Holsten-Brauerei AG), originating from Hamburg, Northern Germany. Founded in 1879 Holsten have seven breweries in Germany, and also brew in the UK (Northampton). The company was acquired by the Carlsberg Group in 2004.
Its biggest-selling product is the premium brand Holsten Pilsener, a 4.8% abv pale lager, first produced in 1953 and sold all around the world
Review: Can of Holsten Pilsener Premium: 4.8% ABV
This typical Northern German beer is brewed according to the strict purity laws of the Reinheitsgebot of 1516 using only the finest quality, pure, all natural ingredients – hops, barley malt and spring water. Standard issue for German brews.
The aroma is grainy with a nice hoppy smell , giving a typical pilsner smell, all lovely and sweet.
On pour a large frothy head appeared, which didn’t hang around. The colour is a clear golden yellow colour. There is some fair lacing. Looks decent enough.
Enjoyed the taste, a nice balanced crispy mouthful of flavours (barley, grain, yeasty) whizzing around, all tasty. The taste is mostly grassy hops with a hint of sweet grain. Lager taste
There was a hoppy bitter aftertaste which was a little strong in the end
Overall it is a very smooth lager, not strong but clean, crisp and very drinkable, definitely a good session beer. I felt it had a lovely feel to it which was soft on the mouth. I liked it, best I had in a long time, nice and refreshing, and one I will return to again in the future.
One day I stumbled across an interesting article in the Guardian (as you do!). The DJ Dave Haslam was writing about the time he went to Manchester to check out another DJ, who had built up a bit of a local reputation doing Morrissey and Smiths nights. Dave Cotrill has done his disco nights since 1994 in The Star and Garter, just behind the Piccadilly train station.
Reading the article set the imagination running. Sure why not? So I decided to book the flights, arrange the accommodation and just check out Manchester for myself (and mate).
Just passed through Manchester before so wasn’t sure what to expect, but boy the accommodation was a classic. Once again I didn’t disappoint!
Here follows some of what we got up to
I can’t remember all the bars and clubs we went into since the days and nights of drinking were long and hard. Nor can I remember a lot of what I was drinking either.
I did enjoy the weekend though. Manchester is a rough and ready city, people are mostly friendly, and it’s a town I would like to visit again. All in all it is a decent place. And yes, they do walk around with a “Manchester swagger”
The Star and Garter is a pub in Manchester, but not any ordinary pub. It is a bit of an institution as it hosts alternative music events. The SnG puts on rock, punk and indie nights, they showcase new and upcoming bands, and more established crews (The Ting Tings, Badly Drawn Boy, Status Quo, UK Subs, and more…, have all played here), and on the first Friday of every month they host a Smiths disco dedicated to all things Morrissey. The nights are such a hit that the venue has become synonymous with the Smiths, attracting Morrissey fans from all over the world. Liverpool got the Beatles and the Cavern Club, Manchester has Moz disco nights at the Star and Garter!
The SnG is situated slap bang in the middle of nowhere really. Behind Piccadilly railway station, down a side street under an iron bridge, and on the very edge of the city border. Pass the pub and you wander into what looks like a less than salubrious part of town. Apparently this is near Manchester’s red light district. God only knows where they do business, perhaps the bushes and side streets? Didn’t see much life around here. In all this wonderful isolation stands tall the Star and Garter, a Grade II listed building here (or here abouts, was moved brick by brick a 100 yards) since 1803. It looks the part, at any moment you expect the building to come crashing down on top of you. Go early, as we did, and you will find that the pub doesn’t do business in the day time, it was closed.
Getting there before the disco gave us a chance to have a few beers, shoot some pool, and have a good chat with some of the Morrissey fans.
The interior looks like your old style traditional British pub, no frills. The carpets were sticky, the chairs and tables were timeworn, the alcohol came in cheap cans, and the atmosphere was all relaxed.
Talking to Craig and Deb, a nice couple who travelled up from somewhere out of town for the Moz night. They have been here a few times, so I guess you could call them regulars. They first came here “because it’s funny, not the biggest fans in the world but, this sounded hilarious”. Before going out with Deb, Craig didn’t really know who Morrissey was, but now he loves the music, and has now pretty much got every album, “Before, I knew who they (the Smiths) were, but could only name about 2 or 3 of their songs, but now can’t I get enough of them!” Deb, on the other hand is a long-time fan. “Basically when I was 11 someone gave me a bunch of tapes, most of them were rubbish, but the Smiths were interesting, there was something there really”, and so that started a love for the quiffed one.
Met Tim, from Leeds but now lives nearby, who certainly looked the part, who has been coming to the Moz nights for ten months or so.
On what we can expect tonight, Tim told us we were in for a good night, “What can you expect from tonight, a lot of Morrissey fans and some news ones as well. It’s absolutely amazing. You kind of spend the whole month listening to Morrissey mostly on your own, then you come tonight and you’re listening with a load of people.”
On why he likes Morrissey, “He just gets its, he just gets life, he just gets it. I have tried and have tried to explain why Morrissey resonates. No one quite hits it like Morrissey, and Johnny Marr as well, is just an amazing guitarist. Life isn’t a bunch of gladiola and he (Moz) takes that and he makes it beautiful, he acknowledges it and he makes it beautiful with his words. I have liked the Smiths for a long, long time, I don’t think you can describe it with words”
On what Morrissey would make of all this hero worship, “I think he secretly likes it” Indeed, I would think he does too!
William, who travelled up from West Yorkshire, about two hours away, told us that he was born in 1994, the year that these Moz Disco nights started, showing that Morrissey also appeals to a younger crowd, and not just to us old softies. William has been coming to these nights for the last year, and loves Moz, “I like the sound of the music, and that’s a very superficial way to read the Smiths. I started thinking about Morrissey like he is some kind of poet, but you know, I love Morrissey with all my heart and soul and honestly he is quite an inspiration to me”
And after a few more pints, we eventually decided to take the stairs and follow the music. The disco had started!
Upstairs is the dance floor, a decent sized room, dark with bright lights.
A small crowd at the start, but by the time things got going into full swing, the floor was packed with happy punters, all dancing and singing along to all the songs. I did dance, I admit that. Not a great mover, but it was one of those nights that no one cared, the atmosphere was fun and friendly, everyone united in their love and appreciation of the Moz.
A good night, and one that I would love to repeat again in the future.
Manchester United Football Club
Sir Matt Busby Way
Old Trafford
Greater Manchester http://www.manutd.com/
So since we were staying in the area we decided we might as well toddle off down to Old Trafford and see what all the hype is about. Apparently Man united are meant to be one of the biggest teams in the world.
Nicknamed the “Red Devils”, even though I like to refer to them as Manure united, they have legions of fans from all over the world. From Asia to America they all know of Manchester United, the brand. And we could see this. Outside the ground were busloads of Asian fans, taking photos like crazy.
They have won a record 20 English league titles, and have 3 European cups in the bag, so I guess they deserve some begrudging respect.
Looking at it from the outside, Old Trafford certainly looks like a decent stadium. The “Theatre of Dreams”, was opened way back in 1910, and has a capacity just under 76,000. Bombing in the Second World War destroyed much of the stadium; which meant that during the reconstruction Man Utd had to play its “home” games at their rivals Manchester City’s Maine Road ground; Interesting.
A nice statue of Matt Busby stands at the entrance to the ground
Busby won the League in 1952, a first league title for 41 years, and of course won back to back titles in 56 and 57 with a squad of young ones, “The Busby Babes” (average age of 22)
Also there is a clock showing time standing still. The time when Manchester united suffered its greatest tragedy, the Munich air disaster, when 23 people lost their lives (8 players) returning from a European cup tie in Belgrade.
The plaque nearby is in memory of those who died in the Munich air disaster, including the eight players’ names.
Busby rebuilt the team, and we can see this in the statue of the trilogy, Best, Law and Charlton, the trio that helped Man Utd win its first European Cup in 1968, the first English football club to do so.
Seen the Alex Ferguson Stand, which looked good
Alex Ferguson was some manager, good old red nose. Did the business though, 13 league titles and 2 Euro Cups. Can’t argue with that, even if he was a grumpy bastard. Grew up looking at this team win all around them, and to be fair they always played great football, and played right up to the death of a game. God only knows how many goals they nicked in the last minute/second minute/third minute/forth/fifth/sixth minute of injury time……….
We were thinking of doing the stadium tour, but at £18.00 a pop for the full tour, and £14 quid for a quick walkthrough and gander at the pitch, we decided against it. For fecks sake that’s the price of a ticket for a non-league team, or a team here on the continent. Just so we can say we saw the pitch, or were near the dugout. Feck off!
The Red Café was decent though, had a beer there and they show re runs of classic games on a screen, which was good.
We did have a good chat with John though. John sells scarfs outside the ground for about 7 quid. He was good fun, and told us about the new hotel, “Hotel Football”, that ex-players Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville own nearby, that had a plastic pitch on the roof. So naturally we had to have a look, and yes, there really is a pitch on the roof. How cool is that!
After checking out one famous Manchester institution we decided to head onto another icon of the city, Salford Lads Club. The club is famously associated with a 1986 Smiths image on the “Queen is Dead” album cover, showing the band looking moody hanging around just outside the club. The band also included the club in a few of their music videos. At the time the boys clubs were not too happy about it at all, but over time they eventually saw sense.
So famous is the image that Smiths fans from all over the world visit the club to copy the famous iconic picture.
With all the fans, the club eventually decided to tap into this demand and in 2004 a special Smiths room was opened showing messages from fans and a lot of memorabilia of the band. There is also a small store room that sells Smiths t-shirts, badges, postcards, and even chocolate!
The actual boys club was established in 1903 as a recreational club to help out local working class boys, and get them off the street and up to no good. Now open to girls as well, the club still continues the fine tradition of helping out local youth through sport, exercise, and various other activities, with people volunteering their help and time to keep the club running along. The building is listed and remains virtually unchanged since its foundation.
I am not sure how many fans actual venture into the building but it was good that we did as we met Amber , a volunteer at the club, and who does all the designs for the Smiths memorabilia they sell. Amber gave us a brief potted history of the club, showed us around the building, and was very helpful. Amber was so chatty and fun that it put us in a good mood for the rest of the day. Perhaps she could try some of her charm on the moody Morrissey, but then I guess that’s why we like him so much, the thick bastard!
I bought a tee which I found out later is one of the limited editions that is only on sale for one year only. Made me up knowing that! The tee-shirt features the famous picture of the group outside the club, and Stephen Wright the photographer has allowed it to be reproduced from November 2014 to November 2015 only, to help raise vital funds for the club. A generous gesture that is going a long way to helping the club meet its many upcoming charitable commitments in the next year and beyond.
So for the Saturday we were to meet Charlie Veitch and have a friendly chat with him, and a few beers, nothing too mad. No lizards or Mossad drills.
Without going into the ins and outs of it all, basically Charlie is one, or at least was one, of the leading internet conspiracy theorists. I say “was” as he had an epiphany on a BBC TV show (“9/11 Conspiracy Road Trip”) and turned his back on the 9/11 “truth movement”.
Once a friend of the mad David Icke and the bad Alex Jones, this u turn caused a shit storm in the movement, and resulted in Charlie getting a lot of online hassle, and been branded a “traitor” to the cause. Whatever the feck that is.
I respect Charlie for this. It takes big balls to hold your hand up and say that you think you might be wrong about something you were once so passionate about.
I have followed Charlie for a long time on YouTube, from the old days of the Love Police, and even seen him in action with the shenanigans he got up to in London (kettling the police was gas craic!). I don’t always agree with what he says, or sometimes how he goes about making his points, nevertheless I do watch his videos, for better or for worse, but always engaging, always entertaining, and sometimes quite bold.
Anyway after all the beers and the chat, Charlie seemed like a decent skin to me, top bloke and good fun (And his two friends). So suck it haters.
Watch the video anyway, and remember I don’t work for the BBC, and had a good few pints, so go easy on the hating, it’s not good for you!
We decided to jump into this pub to have a look at the CL final. From the outside and the décor it looks like a Wetherspoons’. Certainly has a similar sort of clientele.
Had a pint of Korev, a Cornish lager that I acquired a taste of over the few days. A good crowd in for the game, with many TVs and chances to watch the game.
Was a nice reasonably priced pint, in good company with everyone enjoying the game.
The kind of bar that is a must if you want to see some football, with a beer and some atmosphere.
Another drop in bar, and again for football. Wanted to have a look at the Ireland V England game so we saw that they had it on in this pub, so why not.
A nice traditional looking pub, which is apparently a grade 11 listed building, and is said to be Manchester’s oldest pub having first gained its licence way back in 1730!
Had a decent pint of Korev, and a packet of Tyrrell’s English style crisps (that’s considered lunch) which were delicious. And I thought the English didn’t know how to make decent crisps!
Anyway a nice pub, a lot of history on the walls, good service, and friendly staff. Got very comfortable, so we decided to have a few pints here, and why not, the pints were perfect. Not a big crowd in, perhaps due to the early kick off time, and the TV had no sound on which I kind of appreciated. Rather not listen to the inane chat that passes for commentary these days.
Nice place for a good chat in the middle of the day, a good place to while away a few hours.
As we were a bit early for the Smiths night and the Star and Garter wasn’t open we needed to booze up. It looked like the SnG was on the edge of nowhere and nothing to be found beyond so we walked back and came across the Bull’s Head, right across from the train station.
Looked decent so we ventured in. Nice cosy atmosphere. We went straight to the bar, and immediately mingled in with the chat. Met the landlords, Brendan and Paula, who were both good fun, and very friendly. In fact all the staff were chatty and good fun. Of course my mate was instantly attracted to the retro arcade games, and it took a lot of effort to get him off the damn things. Children shouldn’t be allowed into bars!
We were starving for some good food (real food, not pub grub), and decided to leave, but promised Brendan and Paula we would be back the next night. With great regret we didn’t make it back as we ran out of time, but it’s definitely a bar I will check out again if I am ever in the vicinity. Beer was very good, and the company excellent.
Also it’s worth noting that this is another of Manchester’s oldest bars, a bar on this site dating back from the late 1800’s.
Walking in from Salford, we were a bit tired and thirsty. My mate pointed out this pub out to me as we walked by, I wasn’t so sure, looked a bit too posh for me, but we sat down outside and ordered some beer and a bit of food to boot.
And you know it wasn’t that bad, with the sun making a brief appearance and beside the canal and its locks, it was very enjoyable just shooting the breeze in wonderful surroundings. Inside, the bar has some old style wooden décor, very spacious, and has a lot of cool antique pictures pottered around the place showing all manner of history and old alcohol advertisements.
Staff were extremely friendly, very efficient service, and the beers and food were top quality. I had a Lowenbrau. I know I really should have tried some British beer, but…..
Location makes this bar. A really great place to be on a pleasant hot day. Nice relaxed crowd too, with no music or TV blaring out, no wonder we stayed for more than the one beer. Very relaxing! Of course since this is North England, time to go and move on was when the dark clouds appeared, with the rain starting the terrace emptied out and that was the end of the Wharf!
Oh before I forget, the rug. The rug inside is amazing! Yeah, the fecking rug!
From the Wharf, walking back into the town, we passed “The Knott”, which was recommended by some beer bloggers I Know.
We went up to the balcony which was pleasant enough, doing some people watching and all. But if truth be told the place was filthy! I am not one generally to complain and maybe it was cause we just came from the immaculate Wharf, but Jesus it was the middle of the day, not nearing 12 after a busy night. When I say filthy, I mean puke in the toilet bowl, empties all over the place, stale and uneaten food on tables. Perhaps we arrived when the cleaning staff were on a break?
The décor is pretty cool, music prints and beer posters and it had a chilled vibe going on. Was quite busy.
I ordered some Shameless Pale Ale. It was very bitter, very hoppy, and quite hard to stomach to be honest, even if it looks magnificent in the pic.
Drank it down quick and decided to move on!
Brewdog, another recommendation from some of my contacts, those Scottish chappies and their extra strong beers.
When you walk into a bar first impressions matter. This looked like a fecking darkly lit supermarket, we were very close to just doing a quick turnaround out the door, not that the bar man gave a shite. The atmosphere wasn’t much better, a lot of wankers around the place, and what is with all the high stools.
Anyway stayed and ordered beers, their own brew, which wasn’t too bad at all. Decided to leave the drunken fools, and sat down outside. Good decision, much better company, and at least could have a decent chat(A big hello to Michael and Siobhan).
Toilet was banjaxed, had to use the disabled. What is it with Manchester and toilets?
Pretty sad when the best part of the décor is the toilet area, and who the feck plays board games in a pub?
Regret not having a burger here though, from what I have read subsequently, it’s meant to be top class. Ah never mind, at least the beer was good.
Wanting to have a good talk with Charlie V. we decided to pop into the nearest pub which just so happened to be a Mr Thomas’s Chop House.
A grade 11 listed pub, Mr Thomas’s Chop House first opened way back in 1870. It shows, the interior is all Victorian with tiled walls and a dark wooded bar, and pictures of historical Manchester dotted all over. Old fashioned surroundings and tradition, all adding to the atmosphere of the place. In the middle of the day the pub was heaving with customers, and after quite a long time we eventually got served and brought our drinks to the outdoor area out at the back.
When the weather turned we decided to have a pint inside. The place is so small that no cats would be swung in this pub. Standing room only, belly in, this is a great advantage as in close quarters you have no choice but to meet and chat with strangers, they are literally in your face! We ended up meeting loads of people, all great fun.
A Mr Liam Donnelly from Warrington who got a bit upset with me when I told him he looked like Jimmy Summerville and not, as he had thought, Jimmy Saville! It took me a while to figure why he was talking about Michael Jackson!
Great craic, place was buzzing, I don’t mind admitting I had a good time at this bar.
Don’t know what was going on with the drinks, but I was drinking Heineken, which again wasn’t probably the best choice what with all the great British beers available (probably, I couldn’t see the bar!), but hell, I didn’t have time to discuss options at the bar. With so many people crammed into such a small narrow bar, it was a case of order something, anything, fast! Had a few beers here.
Cosy and friendly boozer, full of character, the best bar on this short trip hands down, and as we were leaving also had a good chat with the bouncer at the door, full of chat and very friendly. Strongly recommended!
And as you would know it we ended up in Vina Karaoke bar, a place that has a bit of a “reputation”. Apparently it can get “hairy” at times, and I aint talking about some of the women. I am not surprised what with some of the clientele, the set-up of the place, and the bouncers on heat.
But otherwise it was good fun, enjoyed the music, some of the karaoke efforts were not bad, and beer was cheap enough. As long as you don’t forget to take off your cap, and don’t wear a bollard on your head, everything should be fine!
La Tasca Manchester is an “authentic” Spanish Tapas Bar and Restaurant. They say on their website that if you close your eyes you might just be in Spain. Yeah sure, but this is a place we ended up in twice over the weekend. A good central location, good pints, and a nice chilled place to have a quiet talk and unwind.
Had the tapas here. They don’t sell tapas in the bad lands of Ireland, so never had it before. Was tasty and hit the spot.
Service very friendly, always smiling, chatty, and checked a few times to see if we were ok, which is a nice touch.
Even though the beers (Mahou) looked quite strange, with a head that mushroomed out, in fact they were damn tasty.
I liked this bar/restaurant, had a nice ambiance, all surrounded with a Spanish décor. It’s a shame we didn’t know at the time that they don’t close till 4 am on the weekend, playing Latin style music downstairs long into night. God dammit, that would have been fun!
A very nice relaxing place, with good beer. Recommended.
One final thing: Had some cider in an Italian restaurant that I cant remember, but by god it was lovely cider. Aspalls Suffolk Cider, very tasty.
A true Carlsberg classic, Elephant Beer was first launched way back in 1959. The elephant represents both strength of the beer and an exotic taste, or at least that’s what the pen notes say.
Comes in a 330ml (11.2 ounce) nice green bottle. With an alcohol content over 7% you are expecting a kick with this brew.
On taste I got a creamy mouthful, with some grains
Calvinus beers have been brewed by the Papinot brothers of Geneva (“Les Frères Papinot”) under the umbrella of the small scale, but popular, family run Locher Brewery in Appenzell for over 15 years. So even though it is classed as a Geneva bier, at the moment this is strictly not quite true.
Brewed with wheat from the Appenzell region, this Witbier is brewed in the best craft tradition, unfiltered, containing Alpine spring water, organic wheat, barley, hops, yeast, coriander and orange peel.
Only organic ingredients are used for this pale, naturally cloudy beer that was originally brewed according to a secret recipe from Geneva.
Finkbräu De Luxe, another Lidl special. Special in that its dirt cheap, catering for students and those that are skint, you can get a bottle for about 50 cents, or less depending on where you are.
The Lidl France special that’s as cheap as shit.
