Category: Beer

Cloudwater Brewery

Cloudwater Brewery is based on a fairly non descript industrial estate close to Manchester’s Piccadilly station. If you didn’t know it was there you’d never be any the wiser. Cloudwater host a brewery tour every Saturday morning starting at 10.45. You can check availability and buy tickets here Just make sure you allow enough time to find it!

Cloudwater Facts

  • The brewery only started production in February 2015
  • The online store opened in 2017
  • Cloudwater was voted second best brewer in the world in the 2017 Ratebeer awards.
  • They do not produce a core range of beers and have a creative philosophy in their brewing
  • Wheat and oats are used to give the finished beer mouthfeel. They release proteins which bond with chemicals from hops. The beer is hazy/cloudy and  this will eventually sediment out. This is why such beers have a short shelf life.
  • Freshness is key and their beers have three dates on the beers. COD – canned on date. FFB – freshest flavour before date and BBE – best before date.
  • There is a terroir aspect to hops, some of the best coming from the USA and New Zealand. Hops are a significant expense in the brewing process.
  • Beers are centrifuged before canning/bottling to remove suspended particles of yeast/hops and so produce a better balance in the beer

Cloudwater have a taproom just a short walk from the brewery itself. Located in the railway arches on Sheffield Street very close to piccadilly station.

The Beers

  1. Cloudwater DDH Centennial Pale 5.5%. Orange/amber in appearance, hazy, small white head. Aromas of orange, lemon and slightly tropical. Flavour is burnt orange and grassy, low bitterness, smooth. Slight bitterness on the finish. Very drinkable.
  2. Cloudwater DIPA V3.1 8.5%. Yellow/orange, cloudy in appearance, small head. Aromas of mango, citrus, banana, and pineapple. Mouthfeel is good, full, smooth and creamy. Low bitterness, quite sweet. Flavour is complex with tropical fruits, caramel and pine. An interesting and excellent beer.
  3. Cloudwater DIPA V3 2018 8.5%. The recreation of a beer first made in 2016. Deep yellow/gold with the very slightest haze, small light tan coloured head. Intense aroma of grapefruit, orange, tropical fruit and malt. Palate is rich and creamy with medium bitterness. Flavours of orange, mango and caramel. The finish is long with a hint of bitter orange. (Can)
  4. Cloudwater Session Pale Laurel 4.5%. Yellow, cloudy, light head. Aromas of citrus – lemon and grapefruit. Palate is soapy, pine, resin. Lingering finish.
  5. Cloudwater Pilsner Motueka Mandarine 5%. Pours yellow/gold with a slight haze and a small persistent head and nice lacing. Delicate aromas of grapefruit and orange.. Lovely mouthfeel, creamy with a gentle bitter tang and a touch of sweetness. Flavour of malt, caramel and citrus. Clean and refreshing. Very nice. (Can)
  6. Cloudwater Small IPL Citra 2.9%. Orange/yellow, hazy and pours with a good white head. Aromas of grapefruit and orange. There is a good flavour of citrus with a nice burnt orange edge. Dry with medium minus bitterness. Very drinkable. (Can)

Cloudwater may not make the cheapest beer around but considering the attention to detail that goes into their production they are well worth it. Beers are well made, characterful, packed with flavour and are very drinkable. Try them, you won’t be disappointed.

 

 

Chester Craft Beer Festival

The Chester Craft Beer Festival organised by Helsby based Beer Heroes was held at the Carriage Shed, adjacent to Chester railway station. A semi covered venue and a gloriously warm April day provided the perfect environment in which to sample some of the 60 or so beers available on offer. As with such events the festival presents the opportunity to try something new/different and with pours available as 1/3, 1/2 or 2/3 that’s all the encouragement you need.

Top Rope – Liverpool

Overkill IPA 5.5%  – An American west coast style IPA first brewed as a tribute to Motorhead’s Lemmy who died in 2016. Light amber, hazy with a light head. Citrus with hints of nutty caramel the develops as it warms. Low bitterness.

Papa Mango Pale Ale with mango 5.1% – Yellow, cloudy with little head to the beer. Pronounced mango on both the nose and palate. Quite sweet, low bitterness.

Gibberish – Liverpool

Custard Cream New England Pale 5.2% – Pale amber/yellow, opaque, gives the appearance of being much thicker than it really is. Very pronounced aromas of grapefruit and lemon, high bitterness, creamy with a developing smokey note. Finish is grapefruit pith and a little aggressive. An interesting beer in a style which may well be an acquired taste.

Vibrant Forest – Hampshire

Dunkelunch Dunkel Weisse 5.6% – A dark style of wheatbeer. Light brown, hazy, light head. Flavours of treacle, nutty, smokey. Quite full flavoured and creamy with a nice lingering finish.

Runaway – Manchester

NZ Pale 4.2% – a light pale ale brewed with New Zealand hops. Amber with a slight haze and a light head. Low bitterness, malty, caramel, slight crispness. Good flavour, very drinkable.

Marzen Lager 5.4% – Yellow/gold, slight haze and little head. Malty with. slight touch of sweetness, clean ,dry. Very drinkable.

Chapter Brewing – Cheshire 

Parabola Pale Ale 4.7% – Light amber, slight haze, light head. Lemon citrus with grapefruit notes, floral,low bitterness, some caramel, quite full flavoured. Very drinkable and a reasonably low ABV.

Steadfast Companions 6.6% – A collaboration with Beer Heroes a New England IPA. Light amber, hazy no head. Grapefruit is the dominant flavour, nice  creamy texture which makes it very appealing. Has a good rounded slight bitter finish. Very nice indeed.

Stone – California

Go to IPA 4.8% – Light gold, clear, no head, lemon citrus, fruity. Medium bitterness. Lingering flavour of citrus on the finish. A very drinkable session beer.

Exhalted IPA 7.0% = Gold in appearance, clear and bright, no head as such. Rich, savoury and complex with a nice citrus finish. Medium bitterness.

Hemingways Port Douglas

Hemingways is a gastrobrew pub located on the Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina in Port Douglas, Northern Queensland. Sine its opening in the summer of 2016 it has successfully produced a range of beers with are un filtered, unpasteurised and free of any preservatives. The craft beer movement, while well established in New Zealand, is not so well represented in Australia and this is the first venture of its kind in tropical Queensland although plans are afoot to open a second brewhouse in Cairns in summer 2018.

As its very hot and humid in this part of Australia a nice cold beer is just what the doctor ordered.

A selection of the beers tasted in March 2018

Doug’s Courage IPA  5.6% IBU 41

A brew named in hour of the courage of Port Douglas to rebuild following the devastation caused by a cyclone in 1911.

Amber in appearance with a slight haze. There is a good head to the beer that persists. Full flavour, medium bitterness, citrus abounds. Full and round on the finish. Very nice indeed.

Pitchfork Betty Pale Ale 5.1% IBU 35

Light amber, clear with a good, persistent head to the beer. Full flavour with smokey black cardamon,  medium bitterness,mildly hoppy with a nice tropical fruit edge.

4 Mile White Lager 4.7% IBU 16

Full flavoured wheat beer with flavours of bubblegum, apple juice and a gentle tanginess. Low bitterness. Very drinkable, very nice.

Mrs Watson Small Ale 3.7% IBU 30

Light amber in appearance, clear with a light frothy head that persists. Low bitterness. Lemon citrus with a gentle touch of spice. Quite full. very drinkable.

All beers were well made, characterful and thoroughly enjoyable. Others beers are available including a pilsner and a dark lager but lack of time prevent tasting. They also do a very good food menu and I can certainly recommend the double cheeseburger!