Tag: Craft Beer

Visiting Faro

Faro is the capital of the Algarve in Southern Portugal and its largest city. It can trace its origins back over 2000 years and was occupied by the Moors for 500 years. For many visitors it is the gateway to the region because of its international airport but not everyone chooses to spend time here. It is a shame as it has a lovely old town that is well worth exploring and it makes an ideal base for visiting other parts of the Algarve as it has good transport links.

The Old Town.

The Old Town (Cidade Velha) is a wonderful place to wander aimlessly around its cobbled streets and just see where it takes you. It isn’t very big and you can easily take in the sights here in an hour or so.

Arco da Vila

Cranes nest on some of the buildings of the old town down by the water front. They make an amazing sight. As they leave and return to the nest on fishing trips.

Ria Formosa

The Ria Formosa is the coastal lagoon which divides Faro from the Atlantic Ocean. It was made a National Park in 1987 and it is of great ecological importance as a refuge for countless species of coastal birds. The waters here are flat calm and relatively shallow. A number of companies offer tours departing from the quayside in Faro (not the marina). You can read about our experience here.

Ilha Deserta.

The Ilha Deserta (deserted island) is a short ferry ride from Faro. It is deserted because no one lives here but it can still get very busy, especially in the summer. It is a beautiful island and lovely to visit off season when there aren’t so many people around.

The Marina.

The marina is only small but is a very popular place and is great for photos.

Eating and Drinking.

Epicur is a wonderful wine bar located at Rua Alexandre Herculano 22. It is only small but has a superb selection of Portuguese wines and some excellent small plates. The staff here are incredibly knowledgeable about both the food and wine and very helpful. I can’t recommend this place enough.

Close to the marina is Boheme (Avenida da Republica) which is a super little craft beer bar. With seating inside and out it makes a great venue for a beer after a day spent sightseeing. The beer selection is excellent with a plenty of choice either on draught or in bottles. The prices are very reasonable also.

Columbus Cocktail and Wine Bar (Praca Dom Francisco Gomes 13) is a very popular place for both locals and tourists. It offers a great range of cocktails as well wines and small plates. Not a restaurant as such but it serves excellent small snacks.

For me a trip to the Algarve would not be complete without sampling the grilled fish and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. Do check opening as many are closed on Sunday.

Faro is well worth a visit and it can easily be done in a day trip.

Mobberley Brewhouse

Located on Church Lane in the small Cheshire village of Mobberley, half way between the towns of Knutsford and Wilmslow, the Brewhouse is the former site of the brewery but is now open as a tap room and shop. Brewing having now moved to larger premises close to Manchester Airport. The Brewhouse offers tasting samples which you are then able to purchase in cans , or bottles, for consumption on the premises or take away. At the time of our visit there were five beers to sample, served by a very knowledgeable and helpful member of the brewing team.

The original brewing area can still be seen but is now used for barrel ageing.

Open tap nights are held on the first Tuesday of each month when you can come along and sample new releases, special seasonal beers and limited edition beers. They have also recently opened tap rooms in Knutsford and Stockport. Called Project 53 they offer their own beers as well as guest beers from around the country. They have also installed a pizza oven so you don’t have to go hungry while sampling the brews.

Orange Milkshake IPA 5.5%. Pours yellow, cloudy with a good white head. Very lively on pouring. Aroma is orange, tropical, malt and a touch grassy. Palate has nice texture with gentle carbonation and low bitterness. Flavour is orange zest, pineapple with a distinct floral component. This is a juicy beer but the flavours are controlled and well balanced. Very Drinkable.

Winter IPA Citra/Centennial 6.0%. Yellow, murky, no head. Nose is tropical pineapple, mango, grapefruit, lemon pith and a touch of orange. Palate is fresh and crisp with good carbonation and low bitterness. Palate is predominantly orange and pineapple. There is bitterness to the finish of lemon.

Red Cherry Saison 5.3%. Amber with a reddish tinge, slightly cloudy with a thin off white head. Aroma os cherry, malt, red fruits, vanilla and toffee. Palate has nice carbonation and low bitterness. Dry with bitter cherry on the finish. Drinking well and the finish is long.

Untamed. New England DIPA 9.0%. Orange/yellow in colour, murky and pours with a small head that doesn’t last. tropical nose of pineapple, mango, peach and orange. The palate is creamy, low bitterness, some orange, malt and finishes with a tang of bitter lemon.

Eleventh Hour. Toffee Cacao Imperial Stout. 10%. Pours as dark as dark can be with the thinnest of tan heads. Aromas of treacle toffee, caramel and chocolate. The palate has nice texture, low bitterness and gentle carbonation. It’s sweet but with nice balancing acidity, treacle toffee, vanilla, liquorice and chocolate. The finish is incredibly long.

Espresso Cosmic Coffe Stout. 7.2%. Dark, opaque with a deep tan head. Aroma is strong coffee, caramel and toffee. Palate is low bitterness, gentle carbonation and low sweetness. Flavours of coffee with a hint of vanilla/caramel. A simple easy drinking style.

Beast Mode Double IPA 8.0%. Pours yellow, cloudy with a thin white head. Aroma is pineapple, lemon, resin/pine. Palate has soft carbonation, low bitterness and has a nicely textured mouthfeel. Flavour is tropical with a nice grapefruit finish.

Juice Stream. Orange New England IPA. 5.6%. Yellow/orange, cloudy with a good white head. Aroma is orange, malt, grapefruit. Palate is low bitterness with a pronounced flavour of orange. Finish is a gentle bitter orange.

Dark Winter. 2017 Edition Coffee and Vanilla Stout. 4.6%. Barrel aged with cacao nibs in American oak. Dark, opaque with a dark tan head. Complex aromas of coffee, dark chocolate, treacle, vanilla and caramel. The palate has the gentlest carbonation and low bitterness. The flavour is dark chocolate and coffee. the finish is a lingering dark chocolate. Very good indeed.

Microbar Reykjavik

The Microbar is located at Vesturgata 2, close to Ingolfstorg Square in central Reykjavik.. Its not the easiest place to find as its set back from the road and is actually located underneath Restaurant Reykjavik. A small doorway, with a rather helpful sign above, leads to a downstairs bar.

There is plenty of seating here and although basic it is comfortable enough. The atmosphere is very laid back with a most impressive choice of music playing during our visit including Nick Cave and Tom Waits Altogether there are 14 beers on tap and much greater choice in bottles and cans. Prices are not cheap but then again no different to most other places in the city. Alcohol is generally expensive in Iceland. Happy moments are between 3 and 7pm where a choice of two beers is available at 1000ISK for half a litre.

They also do a range of merchandise, including t-shirts, if you are looking for a souvenir to take back home.

Segull 67 A brewery in an old fish factory at Siglufjorder in North Iceland. Two beers were on offer in the Happy Moments promotion. Segull 67 Session IPA 4.2%. Pours yellow, hazy with a thin white head. Aromas of orange, pineapple and a hint of banana. The palate is creamy, soapy with orange and pine. Low bitterness and gentle carbonation. Segull 67 Amber Lager 5%. Amber, clear with a light tan head. Aromas of malt, caramel and a hint of pine. Palate is quite full, good carbonation and low bitterness. Malty, yeasty with some floral notes.

Bruggsmiojan Kaldi began brewing in 2006 in Arskogssander on Icelands northern coast. All production is unpasteurised with no added preservatives. Kaldi Black IPA 6%. Black, opaque with the thinnest of tan heads. Gentle carbonation. Palate has malt with a touch of coffee, lemon citrus and a touch of grapefruit. Finish has a slight bitterness.

GÅ“dingur Tumi Humall IPA 6.5%. Located in Skagafordur in northern Iceland and brewing since 2011. This beer pours yellow with a slight haze and a thin cream head. Aroma is tropical, hoppy, malt and pine. Palate is slightly creamy, nice texture, low bitterness. Lemon citrus is the dominant flavour. Very drinkable.

With only a limited time available it was only a short visit but there is much on offer here to satisfy the craft beer enthusiast.