Beer Alphabet Week 1 - A

Here we are with the first instalment of the Beer Alphabet. Beginning, as is the norm, at the beginning, we land on the letter A. As I've been drinking a ridiculous amount of stouts and porters recently ('tis the season!) I thought I'd dabble in something quite different. So I'm revisiting two beers which I haven't had for a while, and that I thoroughly enjoyed in the past but didn't make any tasting notes…

Buxton's branding could be a bit better

Buxton Axe Edge

This is one of the beers that stand out to me as a representation of modern, American-influenced, hop-forward British brews that have come into their own in the last year or so. I've had it a couple of times before and was extremely impressed. 

A light orange/coppery pour conjured a large white head, which stayed nicely. Huge aromas of citrus fruits - grapefruit, orange and lime, got my mouth watering like Niagra Falls. These were backed up with a light caramel aroma, it's pretty much like sniffing a bag of sweets. It's intense and complex on the palate, but nicely balanced. There's light carbonation and an initial bitterness with a lovely fruitiness - I got grapefruit, manna, orange and some subtle sherbet lemon(?). Not as juicy as I had hoped, but the dryish finish made it quite insatiably moreish. In fact, this didn't last long at all, it was all gone before I knew it.

Not quite as intensely fruity as I'd remembered or hoped for, but a cracking drop nonetheless. The alcohol is masked nicely making it a real sinker. Interestingly, I put it down for a few minutes during conversation, and as it warmed up a bit it really brought the fruits out in the finish. Absolutely delicious beer.

Schneider Weisse Aventinus Tap 6
I remembered having this beer a while ago, just the once, and my memory isn't great… so what better excuse to try another? It's my day off, nearly ready for my lunch of Blackadder and soup, let's give it a go… 

Not for the faint-hearted

It pours a deep, appetising ruby, cloudy with a large white foamy head. Massive red wine-like aroma, with caramel, raspberry, and toffee apple culminating in a big sweetness. There is instant alcoholic sweetness on the tongue. A light carbonation with intense red grape and dark berries. I had hoped for a bigger body, but it is a German beer after all. There is a sourness in the dry, light bitter finish. The lingering alcohol tartness is reminiscent of a red wine, but much softer. Quite a pleasant drop, but not a light drinker as the Axe Edge was. If I were to have another, I think it would be with an evening meal rather than a mid-afternoon tipple!

Join Me!
So, beer bloggers all, do you have an 'A' beer to contribute? If you fancy collaborating in this glorious run down of the alphabet, email me your tasting notes at ben_corkhill@hotmail.co.uk and I'll be including your retrospective musings at the end of next week's blog. Cheers!