Went to the Cotswold Brewing Company today, a great set-up, the Premium straight from the tank is as good a pale lager beer as I have had anywhere in a similar situation on the continent. Afterwards, shipping on board a coffee in a pub in Burford, I was pleased to see two of Richard Keene’s lagers on keg, setting up a lager craft brewery ain’t easy (talking of keg am preparing a post on it, time nettles were grasped, past prejudices put aside, that sort of thing). Anyway, here’s what’s rocking my boat tonight: dark gleaming amber; the nose is a soft and soothing confection of milk chocolate, buttery toffee (almost close to Chardonnay’s soft buttery nose but with a bit more spine), toasted rye bread and some blackcurrant; milk chocolate, vanilla, milky mocha coffee with a sprinkle of cocoa on top, more of that blackcurrant-like fruitiness, a whisper in the shadows; the finish is dry, suggestively bitter, lasting and lingering; utterly butterly delicious. Drink now to toast the imminent end of winter (we hope).
I'm intrigued by this company -- why aren't they better known? They don't quite seem to have the hunger (or possibly investment...?) to sell themselves in the way Meantime have but, from what I've tasted, are every bit as interesting.
ReplyDeleteBailey
ReplyDeleteI don’t know, but the majority of their beer is sold in draught (while I would reckon that Meantime major on bottle, will find out in my visit there on Thursday) and it is harder to get lager into pubs as opposed to ales; only a few far-sighted landlords will dare switch say Carlsberg for something none of their punters will have heard of. On the other hand, local pubs seem to stock Cotswold tap and go down well with people. I think Freedom might come up against similar issues. No wonder West have their own gaff.