All posts by Dave

Elusive – Oregon Trail

West Coast IPA 5.8% ABV

Oregon Trail is a classically-styled West Coast IPA. Simcoe, Chinook and Columbus hops combine to deliver a resinous profile with a citrus undertone. The bitterness help to balance the light caramel flavours of the malts.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (4.5 / 5)

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Binghams – Mabon


Hazy Autumnal Ale 5% ABV

Brewed over the Autumn Equinox, Mabon is a hazy pale with a full-bodied, spiced hop character. The celestial sister beer of our popular Summer Solstice brewed Litha, Mabon is the old English word for the Autumn Equinox and a Welsh earth-god. This loving crafted seasonal special is vegan friendly and has been perfectly cask conditioned for the best possible flavour.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling):  (3.8 / 5)

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Elusive – Punch Out Round 9

Punch Out dives through the ropes and back into the ring to showcase two delicious hop varietals from New Zealand. Waimea brings fruity resinous notes (think Columbus) and Wai-Iti adds spritzy lemon.

We sneaked a little bit of Nelson in too, because why not?

4.3% ABV

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (4.3 / 5)

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Phantom Brewing – Ball Pit

Uber juicy and nicely hoppy an example of how a good NEIPA should be. Full of character with great aromas of peach, and a great finish.

HOPS: Idaho 7, Citra, Cryo Ekuanot

An awesome beer from this new Reading brewery.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (5 / 5)

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UPDATE: Loddon – NOTUS

NOTUS is a perfectly balanced APA

A multi award-winning American Pale Ale, including,  Beer of Festival at Burghfest in 2016.

Hops: Citra, Centinnial, Sterling, Cascade

Malt: Low-colour, Maris Otter, Rye Crystal, Cara, Amber, Wheat, Chocolate.

Now brewed unfined for an even more hoppy taste.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (4.3 / 5)

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UPDATE: Siren Craft Brew – Undercurrent

A 4.5% pale ale with spicy, grassy aromas and a taste of grapefruit and apricot.

Undercurrent is part pale, part oats and part caramel barley. Her swirls of bold, bready and nutty malt whirl into a concoction of spicy, citrus, floral hops. Mystery lurks in those cascade and palisade hops.

Her silky, creamy body will pull you under.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling):  (4 / 5)

 

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Loddon – Citra Quad

Burghfest Award Winner

Citra Quad is a quadruple-hopped session IPA which honours that juiciest and most tropical hop – Citra.

Abundantly hopped with Citra over four stages of the brewing process, this 4.4% beer packs a punch of intense flavours and aromas that will be sure to get your mouth watering.

A soft water profile and heaps of oat malts provide a rich mouthfeel and help accentuate the pungent citrus overtones desired by this style.

Citra Quad is the first new beer produced by the new Loddon head brewer Jake Bartleet-Perry and also the first beer served at The Harper Arms using our new draught beer equipment.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling):    (4 / 5)

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Andwell’s Resolute

Taking its name from a town within the high Arctic, despite its cool name this is the sort of bitter that you’ll easily warm to.

Andwell’s Best Bitter combines the finest malt and hops to produce a well balanced malty and hoppy flavour with a light amber colour.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling):   (3 / 5)

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UPDATE: Morland – Old Speckled Hen


A high proportion of crystal malt in Old Speckled Hen provides the key toffee/caramel flavour. The yeast used to ferment the beer provides the other key character – estery or banana/pear drop. This estery note provides the fruity and refreshing balance. The hops used add a palate cleansing herbal note and very slight orange citrus. A very malty, full bodied and warming ale.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (3 / 5)

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New Wharf – Santa Brews


In collaboration with the Burghfield Santas

This small batch brew is packed solid with various hops from around the world. A solid malt back bone wisps away to leave deep peachy notes, leading to a light chocolate autumn berry sweetness.

This amazing beer was originally brewed exclusively for Burghfest where it won the coveted Beer of the Festival award. As it was so popular New Wharf brewed it again for Christmas.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (4.5 / 5)

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Loddon – NOTUS

A multi-award winning American Pale Ale, including, Beer of Festival at Burghfest in 2016.

NOTUS is brewed with citra, centennial, sterling and cascage, making it tropical, fruity and completely delicious. At 4.7% it packs a punch, as well as offering perfect late summer refreshment.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (4 / 5)

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Windsor & Eaton – Guardsman

The first beer brewed in Windsor for more than 80 years was launched on St George’s Day 2010 – it remains a best sellers to this day.

A lovely copper coloured session strength ale with a tangy taste, yet a really smooth fresh hop finish, ensuring that it is very ‘quaffable’

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling):  (3.5 / 5)

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Siren Craft Brew – Undercurrent

A 4.5% pale ale with spicy, grassy aromas and a taste of grapefruit and apricot.

Undercurrent is part pale, part oats and part caramel barley. Her swirls of bold, bready and nutty malt whirl into a concoction of spicy, citrus, floral hops. Mystery lurks in those cascade and palisade hops.

Her silky, creamy body will pull you under.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling):  (4.5 / 5)

 

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Andwell’s – King John

This Pale Ale takes its name from the castle built by King John in 1207, which is located less than a mile from the original Brewery, and from where he rode out to Runnymede to sign the Magna Carta. The beer itself is deep amber in colour with a blend of pale ale and crystal malt. The bitterness and fruity aroma are developed from a combination of hops.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (3.5 / 5)

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Bond Brews – Bengal Tiger

Bengal Tiger’ is an English Style India Pale Ale. Brewed with a nod to the original English style IPA with 2 types of malted barley whilst East Kent Golding hops provides the Bitterness, Goldings for aroma and dry-hopped for good measure.

Won Bronze at the Silchester Beer Festival 2017

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (4.3 / 5)

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Theakston – Old Peculier

The Legend!

Old Peculier is a beautiful, yet very simple beer, brewed using a very generous blend of finest pale, crystal and roasted barley with two bitter hops combined with the majestic and noble ‘Fuggle’ hop to produce a beer of awesome full-bodied flavour with subtle cherry and rich fruit overtones.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling):  (3.8 / 5)

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Windsor & Eaton – Kohinoor

kohinoorBased on a classic IPA recipe which uses Imperial Malt along with Chinook, Simcoe and Pacific Jade hops. However the additional special ingredients of Jaggery (raw cane sugar from India bought from Southall market), Jasmine Petals, Cardamom and Coriander produce a distinctive twist to this “Indies Pale Ale”.

The resultant beer is a pale, smooth, full IPA with a distinct bitterness and with a hop aroma that is enhanced by a touch of the exotic!

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling):  (4 / 5)

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ON TOUR: Malaysia – No beer here

G&TAs a former British colony you would have thought IPA would be readily available in Malaysia but no sign of it. Even the Craft Beer revolution has not made it to these shores. Dave has had to drink lager:-(

Fortunately as a seasoned traveler he always has his Gin & Tonic emergency supply with him.

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Renegade Brewery – Red Eye PA

Red-Eye-PA

A collaboration with Farmageddon Brewery in Northern Ireland, a fruity, hoppy, Red IPA with bags of flavour and a dry resinous finish.

Packed with Columbus, Galaxy and Centennial hops, this hoppy Red IPA begins with big aromas of burnt orange and passion fruit followed by sweet malt flavours and a dry resinous finish. Full-on with bags of flavour.

Specially sourced at Dave’s request following his sampling of Farmageddon – India Pale Ale

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (3 / 5)

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Goose Island Beer Company – Goose IPA

GooseIslandIPApng
An India Pale Ale that recalls a time when ales shipped from England to India were highly hopped to preserve their distinct taste during the long journey. The result is a hop lover’s dream with a fruity aroma, set off by a dry malt middle, and long hop finish.

Hops: Cascade, Celeia, Centennial, Pilgrim, Styrian Golding

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (4.3 / 5)

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London Beer Factory – Paxton IPA

PPA2Paxton IPA is dry hopped with charismatic Australian hops known for their distinctive orange bouquet and wild herbal undertones. Full of flavour and attitude this beer does not apologise for what it is: a hard hitting, fully hopped IPA.

Featuring Vic Secret Hops – Check out the comments for the LandL0rd’s favourite Vic Secret pics.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (4.3 / 5)

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ON TOUR: Anvil Ale – Pale Ale

Anvil AleAfter a week in South Africa where the only beer available was lager, Dave was forced to drink Gin & Tonic and Red Wine until he came across this locally brewed Pale Ale.

A copper-to-red coloured English ale. The late addition of imported Goldings hops gives this ale an aromatic floral hop character that is combined with mild fruitiness. This premium ale has a lingering spicy hop character on the back of the tongue, balanced by the malty fullness on the front of the palate.

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Binghams – Twyford Tipple

Twyford Tipple
Easy drinking 3.7% ABV tawny coloured bitter which has a satisfying malty flavour with a citrus hop finish. Deliciously satisfying despite its lower alcoholic strength. The citrus hops give a refreshing, thirst quenching finish.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (3.5 / 5)

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Hop Art – Golden IPA

Golden-IPA-v2-label-square-400
This is a traditional English style of strong, powerfully hopped ale.

Hop Art has taken inspiration from the American craft beer approach of massive hop aroma but with a unique balance to create a contemporary India Pale Ale.

Pale and Crystal malts provide a golden biscuity canvas for the hops. Simcoe, Ahtanum, Admiral and Cascade combine here with late dry-hopping to deliver a hedonistic, hoppy hit.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (3 / 5)

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Greene King IPA

pump-clip-preview-imageGreene King IPA is  an easy drinking, session ale with a hoppy taste and aroma making it clean, crisp and moreish.

Carefully selected pale, crystal and black malts join with Pilgrim, Challenger and First Gold Hops to make a complex, refreshing ale.

What’s more it is brewed next door to Dave’s old primary school!

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (2.5 / 5)

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Hogs Back – TEA

tea-323x400A Classic Best Bitter

An enticing amber colour with a hoppy and slightly fruity aroma. Using the finest English malt carefully balanced with local Fuggles hops, it is gently fermented to leave some of the natural malt sugars, to give a full and satisfying flavour with a long, dry finish.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (3.5 / 5)

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Windsor & Eton – Eton Boatman

Eaton Boatman

Eton Boatman (4.3% ABV) is a golden ale and was released as the perfect beer for cheering on the Olympic rowing at Eton Dorney, less than a mile away from the Windosr & Eaton brewery.

Eton Boatman has a fresh, clean and full flavoured taste. It is made with a combination of American Citra hops producing citrus flavours and Australian Galaxy hops giving hints of exotic fruit. A perfect beer for those summer months

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (3.8 / 5)

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Hunters – Pheasant Plucker

pheasantPluckerA selection of bottled conditioned beers from Hunters Brewery.

Pheasant Plucker, a light gold speciality ale with an aroma of spicy hops, molasses and cocoa and a rich and fruity taste.

Devon Dreamer is an Amber Bitter with an aroma of orange and fresh goldings and a zesty, refreshing and well balanced taste.

Bluebeard’s Revenge – The Ultimate Pale Ale! Really?

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): Not Rated. Sampling Only

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Guinness Brewery St James’s Gate

Guinness2Dave had the opportunity to taste Guinness at its best at the world famous St James’s Gate Brewery.

My Guinness was brewed from the finest Irish barley, water from the Wiklow mountains, hops from around the world and used a strain of yeast dating back over 200 years.  It was then pumped full of nitrogen, served in a 20oz tulip glass and of course let to settle for the obligatory 119.5s before being topped off and finally handed over to me for tasting.

Guinness doesn’t get any better than this… but it’s still only Guinness!

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling): (3.5 / 5)

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Taylor’s Port

taylorsTaylor’s is one of the most highly respected producers of aged tawny Port wines.

The 10 Year Old is a blend of magnificent tawny from its extensive reserves of old cask aged Ports.

In the 20 Year Old tawny, the fruit has mellowed further than in the 10 Year Old, and the spicy, nutty aromas of ageing are more powerful and intense.

Taylor’s is one of the few remaining houses to produce a 30 Year Old aged tawny Port. Only every two or three years is a reserve of Port with sufficient structure, fruit and power to age is laid aside to age in oak casks. Those that have reached their peak after thirty years are then blended together for balance and finesse. This is one such wine.

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Brakspear Oxford Gold

lg-oxford-bottle

Brakspear Oxford Gold is a remarkably zesty brew, with fresh, citrussy aromas and a firm, fruity flavour. Pale ale malts provide the beer with its gold-gilt shimmer, spruced by a hatful of crystal malts to give body, texture and a delicate honey’d wrap.

The blend of hops delivers a shamelessly fresh perfume and fermentation by the  Brakspear yeast gives Brakspear Oxford Gold a fabulous, fruity finish.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling):  (4 / 5)

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Samuel Adams Boston Lager

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Samuel Adams Boston Lager helped lead the American beer revolution, reviving a passion for full-bodied brews that are robust and rich with character. Since 1984, Samuel Adams Boston Lager has used only the finest hand-selected ingredients to create this perfectly balanced, complex and full-bodied original brew.

Harper Arms Rating (5=Tribute, 1=Carling):  (2 / 5)

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