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Svend’s Beer Rating System

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I wanted to write a bit about my beer rating system, as I’ve now been using it for a while without any explanation, and it’s not necessarily obvious to anyone else what the different numbers mean.

The system is not very different from the “official” Camra rating system, but in case you’re not familiar with that one either, here’s a full description of how my system works.

Rated 1-5. The ratings go from 1 to 5. I don’t give any half marks. If a beer seems to be “on the border” between two scores, I’ll just have to make that more of an effort to decide which one it really belongs to.

1 – This score is reserved for undrinkable beers. I’ve not given this more than once or twice so far, and it’s normally a case of a poor beer in a poor condition.

2 – Two is a score for beers I don’t like, but I can finish them. They are beers that I would gladly never drink again. It might happen, though, that I’ve given a beer 2, and then come across it at a later date where it fares better, simply because it’s been cared for better.

3 – Three is by far the most common score. This is probably also the widest. It covers beers that I like, but that don’t blow my socks off. Some might just be nice, inoffensive beers. Maybe a cold, crisp lager on a warm day by the sea. Others might be interesting beers with lots of flavour and ambition, but don’t quite work well enough to make a 4.

4 – On a good day you might have a couple of fours. Especially at a beer festival or an excellent pub where the beers have been expertly cared for, and served in pristine condition.

5 – Fives are rare. They should be. If they weren’t the system wouldn’t be very useful, as it wouldn’t be able to single out those beers that go the extra mile, past decent, through lovely and all the way to amazing.

Svend’s Beer Log 2014 10

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(Rating system: 1-5. 1: undrinkable. 2: not nice. 3: decent/good. 4: extremely good. 5: one of the best I’ve ever had. Read more about my rating system)

Hamerton – Pentonville 4
To Øl – Black Malts & Body Salts 2
Tyskie – Tyskie 2
St Omer – St Omer 2
Brass Castle – Hazelnut Mild 4
Buxton – Moor Top 3
Siren – Broken Dream 4
Brooklyn – East India Pale Ale 3
Margaritaville Brewing Co – Land Shark 3
Yuengling – Oktoberfest 3
Tampa Bay Brewing Co – Reef Donkey 4
Bold City – Duke’s 3
Shipyard – Chamberlain Pale Ale 3
Shock Top – Pumpkin Wheat 3
Shipyard – Export 3
Shipyard – American Pale Ale 3
Blue Moon – Harvest Pumpkin Ale 3
New Belgium – Fat Tire 3
Leffe – Brune 4
New Belgium – Snapshot 3
Shipyard – American Pale Ale 4
Red Hook – Long Hammer IPA 3
Samuel Smith – Oatmeal Stout 3
New Belgium – Fat Tire (tap) 2
Boatswain – Chocolate Stout 3
Harpoon – IPA 3
Terrapin – Hopsecutioner 3
Florida Beer Co – Gaspar’s Porter 4
Dunedin – Red Head 3
Dunedin – Apricot Ale 4
Green Bench – French Oak 2
Coppertail Brewing – Night Swim 4
Green Bench – Coffee Pot Bayou 3
Cigar City – Hotter Than Helles 3
Darwin Cirka 1926 – Tangerine Wheat 4
7venth Sun – FYA 3
Oskar Blues – Old Chub 4
Shock Top – Belgian White 3
Weyerbacher – Blithering Idiot 4
Daddy Brews – Black Sheep 4
Funky Buddha – OP Porter 3
Funky Buddha – Hop Gun 4
Funky Buddha – Floridian 3
Funky Buddha – No Crusts (Peanut Butter and Jelly) 3
Funky Buddha – Banana Split 3
Funky Buddha – Extra Ordinary Bitter 4
Funky Buddha – Fuhgeddaboudit Red 4
Wynwood – Pops Porter 4
Boulder – Shake 3
Due South – Calling All Cars 3
Monk In The Trunk – Organic Amber Ale 3
Miami Brewing Co – Big Rod (coconut blonde) 4
Cigar City – Maduro (brown ale) 4
Milton – Tiki 4
Milton – Sparta 4
York Brewery – Horatio Nelson 4
Thwaites – Handsome Devil 3
Munkebo – Hermod (English pale ale) 3
Gudenådalens – Brown Ale 4
Ebeltoft Gårdbryggeri – Weiss 4
Kissmeyer – Two Front Teeth 3
Ebeltoft Gårdbryggeri – Damn Dark Stout 3
Kaiserdom – Dark Lager Beer 3
Milestone – Plot And Treason 4
Milestone – Green Man 3
Milton – Pegasus 4
Milton – Nero 5
By The Horns – Diamond Geezer 4
City Of Cambridge – Parkers Piece 3
Amber – Kozlak 3
Tring – Side Pocket For A Toad 4
Crafty Beers – The Carpenter’s Cask 3
Brandon Brewery – Rusty Bucket 3
Banks’s – Mild 3
Wychwood – Piledriver 2
Marks And Spencer – Italian Lager 2
Monty’s – Sunshine 3
Celt – Dark Age 3
Monty’s – Old Jailhouse 3

Svend’s Beer Log 2014 05

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(Rating system: 1-5. 1: undrinkable. 2: not nice. 3: decent/good. 4: extremely good. 5: one of the best I’ve ever had. Read more about my rating system)

Latimer Ales – Dark Mild 4
Ministry Of Beer – Red Tape 3
Froth Blowers – Monsoon Mild 3
Beowulf – Dark Raven 3
Acorn – Butter Bump 3
Black Country Ales – Pig On The Wall 3
Toll End – Little Devil Stout 3
Wentworth – Imperial Ale 2
Burton Bridge – XL Mild 3
Sambrooks – Archer Mild 3
Tring – Kotuku 4
Colchester – Metropolis 4
Titanic – Firkin Mild 4
Banks’s – Mild 3
Oakham – Citra 4
Bath – Gem 4
Signature Brew – Sssnakepit 3
Shiny Brewing Co – New Wheels 3
Hambleton – Yorkshire Best Bitter 3
To Øl – By Udder Means 4
Five Points Brewing – Five Points Pale 4
Hopback Brewery – Entire Stout 4
Kent Brewery – Altered States 3
The Brewery – Newcastle Brown Ale 3
Ilkley Brewery – Mary Jane 4
Andwell Brewing Co – Red IPA 3
Fyne Ales – Vital Spark 5
BlackBar – Longhair BPA 3
Tom Smith Ales – Tom’s Tipple 4
Burning Sky – Plateau 3
Lord Conrad’s – Zulu Dawn 3
Crafty Beers – Sauvignon Blonde 3
Goldmark – Ebony Mild 3
Crafty Beers – Mild Mannered 4
Enville – Ginger 3
Fat Cat – Meow Mild 4
Golden Triangle – Red Square 3
B & T – Shefford Mild 3
Highland – Orkney Best 3
Kissingate – Gardenia Mild 3
Shalford – 1913 Mild 4
Poppyland – Stewkey Gose 2
East London – Orchid 4
Bexar County – Texas Pecan Coffee Mild 3
Bank Top – Dark Mild 4
Brentwood – Marvellous Maple Mild 4
Broughton – Greenmantle 3
New Plassey – Midnight Mild 4
Mighty Oak – Oscar Wilde 4
Elgood’s – Black Dog 4
Dominion – A Mild With No Name 3
Castor – Castorware 3
Milton – Medusa 3
Son Of Sid – Muck Cart Mild 4
Greene King – XX Mild 2
Harveys – Prince Of Denmark 3
Great Heck – Black Jesus 4
Fyne Ales – Highlander 3
Adnams – Cambridge Beer Festival Special 4
Ørbæk – Hunting Beer 4
Willemoes – Belgisk Ale 3
Rækker Mølle – Sorte Per 3
Ørbæk – Dark Horse 4
Pivovar – 1795 Dark 3
Havant – Forgotten 4
Flipside – Farthing Mild 3
Wolf – Woild Moild 3
Goddards – Scrumdiggity Bitter 3

Beowulf – Dark Raven review

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Going through a list of 16 Ales on at The Wellington, Birmingham, looking them all up to see if there were other milds than the tellingly named Monsoon Mild, I was beginning to lose hope towards the end. However, number 16 was the Dark Raven from Beowulf, and their website explained that it was a traditional mild. It sounded promising and when I saw it poured it increased my expectations. It was a deep brown with a nicely tan head. The smell added to the joy, with sweet roasted and caramel overtones. The only slight disappointment, helped on by the now very high expectations, was the taste. While it had some roasted caramel and fruity characteristics, it was dominated by a bitterness that I felt was drowning out the best parts of its flavour. Maybe it is just too strong at 4.5%. It’s still a nice beer, but after seeing and smelling it, though before taking my first sip, I thought it might have been one of my favourites. It is not. There’s a long way from this to a Welsh Black (Great Orme) or Oscar Wilde (Mighty Oak). However, I’m glad of every new mild I discover, not least during Mild Month May.

Svend’s Beer Log 2014 04

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(Rating system: 1-5. 1: undrinkable. 2: not nice. 3: decent/good. 4: extremely good. 5: one of the best I’ve ever had. Read more about my rating system)

Tring – Death or Glory 5
Banks’s – Sent Sunbeam 4
St George – Larger 2
Fuller’s – London Pride 3
Langton Brewery – Duncan’s Drop 4
Oldershaw – St Pancras Beer 2
Beavertown – Smog Rocket 4
Lagunitas – IPA 3
Magic Rock – Rapture 3
Atom – Dark Alchemy 3
Crouch Vale – Yakima Gold 3
Darkstar – Heart Of Darkness 3
Rooster’s – 41 degrees south 3
Sonnet 43 – Brown Ale 2
Purity – UK 3
Red Fox – Coggeshall Gold 4
Tring – Side Pocket For A Toad 4
Adams – Southtown 3
Calvors – Smooth Hoperator 3
Bateman – Black & White 3
Shepherd Neame – Early Bird 2
Colchester – Brazilian 4
Mauldons – Suffolk Punch 2
Portobello – Star 2
Dark Star – Six Hops 3
Oakham – Davy Jones 3
Banks – Mild 2
Thwaites – Lancaster Bomber 3
Cotswold Spring – OSM 4
Batemans – Springtime 5
Lacons – Pale Ale 3
Adams – Mosaic 4
Farmers – Hotel Porter 4
Colchester – Metropolis 5
Oakham – Curmudgeon 4
Rebellion – Zebedee 4
Woodforde’s – Great Eastern 3
Purple Moose – Glaslyn Ale 4
Great Orme – Merlyn 3
Cwrw Llyn – Seithenyn 3
Batemans – English B Bock 4

Svend’s Beer Log 2014 03

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(Rating system: 1-5. 1: undrinkable. 2: not nice. 3: decent/good. 4: extremely good. 5: one of the best I’ve ever had. Read more about my rating system)

Hog’s Back – TEA 3
Otter – Amber 3
St Austell – Tribute 3
Fordham – Route 1 4
Founders – All Day IPA 4
Young’s – London Gold 2
Cwrw Llyn – Brenin Enlli 3
Robinsons – Elbow 2
Dow Bridge – Acris 4
Spire – Sgt Pepper Stout 4
Heather Ale – Alba Scots Pine Ale 4
Dow Bridge – Onslaught 3
Er Boqueron – Beer With Sea Water 3
Lord Conrad’s – Conkerwood 2
Brains – White Out 3
Tring – Bring Me Sunshine 5
Cairngorm – Wildcat 4
Kilburn – Dark Moor 4
Trilby – A Head In A Hat 3
Fuller’s – London Pride 3
To Øl – Black Maria 4
Sagres – Sagres 2
Harviestoun – Ola Dubh 5
Hertog Jan – Tripel 4
St Stefanus – Blonde 3
Moncada – Notting Hill Stout 4
Samuel Smith – Pure Brewed Lager 3
Black Isle – Goldeneye Pale Ale 4
By The Horns – Stiff Upper Lip 5
Orkney – Dark Island 4
Brooklyn – Dry Irish Stout 3
Batemans – Mocha 4
Wells – Bombardier 3
Shepherd Neame – Spitfire 2
Batemans – Dark Lord 4
Titanic – American Red Ale 3
Castle Rock – Harvest Pale 3
Cambridge Brewery Co – King’s Parade 4
J Church Brewing – Jonah And The Whale 4
Grafton Brewing Co – Lady Ruby 4
Buffy’s – Vicenniale 3
Mayflower Brewery – Lancashire Stout 4

Svend’s Beer Log 2014 02

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(Rating system: 1-5. 1: undrinkable. 2: not nice. 3: decent/good. 4: extremely good. 5: one of the best I’ve ever had. Read more about my rating system)

Oakham – Cambridgeshire Golden Ale 3
Tomos Watkins – Cwrw Gaeaf 4
Amager Bryghus – Amager Fælled 3
Coastal Brewery – Porter St Piran’s 4
Grea Orme – Groes Ale 3
The Langton Brewery – Welland Star 4
Harviestoun – Old Engine Oil 4
Redchurch Brewery – Bethnal Pale Ale 4
Durham Brewery – Benedictus 3
Cwrw Llyn – Seithenyn 2
Celt Experience – Golden Ale 3
Shepherd Neame – 1698 3
Samuel Smith – Old Brewery Bitter 3
Fuller’s – London Pride 3
Shepherd Neame – Spitfire 2
Whitstable Bay – Pale Ale 4
Scottish Borders Brewery – Wild Harvest 3
Windsor & Eton – Knight Of The Garter 3
Rooster’s – South 3
Goldmark – Flanker 4
Look up Brewery – BN2 3
Belhaven – Grand Slam 3
Hepworth – Prospect 2
Fuller’s – London Pride 3
Theakston – Old Peculiar 3
Courage – Director’s 3
Samuel Smith – Light Mild 2
Samuel Smith – Winter Welcome Ale 3
St Bernardus – Abt 12 3
Old Bear Brewery – Black Maria 4
Cwrw Llyn – Y Brawd Houdini 3
Purple Moose – Elderflower Ale 4
Great Orme – Welsh Black 5
Lincoln Green – Major Mild 3
Nant – Mwnci Nel 4
Purple Moose – Snowdonia Ale 4
Schremser – Doppelmalz 3
Purple Moose – Dark Side Of The Moose 5
Jennings – Cumberland Ale 2
Flying Dog – Doggie Style 4

Svend’s Beer Log

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2013 September
Mallinsons – Session Pale Ale
Vale Brewing Co – Thamin’ The Brew
Svaneke Bryghus – Lakrids Stout
Partizan – Mild
De Molen – Pijl & Boog
Cottage Brewing Co – Battle Of Britain Ale
Islay Ales – Dun Hog Head Ale
Hospital Records – Doctor’s Orders
Weird Beard & Sad Robot – Saison 42
Nottingham Brewery – Legend
Farmer’s Ales – Puck’s Folly
2013 October
Robinsons – Elbow
St Peter’s – Spelt Blonde
Tring – Tea Kettle Stout
Bath Ales – Toga Man
2013 November
Elgood’s – Black Dog
Woodforde’s – Wherry
Wychwood Brewery – Wychcraft
Fuller’s – Traitors’ Gate
Fuller’s – Seafarers Ale
The Durham Brewery – White Stout
Kapittel – Watou
Partizan – Mild
Buntingford – Highwayman
The Star – Comet
Buntingford – Belma
Blackbar – Constitution
Dark Star – Winter Meltdown
Thornbridge – Jaipur
Oakham – Green Hop Harvest Ale
Windsor & Eton – Windsor Knot
Thwaites (M&S) – Lancashire Dark Mild
Ellenberg’s Brewery – Stout
Cooper’s – Sparkling Ale
Marble – Chocolate
Titanic – Plum Porter
O’Hanlons – Dry Stout
Hogs Back – TEA
Badger – Hopping Hare
Jennings – Cumberland Ale
Marston’s – Old Empire IPA
Morland – Old Speckled Hen
St Peter’s – Mild
Badger – England’s Own
Greene King – IPA
Shepherd Neame – Bishop’s Finger
December
Dancing Man Brewery – Pilgrim’s Pale Ale
Dancing Man Brewery – Big Casino
Topper – Head In a Hat
Windsor and Eton – Windsor Knot
Purple Moose – Glaslyn Ale
Roosters – YPA
Hobsons – Town Crier
Celt – Silures
Celt – Apparition
Brains Craft Brewery – Bragging Rights
Timothy Taylor – Landlord
Raw – Citra
Pitfield’s – Norman’s Mild
Clarence & Fredericks – American Pale Ale
Okell’s – Olaf
London Fields – American Pale Ale
London Fields – Hackney Hopster
Shepherd Neame – Tins’ Ale
Ichnusa – Ichnusa
Sharp’s – Doom Bar
Twickenham – Naked Ladies
Old Dairy – Snow Top
Portobello – London Pilsner
Caledonian – Deuchars
Fuller’s – London Pride
Stroud Brewery – Big Cat
Skagen Bryghus – Lars Kruse
Skagen Bryghus – Gårdnisse
Skagen Bryghus – Bundgarn
Rækker Mølle – Esmarch Ale
Refsvindinge – Ale No 16
Viborg Bryghus – Peter’s Jul
Skagen Bryghus – Tordenskiold
Ceres – Xmas
Hancock – Høker Bajer
Fur – Renæssance
Skovlyst – Nældebryg
Hancock – Jule Bryg
Skagen Bryghus – Gl Skagen
Skagen Bryghus – Drachmann
Staarup Haandbryg – Juleklokker
Bryghuset Braunstein – Jule Bryg
Rækker Mølle – Jule Bryg
Ebeltoft Gårdbryggeri – Baltazar
Refsvindinge – Jule Hyg’
Thisted Bryghus – Thy Julebryg
Indslev Bryggeri – Frederiks Jul
Indslev Bryggeri – Jule Hvede
2014
January
Randers Bryghus – Jule Bryg
Randers Bryghus – Jule Øl
Hornbeer – Julehumle
Ugelris – Jule Ale
Randers Bryghus – Buur Øl
Vestfyen – Willemoes Ale
Vestfyen – Willemoes Jul 2013
Nant – Chwaden Aur
Conwy Brewery – Mulberry Dark
Purple Moose – Merry X-Moose
Purple Moose – Ysgawen
Conwy Brewery – Shipwreck IPA
Cwrw Llyn – Brenin Enlli
Meantime Brewery – London Porter
Batemans – Rosey Nosey
East London Brewing Co – Foundation Bitter
Great Orme – Atlantis
Partizan – Mild
Heavy Industry Brewing – Diawl Bach
Bateman’s – Christmas Eve
Goody Ales – Genesis
Cottage Brewing – Atlantic Mild
Stile Bridge – Crocodile Saison
Oakham – Citra
Brodies – Mild
Fugelestou Ales – Sledge Hammer Stout
Amager Bryghus – Dragør Brown

2013-08-13 Upcoming Beer Festivals

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I realise that I hadn’t done one of these for a while and now is a good time to do one, as there are quite a few beer festivals coming up over the next couple of months. This ranges from the massive and heaving Great British Beer Festival in London, to the small and cosy St Ives “Booze On The Ouse”. Of course I can’t forget the world’s biggest beer festival (based on its range of beers) in Nottingham, where they’re planning to beat their own world record by offering over 1100 beers!

It’s difficult to make them all, especially with several of them overlapping, but at least it’s an overview of what your options are for those beer themed evenings and weekends.

Date Location Festival
13 – 17 Aug London Great British Beer Festival
20 – 24 Aug Peterborough 36th Peterborough Beer Festival
22 – 28 Aug Ipswich 31st Ipswich Beer Festival
 2 –  7 Sep Red Lion, Histon 15th Histon Beer Festival
 3 –  7 Sep Chappel 27th Chappel Winter Beer Festival
 5 –  9 Sep St Ives St Ives Booze on the Ouse Beer Festival
25 – 28 Sep St Albans St Albans Beer Festival
 2 –  5 Oct Bedford 36th Bedford Beer&Cider Festival
 3 –  5 Oct Chelmsford Chelmsford City Cider Festival
 4 –  5 Oct Ascot 7th Ascot Racecourse Beer Festival
16 – 19 Oct Milton Keynes Milton Keynes 20th Concrete Pint Beer Festival
18 – 19 Oct Cambridge 7th Cambridge Octoberfest
28 –  2 Nov Norwich 36th Norwich Beer Festival