70 years at the bar - the best of 2022 and the best of Phil

 What's occurring, Phil?

Phil "relaxing" in hospital
It had an already been an odd, unsatisfactory year for me beerwise when we reached December and it was time to look back and reflect. I hadn't sorted out my typical drinking week post-COVID, largely because I was still working mostly from home. When I did make it to the pub I generally drank cask, which was fine, but I was becoming increasingly disappointed with the beers I drank at home. The IPA style seems increasingly be dominated by hazy or New England IPAs and very few seemed to stand out, even amongst the Double IPAs. My other go-to style, the imperial stouts, were too often sweet, although I did discover the wonders of Pohjala, the jewel of Estonia, and their extraordinary portfolio of strong, dark beers.

But into this scenario of alcoholic frustration came a medical condition even more alarming than COVID - the  Big C. Cancer. I had been suffering with back ache for several months before a face-to-face GP appointment included an old-fashioned stethoscope to the chest. "Hmm", said the doctor. "I can hear a rattle". She sent me for a chest X-ray, followed by a CT scan, which showed a tumour in my lung that had already spread.

I will spare you the weeks of further tests, radiotherapy and frankly terrifying possible prognoses, and cut to the current position. My cancer is a mutated version which means it can be treated largely with drugs, and I have an 80% chance of recovery. But those drugs are likely to be required for the foreseeable - maybe indefinite - future and they are accompanied with the warning to "Avoid alcohol - if possible". Well, that "if possible" does at least offer a get-out clause of sorts. But, as you can imagine, my enthusiasm for ale has been somewhat compromised. 

Let's just see how the treatment goes and keep everything crossed.

The best of 2022 

Best Pub - Evening Star 


Nothing changes quickly at the Evening Star but change it eventually does. The clientele is still a fascinating mix of regulars, locals and, because of its reputation and closeness to Brighton station, a large dollop of beer tourists. It can, and does, get lairy, especially on match days, but you will always find a superb selection of ales, with half a dozen on cask, twice as many on tap, and they now have Burning Sky Aurora in semi-permanent residence!

The taps feature an eclectic mix of UK brewers, and beer styles, plus plenty of Belgian, German and Scandinavian titles. And there's always at least one lethal stout on offer!

As well as the beers, ciders, wines and spirits, they also have a daily food offering, from the Lankan kitchen. One day I must check them out because the food does look - and smell! - good. 

Finally, it is worth noting that the Star now has a sister bar in Preston Street. The bar formerly known as Oast has recently been rebranded by Mark and his team. Now called The Brick, the plan is to spotlight German and Czech beers. Whatever the plan, with such connections, how can it fail?

Best New Pub - The Tap (Haywards Heath)

I heard about this bar early in the year but, because of its opening hours (no Monday or Tuesday), it wasn't until the summer that I managed to pay a visit. It's a bright, welcoming micro, perfectly situated in the middle of Haywards Heath's busiest shopping street.

Originally planned as a showcase for Bestens, the beer coverage is now wider but always with a selection from the brewery. When I visited, there were three ales on cask with a further eight on tap, plus additional choice in the form of bottles and cans 

Gaffer Dave is more than happy to talk about the venture, as well as their plans for the future. I shall be making further visits once I'm mobile again!

Best Brewery - Pohjala

Runners-up: Burning Sky, Buxton, Kernel

I first came across the Estonian brewery via Beer 52, way back in 2017. Even then, with just IPAs and regular porters available, they impressed as one to watch.

As you might suppose, from a country not far from the Arctic Circle, they specialise in imperial stouts, Baltic porters and dark beers of every kind. Early in 2022, I began ordering their beers and almost the first one I sampled was part of their Cellar Series. It was called Chateau Noir, an imperial porter, clocking in at a hefty 12%. It was one of the best beers I have ever drunk and this is how I descibed it on Untapp'd:

"A standout beer. Classic Imperial Porter, with rich chocolate and coffee notes but an arresting flavour of licorice to control the sweetness. Subtle undertow of red wine".

Other stunning dark beers from Pohjala included Draymen's Blend, described as a "stoutwine", Triple Barrel, a barley wine, and a good half dozen imperial Baltic gems. I did also try somel of their paler brews, with American Mountains, a double IPA,  the pick.

I fancy a trip to Talinn is on the cards!

Best Beer: Burning Sky - Aurora Pale.

Runners-up: Cloudwater - Crystallography (DIPA), Downlands/Foghorn - Not a Russian (Imperial Stout), Abbaye Notre Dame de St Remy - Trappiste Rochefort 10 (Quad)



All of my regular haunts in Brighton and Hove now have Aurora available on a regular basis, proof were it needed that I am not the only drinker for whom it's a go-to pint. It's a full-flavoured brew, gently fruity and oh-so moreish. It's also that very rare beast in these days - a beer that's only ever available on cask. Burning Sky have never bottled it and I for one hope they never do.




Beers of the World

USA

There was no America trip this year but, more disappointingly, few if any American beers appearing on this side of the pond. The collapse of not just one but two specialist importers - Beer Hop and Beer Bruvs - was only part of the story. Even Beer Merchants, from whom I buy the bulk of my beers for home, have had very few US beers available and most of those were expensive lambics from the likes of Trillium and Alesong.

Which just leaves Beer Export, an enterprising outfit who have taken on the task of combing the States for obscure brews. My problem with them is that I find their ordering system, and its various prompts, totally baffling. It's also noticeable that the popular beers, judging from customer comments, are generally the over-fruity, over-sweet brews that I was complaining about in an earlier post. It looks like it's going to be a while before I get back to the US so I guess I'm going to have to give them a try.

Europe

Charita and I had our holiday in Europe this year - four cities spread over ten days. Three were places we'd been before - Berlin, Prague and Budapest - but the fourth, Vienna, was our first time. This time my craft beer research was made much easier for me by the publication of a CAMRA guide book Beer Breaks. It's written by the excellent Tim Webb, co-complier of both Good Beer in Belgium and the World Atlas of Beer.

Astonishingly, two of the hotels - in Budapest and Vienna - were a mere five minutes walk from at least one of Tim's recommendations. The picture shows me at Eleszto, a massive, beer (and people)-filled courtyard in Budapest. Great beer and great food too. Charita liked it so much we went twice!

Probably my favourite though was the oddly-named Kanguruh, in Vienna. The bar itself felt ancient, with a vibe more like the 1940s than the 21st century. Our server was of a similar vintage too but as it was a warm evening, we sat outside. I even squeezed in an imperial stout -  6 Beers Brewing's Nachtflug.


70 years at the bar

As I approach my 70th birthday, it's inevitable I'm going to look back over my career as a beer drinker and wonder what went wrong - and what went right! I did sum up my earliest recollections in the first blog post I ever wrote. I also described there my discovery of craft beer and how it made me rethink everything I'd discovered.

The Joseph Holt brewery is still there - the picture was taken earlier this year - and their bitter, still one of my favourites, doesn't taste much different to when I first tried it. But then, the brewery has survived the turbulence of the market, unlike so many others.

One that did not survive, as an independent outfit, was Gales of Horndean. Their name is still out there - they were bought out by Fullers, who are now part of the Asahi brewing corporation. You can still buy Gales' HSB, a decent beer but a mere shadow of the magnificent, fruity ale that I first drink in the 1970s.

Gales also brewed an excellent bottle-conditioned old ale. Called Prize Old Ale, it was only available in corked nip bottle and it was wonderful. I recently was able to reacquaint myself with an updated version. It was lovingly re-created by Henry Kirk the Head Brewer at Dark Star, which has also now been bought up by Asahi. The brew was launched at the Basketmakers, and, despite being a whopping 9%, it was served on cask. It wasn't an exact match but unlike the disappointment that is HSB, it was a worthy successor.

So here, to mark my 70th birthday, are my top ten beers, past and present. They're not in order of merit - that would be just too difficult. 

Cheers!









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