Festival Ale by Daniel Thwaites (from the Manchester International Festival 2015)

   (If you are holding your Wedding in Lancashire and want to find the right venue, dress or entertainment why not pop along to http://www.iweddingsinlancashire.co.uk or if you want to find out What's On in Lancashire go to http://www.insidelancashire.co.uk)

 This ale has been launched by Daniel Thwaites with the minimum of fuss (judging by how little can be found out about it)

I was with "Our Peg und Brid" (wife and child), having a leisurely stroll around the Manchester International Festival outside the Town Hall, when mysteriously, and quite against my will, I was drawn to the bar.

Mouth suddenly felt parched as the Sahara, I coughed up the £3.80 and plumbed for something which I'd not seen before: the Daniel Thwaites "Festival Ale" 3.8%

Of the Pale Ale variety with a clear bright coppery colour, it had a surprising low carbonation which nevertheless foams pleasantly.  I gave it a quick nose, and was surprised again with a distinct fruity aroma.

Next to tasting: first impressions were WARM!!!  I'd been served a warm beer from the pump!  Couldn't believe it!!  At first, it disappointed with the warmth and a noticeable "Boddingtons" character...  Very Bitter .... and WARM!!!  However, unlike "Boddies" it wasn't in the least bit creamy.

Anyway, not one to jettison beers lightly (and finding that the water at the Festival costs nearly as much as the beer!!!) I decided to press on and attempt to sooth my Sahara with this warm pint.

As I supped, I was surprised again as the less obvious charms of the beer gradually became apparent: somehow the brewers had found the intersection where peach meets apricot.  The fruity sweetness, however was ably counterbalanced by a steely, bitter edge.  The more I supped the the more enjoyed it as the beer cooled down(!)  The sweetness of peach and apricot never overpowered or defined the pint and so whilst a seam of fruity sweetness is the beers controlling factor, it is constantly undercut by the bitter edge.

At the end of the pint I'd been won over:  "Festival Ale" won't be for everyone but if you are intrigued by the idea of a fruity Pale Ale it is certainly worth a try, if only for an beer with a difference.

Lancaster Bomber by Daniel Thwaites' Brewery

 (If you want are holding your Wedding in Lancashire but want to find the right venue, dress or entertainment why not pop along to http://www.iweddingsinlancashire.co.uk or if you want to find out What's On in Lancashire go to http://www.insidelancashire.co.uk)

  Hi there! After the last ale I thought I'd contrast it with something different - the Lancaster Bomber

The Lancaster Bomber ale is actually produced now by Marston's in Wolverhampton for Daniel Thwaites Brewer - so it stretches the definition of 'Lancashire beer' somewhat!

Named after the Avro Lancaster, a British Second World War bomber, this beer certainly packs wallop just like its namesake.



As you pop the bottle top there is the slight but pleasing hoppy whiff .  The chestnut colour gives further hints of the richness, but doesn't really prepare you for the warm, rich, malty taste and texture of the beer.  The first bitter palate gives way to a lovely, sweet malt involving and velvety lending a full, satisfying and lasting finish.

                     
This is a beer for winter evenings curled before a real log fire eating Lancashire hotpot!  I  really enjoyed the drinking experience... a full beer yet falls short of being overly rich or filing, it spills its payload with a fulfilling explosion of malty taste.

                         
The Gen on Hops

The beer, I'm told, uses a complex hop formulation of Challenger, Fuggles, Goldings and WGV.  The Challenger, Goldings and WGV will account for the sweetness and the  Fuggles and WGV for the robust fullness.