RCH Brewery
(short notes)
North Somerset, England
August 6, 2002All beers sampled as Real Ale at the 2002 GBBF.
My first visit to the Great British Beer Festival was in August of 2002. Of all the beer festivals I have attended over the years, this was by far my favorite (or should I say, favourite). I attended the Tuesday and Thursday sessions. I sampled these beers on Tuesday, before the awards were announced; it would transpire that the RCH East Street Cream would win the gold medal for the ESB category (whatever that is).
| East Street Cream | ESB |
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| What I should have done at some point during the festival was sampled this in a horizontal with the Fullers ESB, the beer I became quite enamored with on my first visit to London in March, 1998. My British friends at the festival, to a man, slagged on the Fullers as having lost its edge. I'll admit that this pint was perhaps my favorite of this latest trip to England (although I must say that the Lees Bitter I had -- repeatedly -- in Manchester gives it a solid run). Light amber in color, the beer has a delicious, perfectly balanced mix of what one expects in a well-crafted English real ale: sweet, but by no means cloying, malt, ester fruitiness, floral hoppiness in flavor and aroma (Kent Goldings?), all playing an important role. A true session beer. |
| Hewish IPA | UK IPA |
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| The problem with UK interpretations of IPA are typified by the ABV of this beer: 3.6%. Once you get past the name, and recalibrate your expectations, many English IPAs are not bad -- pale ales. This is no exception. While this beer does tend to the hop, and I think I experienced hints of a citruisy hoppiness, the overall experience is one of balance, with a subtle, biscuity maltiness, fuity esters, and floral hoppiness throughout. More of a session beer than the East Street, and a beer of which I should drink several given the opportunity. |