Tuesday, 27 December 2011

Bang on?

I seem to have got the idea into my head that Wells’ Bombardier is a beer I don’t like. I tend to feel it has an unpleasant, cloying maltiness that really isn’t to my taste. But, I have to say, on at least three occasions over the past twelve months, I have ended up with a pint of it as it was the least bad option on the bar, and actually found it quite enjoyable. And – dare I say – the cut in strength from 4.3% ABV to 4.1% actually seems to have made it lighter in body and more palatable. It’s got to the point now where I may even actively prefer it to some other mainstream beers on the bar.

Having said that, I was recently in a (decent enough) pub where the beer range was Bombardier, Everards Tiger and Hobgoblin. Does that not perfectly define “dull and predictable”?

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5 comments:

  1. Neville Grundy27 December 2011 at 15:18

    I was in the Lakeside Inn in Southport (Britain's smallest pub, so it says) on Xmas Eve with a group of friends and the only real ale was Fullers London Pride. It's not a beer I'd drink, given a choice, but it was perfectly acceptable. I think we can sometimes forget that regional beers can be quite good.

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  2. Martin, Cambridge27 December 2011 at 17:46

    It's not like you to belittle the established regionals Curmudgeon! That sounds a better range than the Landlord/Doom Bar/Adnams that dominates many of the (often Beer Guide) pubs in North London.

    I'd happily drink a well-conditioned pint of any of those 3 you mention in a pub with character, though I'd be disappointed if it was the choice in a 'Spoons.

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  3. Anonymous28 December 2011 at 08:34

    I think Bombardier is a superb beer so good news you like it too. One needs to also consider that it is the "regional" beers like bombardier, pride etc that are leading the fight for cask ale with their clever (and not cheap) marketing campaigns trying to bring new drinkers to cask vs international lager brands and ciders. We should support these beers at all times and enjoy the odd "local" microbrew too.

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  4. Curmudgeon28 December 2011 at 08:58

    Yes, I've argued in the past that cask beer needs widely-recognised "champions" like Bombardier, Pride, Pedigree and Landlord that reach out to the wider drinking public. By being too eager to knock these beers, enthusiasts run the risk of making cask look difficult and obscure.

    @Martin - I'm not belittling these beers, just saying that was an example of the very predictable beer ranges that so often appear in pub company outlets, just like the one you quote. Plus the lack of anything in the sub-4% category is regrettable.

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  5. Anonymous28 December 2011 at 14:11

    Have you seen this ?....
    www.bombardier.co.uk/caskvictory

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