Beer 91 Old Speckled Hen and Beer 92 Lagunitas Censored Copper Ale
It’s very exciting to be in the home stretch of my 100 beer journey. Truth be told, I may have tried a few extra along the way, but who’s counting? Oh thats right, I am…Perhaps my counting is a bit like some of those golfers that selectively count their shots. A trip to World Market unearthed a few single beers that I deemed worthy of trying.
Beer 91 – Old Speckled Hen. Described on the label as English Fine Ale, it smacked of a bit of arrogance. It wasn’t so much the claim of being Fine, as it was the pinkish label. (that made the beer look pink as well) The pride of the Morland Brewery, which was established in 1771, was taunting me from the shelf. I hoisted the Pre-Revolutionary War Brewers Ale and set about to attack it like a true American.
It smelled good enough when I opened the bottle. It had a decent head when I poured it into a pint glass. Most fortunately, it was amber in color and not pink. It turns out the flavor was a bit malty, but acceptable. The 5.2% alcohol content was nice but not over bearing. The beer was actually brewed in honor of the 50th Anniversary of the MG car factory in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It was named for an Old MG car that was used at the factory. Regardless of why it was brewed, or how I decided to try it, it was ultimately a good decision to try it. There is interesting reading at their website. Click Here to visit it.
Beer 91 – Lagunitas Censored Copper Ale. I decided that I would try this beer strictly because it has the word Censored on the label. So much for deep thinking. I had heard that the Lagunitas Brewery had some pretty fine beer and thought it was high time that I had some of it. The Censored label was a balancing of sorts for grabbing the pink labeled Old Speckled Hen. I immediately wanted to skip through the daiseys felt tougher by simply holding the bottle. Never underestimate the Man Factor involved in the enjoyment of beer.
The Lagunitas label is a bit plain at first glance, and could easily be overlooked. It does not compete with some of the flashy shelf mates very well in the eyeball test. Censorship made all the difference. Opening the bottle produced a fine mist dominated by a malty aroma. Reddish Amber in color, it poured well into my awaiting pint glass. Its flavor is initially a bit bitter, followed by a toffee like flavor. There are hints of some citrus flavors among the maltyness. The folks at the Petaluma California put 5.9% alcohol into this brew to give it a little punch. Overall it was a decent selection that lived up to most of the Lagunitas reputation. Click Here to visit their website.
Both beers were obtained at the Bargain Rate of $1.99 per bottle at World Market
