A selection of the beers available at the Devonshire Cat.
Unfortunately, dear readers, I must begin this edition with some bad news. It was recently discovered that my former drinking colleague, Mr David Brown, is nothing more than a ****, a ****er, a ****-**** and a lying, cheating ********** ********er.
As a result of his disgraceful behaviour and subsequent disappearance, Moore & Brown’s Dev Cat Challenge will be going through some changes.
Firstly, it will be immediately re-branded as Moore & More’s Devonshire Cat Challenge. Secondly, to fill the vacant spot on the reviewing team, each edition will feature one or more guest reviewers.
Do not worry though, as this will not take away from the high quality of entertainment you have come to expect. In fact, I am sure the introduction of guest reviewers will enhance the world’s favourite Dev. Cat review.
This week we have not one but two (yes, two!) newcomers to the team:
Samantha Deakin
A familiar face to many of you I’m sure, our lovely co-editor Miss Samantha Deakin joins us to give her unique insight to the Dev Cat Challenge. Hailing from nearby Wakefield, Sam likes her beer as she likes her men: strong, dark and meaty. She also likes ponchos and hair metal, and has recently shaken off her vegetarianism to become a born-again carnivore.
Liam Ratcliffe
Not known for his journalistic skills, Mr Ratcliffe made his name in the fields of athletics and chemistry. Northampton born and bred, Liam is a Guinness man at heart, but shows his softer, more feminine side in his choice of ales – sweet and fruity. He has a deep hatred for washing-up bowls and a paralysing phobia of clowns, but shows a strong (if slightly disturbing) affection towards foxes.
So, with this week’s team introduced, let the drinking begin! As ever, relax and enjoy, but please read responsibly.
Maredsous 10 – Belgian Abbey Beer – 10.0% - 33cl - £3.10
The Menu says: This deep amber beer has a similar flavour as the (Maredsous) 8 but leans away from raisins, preferring apricots. The finish is long and warming.
We say: A very gassy beer which once again reminded us all of champagne. Liam, unaccustomed to the menu’s range of tastes and textures, showed some inexperience by asking “Well, it’s not a beer, is it?” (to which the rest of us naturally replied “Yes, it is…”). Luckily, he soon realised his mistake and was able to continue.
The Maredsous’ sharp, acidic flavour was not helped by its bland aftertaste, which strangely reminded me of cucumber. Our general feeling was that the high alcohol content was used to mask the bad flavour, but even at 10% the Belgian brew could not overcome our sense of taste. The flavour was summed up best by Liam, who eloquently pointed out its “subtle notes of retch”. According to the menu the finish is long and warming. This might be the case if you sleep in a bus stop, but for us it was just too acidic.
Moore Rating: 4/10 Deakin Rating: 4/10 Ratcliffe Rating: 3.5/10
Rodenbach – Belgian Red Ale – 5.0% - 25cl - £2.55
The Menu says: A blend of fully matured and young beer – sweet and sour flavour with a certain sharpness.
We say: Never has a single beer caused such a difference of opinion. Whilst Liam found the Rodenbach’s liquorice overtones to his taste, Sam stated immediately and defiantly “I could pour this on me chips, right”.
Whilst I would not condone its use on food, I did find the Rodenbach to be very tart, with more than a hint of unripe plum. Whilst Sam produced the equation:
Lm+Ci=Th (Lambrini + Cider = This)
and gave a condiment rating of 9/10, Liam insisted that the beer was light and flavoursome, and held its form until the end of the glass. I can only conclude that this beer has the ‘Marmite’ quality – you will either love it or hate it. Not to mine or Sam’s taste, I would only recommend the Rodenbach if you have a very sweet tooth and a fondness for sharp beers.
Moore Rating: 4/10 Deakin Rating: 2/10 Ratcliffe Rating: 7.5/10
Grimbergen Dubbel – Belgian Abbey Beer – 6.5% - 33cl - £2.90
The Menu says: Dark burgundy brown colour, with a brandy like warming finish. Has a customary dark candy sugar in the brewing kettle.
We say: Continuing our apparent Belgian theme, the Grimbergen Dubbel was the first of this week’s choices to receive positive comments from the whole team. Sam dubbed it “bloody lovely – the first beer that actually tastes like beer!” and whilst Liam and I were not as enthusiastic, I enjoyed the first few sips far more than I had enjoyed the previous two drinks.
Unfortunately, the possibility of a high rating dwindled as we drank. Despite Sam’s continued enthusiasm, Liam and I agreed that the Grimbergen tasted too similar to countless other bottled beers. With no real distinctive character, I found it too fruity for a dark beer, but too dark and smooth for a lighter drink. Liam swore he could taste some pot pouri as well. I didn’t dare ask where he knew the taste from.
The Grimbergen is a pleasant drink, and nothing more. The Coldplay of the beer world, you could say: easy on the senses, but lacking in character and style.
Moore Rating: 5.5/10 Deakin Rating: 7/10 Ratcliffe Rating: 5.5/10
Weihenstephaner Kristall – German Wheat Beer – 5.4% - 50cl - £2.85
The Menu says: From the oldest brewery in the world, founded in 1040 this Bavarian wheat beer is very special. Secret filtration techniques are used to take off the haze that characterises most beers of this style. Lively and refreshing, sherbet, vanilla and grapes are all evident resulting in a very drinkable beer.
We say: Intrigued by the menu’s description we were disappointed to find that no trace of vanilla or sherbet could be found. Instead, we felt like we were drinking our way through a Sunday roast.
A very herby taste was the first thing to strike us, and Sam said it tasted like her garden. I didn’t fancy exploring that particular statement. However, we all agreed that a generous scent of herbs over a smoky ham taste made the Kristall an excellent ingredient in a pasta sauce.
Unfortunately, the Kristall’s lack of a wheat beer haze was replaced by a lagerish gas content, making it very difficult to drink. As the oldest brewery in the world, you would hope that Weihenstephaner might have realised this, but a potentially interesting taste was overcome by too many bubbles.
Things deteriorated quickly after Sam compared the taste of the Kristall to a certain part of Charlie Dimmock’s anatomy (best kept unspecified, I think), and we swiftly brought the fourth edition of the Dev Cat Challenge to a close.
Moore Rating: 6/10 Deakin Rating: 5/10 Ratcliffe Rating: Did Not Participate.
I hope you have enjoyed the revamped Dev Cat Challenge. If you think you could fill the guest reviewer spot for one week, by all means contact me at drink@shefbase.com, and you could see your name up in lights in the world’s number one Devonshire Cat review.
Next edition’s guest reviewers: Sean Bean and Sheffield United mascot Captain Blade.
By Alex Moore
April 11th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Samantha Deakin is a bit of a hottie