I thought an update concerning
my ‘local’, the Dolphin, was due, particularly as I drank here, yesterday, what
must be my favourite ale for years, it stood out that much. Also, a testament to Mark, the landlord, and
all the family and staff there, that they have kept to 6 ales since the New
Year, as their sales of real ales have kept up, so no need to have a month or two
with just five ales as in previous years, as Mark always likes to ensure to his
ales are served in best condition, quality!
On Thursday, the real ales
included the 3 regulars, Dark Star Hophead
(3.8%), Youngs Special (4.5%), and
Harveys Sussex Best (4%), and three
guests: Franklins Mama Knows Best (4.1);
Milk Street The Usual, a 4.4% bitter,
with a hint of roasted malt, and aroma of toast and marmalade, very interesting
and very good; and a very drinkable pale ale, Orkney Scapa Special (4.2%).
By the 25th, the
guest ales were all different, and I’ll start by describing the excellent ale
mentioned in the first paragraph, sitting next to my regular favourite, Hophead, it was the 5.6% Ilkley Lotus IPA, a “wolf in sheep’s clothing”,
to quote Ilkley’s pumpclip… As soon as you smell it, a citrus aroma fills your
nose, very big on grapefruit in the drinking too, good body, dry, pale and
bitter, what more could I ask for? All the way from Yorkshire and, although I had drunk this
last year, as previously reported, it hadn’t stood out as much then, but
yesterday, I loved it!
2 other new guest ales too,
both very drinkable: from a Sussex brewer, so much more local, Isfield IPA, a light beer, with a slight flavour
of roasted malt; and a ruby ale from Plain Ales of Wiltshire, Intrigue, a full-flavoured 4.2% bitter.
If you want to taste the Lotus IPA, I’d suggest you get to the
Dolphin very quickly, as I doubt it will still be available for much longer,
despite 2 firkins, as it really is that good, and really is being drunken in
quantity, otherwise, visit Yorkshire, cheers!
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