Something For The Weekend...
Each week I recommend three beers I've enjoyed. This time it's a throwback cask classic, a tasty canned lager and a pale ale that slipped down easily
Soundwave IPA Siren
This is an old favourite but it’s been five years since it was available on cask. As part of Siren’s tenth anniversary celebrations, they instituted a series of votes within the industry for throwback beers they wanted to see again. Hand-pulled Soundwave received a tremendous thumbs up.
You may have seen this 5.4 per cent beauty on keg over the past half decade. It’s available in cans and there’s a double dry hopped version on the market, too. But the chance to taste it on cask cannot be passed up. Here’s a list of places where you can get it. You’ll need to be quick, though.
To be honest, it’s great in any form but it’s at its most drinkable on cask. If you can find it, have a few.
Helles Classic Lager Cloudwater
Manchester’s Cloudwater is a brewery that knows its own mind. It was the darling of the craft beer scene for a while but link-ups with BrewDog and Tesco soured a lot of people’s opinion of them. Meanwhile, Cloudwater kept pumping out good beer.
All their range is worth trying. This straightforward 4.5 per cent Helles is malty and has plenty of body while remaining light enough to glug. It puts industrial lagers to shame and makes a good gateway for Carling and Stella drinkers to make the journey towards drinking beers with flavour.
US Pale Ale Iron Pier
When I was sipping this in Cask, my go-to alehouse, there were two fellas next to me writing notes in little books about the beers they were drinking and discussing them. I glanced over at an open page. “Malty, with a biscuity mouthfeel, toffee notes and a faint hint of stonefruit and a heap of steaming bullshit…”
Nah, I couldn’t make out the words because they were an incomprehensible squiggle but I’ll keep things much more simple than the notebook warriors. I enjoyed this 4.6 per cent beer from Iron Pier, which is based in Gravesend. I had three of them. Didn’t see where the US aspect came in personally. It was hoppy enough to satisfy but not so bitter that it would scare anyone off. Look, bottom line is this: if I say I had three, it’s a pretty drinkable beer.
