Which beer

[eater of food]

Rochefort beers are good, but the benchmark for trappist styles is supposed to be Westvleteren 12. Still haven't tried it.

If you can get your hands on it. Its reputation is boosted by its inaccessibility.

The Rochefort beers remain the benchmark for me for that reason.

[Big_Fat_Dan]

Cider is a good call, i'm lucky enough to be in Kent and the local cider is amazing, we have Biddendens and one called Double Vision, really really nice.

[Eddie]

Cider is a good call, i'm lucky enough to be in Kent and the local cider is amazing, we have Biddendens and one called Double Vision, really really nice.

I second that, double vision is very good. But as for my fav tipple, it's got to Kent’s Sheppard neames fav Spitfire.

Great with a Brisket

Eddie

[Davy]

Just bought 29 bottles of Sam Adams in Morrisons, 50p off (£1.29/bottle). Plus a popup Gelert tent for £12 for the Harry Soo weekend....

They are 3 for £4 in Tesco also.

Are you camping on the Fri for the 101 or the Sat for the comp class just out for interest.

[thelawnet]

Just bought 29 bottles of Sam Adams in Morrisons, 50p off (£1.29/bottle). Plus a popup Gelert tent for £12 for the Harry Soo weekend....

They are 3 for £4 in Tesco also.

Are you camping on the Fri for the 101 or the Sat for the comp class just out for interest.

I'm doing both classes, and I guess I need to be there on site for the comp class.

[Verminskti]

I home brew. This allows me to provide beer at about 40p a pint. The beer is to my specification and properly quality controlled. Mashing, sparging and boiling take about 4 to 5 hours of which a lot of it is time waiting. i.e. 90 mins of malt sitting at 64^C where you can run off and do something else. Like set up your barbecue! Then it's a case of leaving it to do its thing with the yeast for 10 days to 2 weeks and bottling.

If you're spending alot of time and money on meat, spending some time (and a wee bit of money on the boiler outlay) on the brew isn't a bad thing.

Currently rocking a thrice hopped pale ale. Real floral notes with a dry fruity taste. Beautiful with pork and lamb.

[Davy]

Rochefort beers are good, but the benchmark for trappist styles is supposed to be Westvleteren 12. Still haven't tried it.

If you can get your hands on it. Its reputation is boosted by its inaccessibility.

The Rochefort beers remain the benchmark for me for that reason.

If your ever in my neck of the woods send us a message as a nearby pub only only does Belgian and German beer and its quite an impressive range. Its a good day out trying to get through as many as possible.

[keith157]

, it's got to Kent’s Sheppard neames fav Spitfire.

Eddie[/quote]

Have to agree with you there Ed, for some reason the food taster likes Bishop's Finger.....................what.......what

As to zyder best talk to Cyderpig about Tick'num Tipple og1060. It's lurverly

[Col (Shizzling)]

I've worked in Belgium a lot over the past 10 years. I managed to get hold of a few bottles of Westvleteren 12 and it's a very nice beer, but I think there are better Belgian ales. For instance, these guys brew some amazing beers http://www.hetanker.be/, Gouden Carolus being my favourite regular brew and their Christmas ale being possibly my favourite Belgian beer.

For barbecue I think you can go 2 ways - thirst quenching and crisp to contrast with the smoky flavours from the meat, or fuller bodied, hoppy ales to cut through some of the fat. Of the former, Shiner Bock from Texas works really well, as does something like a Duvel which is well hopped but has an almost citrus crispness. For the hoppier/heavier side I'd say American Double IPAs work well.

Another good beer with BBQ is German rauchbier (http://www.schlenkerla.de/indexe.html), in which the malt is smoked over beech before brewing. It's like drinking a smoked bacon sarnie.