BREWER: Skinner’s Brewery, Cornwall
STYLE: Bitter
ABV: 4%
VESSEL: 500ml bottle
TWITTER: @Skinnersbrewery
JYMI SAY’S…
There has been just a sprinkling of times in my beer drinking life where everyone in the same ale house has reached a drinking equilibrium. The loudest are no longer the loudest and the life and soul are still doing their thing but are no longer the sole life and soul. The quiet are no longer quiet and the witty remain witty of course. The drunk dudes are not too drunk and the I’ll just have a few crew have a daring look in their eye. Yes, drinking equilibrium. That moment that everyone, whether in your group or not, becomes one. It very rarely comes along but when it does it really is something to savour. If not just to capture that moment where no one has lost it, but no one really has it either!
Now, after that, it may surprise you that I’m going to start with the beer itself rather than the packaging. Betty Stogs was made for moments like this. A session bitter like no other that I have tasted…
Betty pours thin, has no head and has the consistency of water. Does not sound great does it?? But it is great. It is. The taste is such a pleasant surprise with subtle tones of caramel kicking around and a satisfying bitter finish. There is literally no body to this bitter but that is almost it’s genius. It slips down so well it’s untrue and the subtle yet wonderful taste I’m sure would never get dull.
I actually wish I’d blind tested this as I truly believe that I would have written the same thing about this beer already regardless of the packaging… and what brilliant packaging it is!….. Even if it does look a bit s*”t.
It’s not necessarily depicting my drinking equilibrium scene as most folk on the label seem as done as the flippin’ dinner, but it is without doubt showcasing a good ol’ session in a proper ol’ Cornish boozer!
Skinner’s…. a job well done I must say.
Jymi’s Rating: 75%
SAMMY SAY’S…
Betty Stogs is a great concept of a beer; it is rooted in its Cornish origins. It has a cracking name, which is well explained on the label. It is, however, very much let down by its packaging, which is indescribably bad. Luckily for me I don’t need to describe it – you can look at it for yourself.
From the nose, you get fruity maltiness in the foreground with a background hint of floral notes, which when combined are very refreshing and very light. Not what I expected from such a traditional beer. But it really does work. The nose is backed up by a light taste as well. Betty Stogs is a very thin beer, but in this case it is a very good thing. It has subtle bitter notes that are in no way overpowering. There are acidic hints which are carried through by warming earthiness of the malt. It truly is a very refreshing bitter and I feel all the better for drinking it.
Skinner’s describe this beer as Brazen Cornish Bitter. It most certainly is an English bitter. But it is by no means dragged from the depths of the earth and I don’t want anyone to think that you need to enjoy this in the undergrowth of a hedge because it’s just not that type of beer. It’s much more subtle and interesting that the first meeting might suggest. That having been said Betty Stogs will get one’s beard wet and it would be well enjoyed by a roaring fire. It would be very easy to slip a few of these down whilst recounting tales of old.
Sammy’s Rating: 75%
MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 75%
MOB review next weekend: GAIA by BROUWERIJ OEDIPUS
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