Ölbeat 110: Beavertown Smog Rocket

Brewery: Beavertown
Country: England
Style: Smoked Porter
Abv: 5,4 %
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What about the beer?

Colour is black with a small quickly dissolving beige head. Aroma has heavily charred-roasted malts, sweet spiciness and a hint of smoke. Taste begins with charred bitterness and high carbonation. Gently smoked charcoaly malts take over with some semisweet malty flavour in the background. Hoppy bitterness gets through near the end. Aftertaste has smoky and charred bitterness.

Tasty smoked porter with charcoal bitterness playing the main part. The smoky flavour is present but not in any way stingy. Simple and enjoyable brew, no bad tricks nor ugly surprises.

Ölbeat

Inspired by the Beavertown can artwork by Nick Dwyer, I started looking for a song that fits the charcoaly smoked character of the beer. Found none. Looking at the can's futuristic and, yes, crazy picture I found a song that fits the gloomy mood of the dark beer:

Muse: Madness (YouTube)

From the 2012 album The 2nd Law, the song was written by Matt Bellamy.

Ölbeat 104: Beavertown Black Betty

Brewery: Beavertown 
Country: England
Style: India Black Ale
Abv: 7,4 %
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What about the beer?

Colour is black with a big natural white head. Aroma has roasted malts, mild citrus fruit and hops. Taste lifts off with fresh roasty and hoppy bitterness. Bitter grapefruit takes over while roast hides to the background. Towards the end a slice of sweet citrus and some dry pine arrive. Aftertaste has bitter grapefruit and dry pine.

Tasty and balanced India Black Ale. Light roast in aroma and in the start but the taste turns quickly to a bitter and dry grapefruit-pine showdown with some light sweeter tones. Nice and refreshing journey.

Ölbeat

The song choice was clear from the start. However, not the original but the most known version by Ram Jam has a certain hippie groove in it. So - nothing against hippies - we had to get a fresher and probably a little more complex aspect to the song.

Spiderbait: Black Betty (YouTube)

From the 2004 album Tonight Alright, the song is a traditional 20th-century African-American work song.