Beer Blog & Beer Reviews

GBBF 2009 Champion Beer

I had been following the GBBF 2009 with unmitigated amounts envy and so when the over all winner was announced as “rudagte Ruby Bold” I decided I would stop at no length to get some.

Luckily for me a nice guy on Twitter called @RealAlereviews was visiting Beer ritz in Leeds (UK) and agreed to post me a bottle. So thank you to you sir!

Rudgate Ruby Mild. Beer of Britain?

Now I’ve always thought Rudgate was a Novelty brewery, I figured it was born form the near by Viking Centre toutist attraction. But after this bottle I might have to change my views.

Opening The bottle

It has a lively opening, do be careful not to let it fizz over.

There is a strong smell as soon as the bottle is open, even at half an arms length away.

The smell is two part as you inhale it. 1st) It smells sweet and ‘beery’ 2nd) caramel and very slightly treacle smells.

Pouring It

It pours dark and the head likes to come up fizzy and caramel brown. The beer is not black but its very dark. You can barely see a hint of brown as light travels through it.

There isn’t much hop smell but as you put it to your mouth to taste you get another blast of that wonderful strong burnt flavor.

Drinking the Ruby Mild

mmm… nice, from the smell and looks I thought it would be thick and viscous drink but its a good light consistency. The flavours are nice and light. The types of flavors in this beer are really bold flavors but in manageable amounts.

The malt and lightly burnt sugar comes through first, then lastly comes a light treacle flavor (especially on the breath). If I were brave I might even suggest a little licorice flavour buried deep in the beer hiding behind the other flavors. But I’m not so you will have to decide for yourselves.

This definitely isn’t a light summary beer in my opinion. Its a beer to drink in a low ceiling pub near a fire and a dog possibly playing a game of dominoes (you not the play playing dominoes).

These aren’t the types of flavors I usually go for (burnt dark sugars), or even like, because they are usually so strong and overbearing but in Ruby Mild they are light and airy. If you do try to drink dirty great big mouthfuls of this the flavors will intensify mind and give you a huge flavor.

My Ruby Mild Review

Yes it is a good beer, is it the best in Britain? Maybe in its category, but I’m not sure about best in Britain.

Now I can be cynical if I try and if I didn’t know any better I might say that Ruby Gold winning gold might be an attempt to re-invigorate the mild style of beer which has been less popular in recent times.

Anyway Its a good beer, its not my favorite style, but it is clearly made with skill and care as its not just another ale, it does have some good qualities which I didn’t expect. So maybe try it for yourself and see what you think.