Sunday 16 October 2011

Au revoir Monsieur

Last night was emotional. I had my last bottle of Monsieur Rock. Stocks at the brewery had run out in early September but I had a few left over in the cellar. I am not one for aging beer and Monsieur Rock was never designed to benefit from time in the bottle so last night was time to say goodbye. 

The temptation of brew another batch is strong and the clamour for the beer seems to have grown throughout the year since it was conceived but I like to think that making it once off makes it that much more special. I have however decided to make an ale analogue of the beer as this year’s Sharp’s Single Brew Reserve. This year it will be all about Saaz with first wort and dry hopping with the noble Czech. Rather than lagering the beer I am going to condition it at cellar temperature with dry Saaz before sending it for bottling. Perhaps if it wasn’t called Single Brew Reserve it could be called Madame Rock.

4 comments:

Adrian Tierney-Jones said...

MR is such a great beer that it should be saved for the nation…Saaz is a wonderful hop…
wish I could have been saying au revoir yesterday…

Ghost Drinker said...

We still have plenty of stock at Beer Ritz if you ever feel like being nostalgic. It's interesting you mention aging the beer. It seems as it gets a little older a little more Brett character becomes more prominent (well that's how it seems to us)
Maybe I'll have to buy up a few cases...

BeerReviewsAndy said...

I love MR i may have one bottle stashed somewhere...or did i give in and drink that...can't remember...

Chris said...

If all was right with the world, Monsieur Rock would be forever available in every pub in the land.

Mainstream lager brands would cease to exist, their market decimated by the power of this perfect storm of subtle Orval-mustiness and Pilsner Urquell-like bite.

I'm off to have a little cry.

I know Monsieur Rock is likely to taste best at its freshest, but the temptation to hoard all the bottles I can find is overwhelming.

It's either that or have a farewell party...

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