St Austell Tribute

At last! A beer and a brewery I know. St Austells Brewery was founded in 1851 and the company is still family owned and run, indeed the current managing director is the great-great-grandson of the original founder. It is one of Cornwall's largest businesses and has a strong commitment to cask beer. More details available at http://www.staustellbrewery.co.uk/.

Tribute is apparently a much sought after guest beer across the country, and it is certainly popular in the Goat in St Albans, where I drink on a Tuesday night. It has been a Supreme Champion Ale of Cornwall as voted by CAMRA and is apparently and the South West's Favourite cask beer. Roger Protz, Editor of the Good Beer Guide, has described it as follows: "Tribute is a magnificent example of a bronze coloured English bitter, with a rich aroma of biscuity malt and tart citrus fruit from the Willamette hops. Juicy malt, hop resins and tangy fruit coat the tongue, while the finish is long and lingering, with a fine balance between malt, hops and fruit, finally becoming dry and bitter."

There is not a lot I can add to that, other than to say I like it a lot. And that as well as the Williamette hops, it contains English Fuggles and Slovenian Goldings. Oh and also they use Cornish Gold and Maris Otter malts. And also I almost forgot to mention that it is made with Cornish spring water. I think I did say that I liked it, and I do. ABV is 4.2%.