Perhaps this was served a bit colder than Marston’s would like, but forgive me, it’s been a rough day at the coalface if you can pardon me that expression. In fact, I’ve just pulled this bottle straight from the freezer after a short blast amongst the frozen peas and chicken wings, such was my need for ice cool beer refreshment.

Perhaps why that’s why this India Pale Ale doesn’t burst forward with the verve and charisma of the ‘modern wave’ of British IPA’s. It has a more prominent hop character than the average beer and it doesn’t lack in the bitterness stakes either, but the wisps of delicate citrus and almost unnoticeable spicy pine needles are hidden under what seems to be a layer of damp, decaying hops. Over chilled maybe?

Marstons Old Empire

First off I should point out that I don’t often take kindly to products and advertising that jump on the football bandwagon. The best footy related marketing is the football advertising by Nike and Carlsberg (ignoring their most recent attempts).

So, I’m potentially a little biased against Marston’s Fever Pitch…

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Rhodesian seafood on the rooftops of Lindos

I love mussels almost as much as I love alliteration. Ever since my first taste I’ve wanted to try them in as many different guises as possible. The best dish I ever had was sat on a rooftop in Lindos on the Greek Island of Rhodes – cooked in a hot and spicy tomato sauce, and not those small shrimp-like examples you buy in Morrison’s, but large, juicy, succulent mullusca in giant iridescent shells harvested earlier that day.

Seafood isn’t something I find particularly easy to cook at home, and Monday through Thursday it’s all about ease of cooking in our household (it’s a different story at the weekend though!). Enter our nearest supermarket and ready prepared mussels: cardboard-packed and shrink-wrapped in a garlic and white wine sauce.

These are really easy in an evening. We boil some tagliatelle to our preferred softness whilst frying some large farmhouse mushrooms and onions, throwing the mussels and sauce in a pan, and stirring the lot together. Voila.

Martsons Oyster stout with mussels

If you’re lucky enough to have a better half who will cook for you (because, 1) you can only cook within geological time frames as opposed to minutes and 2) you have an instinctive need to dirty every last utensil and pan in creating gastronomic delights) then I’d recommend spending the 10 minute cooking time selecting a nice porterstout from your beer cupboard to accompany the tasty morsels.

Marston’s Oyster stout is a pretty typical partner for this meal – it’s easily available in supermarkets and tasty to boot. It’s  dark with a thick, off-white head. It’s usually creamy yet dry to finish, with hints of burnt wood sitting next to (often) slightly spicy fruit and sometimes molasses. The finish makes me think of dirty tyres, at least when it washes down our bivalved fruits de mer. It’s not bursting with flavour, it’s far the blandest stout, it won’t break the bank. And it goes well with mussels (and I guess oysters too!)

Victorious Bitter from the Marston’s Pedigree range is the latest in a series of Ashes-related ales that have been appearing over the summer. This version, typically, is released to celebrate the success of the England team (and indeed Marton’s own triumphant sponsorship of the side, if reports are to be believed).

I very much enjoyed a couple of bottles of the Ashes Ale that was on sale throughout off licenses throughout the summer and indeed hoped that the beer would contain a sweet smell of success.

The warm golden colour hints at the approach of autumn; indeed the end of the victorious summer. The ale is lively in the glass, bubbling away like the celebratory champagne. The nose is equally warm, hinting at toffee, a malty aroma and for some reason reminds me of the cooler, dewy, bright mornings that have approached with the changing of the season.

The carbonisation is immediately felt on the tongue; as is the rather astringent taste. The body is virtually none existent as the bitterness washes away any hope of my tongue being used effectively.

The immediate aftertaste reminds me of Double Drop – a Marton’s beer I tried once and vowed never to touch again, such was the unpleasant, weak, acidic taste it left in my mouth. Victorious Bitter isn’t quite at those depths, and the glass is drinkable, but its not a bottle I will pick up in any hurry again.

Considering some of the genuinely victorious, prize-winning beers Marston has created over the years, it is a little disappointing that this particular bottle has been used to celebrate a terrific sporting achievement. Indeed, it would have been preferable for them to re-brand the very enjoyable Ashes ale, and allow us to enjoy it for that little bit longer – along with the afterglow of England’s success!