Real Ale Guide's 400th Review St Austell Brewery Smugglers Grand Cru 11.5% ABV Craft Beer Review

[arsenal6106]

Congrats on the 400th Review Real Ale. 500 here you come!

-TBI

[realaleguide]

@arsenal6106 Cheers my friend and you were the 400th viewer, thanks for that, cheers

[DavidRed2]

@realaleguide RE: Smugglers Grand Crüe 400th Review. a great beer but I suspect your expectations exceeded your taste buds. This is the first review where "stone the crows" rang a bit hollow. I've tasted plenty of French "Biere De Garde" 6-9% ABV with champagne method & wire capped cork...worth checking out. Regards David (Nikonvscanon)

[realaleguide]

@DavidRed2 I will check some of these French beers out via Google. This was nice perfect for xmas dinner or a winter warmer, cheers David

[BeerGogglesReviews]

Happy 400th mate!!

Here's to the next 600.

[realaleguide]

@BeerGogglesReviews Cheers Terry, you have watched for a hell of a long time, cheers to you :)

[BeerGogglesReviews]

@realaleguide Don't always comment but I still do watch mate. There are certain thing we reviewers don't see eye to eye on. That's a good thing though. If we all agreed on everything you'd only need one single lonely reviewer. What we all do in many different ways is bat for the same team. Many people are lead toward great beers and away from the 'fire extinguisher' McLagers etc. So, keep uploading 'em Simon. Dave will be doing HIS 400th soon. His 1000th the week after. BLOODY ALKY

[realaleguide]

@BeerGogglesReviews Hahahahaha yeah Dave is flying at the moment with his reviews, I watch an awful lot of his vids, I find him very easy going with the washing machine going in the backround and the doorbell or phone ringing, he takes it all in his stride. Little tip for you if I may :) Switch to the new Youtube style, myself and Mel have been adding quite a lot of new subscribers, twice as many as the old version :) Keep up the reviews Terry, cheers :)

[BeerGogglesReviews]

@realaleguide I HATE THE NEW YOUTUBE!!... AAAAARRRGGHH!!!

[realaleguide]

@BeerGogglesReviews why??

[BeerGogglesReviews]

@realaleguide I can't find stuff. There is no friend facility. My pretty background is covered up. The analytics was good until mine stopped working. Nah, it's not for me mate. In fact, it's so hard to use, when I'm looking on someone's channel for something, I've lost patience and moved on. So I take it that you like it? Does it allow you to sub again mate? If so, you know where I am.

[realaleguide]

@BeerGogglesReviews No Youtube will never let me sub again ;) im too trigger happy lol. I am gutted about the friend bit as I lost 4 and a half thousand friends!! My Analytics works when it wants too, bit dissapointing. Typical Google they bring something out before its finished. I had the first Android phone, god the first Android platform was so clunky, bit like an Austin Alegro in the morning :) But on the plus side I have picked up 50+ Subs since I changed to the new Youtube!! Got to be good

[BeerGogglesReviews]

@realaleguide 4500 friends!!! Mate I have a little over 300. I would have been gutted. I don't neccessarily want to subscribe to everyone vids etc, but I do want to be beer buddy with everyone on the planet. Now we can't do that. If I lost 4500, I'd feel like YouTube had removed a limb without anaesthetic. It must have had effect on your earnings too. I ain't accepted that offer yet, so I wouldn't know. I just think it's fixing something that weren't broke by chopping off a limb.

[realaleguide]

@BeerGogglesReviews Oh and one last thing, if you dont like the new Youtube you can change back to the old version in the channel options :)

[BeerGogglesReviews]

@realaleguide Yeah I changed it back as soon as I found out how. They don't make that quite so obvious and easy.

[footballelmaestro123]

@realaleguide

where do you get all these beers from??? lol

[realaleguide]

@footballelmaestro123 I pick them up online, check out myBrewerytap, cheers

[mfk321]

Yes - but it doesn't seem a long time. Merry Xmas to you and Mrs Real Ale Guide (I've just started to watch hers as well.)

[realaleguide]

@mfk321 Thank You, Merry Christmas to you too, cheers :)

[realaleguide]

@m108579 Oh wow you have been watching since then, CHEERS :)

[KeithsBeerReviews]

Congratulations on 400 Simon. Looking forward to the next 400. 

[realaleguide]

@KeithsBeerReviews Yep 400 more coming soon :) great to have met you along the way Keith, cheers

[StumpyJoeJr]

Congrats on 400 Simon!

Now that's a proper bottle of beer and a proper ABV for review #400. Too bad it's overcarbonated though. Sounds very nice though.

[realaleguide]

@StumpyJoeJr Hey Ryan cheers to you :) you have been watching for an age. You know so much about Craft Beer and it was great to meet you along the journey, cheers

[NYRfan4ever]

Simon,

Congrats on 400!! Cheers to great beer!!!

[realaleguide]

@NYRfan4ever Thanks for you continued support, cheers

[Pibbmasta]

Congratulations Simon! Its been a pleasure being there with you to see them.

[realaleguide]

@Pibbmasta And a pleasure to answer your comments regarding beer, cheers to you :)

[Gregsbeerreviews]

congratz on 400 Simon. let the beard grow!! Cheers!

[realaleguide]

@Gregsbeerreviews Growing the beard for christmas Greg, thanks for watching my friend, cheers

[EternityInValhalla]

From what I am aware, "cru" generally indicates that the beer has been brewed using champagne yeast. I've had a few Premier Cru's over the last 2 years and they've all been outstanding in quality. However, never had a Grand Cru. I had a French Premier Cru last year that was 10.5% and it put me on my arse ahaha. This sounds VERY appealing. I actually saw this the other day on slurp.co.uk

Keep up the reviews! I love them :) Always try to tune in as much as I can. Awesome stuff! Cheers! - Nick

[realaleguide]

@EternityInValhalla Oh right to be honest I did not know about that (Cru=Champagne) yes I think if you liked this style you should try and get a bottle of this, cheers Nick

[BeerGogglesReviews]

@EternityInValhalla It's a tricky enough term in the wine world mate and isn't really a classification etc but works along those grounds. Cru means growth, so premier cru is 1st growth, and grand cru is great growth. Often though grand cru denotes a top class terroir or vineyard etc. Champagne yeast is often used in brewing the high ABV beers because it doesn't mind the higher alcohol that would upset other yeasts.

[EternityInValhalla]

@BeerGogglesReviews Ah. See I was going by the fact most of the "cru" beers and some ciders I've had have been brewed with champagne yeast.

I'm still a newbie when it comes to this stuff, so cheers for the heads up!

[BeerGogglesReviews]

@EternityInValhalla As I say it is confusing and Champagne is to wine what Palma is to ham. The soil and climate etc etc giving a potential for greatness so often they have a cru. I think things changed back in the 30s. But enough of wine, this beer looks like a must have doesn't it? Going on my bucket list. In that I want a bucket of it.

[markyniki]

Fred has a gem of a shop! I have a mate who lives round the corner from it too! I never knew it was there till u mentioned it! He remembers you still! I'll definitely be going back soon! Thanks for letting me know about him. Cheers!

[bluelebowski]

Well done with all your reviews Simon, I am lucky enough to have been watching them for a very long time and am happy to say that I still enjoy them. Keep up the good work.

[realaleguide]

@bluelebowski Thanks Barry, I am so lucky to have such knowledgeable people watching my videos when it comes to beer, I have learnt so much over the last 400 video's, cheers for watching :)

[mrgrimviking]

Congratulations Simon. What a beer to choose. St Austell Brewery! You know how much I love their beers so I don't need to tell you again. This sounds wonderful and I really need to get a bottle. I loved their Vintage Smugglers Ale but have yet to try the Grand Cru. Congrats again mate and cheers!

[realaleguide]

@mrgrimviking Cheers Dave, when you mentioned the Smugglers to me a few months back, I found this, mind you glad I did as its an awesome brew, got a few more from St Austell, they are a fabulous brewery arnt they. Cheers for watching my friend, glad to have met you this year, cheers :)

[GingRealAleTrail]

you could have dressed up or at least shaved for your 400th review lol

[realaleguide]

@GingRealAleTrail I am growing a beard for xmas, lol. Thanks for your continued support Stuart, cheers

[GingRealAleTrail]

@realaleguide no worries someone has to support you after all these high end ABV drinks lol that lil MEL would be like GET HIM OFF haha

[GingRealAleTrail]

oh man congrats 400 wait its not 4 hours long is it :O or did you make it 4 minutes long just so i can watch a full review for a change ;) JOKES congrats but seriousley under 10 mins yeah ;) CHEERS Real Ale Guide lol

[markyniki]

Fantastic beer! Congratulations Simon! I love watching your reviews. I visited Fred at West country ales today, picked up some great beers you reviewed. Here's to the next 400!! Cheers

[realaleguide]

@markyniki Oh thats great news, does Fred remember me? Cheers

[sofakingdrunk66]

Congrats Simon on your 400th Review... I tip my hat to you Sir...

[realaleguide]

@sofakingdrunk66 Cheers Danny, I gave you a shout out in my Ossian review, cheers :)

[thesaint6169]

Congrats on 400 my friend. Keep it up. Cheers

[realaleguide]

@thesaint6169 Will do, cheers :)

[SmedleyDouwright]

Congratulations Simon. That's alot of videos.

[realaleguide]

@SmedleyDouwright Cheers for watching my friend :)

[TheMasterOfHoppets]

Thats the most carbonated English Ale I have ever seen xD I can actually guess this one, but I didn't want to pick it up because it would cost me around 40£!!! But it sounds alright. Congrats on 400 Simon, and here's to 400 more! Cheers!

[realaleguide]

@TheMasterOfHoppets Cheers Peter, perhaps you can contact St Austell for a bottle :) Going to try and get another 400 done, cheers for you support.

[user76173]

Christmas beer collection soon please!!

[realaleguide]

@user76173 I am thinking of doing another #UploadSunday featuring all the xmas beers I have, what do you think? Would you watch them, cheers.

[KieranD212]

Thats a shame as id probably never get to try a beer like that. St Austell are a fantastic brewery.

[KieranD212]

@KieranD212 AH scratch that ales by mail, i might get it then!

[realaleguide]

@KieranD212 Brilliant brewery totally agree, only ever had one beer that wasnt to my taste and that was the Clouded Yellow. The rest lovely, cheers

[dante1983]

When did you start reviewing? 400 beers and ales over what period of time? ;)

[realaleguide]

@dante1983 Started January 2010 so coming up 2 years, you should go through my uploads and check out my very first one, Badger Ales England's Gold, there is a date on the video, cheers

[Desmaad]

A sort of Champagne of beers, it seems. Fizzy, expensive, and potent.

[realaleguide]

@Desmaad Yes good way of explaining this, cheers

[JoeHell67]

Congrats Simon!

Will you ever take a break and slow down?

Take it easy my friend.. ;-)

[realaleguide]

@JoeHell67 Daily reviews from now on Joe, I am loving my journey with beer and feel like I have only just started, cheers my friend for all your support over the years :)

[BirmzWeedhead]

Good god, I want that beer.

[realaleguide]

@BirmzWeedhead You should see if you can find a bottle, its great for xmas, cheers

[biltongben]

Congratulations Simon, Lets hope theres many more reviews to come in the next year! :)

Cheeeers!



[realaleguide]

@biltongben Thanks Ben, its been a pleasure, yes plenty more to come, cheers