Jolly Jack 15 Hop @ The Three Tuns.
Last night was the opening of the Three Tun in Hotwells under the management of Ned and Arbor Ales, and I went down there to sample the ales with Andy. I got there at about quarter past six, by which point the only free beer left was the Plain Ales Innocent, a pale brown, fairly hoppy, pint which went down well. I was a little disappointed to have missed the Brew Dog 5 am Saint, but it was an opportunity to try a new beer. While I drank that, I was intrigued by some novel equipment I could see: a vertical tube, filled with hops was positioned at the end of the bar. It turned out that Arbor's Jolly Jack 15 Hop was given it's final kick by being drawn through this tube. This made tasting the beer a must. Another mid brown ale, to say that it was hoppy would be an understatement. While I like a hoppy beer, and enjoyed the flavour of this one, I would recommend drinking only a half of such richly hopped brews; not because of the alcoholic strength, but because of the richness of flavour. More than twelve hours later, the hops are still repeating on me. Andy had a Saltaire Hazelnut Porter, a lovely pint that tasted of chocolate and nuts. We followed those with a bitter whose name I forget.
The pub consists of large room at the front and a smaller area to one side of the bar; I'm not sure whether there is a garden, as I couldn't get through the crowds. If the range of beers available last night, the number of people in the pub, and the speed of service are anything to go by, Ned is on to a winner in the new pub, and I wish him all the best for the awards season in the spring.
