Local brewers produce a belting brace of thirst quenchers!

A duo of ales to satisfy your palate. A belting brace of thirst quenchers, for the locality’s discerning beer drinkers.

The first ale has been rolled out by microbrewer Reedley Hallows. Peter Gouldsborough and his team never disappoint – and their Pendleside brew has been very well received.

Pendleside is a very appropriate name for this 4% beer, as the brewery are aiming to raise £3000 for Pendleside Hospice. Peter said: “Three pounds will be donated for every nine gallon barrel that is sold. A 50/50 split, between the brewer and the pub. It will be raising a glass to a very worthy cause.”

Feedback has been positive and had been going down a treat at the New Inn, Clitheroe; the Swan with Two Necks, Pendleton(CAMRA National Pub of the Year), and the Bridge Bier Huis in Burnley.

I sampled the brew at Molly Rigby’s in Padiham. It’s a light golden ale – some would say a blonde beer. It has a pleasant fruity aroma and a light, refreshing, tropical fruit flavour – and there’s a subtle spiced aftertaste. It was in tip-top nick – a fine quaff.

My second selection is from Moorhouse’s Brewery. Their “Bitter Rivals” beer has been rolled out to coincide with the build-up to the Blackburn Rovers v Burnley game on Sunday. It was first available when the sides met in September. Let’s hope it will be a celebration tipple in two days’ time.

The ale is a blended bitter. Pendle Witches Brew and Premier Bitter are the beers used, to create this tasty, well balanced beverage. It presents a fruity, floral aroma. It’s crisp, citrus flavoured and has a subtle malty sweetness. The finish has, what I would describe as a tangy bitterness – a very nice, easy drinking slurp at 4% ABV.