Dirty Dicko... I mean Dick's...

Young's is Britain's oldest brewery. They have been brewing beer since 1581 and export several varieties to North America.

On Tuesday evening, it was finally time to crack the bottle of Young's Dirty Dick's Ale that had been chilling in my fridge for over a week. The name refers to a man named Nathaniel Bentley, who, during Victorian times, lived on the premises of a pub in London which now also bears the Dirty Dick's name and was acquired by Young's in 1991. Mr. Bentley earned the nickname Dirty Dick because he was so notorious for refusing to wash or clean himself. The ale had a very typical British ale flavor reminiscent of those I sampled in the UK, with a rich ruby color, and was rather enjoyable.

Keeping the Young's streak going, last night I sampled a bottle of their Old Nick Barley Wine Style Ale while I watched School for Scoundrels. As far as barley wines go, it was quite mild, with a low alcohol content (not "devilish potency" as billed by the brewer) and not as sweet as most barley wines. It was very drinkable, but not particularly exciting.

This report wouldn't be complete without some helpful tips, so here you go: