Guinness Storehouse - Guinness

Beer type - Stout
Colour - E
Strength - 4.2%
Bitterness - 3/5
Hoppiness - 2/5
Sweetness - 2/5
Where bought and price - Guinness Storehouse in Dublin and it was free with entry.
Brewed by - Guinness
Review - So I know it's not a British beer, nor is it real ale and it's commercially produced but I couldn't pass up the opportunity of reviewing Guinness whilst in Dublin.

My favourite thing about this beer is that it is free! Ok, it's only free if you go round the Guinness Storehouse museum but this is a price worth paying! The museum is brilliant, you get a free sample of beer on level 3 (to keep you going) and then you get a whole pint of the black stuff when you finally make it to level 7.

And it was so good. Whether it's because I'm swept away in the romantic notion of drinking Guinness in Dublin, whether it's because I've climbed several flights of stairs or whether it is actually true but Guinness tastes different and better here.

It's smooth and very refreshing. It's not as bitter as back home. It's very, very drinkable. But it's also a hell of a way to come for a good pint!

Score- 8/10 - lovely but too far away!

Robinsons- Old Tom

Beer type - traditional ale
Colour - D
Strength - a whopping 8.5%!
Bitterness - 3/5
Hoppiness - 2/5
Sweetness -1/5
Where bought and price- a wine shop in Chester for around £3
Brewed by - Robinsons brewery in Stockport
Review- Following my Chester beer buying antics of my last review, the tale continues. Having been mildly patronised by the shop staff (see my last review for the full story) my friend Helen, possibly in a bid to diffuse the tension, suddenly grabbed a bottle of Old Tom and proclaimed "Old Tom! You have to review this!". The helpful assistant behind the counter agreed emphatically saying "Oh yes, Old Tom is a right of passage for a students in this area."

Well considering my student right of passage was a pint of Purple (aka Snakebite, Snakebite and Black... Etc) I was both looking forward to and slightly dreading this review. The first thing I noticed was the strength of the beer as proclaimed on the bottle- 8.5%! About halfway between wine and beer- blimey! The beer is very dark and rich. It has strong initial coffee flavours which becomes a lasting licorice flavour and this soon passes cleanly.

For those that like their strong beer in both flavour and ABV terms this is a good one for you (or apparently for students wishing to put their liver to the test) but is not the best beer I've ever drunk.

Score- 5/10 ok but a bit too strong for me!

Sainsbury's Traditional Kentish Ale

Pale Ale/IPA


Bitterness - 2/5
Hoppyness - 3/5
Sweetness - 3/5

Strength - 4.5%

Price - £1.69 from... Sainsbury's!
Brewed by - Shepherd Neame, Faversham, Kent (@ShepherdNeame)

I quite like it when an established brewer brings out a new beer, even if it is brewed for a major supermarket such as Sainsbury's, as it's an opportunity to taste something refreshingly different from a household name with the added benefit that it is more likely to be in the shops than other seasonal or one-off brews. In this instance I like the fact that Sainsbury's have branded the beer without trying to disguise it as coming from another brewer, using Shepherd Neame's name proudly as a mark of a quality product in their "Taste the Difference" range.

This beer pours with a lively head which settles into a nice creamy froth which often disappears in other bottled beer. On the nose the beer is fairly aromatic, with just a hint of lemon accompanying a light malt. The first taste is uncomplicated and refined as it is subtly hopped with Earlybird hops (according to the bottle) which apparently are a form of East Kent Golding. This gives it a unique regional flavour you probably wouldn't get from another brewery. It is lovely and creamy making it markedly different to it's older cousin Spitfire which I find slightly "hard".

Rather than trying to stand out like so many do by making an obnoxious brew, the brewers have worked hard to produce a very simple, elegant beer which I thoroughly recommend.

My Rating... 9/10

Tatton Brewery- White Queen

Beer type - Wheat Beer
Colour - A
Strength - 4.2%
Bitterness - 1/5
Hoppiness - 2/5
Sweetness - 3/5
Where bought and price - a wine shop in Chester... £2.50
Brewed by - Tatton Brewery, Cheshire
Review - last weekend I visited my friend Helen in Chester. After a day's shopping we decided to go to a lovely local wine shop. Whilst there I spotted a range of locally brewed beers and realised that this was a fantastic opportunity to expand my reviewing collection! I was immediately drawn to this beer as I've not yet reviewed a wheat beer.

I proudly took my selection to the counter and was looking forward to the helpful member of staff telling me the history of the beer or some fun facts about the brewery. Instead he said, "you DO know that this is a wheat beer?" so I replied the wittiest thing I could think of "yes that's why I'm buying it!" which I think you'll all agree is about a witty as a small plate of custard!

Anyway, to the beer. This was apparently brewed to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. I don't think that makes it particularly special but it is very drinkable with a faint hint of ginger. Very pleasant to drink on a warm summers day like today and very light on the palate.

Score- 7/10- very nice and will try some others from this brewery if I can!

Isle of Skye - Red Cuillin

Bitter

Colour - C

Sweetness - 3/5

Hoppiness - 1/5

Bitterness - 2/5

Strength - 4.2%

Brewed by - Isle of Skye Brewing Company, Scotland

Where - Isle of Skye (bought by a friend for me to review)

A friend brought a good selection of beers back from her travels to Scotland for me to review and this is my first. My exposure to Scottish ale has been limited pretty much to Caledonian's Deuchars IPA during a trip to Edinburgh and McEwans Champion from the supermarket, and whilst both are fine ales I am looking forward to trying some from the furthest points of the country like this promising bitter brewed on the Isle of Skye.

Pouring this beer into a glass produces a nice, fizzy head, and I am hit by a rich, wholesome smell which is always a sign of good things to come.

Initial taste is of a simple beer based on light malt with the addition of a few toasted malts to give it a richer flavour. It is nice and sweet, and at the same time not an overtly hoppy beer, however an underlying dark fruitiness manifests itself after drinking it for a while which gives it another dimension. There is no unpleasant aftertaste and it is enjoyable to drink.

The point I have to make about this beer is it doesn't have any complex tastes or much to note, however this is sometimes a good thing. Not every beer has to be adventurous or radical to be a good beer. I would love to try this in draught form, so I think I need to start planning a trip to Scotland!

My rating... 6/10. A pleasurable pint!

Thornbridge - Wild Swan

Wheat IPA

Colour - A

Sweetness - 4/5

Hoppiness - 4/5

Bitterness - 2/5

Strength - 3.5%

Brewed by - Thornbridge, Derbyshire

Where - Stirchley Wines, Birmingham - £3/bottle

This beer boldly describes itself as 'Summer in a Glass', so I've decided to put it to the test. I've kept it in the fridge which is a matter of personal preference for light, hoppy beers and although it doesn't state 'serve chilled' I'm sure it hasn't spoiled the taste.

On the nose the beer is incredibly crisp; think freshly cut grass. This is mirrored in taste on the first sip, and letting it pass over your whole tongue is quite exhilarating! I'd say this one has definitely been dry-hopped with a fresh, modern hop - perhaps Citra, but I am definitely no expert. Maybe Thornbridge might want to share, but I don't think they're going to give their recipes away anytime soon!

Underneath the hops, the beer has an almost trademark base blend of which I have come to love from the Thornbridge range of lighter beers (albeit the quantities have been altered to make this one even lighter). It's a creamy, honey-like, lychee/grapefruit taste which I can't put my finger on - in some of their stronger beers it can be quite hypnotic (Jaipur, for example).

Comparing it to the Jaipur, however, it is definitely easier to drink more (owing to its reduced strength). It would be a great accompaniment for any food from white fish to dark meats, doesn't leave you feeling full, and could be drunk en-masse as a far superior replacement for lager at a BBQ on a hot summer's day (chilled, of course).

My rating - 9/10 (served chilled on a sunny evening)

Sainsburys - Celebration Ale

Beer type - Stout
Colour - E
Strength- 6%
Bitterness - 4/5
Hoppiness - 3/5
Sweetness - 1/5
Where bought and price - Sainsburys for around £2
Brewed by - Black Sheep Brewery in North Yorkshire
Review - In 2012, the year that brings you the London Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee it's hardly surprising that Celebration ales are starting to grace our shelves.

Full of hope that I was buying a light, summery ale that would not be out of place at a street party picnic, I was surprised to find Sainsbury's Celebration ale was a stout. Regardless, I was still excited by the description of "raisins and chocolate" - what's not to love about that description?

On the nose, there is a faint chocolate aroma. On the palate there is a tang kind of reminiscent of raisins... But that's it! In fact if I was to describe this beer it would actually be less like chocolate and raisins and more like cardboard! Perhaps it's because it's a very light stout but to me it seems to lack a flavour punch. In fact I'm starting to worry that perhaps it's me- the bottle promised so much and delivered so little!

Taste the difference? Between this and chocolate/raisins - yes. Between this and cardboard- no!

Score- 2/10 (Its not unpleasant, just dull)

Brew Dog - Abstrakt AB:03

Beer type - Imperial Ale
Colour - C
Strength - 10.5%
Bitterness - 4/5
Hoppiness - 1/5
Sweetness - 1/5
Where bought and price - Stirchley Wine and Beer, £11.99
Brewed by - Brew Dog

We have decided to try something a little special this week, something a little rare (and expensive).  All three of these are embodied in Brew Dog's Abstrakt AB:03, one of their limited edition concept beers.  Research informs us this it is very limited edition, one of 3200 bottles ever made, number 1398 of 3200 to be exact.  The following review has been written jointly by Rob and Vicky.

This is genuinely nothing like any beer I have ever tasted, it's got a number of recognisable characteristics and flavours but I've never experienced them in the same beer at the same time.  After having fought with the cork for several minutes, eventually we broke into the beer.  Everything about this beer is massive, not least the aroma, red fruit almost wine like, hardly beery at all.  The smell reminds me a little of fruli with a more savoury earthly edge to it.

The flavour presents itself in layers. It starts off overwhelmingly fruity and moves through the sourness of fruit beer into a layer of "normal" beer. This gives way to an intense bitterness which is unfortunately, not backed up by any sort of hoppiness, and then moves into the harsh bitterness and dryness of whisky. There is a lingering aftertaste of whisky and a heady alcohol punch not normally associated with beer. So overall, this beer is different. Very very different. 

If I had to describe this beer in a word, that would would be "exciting".  It's an experience but not easy drinking, if you're looking for a relaxing beer then I wouldn't recommend it, if you're looking to try something new then go for it!  We are finding it hard to rate this beer as it can't really be compared to anything.  Would I buy it again? Probably not. Would I buy another Abstrakt? Absolutely.

Rating 7/10 but 10/10 for effort!

Wood's - Shropshire Lad

Beer type - Bitter
Colour - D
Strength - 5%
Bitterness - 5/5
Hoppiness - 3/5
Sweetness - 2/5
Where bought and price - sainsburys for around £3
Brewed by - Wood Brewery, Shropshire
Review - I'm almost at beer crisis point. We've now pretty much reviewed all of the "commercial" beers in my local Sainsburys and now I have had to dip into the reserve shelf of local beers that I was saving for this eventuality. After this... Who knows? Maybe I'll have to start setting my standards higher and go to Waitrose!

Anyway, to the beer. I'm not usually a fan of bitters but this one has converted me! It has flavours of burnt caramel which is offset beautifully by the hops and stops it becoming too heavy of cloying. In the front of the mouth it tastes extremely bitter but if you take a gulp to the back of your mouth it is refreshing but comforting at the same time.

This would go well with a nice roast dinner and some of my dad's famous roast potatoes (you can pay me later)!

If this is what bitters are made of then sign me up- Yum!

Review- 8/10 yummy!

Bristol Beer Factory - Imperial Stout (aged in Glenlivet casks)

Beer type - Stout
Colour - E
Strength - 10.7%
Bitterness- 2/5
Hoppiness - 0/5
Sweetness - 3.5/5
Where bought - Stirchley Wines
Brewed by - Bristol Beer Factory

A little while ago I reviewed Bristol Beer Factory's 'Raspberry Stout' and truth be told it wasn't my cup of tea, however, the feedback I had was that I should give them another go but try their Laphroaig aged stout.  Unfortunately this has proved hard to find but on Friday I found this one, aged in Glenlivet, so thought it worth a go!

It is just as thick and black as the raspberry one, a quite ominous sight for a non-habitual stout drinker like myself.  The aroma is dominated by the toasted malt, but there is an exciting hint of whiskey in there.  Immediately I like this one, it's actually quite sweet, but pleasantly so with a good balance of bitterness from the malt.  It's very smooth and very silky; full of flavor, it starts with a whiskey-esque punch which mellows leaving a roasty flavour. I tried it chilled, I'm glad I did as its very strong at 10.7% and the warmth of the alcohol is a pleasant contrast to the cold smoothness of the beer.

Al in all, a very enjoyable beer, would reccomend drinking this is the same way you would drink a short slow, late into the evening and no more than one.

7/10 - Very enjoyable, even to a non-stouty.

Black Sheep Brewery - Golden Sheep

Beer type - Pale Ale
Colour - A
Strength - 4.7%
Bitterness- 4/5
Hoppiness - 3/5
Sweetness - 2/5
Where bought and price - Sainsburys at 2 for £3
Brewed by - Black Sheep Brewery, North Yorkshire
Review - Last week I almost broke the first rule of the year of beer blog- no duplicates! I was rather taken by the Black Sheep Brewery, Black Sheep and was about to write a review only to discover I'd been pipped at the post a few weeks back. Never fear, I thought, the beer was on offer so I bought their other variety, Golden Sheep.

Only now I'm sulking because this beer is nowhere near as nice as the Black Sheep. The nose is light and promises a lovely beer taste but the actual beer delivers bitterness, a slight hoppiness and little else.

It's very light so would go as a perfect accompaniment to a heavy meal like a curry but in my opinion, that's the only good thing.

Score- 4/10 not really my cup of tea.

Chapel Down Winery - Curious IPA

Pale Ale/IPA

Hoppiness - 4/5
Bitterness - 2.5/5
Sweetness - 2.5/5
Strength - 5.6%

Brewed by - Chapel Down Winery, Tenterden Vineyard, Tenterden, Kent
Bought at - Brewery Shop
Price - £1.49 / 33cl bottle

This three-hopped beer (goldings, bramling cross and citra) has a pungent smell which is on one hand the epitome of an IPA but on another could alienate the easy drinker. Its smell is so strong it almost has an iron aroma!

To taste there is a crisp, fresh start which mellows to a slightly sweet, fruity middle (the bottle states blackcurrant, I'm not convinced but it is definitely a darker fruit rather than the customary grapefruit). The aftertaste leaves me with a hint of lemon, giving it a thirst-quenching quality which draws me back to the glass for another sip.

Quite a complex beer from an established vineyard & winery... but at the same time an unknown brewery. I would say check out their website, but they haven't made it yet!

My rating... 7/10

UAB - Vicious Ale

Colour - B
Strength - 3.6%
Bitterness - 1/5
Hoppiness - 1/5
Sweetness -2/5

The last few weeks have been manic, through work and moving house I have hardly stopped. I am proud to say that I have not neglected my new beer a week resolution, however, I have not been writing the reviews. Tasting notes exist but are yet to be written up.

So, with enthusiasm, I have settled down to review a new beer on a Thursday that feels like a Friday.

I'm disappointed, so very disappointed, from a pump clip that just screams character, sporting an image of Sid vicious this beer is undeniably boring. I'm struggling to extract any flavours to describe it, reminds me of a flat lager if that's of any help, which is fine, had I bought a flat lager.

Ok, maybe I'm being unfair, this isn't bad, it's drinkable, just unspectacular. It's maintains a good head and it's of a good quality. There is a hint of fruitiness on the finish, just needs to try a little harder to be less generic. They have got my back up a little with the exciting branding that didn't follow through.

Ok.

5/10

Wells - Banana Bread Beer

Beer type - traditional ale
Colour - C
Strength - 5.2%
Bitterness - 1/5
Hoppiness - 1/5
Sweetness -4/5
Where bought and price - Asda for around £2
Brewed by -Wells & young brewery, Bedford
Review- I'm stumped. Properly stumped as to what to think of this beer.

A Banana Bread beer is nothing unusual - there are many varieties and it's one of the more common "home brew" novelty beers you can make. So when drinking a banana bread beer you expect it to taste of... well.. bananas. Otherwise it shouldn't be called as such.

So I'm stumped because this beer tastes very, very banana-ry. It smells of bananas, tastes of bananas and has an aftertaste of bananas. In my opinion it is far too banana-ry. There is no taste of hops, no lingering bitterness, it is a 1-dimensional flavour. But am I wrong on this? After all if it didn't taste of bananas then I'd be moaning too!

Overall, it's not really to my taste.

It would probably go well with a banoffee pie for those wondering what to pair it with!

Score- 2/10 credit for staying true to the theme but not very nice and boring!

XT Brewing - FOUR

Amber Ale

Hoppiness - 2/5
Bitterness - 2/5
Sweetness - 3/5
Strength - 3.8%

Brewed by - XT Brewing, Thame, Oxfordshire
Price - £1.75/pint (bought in a four litre bottle for £7)
Bought at - XT Brewing Brewery Shop (call in advance)

XT has only been brewing for four months, but this beer has already won out at two festivals local to the brewery so I was very much looking forward to reviewing it.

Having tasted a number of XT's beers this stays true to their style of tasty, light and easy to drink ales. The FOUR is a nice and fruity number brewed with Belgian malt and a selection of both traditional and modern hops. It pours into the glass with a nice fizz and is certainly not a flat beer (please ignore the picture, I let it settle for far too long).

On the nose you are presented with a rich aroma of stewed fruits, particularly apple and rhubarb, which follows through to the taste. You can definitely identify with a fruity European character which would usually lend itself to a more continental beer, but it is darker than that and the mix of hops give it a slight tang. There is no noticeable difference in the aftertaste, however this is a positive as often great fruity beers are let down by a pungent bitterness when you put the glass down.

This is probably the most consistent beer I've reviewed as it remains true to its flavour throughout. Although I'd be happy to consume many pints of the FOUR on a night out, it'd also go down very well with most poultry and meat dishes. It is refreshing and doesn't weigh you down. I'm looking forward to the next pint!

Brew Dog- 5am Saint

Beer type - Amber Ale
Colour - C
Strength - 5%
Bitterness - 3/5
Hoppiness - 4/5
Sweetness - 2/5
Where bought and price -sainsburys and I can't remember the exact price but maybe around £2?
Brewed by - Brew Dog, Scotland
Review - Ok, I admit it, I have been a terrible person and not only have I not reviewed a beer in 2 whole weeks but instead I drank.... gulp.... wine instead. I'm sorry.

But I was so amazed by Rob's 10 out of 10 for the Brew Dog Punk IPA that I decided to sample the brewery for myself and am I glad I did!

This beer is lovely. I wish there was a better word but there isn't. It has a fruity, hoppy nose with a hint of peach that carries through the entire flavour of the beer. The flavour is wholesome, comforting, slightly sweet and fruity but an almost marmite savouriness in the background.

The beer is interesting, drinkable and satisfying.

I think this beer would go really well with a Moroccan tagine or tomato-based fruity sauce.

Score- 9/10- I can't find a flaw but equally it didn't render me completely speechless (maybe my standards are too high...?)

Thwaites - Old Dan

Old Ale

Hoppiness - 3/5

Bitterness - 1/5

Sweetness - 5/5

Colour - C

Strength - 7.4%

Brewed by - Thwaites, Blackburn

Bought - Tesco

Price - £1.99 (330ml bottle)

The great thing about the recent real ale revival is that whilst some brewers are experimenting with new techniques and ingredients, others are revisiting classic styles and adding a modern touch to them at the same time. Thwaites have taken three classic malts and two varieties of hop, all British, and brewed it all a little bit stronger to create a new take on a classic blend.

This beer has an inviting smell. You can instantly smell that it's malty, and there are hints of raisin and sultana. Its consistency isn't particularly heavy, but it definitely seems syrupy rather than watery. Upon first taste there are strong notes of caramel and mincemeat - particularly of dark stewed fruits. The aftertaste is of mulled wine and is very warming. I could imagine enjoying this on a cold winter's night.

Old Dan is a sweet, tasty beer. To be drunk without food, and savoured and enjoyed rather than knocked back like a session ale. I think there are so many pleasant tastes that most people would like this beer, even those that aren't your typical ale drinkers. The only negative I can find is that it is perhaps too sweet for my taste, but I finished it before it became too sickly - perhaps the reason why it comes in a smaller bottle.

My rating - 7/10. Well done Thwaites for creating something more refined and completely different!

Micro Brasserie de Chamonix - Granite Pale Ale

Pale Ale/IPA


Colour - C
Hoppiness - 3/5
Sweetness - 2/5
Bitterness - 3/5
Strength - 5%
Brewed by - Micro Brasserie de Chamonix, Chamonix Mont-Blanc, France

I was privileged to visit MBC on their 10-year anniversary night last Friday, fresh off the slopes from an amazing day (and week) snowboarding in the French alps. Yes, I was in France. This left me with a bit of a dilemma for the 2012: A Year of Beer challenge - either be very boring and do a review the week before I go, setting it to post automatically - or try and find somewhere that serves real ale on the continent, in a predominantly lager-based beerconomy (that might not be a word). So, I was very happy on my last night to discover this ale oasis in this, the most famous mountain town in the world.

I won't lie, I'm not pretending that this is a British beer. It's brewed in a brewpub (actually behind the bar) run by Canadians in France using American hops. However, I was told that their head brewer is British, and in my opinion the ales they produce are similar in technique and creativity to many of the great ales brewed by many of the home-grown micro-breweries that can be found in the UK today.

This is truly craft beer, only sold to visitors luckily enough to venture in from the cold and into the pub or to one other venue in Chamonix. To smell, this beer is uncharacteristically malty for a Pale Ale (brewed with five malts according to their literature) which give off a toffee-like aroma also present upon first taste. This also means it's darker than most, and would push the beer toward the bitter/mild category if it wasn't for the hops for which the taste develops quickly. These are a great balancer, and their taste develops whilst drinking, making it very refreshing and nicely bitter. There is little to no aftertaste, instead a good warmth remains from the alcohol.

Granite Pale Ale is quite more-ish, and a friend and I got through a couple 'pichets' of this beer whilst eating a stereotypically North-American-sized burger, so it doesn't weigh you down. Overall, I was impressed with the beer and even more impressed with the micro-brewery it was produced in. If you like skiing/snowboarding and your ale, visit MBC - you won't be disappointed!

My rating... 8/10

Brew Dog - Punk IPA

IPA

Colour - A
Sweetness - 1/5
Hoppiness - 3.5/5
Bitterness - 3/5
Strength - 5.6%
Brewed by - Brew Dog

Price - £2.09
Where - Stirchley Wines, Birmingham

I've been trying to review this beer for weeks, its recently become somewhat a staple of mine and for the last 3 or so weeks I've had a couple in the cupboard that have been drunk before they've been written about.  After a tough day at work I don't want to risk opening one of the potentially terrible beers I have hiding away, I want quality and consistency - both can be found in Punk IPA.

It's got a crisp peachy aroma and you can almost smell the bitterness of the hops before you even taste it, overall its comes across very fresh and clean, not a hint of anything unpleasant at all.  Onto the taste, its got an initial sweet tang that emphasises the peachy flavors, but that all it is, an initial punch, this soon subsides along with the not insignificant fizz and as it does so your left with hoppy, earthy, malty flavours that really round off the beer.

It's more flavoursome than a lot of other IPA's I've tried recently, you can tell a lot of thought and effort has gone into sculpting this beer.  At first I was a little worried that the 'smaller than other beers' 330ml bottle wouldn't cut it, but there's so much going on in this beer that I find myself drinking slower anyway.

I didn't want to review this as I knew I'd only have good things to say about it.  I'd love to find a fault with it and write something a little more constructive, but I can't, it's everything you would want in an IPA and more.

10/10

Thornbridge - Evenlode Brown Porter

Porter

Colour - D/E
Sweetness - 2.5/5
Hoppiness - 3/5
Bitterness - 2/5
Strength - 6.2%
Brewed by - Thornbridge

Price - £7.39
Where - Stirchley Wines, Birmingham


With every week that passes I am getting more and more excited about beer.  I feel like I'm starting to know my stuff, whereas before I'd pick beers with funny names, I'm now starting to choose based on the brewery, region and reputation.  The consequence of this is that there are a lot of beers I want to try, making trips to the local specialist beer shop an expensive experience... this week more so than most.  At £7.39 I have high hopes for Evenlode.

At first the smell doesnt really give much away, swilling it around the glass really opens this beer up and a subtle red fruit aroma emerges.  This beer is remarkably smooth and has a massively complex array of flavours.  It's genuinely mouthwatering and very hoppy, there are hints of blackcurrant which run in parrallel to the chocolaty, coffee type flavors you would expect from a beer this colour; as these subside you are left with a silky hoppy finish which coats your mouth.  It's got a substantial punch at first which may deter non-stout/porter drinkers, but once you move beyond this, it mellows into a rounded swirling symphony of flavours (That might be the most pretentious sentence I have ever written).

This beer is 6.2% for a reason, it adds so much warmth and makes it an experience to enjoy.  This is a genuinly exceptional beer with the only drawback being the price, it is for this reason and this reason alone I am unable to award it a 10.  Being this good at 6.2% for £7.39 Evenlode could ruin me in more ways than one.

9/10

Wye Valley Brewery-Butty Bach

Beer type - traditional ale
Colour - C
Strength - 4.5%
Bitterness -2/5
Hoppiness - 3/5
Sweetness 2/5
Where bought and price - Sainsburys for £1.99
Brewed by - Wye Valley Brewery, hereford
Review - This is a beer that looks like beer, smells like beer and tastes of... toast! Ok it's not a strong bread flavour, its more of an essence of toastiness that makes you feel comforted and relaxed. It has a slightly metallic twang on the nose but is a very gentle beer flavour that makes you think of pubs, roaring log fires and... ok, I'm stuck for words here... did I mention toast?

Perfect for a lazy night in and would probably go well with some... umm... toasted bread products!

Score- 8/10 - comforting and homely

Marston's - Staffordshire IPA

Pale Ale/IPA

Colour - A/B

Sweetness - 1/5
Hoppiness - 4/5
Bitterness - 4/5
Strength - 5.5%
Brewed by - Marston's

Where - Marks & Spencer

Gifts of beer are always welcome and last week I received what I'm hoping will be the first of many bottle shaped presents this year.  After offering the obligatory "I wonder what this is...." and "Is it a DVD" jokettes, I unwrapped and found myself with a bottle of "Staffordshire IPA".

This is another example of a larger brewery masquerading as a craft beer, with the yellowy label designed to look like it was printed on rough old paper, I must confess I was a little perturbed by this blatant attempt at humility.

Thankfully, where it really counts, this beer holds its own, its actually pretty good.  It's very dark for an IPA, an orangey type colour not too dissimilar to apple juice.  It's very hoppy with a nice balance of bitterness that's short and abrupt.  It has quite a citrusy kick but not to the point of being sour, it's very much on the orange side of the spectrum as opposed to lemon.  The hints of fruit however are soon replaced by the hops which is the dominating force throughout, but these don't linger, it doesn't really have too much of an after-taste at all, its all very clean and refreshing.

Definitely a beer to have cold, not fridge cold but somewhere below room temperature.  I enjoyed this beer, I think it lacked a bit of character which is inevitable for one that is most likely brewed en-mass but I don't think this is so much of a negative.  It was very enjoyable and its nice to know it will be readily available.

8/10

Salopian - Oracle

Pale Ale/IPA

Sweetness - 3/5
Hoppiness - 3/5
Bitterness - 2/5
Strength - 4%
Brewed by - Salopian, Shropshire

Price - £3.40
Where - Lord Clifden, Great Hampton St, Birmingham

In a week that saw me work a 18 hour day, I have never felt more like I deserve a beer than right now!

A sweet hoppy aroma gives this beer an unusual smell of pink grapefruit. Upon first sip this is certainly the predominant flavour, but it is not sour - in fact it develops into a sweeter, peachy taste.

The nice thing about the balance of this beer is that it doesn't make you screw your face up like some (too) hoppy beers. It still tingles on the tongue though, so isn't boring.

Develops into a smooth beer, not sharp in any way. It's got a pleasant bitterness, which is why I put it into this category and not Golden Ale. This, however, is a complement rather than a distraction.

My Rating...9/10
I could drink this beer all night! Please Sir, can I have some more?

Plain Ales - Intrigue

Mild


Colour - C
Strength - 4.2%
Bitterness - 2/5
Hoppiness - 0/5
Sweetness - 3/5

Where - Wellington, Bennett's Hill, Birmingham.
How Much - £3.10 / pint.
Brewed by - Plain Ales, Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire

I must admit, I'm guilty of reviewing too many beers from the Midlands - there are so many good breweries here it's hard to get hold of good draught from elsewhere, but tonight I've found a great mild from a brewery I hadn't heard of before from 'Down South'.

This mild is a great challenger to the old mild stereotype of a musty/stale beer only found in a hazy 70s dive.

Firstly, it has a wonderfully strong chocolate smell - more like cocoa than dairy milk. Upon first sip the taste of a traditional mild is there, but more of a constant undercurrent rather than it being unpleasant. A nice sweetness counters any musty tones.

Forgot to take a photo earlier. Oops!

Afterwards, the beer is quite addictive - I just want to take another sip! It's not particularly bitter but there is a noticeable coffee aftertaste which is interesting.

So, Intrigue is the name of the beer, and this is very apt as it is a new take on an old style but not radically so.

My Rating... 8/10

Holdens - Black Country Special

Golden Ale

Colour - B
Strength - 5.1%
Bitterness - 1/5
Hoppiness - 3/5
Sweetness 2.5/5

Bought at The Wellington, Birmingham
Price - £3.30

Brewed by Holdens

Tonight is the first time that all 3 of the 'a year of beer' contributors have been in the same place at the same time, simultaneously reviewing beer. Sat here all typing furiously on our phones we look rather pathetic, thankfully we have a dark little corner where we can give our beers the attention they deserve.

Black country special is my kind of beer, it's a great colour, the kind of colour which you are proud to hold, makes you feel like a man (or woman). It's got wheaty flavours, not as strong as a wheat beer but definitely identifiable. It's got a good balance of hops that don't overpower but adds depth and bitterness.

I'm surprised it's 5.1%, it's masked by the hops. This is massively drinkable,, with my only niggle being a persistent aftertaste.

Makes me proud to be from the black country!

My rating 9/10

Wye Valley Brewery - Hereford Pale Ale (HPA)

Beer type - Golden Ale
Colour - A
Strength - 4.0%
Bitterness - 3/5
Hoppiness - 0/5
Sweetness - 1/5
Where bought and price - Wellington pub in Birmingham for £3.00 a pint but it was flat!
Brewed by - Wye Valley Brewery, Hereford
Review - Ah, the cardinal sin of serving beer- don't serve it flat! I am so disappointed that such a lovely beer has been let down by its lack of sparkle but, nonetheless I am happy with this beer.

This is a refreshing, light beer that has a clean, slightly buttery taste that would work well with light lunch dishes. I can imagine drinking this in a pub garden on a lazy summer lunchtime.

Score- 7/10

Ruddles- Ruddles County

Beer type- Traditional ale


Colour- C


Strength- 4.7%


Hoppiness- 3/5
Bitterness- 5/5
Sweetness- 0/5

Price and where bought- 2 for £3 at Sainsburys

Brewed by - Ruddles which is actually Green King (grr)!

Review- I'm not having a good day! I hoped to salvage the day so far by trying a delicious beer by an unknown brewery (Ruddles) but alas, my run of good beers was broken and my hopes were cruelly dashed like a conveniently placed vase in a soap opera.

My first disappointment came whilst looking at the bottle trying to figure out more about the "Ruddles Brewery from Rutland" only to find it was some clever branding by Green King. It was then followed up by a beer that smells.... stale which is probably an over abundance of hop essence. Finally the beer is so bitter it's almost unpalatable with the only redeeming feature being a slight malty finish.

Rating - 2/10 (an extra point deducted for the brewery deception)!

Dorset Piddle - Piddle... in a Bottle

Golden Ale


Colour - B
Strength - 4.1%

Hoppiness - 2/5
Bitterness - 2/5
Sweetness - 4/5

Where - Dike & Son, Stalbridge, Dorset (well, it was a Christmas present from my parents but I am certain they bought it from here!)
Who - Dorset Piddle Brewery, Piddlehinton, Dorset (not to be confused with Wyre Piddle Brewery in Worcestershire)
How Much - Approx £2/bottle (along with the other Piddles: Silent Slasher; Yogi Beer; and Little Willie)

I love interestingly branded beer, and this one's no exception due to the name it, and its brewery, takes from the River Piddle which runs through the village in which it is brewed. This river always reminds me of my school geography project where my Dad and I (well, I roped my Dad into helping me) had to stand in the river taking stupid flow measurements at various points. Thinking about it, I wish this beer had been around back then, I may have enjoyed the whole cold, wet and windy experience a bit more!

On the front the beer tastes sweet and malty, almost toffee-like, which masks any other initial flavours but doesn't overpower them. After hitting all of my taste buds, there is a hint of bitterness, which does well to complement the sweetness. A slight fizz, which upon reading the bottle is added but is in my opinion a welcome addition, means the beer tingles the tongue ever so gently.

The aftertaste is much the same as the middle, which lingers and doesn't disappear - making it a surprisingly good ale for a winter's evening. After only half the bottle, it has made me feel nice and warm inside - another surprise considering its moderate strength and light colour.

Piddle in a Bottle is a nice beer, tastes darker than it looks and stronger than it is. Much tastier than... well... Piddle in a Bottle... that's for sure!

My Rating - 6.5/10

Bristol Beer Factory - Raspberry Stout

Stout

Colour-E
Strength-7.7%

Hoppiness-1/5
Bitterness-1.5/5
Sweetness-5/5

Where - Stirchley Wines
How Much - £4.00
Who - Bristol Beer Factory

So it's Friday night and I'm settling down to a nice relaxing beer, the curry is on order to be delivered as I'll be buggered if I'm going back outside in this weather.  Upon poring the beer my concerns grow, it's thick and very, very dark.  Personally, I'm only just getting to grips with stouts, some I like, some I don't; this one I'm afraid I don't.

It smells a bit like a fruity shandy, its strangely complex and not to my liking, it reminds me of more reckless drinking days of youth, when a bit of everyones drink would get mixed into a single glass and then one would flip a coin to see who has to drink it.

The taste is massive, it's sour at first to point I feel it necessary to pull a silly face.  But at this subsides you are met with a crescendo of flavours that unfortunately ultimately overwhelm.  Trying to identify individual flavours in this beer is a challenge, there is of course the unmistakable taste of raspberry at the front, and the alcohol content packs a fair punch to almost a vodka-like extent, other than that its smooth.

I would enjoy this if it wasn't so unbearably sour from the off, as it is I'm struggling.  I reckon it would be nice without the raspberry, I'm definitely going to try another one of BBF's offerings but perhaps a less daring one.

My Rating 3/10 (not for me)

Badger - Blandford Flyer

Beer category/type- Golden ale

Colour-B

Strength- 5.2%

Hoppiness-1/5
Bitterness-3/5
Sweetness-3/5

Price and where beer was bought- 2 for £3 at Sainsburys

Brewed by- Badger Brewery, Dorset

Review- Often I've thought to myself, I want to drink alcoholic ginger beer tonight but I also want to drink beer, but which one's better....? Well they no longer need to fight, I've found Blandford Flyer!

Although the beer lacks a certain depth and doesn't linger long on the palate, the marrying of ginger beer flavours together with "normal" beer flavours provides a satisfying, pleasant drink that is delicious on its own. In my opinion it could be improved with a slightly bigger kick of ginger but I'm happy to accept that may not suit the mass market palate.

The beer would work well with a winter stew or even a dessert (apple pie or treacle tart maybe) because of the sweet ginger undertone.

Score- 8/10 delicious but could do with a bigger ginger kick.

Oakham - Citra

Golden Ale

Colour - A
Hoppiness - 5/5
Bitterness - 2/5
Sweetness - 3.5/5

Where - The Wellington, Bennett's Hill, Birmingham (Map)
How Much - £3.30
Who - Oakham Ales, Peterborough

The pump clip for Citra has got a picture of a hop on it. This is no accident. It claims to be hoppy, it smells hoppy it tastes hoppy. Hoppy hoppy hoppy.

Unsurprisingly the most noticeable characteristic of this beer is hops, it's right there from the off; although coming a close second is a lemony edge. The smell is almost vegetative, but not unpleasant, it's a savoury plant like aroma. The initial taste has a considerable fizz, more so than most other ales but it is short lived . No sooner is it noticed does this fleeting jubilance disappear. As the beer develops it turns slowly bitter to the aftertaste which is longstanding and significant.

The guy at the bar next to me, who I suspect has been there a considerable time, expresses his love for this beer. He says it sells a lot and is a permanent fixture. This I can believe. This beer is unique and I would recommend it. Not sure I could drink more than one, It's an experience to be had but not a way of life.

My review - 6/10

Kinver - Stan The Man

Golden Ale


Colour - A
Hoppiness - 2.5/5
Bitterness - 3/5
Sweetness - 2.5/5


Where - The Wellington, Bennett's Hill, Birmingham
How Much - £3.50
Who - Kinver Brewery, Worcestershire

Happy Weekend! Hope you all, like us, get to "sample" many wonderful ales between now and Monday! Now onto this beer...
Initial smell is slightly hoppy and very fruity and dare I say grapey, which will annoy any wine connoissneurs out there! It is very pleasing on the front, however it develops - and maybe due to its alcohol content - into quite a persistent and unrelenting bitterness.

My rating - 6/10... very nice but the aftertaste needs taming.

Adnams- Spindrift

Beer category/type- Blonde beer
Colour- B
Strength- 5.0%
Hoppiness- 5/5
Bitterness- 5/5
Sweetness- 2/5
Price and where beer was bought - £1.67 at Sainsburys
Brewed by- Adnams Southwold on the English coast.

Review- Ok, I admit it, I bought this beer because it was in a blue bottle with a shiny, silvery label. Very rarely do such decisions pay off but this time I'm very smug.

My first word after the initial sip was "Wow". Before I even drank the beer, I was impressed by quite how hoppy the beer smelled and when I drank it, it was like drinking pureed hops - aromatic and wonderfully bitter. However, the clever people at Adnams have lightly tempered the bitterness with "a touch of wheat" which means that there is a light sweetness on the palate after the bitterness disappears with a clean aftertaste.

I'm not one for bitter beers but this is so good and so interesting that I've changed my mind.

I normally recommend which food to drink it with but the taste is so strong, well rounded and unique that I don't think food would work well with it and why spoil the enjoyment of drinking the beer by eating food with it?

Well done Adnams, I was starting to think that you couldn't get a bottled beer on par with cask ale to deliver flavour and uniqueness but you have bucked the trend.

My Score - 9/10 - Enjoy and savour on its own.

Arundel - Stronghold

Bitter


Colour - D
Hoppiness - 1/5
Bitterness - 3/5
Sweetness - 4/5
Strength - 4.5%

Where - The Briar Rose, Bennett's Hill, Birmingham (JD Wetherspoon)
How much - £2.35
Who - Arundel Brewery

Ahhh pay day drinks. Been looking forward to this all month! However before I drink too much and all the colours fade into one massive hangover tomorrow I thought this beer was definitely worth a review!

The most interesting thing about this beer is the initial taste - Christmas puddings! It's not a Christmas ale though, so this is a testament to how malty the beer is. It is a very wholesome but not heavy, so it isn't a chore to drink. It is also nice and sweet for a bitter.

Unfortunately this is the only downside. When starting with such a nice glow it is a shame it fails to follow through and it doesn't stay as warm as it feels it should. However, a nice beer all the same, and I wouldn't say no to another!

My rating - 6/10

emelisse - Espresso Stout

Stout

Colour - E
Strength - 9.5%
Hoppiness - 2/5
Bitterness - 4.5/5
Sweetness - 1/5

Price - £4.15 at Stirchley Wines
Brewed by - emelisse

This is where I start to show my ignorance, my initial impression of this beer was to question why the bottle was small.  The bottle is small because the taste is huge, the taste in turn is eclipsed by the whopping 9.5% alcohol.

I must confess, I'm not a stout drinker by trade, but this really floats my boat.  It is very bitter but not unpleasantly so; it's rounded.  It's hoppy for a stout and the coffee is ever present but not overwhelming.

It's got quite a biscuity finish but also a warming glow which is probably the 9.5% working its magic.

I like this, it's not one to have with food unless you don't want to taste it.  This is most definitely a Thursday night beer, one to sip and enjoy.

My Rating - 8.5/10

Wye Valley Brewery - Dorothy Goodbody's Golden Ale

Golden Ale

Colour - B
Strength - 4.2%
Hoppiness - 4/5
Bitterness - 3/5
Sweetness - 2/5

Price - £1.99 at Sainsburys
Brewed by - Wye Valley Brewery, Herefordshire


This ale has a light but robust flavour that doesn't linger on the palate or in the glass!

It's slight bitterness balances out well with the hop flavour and lightness making this beer very drinkable.

Although it's lightness means that it won't go with strong flavoured foods, treat it like a white wine and pair it with creamy pasta or rich chicken dishes.

An interesting beer. My Rating - 7/10

Wickwar Brewing Co - Cotswold Way

Bitter

Colour - D

Strength - 4.2%

Hoppiness - 2/5

Bitterness - 1/5

Sweetness - 3/5

I'm excited. Not just because I've got a full pint of beer which I'm denying myself until I've written this introduction, but it's a local(ish) one, and I love local. This one is darker than my last and I'm keen to flex my critique muscles on this new beast.

To business: surprisingly smooth, sweet and totally drinkable. Betrayed by its colour there's hardly a hint of bitterness at all. This particular beer is very fresh and, unlike some of it's peers which can be a little stuffy, it's quite light.

It has no remarkable flavours which dominate but instead is very balanced. Cotswold way has the air of high quality product; the only trait not entirely to my taste is a sour twang on the finish.

I dont know why, possibly because I'm now on my third, I'd liken this to autumn.

My Rating - 7.5/10

Thornbridge - Pica Pica

Stout/Porter (Oatmeal Stout)


Colour - E
Strength - 4.5%
Hoppiness - 0/5
Bitterness - 2.5/5
Sweetness - 2.5/5

Price - £2.75/pint
Where - The Country Girl (Ember Inn), 1 Raddlebarn Road, Birmingham (Map)
Who - Thornbridge Brewery, Derbyshire (Twitter @thornbridge / Facebook Thornbridge Brewery)

I sat down to drink this with dinner, and due to my lack of forward planning I ended up having it with fish and chips, so was a bit worried it would be a meal in itself like so many stouts I've had before. However, I was pleasantly surprised, as to smell and taste the Pica Pica is quite light which means it would go well with any meal. Unfortunately this is a bit of a trade-off as it does lack that trademark yeasty character.

On the front... well there isn't much of a front, however you can initially taste the oats and a hint of coffee in the background. The oats (and the alcohol) help it develop a subtle warm and sweet presence, but sadly this doesn't last for very long. It isn't too bitter either, so you aren't left with a significant aftertaste.

In my opinion this is a very well-balanced beer, which is inoffensive and pleasant. It is lighter than most stouts, and therefore I could drink two or three without feeling full. The only thing I think lets it down is the lack of character and excitement, however it would make an excellent lunchtime beer.

My Rating - 7/10

Fuller's - Organic Honeydew

Golden Ale

Colour - B
Strength - 5% ABV
Hoppiness - 2/5
Bitterness - 0/5
Sweetness - 4/5

Price - £1.74
Where - Sainsbury's (bargain!)
Who - Fuller's, London

I tend to have low expectations of commercial, large scale breweries. Brewing beers for the mass populous whose tastes tend to be defined by the continental swill that is lager, I find that their attempts at ales are bland and boring however I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Although it's not groundbreaking or unique, it was refreshing and possessed some depth (however, think deep end of a swimming pool depth rather than pacific ocean); and after a few sips I did start to get a bit bored.

It is fairly sweet and floral and certainly lives up to its name of honeydew. I think it would go well with a light salad or melon and Parma ham but it's not robust enough to stand up to stronger flavours.

If you are looking for a beer to start a foray into real ale, this one is less frightening than some others however don't be fooled into thinking that this lightweight gives a full insight or appreciation of the complex field of ale!

My rating - 3/10... Pleasant but boring.

Thwaites - Very Nutty Black

Mild

Colour - E
Strength - 3.9%
Hoppiness - 0/5
Bitterness - 1/5
Sweetness - 2.5/5

Price - £1.99
Where - Ocado (Waitrose Online)
Who - Thwaites, Blackburn

I've just been cooked a stew for dinner on this freezing winter evening, so I thought what better than to crack open this very dark looking bottle-conditioned mild to accompany it; hopefully the combination will warm me up!

Smelling the beer gives very little away; it's not a particularly strong odour and although this is a rubbish description it just smells like a mild (and a pretty mild one at that). Upon initial taste it is also very plain and considering the colour I was expecting more of a bang.

Saying that, it's a pleasant and warming mild and goes down very well. It certainly doesn't taste bad, just rather average in my opinion. If you haven't had a mild before or can't stand those with a more 'powerful' character you may enjoy this one. Unfortunately I don't think it'll excite any seasoned ale drinker.

Oh, before I forget, it isn't nutty... not even slightly.

My Rating - 5/10

St Peter's - Organic Ale

Pale Ale/IPA

Colour - B
Strength - 4.5%
Hoppiness - 4/5
Bitterness - 3/5
Sweetness - 2/5

Price - £1.99/bottle
Where - The Off License - Warwards Lane, Selly Park, Birmingham
Who - St Peter's Brewery, Suffolk


I'd never had or heard of this beer (or brewery) until we saw it on the shelf, but the interestingly-shaped bottle stood out from the crowd of other ales in this well-stocked local shop. The other great thing about the shape of the bottle is that when you pick it up it's almost introducing itself to you, shaking your hand!

So, onto the drinking... Upon first sip it strikes me as a very typical IPA being pretty well hopped on the front, but this is lost quite quickly upon swallowing, and is replaced with an earthy presence. However, it is also slightly sweet which counteracts the strong hoppy nature of the beer. This slowly develops into a fairly bitter aftertaste which lingers for quite a while; surprising again considering the initial hoppiness.

Therefore I can say that the one word to describe this beer is confusing - but this is not an insult by any means. A very complex beer, but not in an 'experimental' way which can sometimes spoil the taste by being too radical. I will definitely look for other beers from this brewery as they are sure to be just as interesting.

My Rating - 7/10