Double Stout - Hook Norton Brewery (4.8% ABV)

I'm back! After a nigh-on 3 month hiatus... Had to take a break from writing about beer for a while as I was becoming stale. I still might be stale, but I fancy writing about the lovely beers I come across again...

This specimen is a double stout from Hook Norton. It pours a deep walnut brown with a slight ruby hue when held up to the light. It's capped off with a tan coloured wispy head that goes to a thin layer after a minute or 2 and offers a touch of lacing on the glass

Nose throws out plenty of roasted malt goodness; really nutty with an underlying hint of chocolate and coffee. Floral hops do come out (just) and there is a pleasant fruity sweetness

Good mix of complex flavours. Definite smokey woodiness to this, with a complex mix of coffee, cocoa and fruit cake with raisins & plums. The hops give a good spicy bitterness to help give a clean, dry finish.

Full bodied, smooth and well balanced. There is a good level of dryness to keep you wanting more. A pleasant stout with lots of flavour

Bigfoot Ale 2013 - Sierra Nevada (9.6% ABV)

I'm slowly working my way through the Sierra Nevada range, and this is another new style for me: a Barleywine style beer.

Well, it definitely looks good with its dark copper and ruby colour, topped off with a thick, soapy head that sticks to the glass. The nose is intense with a healthy amount of orange zest and pineapple. A touch of tropical fruit is evident, but the winner is the toasted malt mixes brilliantly with the alcohol to give a rich, sweet, malty aroma.

The taste is just as vibrant and aggressive, but in a good way! Thick, chewy malt base of toffee, toasted grains with lashings of booze soaked cherries and prunes. The hop flavour then kicks in to give grapefruit and pineapple, before a wonderful finish of spicy grass, fruity tartness, some citrus pith and a good helping of resinous hop flavour that lingers forever.

This is at the top end of what one might consider full bodied. The mouthfeel is thick, rich, boozy, sweet, chewy and a bunch of other adjectives which I can't be bothered to type. The carbonation is spot on, and the balance of malt and hops is brilliant. Perhaps the ABV is a tad on the strong side, and it is ever-present on the palate, but it seems intentional as it fires the flavours up to 11.

Brilliant, it's just a shame that I probably won't get to have this again... Booooo!

Russet Multigrain Bitter - Loddon Brewery

This is another brewery that I have never heard of, but thanks to the power of BeerBods, it has come to my doorstep to keep me company. Not sure what to expect from a multigrain beer, but I think it contains every type of malt base (excluding adjuncts) that you can use!

Dark colour of chestnut with a modest white head that drops to a thin layer after a minute or two. The nose is port-wine with hints of grain and dark fruits.

The first impression on tasting is the complex mix of grains in here; oaty, grainy, malty and honey sweet. Almost like an alcoholic cereal breakfast bar. Definite vinous feel, with slightly sour black grapes with earthy hints of walnut. The Fuggles & Styrian hops give that distinctive 'English' hop flavour finish with a touch of pine, citrus and a pleasantly smooth bittersweet linger.

Medium/full bodied with a smooth mouthfeel. Finishes moderately dry and is dangerously drinkable - this went down far too easy and would happily session this over a long afternoon in the garden. The carbonation is nondescript, but when it's this tasty, it's barely of any consequence.

Northern Hemisphere Harvest Wet Hop Ale - Sierra Nevada (6.7% ABV)

Well, this is a big bottle! Most of Sierra Nevada's beers that I have come across thus far have been in small volumes, and this beast is a whole pint; and at 6.7%, this should do a good job of getting me nice and sleepy

The label goes into great detail about the speciality hops that go in to this, and the label design is typical of SN, and looks very pretty.

Pours a vibrant copper colour, with the smallest bubbles imaginable spewing from the bottom of the glass. Topped off with a brilliant, creamy off-white head.

The nose? It is quite formidable... You really get that wet hop goodness wafting up with dominating pine and resin with a kick of citrus. Toffee and biscuit with a mild toast is underpinned by a boozy layer of fruity sweetness.

The onslaught continues on the tongue. Chewy, thick malt at first has a distinct toffee and biscuit flavour, with a hint of wood chips. Figs, raisins and syrup then come to fore and coat the palate, before a hint of pineapple and mango wash over. Then the hops kick in and cleanse that sticky, fruity maltiness away with lashings of hop oils, pine and a hint of tobacco. Long bittersweet linger and those oily hop flavours seem to stay forever!

Full bodied with quite a heavy and creamy mouthfeel. The bitterness and sweetness is perfectly balanced, and is complemented by a moderate dryness. The alcohol is a touch on the solvent side and overstays its welcome a little.

But, who cares about that when this is so deliciously lovely. Another corker from SN

Epic Saison - Wild Beer Co. (5.0% ABV)

This is my first bottle of Wild Beer, and for a fledgling brewery which only started in October 2012, they have quickly established themselves as one of the top dogs in the industry. This is also my first Saison, so lots of new things on offer for me here!

Pours a golden straw colour and produces a deep meringue-like white head with tonnes of carbonation in the glass. Looks very 'Belgium'. Nose is predominately Belgium yeast with aromas of clove &bubblegum, with a hint of ginger, lemon grass, spice and a meaty smokiness.

The flavour is very different to anything I have tried before. Biscuit with a touch of honey at first which gives way to a distinctive smoky character with a hint of saltiness. Spicy grass and sour lemon juice blend with bitter orange marmalade in the middle, before a finish of gentle hop bitterness winch deliver a bunch of herbal and peppery rocket leaf flavours. Slight mineral tang at the back which is probably noticable as there isn't much linger from the other flavours.

Medium bodied with a dry and crisp mouthfeel. Carbonation is brisk; very easily drinkable and would definitely benefit being paired with some sticky ribs or Chinese duck. On its own, it's nothing special, and felt a tad too sour for me, but that is representative of this style. Will definitely try again in the summer when the BBQ gets fired up

Ivanhoe - Ridgeway Brewery (5.2% ABV)

Another week, another Beerbods, and this pale ale from Ridgeway is the perfect accompiament to a warm spring evening. This is a bottle conditioned, with a label that sticks to medieval 'theme' of the Ridgeway range.

Pours a clear amber and is capped by a decent frothy white head that drops down to a thin layer after a minute or two.

Nose is malty goodness with lashings of toffee and cherries and fruity yeast aromas - lovely smell.

Initial malt hit is brown bread, toffee with a hint of chestnut. Mildly earthy character with a touch of citrus come at you, before the fruity yeast flavours envelop the palate; watermelon, bramble fruits and maybe some strawberry in there too. Finishes with a brisk bitterness and pine hop flavour.

Full bodied for a pale ale, minimal carbonation and finishes a tad too astringent. However, this is a brilliantly constructed ale that has great depth of flavour and is balanced perfectly. The bottle conditioning help add a bucket of fruity flavour, and blends well with the pre leant warmth of the alcohol

Organic Pale Ale - Samuel Smiths (5.0% ABV)

Got me a job lot of Samuel Smiths beer in my latest haul, and this is my second bottle, after the very successful Imperial Stout

Pours clear amber, and is capped by a lovely thick off-white head. Tons of lacing and good retention.

Nose is all sweet caramel and crystal malt goodness, with hints of green apples, bramble fruits and a waft of alcohol warmth.

Taste gives you brown bread and a mildly yeasty character at first, which develops into salted caramel and toffee, roasted walnuts, wood chips, dried leaves, and then you get the fruity sweetness from apples and raisins. Finishes bittersweet and slightly metallic with a clean, mild pine bitterness.

Medium/full bodied with moderate to high astringency, although it manages to avoid being unpleasant. Carbonation is brisk and helps deliver a smooth and easy drinking beer.

Decent beer, this. It's not going to stick in my memory for any reason, but it's worth trying out

 

XS - The Hop Studio (5.5% ABV)

Beerbods time, and this beer is from a fledgling Yorkshire brewery that produce a small range of beers. This is an extra special ale, sporting a questionable style of label... Seems a tad pretentious to me.

Pours a clear amber, but, try as I might, I cannot get any amount of decent head on this beer...

Nose is not that pleasant, with overcooked apples and plums, strong floral aromas, alcohol and a hint of mineral.

Taste isn't much better; sticky toffee and brown bread from the malt at first, then a slight hint of citrus, salt and then those horrible apples and plums again which give a sour and tarte bite. Walnut bitterness comes in at the end with some pith bitterness. Linger is bitter, sweet and sour - but not terribly nice.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, but too thin and overly astringent. Carbonation was almost non-evident.

Urgh. I was really disappointed by this. The sour/bitterness was the most off-putting element, and mixed in with the high astringency, there just wasn't much for me to like. The malt flavours were ok, but everything else was off target, and the whole thing seemed unbalanced.

Snake IPA - Flying Dog Brewery (7.1% ABV)

What a pretty label. Flying Dog sure know how to make a beer look attractive, but it's the golden liquid inside that is more important.

Pours a clear amber and is capped off by a meringue-like sticky white head. Tons of lacing on the glass.

Nose throws up biscuit and caramel malt underneath a muscular fruit bowl of gooseberries, lychees and fresh oranges. Lovely aroma that smells fresh and inviting

First off, you get a quick taste of the creamy malt; light and biscuity with a caramel sweetness. Then you get hints of lemons, oranges, pith and a light peppery bite. Then the sucker-punch comes in at the end: a bucket load of bitterness from citrus pith and hop oils that deliver a looooong linger of pine and resin. Very nice, but that bitterness strips away a lot of the other great flavours which is disappointing.

Light/medium bodied with a creamy texture thanks to the brilliantly smooth carbonation. Astringency is moderate, but restrained, given the high bitterness that this beer packs. Also, you would never guess this was 7.1%. The alcohol is very well masked

Top notch IPA that delivers exactly what you would expect from something with such a venomous name

Imperial Stout -Samuel Smiths (7.0% ABV)

My first try of a Sam Smiths beer, and this beauty comes in a very attractively labelled bottle, capped off with some pretty golden foil... Everyone loves the golden foil. Here goes...

This pours pure black; there is no light getting through this. Topped off with a frothy mocha coloured head that goes down to a thin layer after a few minutes.

The nose is a boozy mix of deep, roasted malts giving off dark chocolate, burnt sugars and a mix of cherries, figs and raisins. Very nice.

The taste is equally complex. First, the thick, chewy malt wraps around your tongue: tons of roast, and that bitter dark chocolate comes though with coffee and chestnuts with undertones of smokey wood chips. There is some lactose sweetness in the middle, along with hints of anise, burnt brown sugar, figs, cherries and other complex fruits flavours that I can't quite pinpoint.... It's all deliciously wrapped up in that alcohol, which makes itself known at all times, but sits in the background and doesn't take over. No real hop flavour of note, but I didn't miss them...

Full bodied, rich, thick, creamy, chewy and delectable. It's top drawer indeed. There is little carbonation, and has a pleasing astringency. I have a few more bottles of Sam Smiths beer sitting my beer cellar (aka, kitchen), and If they are anything like this, then I'm in for a treat.

5 Barrel Pale Ale - Odell Brewing Co (5.2% ABV)

I've been wanting to try a beer from this brewery for a while. Heard plenty of good things about them... but I could say that about 100 other breweries! Sadly, I am unable to order an unending supply of beer due to work, kids and other pointless distractions..

Looks great upon pouring; a hazy caramel / orange colour that produces a thick, creamy off-white head. Sticks to the glass nicely all the way to the bottom.

The smell is amazing! Oranges, gooseberries, grapefruit and hop resins. Light touch of honey and pale malts underneath those pungent hops...

Malt comes through at first upon tasting; light and creamy with a gentle sweetness. It doesn't stick around for long though, as the hops deliver a ton of flavour. First, there is the grapefruit and lemon with a definite pithy character. Some spicy grass and cinnamon in the middle, before a hefty dose of oily hop resins and pine flavour on the finish. Some light lager-esque malt lingers on the palate, along with a mild metallic tang.

Creamy, medium bodied with perfect carbonation and a great easy drinking character. Finishes at the top end of the astringency scale, but it manages to avoid being unpleasant.

In fact, this beer is anything but unpleasant. The hops flavour profile is brilliant, and the creaminess of the malts keep it all nicely balanced. Top notch beer from the US once again.

TED - Flat Cap Beers (5.0% ABV)

I've been laying off the booze recently - hence the lack of updates - but I have my trusty BeerBods selection to keep me going on Thursdays. This week we have a bit of a curveball in the shape Ted, a jovial chap who appears to be in his twilight years, and is obviously amused by something. No prizes for label design here.

Pours a golden orange colour, but fails to produce hardly any head. The nose is equally lacklustre, with only faint whiffs off floral hops, elderflower and some light, sweet maltiness.

Upfront, you get a hearty taste of toffee and caramel. This is mixed with brown bread crust, biscuit and some yeasty notes. Tarte fruit (lemon and rhubarb), pine and resin hop flavour come in at the end with an earthy character mixed with some complex citrus flavours. Lots of decent flavour in here and it all seems to compliment each other well.

Almost full-bodied which, for a pale ale, is something I wasn't expecting, but it seems to work. Light carbonation and a moderate, crisp dryness. Starts off slightly chewy, but ends up feeling light and easily drinkable. It's a good beer, but it's not going to blow your socks off. The odd label design is a bit 'marmite', so I wouldn't imagine that this would jump out at you whilst out on a beer shopping spree.

Tribute Cornish Pale Ale - St Austell Brewery (4.2% ABV)

St Austell really need to sort out there bottle design. Their labels are so bland and uninspiring... We'll forgive them though as they know how to make a cracking beer

This is a Cornish Pale Ale. Not much else to it. No bells or whistles...

Pours a pleasant, deep auburn colour and is capped off with a wispy white head that don't stay around for too long.

Nose gives off citrus aromas, some honey, melon and a light maltiness.

Taste of brown bread and cookie dough from the malt with a touch of honey. Earthy, grassy with a hint of herbs in the middle which then develops into a mix of lemon, grapefruit and a touch of orange. Perhaps a bit of candi sugar flavour is in there as well? Finishes dry and bittersweet.

Medium bodied, but feels light and refreshing at the same time. Carbonation is spot on, and the moderate astringency is balanced perfectly to make it crisp and more-ish. Decent beer from SA

Citra - Oakham Ales (4.6% ABV)

Beerbods number 4, and this is bottle is obviously heavily hopped with Citra hops! Oakham Ales don't disappoint with their bizarre label designs, as we are greeted with a perverse, and somewhat sinister human/hop hybrid.

Pours a very clear straw colour - not much carbonation evident and only produces a thin white head.

Nose hits you with a medley of tropical and citrus fruits. No real maltiness to it, but you wouldn't expect it to!

The malt does come through on first taste though. Only a light malt sweetness mind, that is usurped by a punch bowl of passion fruit, oranges, grapefruit and some gooseberry; perhaps a little lemon grass in there too! A heavy, resinous hop bitterness punches you in the tongue towards the end and takes away a lot of that fruitiness away which is a shame. It's a tad too harsh for my liking, but still tasty.

Light bodied, mildly astringent and slightly prickly carbonation. It's definitely a beer that would benefit from being in the fridge longer, and being enjoyed in the summer. Overall, it's pretty decent, but it's let down by that harsh bitterness

 

Gadds No. 3 - Ramsgate Brewery (5.0% ABV)

It's Thursday, and it's another Beerbods. This week, it's an English pale ale from the Ramsgate Brewery in Kent

Very clear at first, but plenty of cloudiness due to the heavy sediment in the bottle. Appears golden orange and has a thick, white head that gives a liberal amount of lacing on the glass

Nose isn't too strong. Plenty of yeasty fruit esters, and the mildest hint of sweet malt... But not much else

Caramel maltiness at the front end which develops into oranges and apricots. Wow, tons of pithy bitterness and earthy Fuggles come through in the middle, before a clean, cleansing finish of hop resin and lingering pithy bitterness with some sweet malt sticking around. Very nice and balanced and I never thought English hops could give this much flavour!

Mouthfeel is light/medium bodied with a crisp dryness and perfect carbonation. This is a top pale ale; it's just a shame the nose is a tad disappointing. Nevertheless, I will have this again as it tastes blooming good

Barbus Barbus - Butts Brewery (4.6% ABV)

Beer number two on my current Beerbods subscription, and this English bitter is named after a freshwater fish. Obviously someone at Butts brewery is a fan of fishing!

Pours a burnished orange colour with a nice thick white head that puts thick lacing on the glass. Nose is heavy with toasted crystal malt, mild toffee sweetness and a pinch of citrus & oily hop resins.

Taste of brown bread and yeasty chewiness initially with some toffee thrown in; hop flavours develop empathically into hop oils, lemon & lime and tarte rhubarb. Heavy, slightly acrid bitterness on the finish which unfortunately strips a lot of the flavour away, which is a shame as the balance of the thick, chewy, sweet malt and the clean, fresh hop flavours is perfect!

Full bodied with plenty of chewiness at the start, but then becomes light and refreshing once the hops kick in; quite unique and unusual (for me anyway). Carbonation is light, but the astringency is a put-off. It was only a minor hindrance for the first half of the bottle, but towards the end, it was too much. One bottle of this would be all I could drink in one sitting - but I would definitely give this another go if I came across it again.

1698 - Shepherd Neame (6.5% ABV)

Good old Shepherd Neame. They sure know how to create a beer with plenty of Fuggles and EKG hops... Hopefully this bottled conditioned anniversary brew will break the mould of their otherwise boring range. I say boring, it's not that their beer isn't any good (it is), but it just all seems to taste the same.

Amber coloured with a soap sudsy head, the aroma is mix of fruity yeast esters, light floral hops and malty sweetness. Not bad at all.

Feels great on the palate and initial taste is pleasing indeed - burnt sugars, toasted malts and a rich, chewy texture that gives hints of butterscotch. Yeast flavours kick-in thereafter with stewed apples and bramble fruits, which develops into a very light hop bitterness, and a gentle, earthy spiciness.

Mouthfeel is chewy, full bodied, rich and warming. Plenty of carbonation which contributes to a lovely smooth texture, and only mild astringency.

Could do with more hops in my opinion, but the balance is sufficient and it benefits hugely from being bottle conditioned. SN have done well, and put something on to the supermarket shelves that deviates from their usual benchmark.

Battle of Britain - Wolfs Brewery (3.9% ABV)

Battle of Britain is rather an odd name for a beer in my opinion, but they donate 10p from each bottle to charities affiliated with WW2 veterans, so it's worth buying just for that reason. No mention of any proceeds going to Luftwaffe veterans though?

Nice clear copper colour with a thick off-white head top, and a strong presence of dark toasted, sweet malt and Floral hops

On the palate, this has a very woody character, with plenty of brown malt and a thick toffee sweetness. Pecans and walnut flavour mid-palate with a hint of butterscotch, before being balanced out with plenty of hop flavour and cleansing bitterness; hop resin, dried leaves, herbs and some spicy grass.

Mouthfeel is quite impressive on this. Medium/full bodied and feels vibrant and chewy with a effervescent carbonation that works really well - goes down very smoothly. Very well balanced with perfect balance.

Nice beer this, from Wolfs brewery, and it's the first one I've had of theirs. Look forward to trying some more!

Stinger - Badger Brewery (4.5% ABV)

This weeks Beerbods offering is a pale ale that is collaboration between the Badger brewery, and that chef guy off the telly, Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall. An organic ale, it 'boasts' the use of nettles which are hand picked; presumably with the assistance of some gloves.

Not sure what Hugh put in this, but it burst out the bottle like a bat out of hell! Had to mop half the bottle off my kitchen counter, but once it was eventually in the glass it produced a fizzy, thin white head which wasn't all that impressive. Golden straw colour with a slight haze to it.

Nose is herbal, biscuity with a strong medicinal background. Nettles are evident too with spicy grass & peaches

First sip is disappointing; seems to lack any depth of flavour and feels really thin, but it gets a lot better as it warms. Biscuit malt base with faint caramel at the front end, before some fruity sweetness kicks from peaches and a slight lemony tartness. The nettle flavour is evident on the tongue at the end, and is complimented by bramble and thistle flavours and some of that spicy grass which lingers nicely on the palate. No real bitterness from the hops, but there is a crisp, clean astringency to it that makes it endlessly quaffable.

Body is light, thin and watery, but there is a nice tingling feeling from the carbonation that works well with the nettle flavours. Other than that, it's nothing too exciting

This is an odd beer. The nose wasn't too pleasant, but the flavour was different and not something I've had before, and I think I enjoyed it. I managed to drink it really quickly, but that's not always a good thing.

Ruby Mild - Rudgate Brewery (4.4% ABV)

Hooray! My first BeerBods (Beerbods.co.uk) offering, of which I took delivery this very morn. If you are not familiar with BeerBods, be sure to check out their website. This is the first mild I have had in several years, and I was never too keen on the style. I always thought of it as an old mans beer...

Pours a black cherry colour with a ruby hue that is capped of with a yeasty, tan head that gives some lacing and retains itself nicely throughout.

Nose is subtle, with roasted malts, dark fruits and a mineral note that can only be likened to the smell of mineral water...

Roasted malts give you coffee and a nutty bitterness that tastes like walnuts. Cherry flavour with a yeasty and slightly salty hint in the mid-palate, which develops further into gentle chocolate and finishes with clean, crisp bitterness that suggests pine, thistle and nettles.

Medium bodied, smooth carbonation and a clean, crisp dryness. Flavours are very fresh and nicely balanced. There is a definite mineral tang at the finish, but it doesn't detract from the hop flavour.

If this is a sign of a rejuvenated 'Mild' re-birth, then I will have to reconsider my aversion to this apparently out of date style. Very tasty indeed.

Masham Glory -Theakston (4.7% ABV)

Masham Glory is a 'Tesco Only' beer that has an unfortunate name that sounds like some sort of euphemism. Never had this before, but Theakston can be trusted to deliver a good brew.

Pours amber with a small white head. Nothing out of the ordinary really. The nose, however, is quite out of the ordinary... Cooked orchard fruits, bananas and raisins with a spicy sweetness and some mild floral hops. Quite weird; I'm not sure if its a nice smell or not.

Taste offers up more cooked apples and plenty of banana flavour with some toffee sweetness. Almost tastes like banoffee pie. Malt flavour is barely evident, and the only real hops flavour is a boring resin bitterness which lingers for approx 0.1 seconds. The whole thing is a mess that tastes stale, boring and without any real malt or hop presence.

Mouthfeel doesn't offer much solace. Wet, thin with boring carbonation.

Really disappointed in this. It tastes like some shitty homebrew gone wrong. The BB date is 10 months away, so that's not the problem. It was just too fruity, and the fruit flavour didn't blend well - and it doesn't help when said fruits taste & smell stale & funky.

King Goblin - Wychwood (6.6% ABV)

This is Hobgoblins bigger brother which has a very similar ingredient list, but with a higher ABV. Only brewed on a full moon as well, apparently, which would through up all kinds of logistical problems if it is indeed true (which it probably isn't... but I wish it was)

Pours a dark amber with a slight opacity to it. Wispy white head disappears almost instantly which is typical of most Wychwood beers I've had in the past.

On the nose, the roasted malt kicks up tons of sweet caramel and toffee with booze soaked dark fruits. No real hops detectable

First taste follows the nose; roasted, earthy character with caramel biscuits and toffee. The fruits kick in soon enough with plenty of fig, prune and date flavour wrapping around the tongue with a healthy lashing of warmth from the booze. Develops into hints of roasted chestnuts, with plenty of evidence from the Fuggles giving dried leaves, tea and some pine. Linger of sweet, sticky, chewy malt with just enough gentle hop bitterness to offer some balance and finish dry.

Full bodied, rich and warming with a chewy feel on the palate. Carbonation is a little prickly, but the dry finish is welcome. The hops do just enough to reign in the malt monster, but they don't have enough of a presence to keep you interested very long.

Not bad. I think I prefer Hobgoblin as the sweetness of King Goblin is too much for me, but I will come back to this when I need a nice warming brew.

 

Brooklyn Lager - Brooklyn Brewery (5.2% ABV)

Another new brewery for me, and this from a New York based outfit that was founded in 1987. Pours amber with a wispy white head which offers plenty of lacing. Some light opacity when held up to the light.

Nose gives plenty of hops suggesting tropical fruits, some citrus with sweet, bread malt underneath.

Up-front taste of bready malts with a mild caramel sweetness and a distinctive lager tang. Hops kick in and deliver plenty of flavour with straw, pine, grapefruit and mangos. Clean, cleansing bitterness with resin, and lightly-spiced orange zest linger on the palate.

Light/medium bodied with smooth carbonation and, for a lager, a relatively chewy mouthfeel. Finishes with a dry, clean crispness which makes this for very easy drinking.

It's a decent brew, and I imagine it would take most 'Lager Boys' by surprise.

Waggle dance - Wells & Young (5.0% ABV)

I forgot this beer even existed until I saw it for sale in a local pub a few weeks back, and I managed to track it down in a supermarket.

Pours a Honey colour with a thick, frothy white head. Loads of carbonation rising up from the bottom.

Nose gives you grainy malts, a biscuity-honey sweetness, herbal and slightly skunked hops with a slight touch of citrus.

Light malt flavours suggesting raw grain, cereals and the lightest of honey sweetness. Hops don't deliver much in terms of flavour, but notes of pine needles, thistle and nettles make themselves known, with a very mild bitterness. Hardly any linger on the palate.

Crisp and clean with a light/medium body. Very little astringency and brisk carbonation. There isn't a great deal going on in this beer, it just feels as if there is something missing from the malt base, as it just doesn't taste right to me, and the honey flavours are very slight and hardly noteworthy.

Disappointing from Wells & Young.

American Double IPA - Brewdog (9.2% ABV)

Bought this at random several days ago, and didn't really pay attention to the brewer. Turns out that this will be my second Brewdog IPA in as many days. I completely missed the watermark logo on the label as well.

Anyway, this is another IPA, but an 'American Double'.

Clear amber colour with a wispy yellowish head which doesn't stick around for very long; drops to a halo quite rapidly.

Nice complex nose, with lightly toasted pale and crystal malts, giving plenty of burnt toffee aromas. Hops deliver the obvious grapefruit with a boozy punch bowl of tropical fruit.

Tons of flavour in this one which changes by the second on the palate; really complex... Hot cross buns, toffee, caramelised figs and prunes which develops into a mix of citrus, mango and more cooked caramel flavours. Thankfully, the sweetness is balanced out by a howitzer of bittering hops which impart oily, floral hop flavours and some delicate spice. Lingers with some of the caramel and toffee, which eventually dies down, but the hop bitterness seems to stay around forever! Beautiful.

Thick, chewy mouthfeel with a full body. Carbonation is spot-on and the finish is quite dry, but not unpleasant in any way. The construction and balance of this is fantastic, and the ABV masterfully is disguised, but you know it's there as it slams the intense flavours into the mouth, but without any of the unwelcome acrid or sulphurous side effects of some high ABV brews.

Very surprised by this. I was expecting very little, but Brewdog & Tesco have pulled it out of the bag and delivered a brilliant IPA which hits you with liberal amounts of bitterness and sweetness. Well done.