Beer

Our selection of the new and the notable from the best British drinks producers.
Visit Drinks of the Month for this month's Variety Show

Wild Card Brewery, Jack of Clubs

An impressive debut from William at his Walthamstow-based Wild Card Brewery, this is truly a Ruby Ale, with a vibrant fruity nose. Hints of caramel and vibrant hops are nicely balanced on the malt-driven palate - there's a fair dose of crystal malts, both dark and light.

If this is a sign of things to come, bring it on. The beautifully designed bespoke playing cards add a suitably stylish flourish. 

Posted on 14 Mar 2013 in

Brains' Boilermaker IPA

There's a lovely malt base to this flavourful IPA, with honey, marmalade, and spice from time spent in Penderyn whisky barrels – a true Welsh IPA. 

This was the winner in Brains' Ultimate IPA challenge - guest brewers including beer celebs Melissa Cole, Marverine Cole (aka Beer Beauty) and the entertaining duo that is Dwink – Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham – were invited to Brains new craft brewery to try there hand at creating an IPA. And it was the lads what won with this creation.

Posted on 21 Dec 2012 in

Bath Ales Festivity

Smells of Christmas spices lead onto flavours of roast malts, dark chocolate and mellow coffee on the palate of this "specially crafted Porter".

Chuffed to hear that my favourite hop, Bramling Cross, is amid the ingredient mix, along with wheat as well as barley malt.

5%; available in bottle and in draught, and online at Bath Ales

Posted on 21 Dec 2012 in

Bristol Beer Factory Raspberry Stout

This is superb. Delightful aromas of raspberry mix with dark chocolate, while the palate has a true raspberry seam atop plain chocolate, and a refreshing tart note on the finish.

7.7%; available as part of Bristol Beer Factory's 12 Stouts of Christmas - genius initiative.


 

Posted on 21 Dec 2012 in

Shepherd Neame Generation Ale

Well what a pleasure – to get a chance to review a beer that’s been brewed to celebrate the history of one of the country’s foremost brewery. Generation from Shepherd Neame marks five generations of the family at the helm, with five hops and five malts.

A sizeable 9%, it was left maturing for a year before release, so you are getting alovely spicy, dried fruit character. Vanilla, raisins, sultanas mix with chocolate and orange, which in turn mingle with hints of coconut and sweet spice.

9%, £17.50, Shepherd Neame shop & online shop

Posted on 21 Dec 2012 in

Shepherd Neame's Classic Collection

When a brewery is the oldest in the land – and organised enough to keep its records – you can betcha there’s some entertaining stuff in them thar archives.

And so it is with Shepherd Neame’s latest arrivals in its Classic Collection series.

Based on recipes from the 1860s and 1870s, its Double Stout and India Pale Ale offer great taste as well as a nod to history.

Posted on 06 Dec 2012 in

Melville's Craft Lager - Raspberry & Strawberry

Vibrant red, with a substantial head, Melville’s raspberry lager is bursting with concentrated Scottish berry aromas with lots of maltiness to support it. Made by those talented chaps at Innis & Gunn, real lager flavours come through on the palate, and the full-bodied texture is very pleasant. This could easily be deemed a raspberry equivalent of a lager shandy, and is a far cry from some of the simpler fruit flavoured fermented beers and ciders on the market at the moment.

4.1%; available from Sainsbury’s in Scotland and Tesco; £1.73/275ml; also from the online Innis & Gunn shop; £19/12x275ml  

Posted on 21 Nov 2012 in

Courage Imperial Russian Stout

The alcohol percentage on this one is downright frightening at 10%. But that's how Catherine the Great of Russia liked it, and she got what she liked when she made demands of her courtiers in 1795.

A bit of background here: Russian Imperial Stout is a strong dark stout dating back to the 18th century when it was produced at Thrale’s Brewery in London to export to the court of Catherine II of Russia. The high alcoholic strength was necessary to prevent the beer from freezing in the temperatures of the Baltic Sea on its voyage to Russia and along with a high degree of hop, it has the keeping quality of a fine wine.

10%; limited availability at the moment – it's only just been relaunched in the UK – but you will find at the wonderful Beers of Europe and beerritz.co.uk

Posted on 21 Nov 2012 in

Innis & Gunn Winter Treacle Porter

Dougal Sharp, CEO of Innis & Gunn, was inspired to dig up the old Scottish tradition of spiking porter with treacle when he came across a reference to the practice and a 100 year old recipe in the Scottish drinks history book, A Scot’s Cellar, by Florence Marion McNeill. And so he did it, and it’s worked incredibly well.

7.4%; available from Sainsbury’s and Booths; £2.50/330ml; also from the online Innis and Gunn shop; £27/12x330ml  http://shop.innisandgunn.com/shop/winter-treacle-porter.html 

Posted on 20 Nov 2012 in

Chiltern Brewery Glad Tidings Winter Stout

Brewed with four malts - Maris Otter, Crystal, Chocolate, Roast Barley - and two spices - coriander and nutmeg and a little fruit in the form of some orange peel, this spiced milk-stout-style beer is a truly complex beast.

And at 4.6% it is not too high in alcohol.

£2.75/500ml; 4.6%; Available through the Brewery Shop, online and also local independent Budgens Stores, Wendover and Bedgrove and other selected stockists - 

Posted on 20 Nov 2012 in