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. Roasted hazelnuts on the nose, with lots […]
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 […]
Here’s something original on the English sparkling wine front – a demi-sec rather than brut fizz from those Sussex pioneers, Nyetimber. With aromas of candied fruit and rich honey on the nose, this feels like it could be special. And it is. Honey notes dance with bubbles in the mouth, with lemon meringue pie and […]
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 […]
With its sprightly mix of ripe orchard fruit and zesty, tart peach to finish, alongside a lick of citrus twang, Laithwaites have fashioned a lively sparkler form its weeny vineyard outside its HQ in Theale. Fruit is harvested and delivered to Mike Rogers at RidgeView, who performs the bubble-making alchemy, generating this little gem. Only […]
A wonderfully aromatic wine which illustrates beautifully what England’s signature grape can achieve given the right handling and the right soils. Floral aromas mix with light lemon, moving to a palate with tart tropical fruit flavours alongside ripe Granny Smiths. Not the most intense Bacchus on the market, it closes with a medium citrus finish. […]
Elegant and sprightly, Jake’s Cider has light aromas of cooked and green apple, with a subtle herbal tinge, flavours which continue onto the palate. Named after the owner’s son, Jake’s Cider is crafted from Cox, Bramley and Egremont Russell apples from the Hush Heath Estate in Kent. The green tinge probably comes from the nettle […]
Hold a buttercup under your chin to get an idea of the colour that Shepherd Neame’s new release – Brilliant Ale – pours. Impossibly golden, with its halo of creamy foam, it’s a hugely enticing glass of beer. Lured in further by the gorgeous fresh peach and honey aromas, when you finally stop looking at it […]
Cracking lager, Gromit (to paraphrase a certain Mr Wallace). And this is a cracking beer from the charming Foundry Brewpub. What a lovely pub, tucked down the little White Horse Lane alleyway off Canterbury’s pleasantly pedestrianised high street. Landlord Jon has had a specially built brewkit put behind glass, so it’s all visible from the […]
