One woman's ale journey

A beery boozy journey with delightful snacks along the way and a book in my hand.

Monday 29 August 2016

Badger Firkin Fox


This is in between a deep golden and light amber colour with a huge frothy head.  It smells slightly malty with a subtle hint of citrus.

After the initial carbonation disperses it is silky smooth.   Warm spicy biscuit notes explode on the tongue with just a slight citrus aftertaste.  The huge head leaves some impressive lacing on the glass as it holds on to the very last drop.

I really like Firkin Fox and Ale Be Seeing You Again.

Brewed by Hall & Woodhouse, Dorset
4.6% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Hall & Woodhouse

Sunday 28 August 2016

Tyne Bank Cherry Stout


There's a definite whiff of dark chocolate on opening and an underlying fruity aroma, although I couldn't have identified it as cherry.  It is as black as Guinness but you can see that the head is more bubbles than froth.  A few seconds after taking the photo, the head disappeared and it was as if it had never been there at all.  If I didn't know better I would have thought that I was about to drink a pint of coke.

With it's coke-like appearance, it was a confusion for my brain to taste a fizzy thin Guinness with a fruity aftertaste.  It's actually a really nice taste, slightly smokey followed by a burst of dark fruit.  I just couldn't get it into my brain that it was a beer as it looked and slightly tasted like coke.  If you mixed Guinness and coke, I'd expect Cherry Stout to be the result.

Although I'm a big fan of Tyne Bank brewery's ale selection, especially Monument, Cherry Stout is not one Ale be Seeing Again, I'm afraid.

Brewed by Tyne Bank Brewery, Newcastle
5.2% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Tyne Bank Brewery

Wednesday 10 August 2016

Wold Top Bitter


This is such a stunning light amber colour that I half expected to see a few flies frozen for eternity within this mouthwatering nectar.  Although it has a good sized frothy head on pouring, it quickly disappears leaving a thin foamy film.  It smells deliciously hoppy and tastes so very crisp and refreshing.  It has such a clarity of taste that it seems as though it has been brewed using crystal clear spring water.

I raised an eyebrow at the ABV of 3.7% as it tastes surprisingly full bodied for such a low alcohol content. There is not even a hint of an unpleasant aftertaste, just smooth biscuity toffee notes.  After tasting, I can certainly overlook the disappointment of the rapidly disappearing head.  It's so very moreish that Ale Be Seeing You Again, Wold Top Bitter.

Brewed by Wold Top, Yorkshire
3.7% ABV

My rating:
Head over to Wold Top Brewery to find out more

Sunday 7 August 2016

Black Isle Organic Scottish Beer with Heather Honey


You can smell the honey as soon as the lid comes off and I wasn't sure if I was going to like this or not.  Me?  Not like a beer?  Of course, I needn't have worried - I loved it and Ale be sure to See It Again!

It's a delicious pale golden colour and has a really robust head for a golden coloured ale - what you see is what you get, it doesn't disappear at all.  There are loads of golden bubbles bursting to the surface but it's surprisingly smooth on the tongue.  The head remains until the last drop, lacing down the side of the glass as it refuses to disperse.

What an incredibly unusual flavour; the honey taste is definitely there but it isn't overpowering at all.  There is a hoppy aroma when you're drinking it and a slight bitter aftertaste which has the edge knocked off with the honey.  I really like it.  It is smooth, palatable sunshine in a glass that, when I closed my eyes, successfully transported me to the Scottish Highlands with purple coated mountains and fluffy white clouds.

Brewed for Marks & Spencer by Black Isle Brewery, Scotland
5% ABV

My rating:

St Austell Cornish Red Ale


Mouthwatering malty aromas are released as soon as the cap comes off so I couldn't wait to try this one.  It is bottle conditioned and does contain some live yeast, so I poured it slowly and carefully to get a nice clear ruby red ale.  It has a lovely thick creamy head which does disperse slightly leaving about half a centimetre of thick beige foam.

It smells like a lovely thick slice of malt loaf and has a very unusual bitter orange tang and a sweet toffee aftertaste.  There is very little carbonation evident so it is really surprising to experience a multitude of bubbles bursting on the tongue.  I seem to get a different experience with each mouthful: oranges, toffee, spices, malt loaf, grapefruit and honey roasted nuts.

Although I would have preferred it a little smoother, and perhaps it would have lost some fizz if I had drank it slower, it's still one Ale Be Seeing Again!

Brewed for Marks & Spencer by St Austell Brewery, Cornwall
4.9% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at St Austell Brewery