Wychwood Imperial Red

I do love my ruby ales and on today's menu we have Imperial Red from Wychwood.  With red in the name, it was no surprise to see a glorious ruby hued beer flow out of the bottle with a small, but thick, beige head.

It has a sweet malty smell with a hint of a metallic aroma, almost as if you were smelling a bloody battlefield inhabited by the warrior on the label.  The taste is something that my tastebuds enjoy: a mixture of toffee, malt and something I can only describe as a red liquorice laces aftertaste.

Fizzy and tasty, it's a really enjoyably ruby and Ale Be Seeing You Again.

Brewed by Wychwood, Oxfordshire

4.7% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Wychwood Brewery

Guinness Original

Well we couldn't celebrate St. Patrick's Day without a little drop of the black stuff, not that I need an excuse to have a little drink of Guinness.  I usually have a few cans in stock but this one came with a Christmas gift and I do like my bottled beer.

I feel a bit cheeky reviewing Guinness, it's always a guaranteed 5 out of 5 or 10 out of 10 but what makes it so special?  It's that black as coal look with the thick beige head that not even a scrubbing brush could remove.  It has a quite unique dark treacle, sweet molasses, liquorice and earthy smell that cries out to be tasted.

Guinness really is as smooth as velvet with a dark chocolate, treacle and liquorice taste.  It is the original and the best with the most amazing head in the world that laces the hell out of the glass.

I'm not going to ramble on too much, who doesn't love Guinness?  If you haven't tried it, you must have been living on the moon.  With a fridge full of handsome black cans, this is one I can definitely say Ale Be Seeing Again!

Brewed by Guinness, Dublin

4.2% ABV

Find out more at Guinness Brewery

Woodforde's Norfolk Bitter

Now this is what I like to see!  A lovely toffee amber colour and a thick white head.  It has a slightly hoppy fruity sweet smell and absolutely no sign of sediment, despite the bottle referring to it. 

This Norfolk bitter is a top class bitter without even a hint of a metallic aftertaste. It has just the right amount of carbonation as a rush of bubbles fizz across the tongue, bubbles that burst with an explosion of delicious malty fruitiness.  All that's missing is a smoking jacket and a roaring fire.

Brewed by Woodforde's, Norfolk

4.5% ABV

My rating:

Norfolk Bitter is specially brewed for Marks & Spencer but you can find out more at Woodforde's Brewery.

Brains The Rev. James Rye

There is an amazing malty treacle smell as this tasty-looking ruby ale is poured.  Added to the fabulous ruby colour is a thick beige head that doesn't lose any of its body at all.  It is the closest I've ever seen to a Guinness style head.

Sadly, the taste is not what I imagined at all; it has an unexpected bitter and slightly metallic taste with a strong grapefruity aftertaste that lingers a bit too long for my liking.  The head is simply amazing though and what head that does disperse actually sticks to the side of the glass.

Thumbs up for the head and aroma but let down by the unexpectedly bitter and metallic taste.

My rating:

Find out more at Brains Brewery

Skinner's Hops 'n' Honey

With an eyecatching colour that looks like it has just been poured out of a honey jar and an aroma of hops and honey, this ale is exactly what it says on the tin.  There's only a small head but it is tight enough to hold its shape.

As with any honeyed ale, the taste is quite mellow with a very smooth consistency that makes it slip down very easily indeed.  The balance of hoppiness and sweetness is perfect giving it a bitter/sweet taste with a tangy toffee aftertaste.

The head leaves nice lacing on the glass, showing that quality over quantity really pays off in some cases.  It's a very pleasant golden ale, that you think doesn't have a lot of taste at first but it awakens something in your tastebuds and you get a different experience with every mouthful.

Brewed by Skinner's Brewery, Cornwall
4.2% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Skinner's Brewery

Sambrooks Pumphouse Pale Ale

You can't help but notice the strong smell of hops as the lid pops off this one. There is a bit of sediment in the bottle so I poured it carefully at the expense of the head, although the head is so loose I don't think it made that much difference.  It's a delicious deep golden/light amber colour and it's such a shame that the head disappears so quickly.

Not really my cup of tea (or pint of ale), it has quite a harsh strong taste but I did get used to it and it left a crisp citrus aftertaste.  Not one Ale Be Seeing Again, unfortunately.

Brewed by Sambrooks Brewery, London

4.2% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Sambrooks Brewery