Rigg & Furrow Owl Porter

 

This is a very dark brown ale with a tight tan head that lasts reasonably well, dispersing slowly to leave a thin layer.  There is a bit of sediment in the bottle so it needs a careful pour.

Aroma is malt, chocolate, tangy hops and a hint of metallic bitterness.  Whilst the aroma might not be anything exceptional, the flavour certainly makes up for it with a perfectly balanced blend of roasted malt, chocolate and coffee beans.  The chocolate flavour really lingers on the palate and it's not bitter at all.

It has a medium body and it's well carbonated with soft tingly bubbles.  Overall, a very nice porter indeed and one I'd highly recommend trying.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Rigg & Furrow Farmhouse Brewery, Morpeth, Northumberland
4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at Rigg & Furrow Farmhouse Brewery

Allendale Wanderlust

 

Wanderlust is a golden honey coloured IPA from Northumberland brewers, Allendale.  It has a small off-white head that disperses to a patchy foam.

It smells SO fruity and more sweet than bitter; think sugar coated pineapple cubes and freshly cut grapefruit segments.  Flavour swings towards bitterness with notes of tangy marmalade, pine and a lingering grapefruit bitter finish.

Well carbonated and thin bodied, it tingles the tongue nicely but the abundant grapefruit bubbles made the taste a little too pithy for me.  I'm not a huge IPA fan but I can appreciate that this is a pretty nice one and I probably would have one again so Ale Be Seeing You!

Brewed by Allendale Brewery, Hexham, Northumberland
6.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Allendale Brewery

Sadler's Peaky Blinder

 

A festive ale from West Midlands brewers Sadler's, Peaky Blinder is a Christmas pudding stout brewed with first gold and goldings hops.  It's a very dark brown ale with a loose frothy beige head that disappears quickly to leave a patchy foam.

It actually smells of Christmas, with notes of dark fruit, cinnamon, orange peel and pine.  It also has floral and spicy hints and it would make a lovely scented candle.  The flavour isn't very strong but it's very nicely done, it's a treacly stout with hints of spice and dark fruit and a subtle bitter chocolate finish.  With a medium body and decent carbonation, it has a relatively smooth mouthfeel as you'd expect for a stout.

I got this from B&M so I won't have paid more than £1.59 for it and it's not bad at all.  Apart from the smell, it's not overly festive so I'd be more than happy to drink this all year round.  If it hadn't been marketed as a festive ale, I would have scored it higher so Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Sadler's Brewery, 
6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Sadler's Brewery

Harviestoun Old Engine Oil

 

I've wanted to try Harviestoun's Old Engine Oil for quite a while and I'm pleased to say that it did not disappoint.

It's a lovely velvety black coloured ale with a tight tan head that hardly budges.  It has a mouthwateringly sweet aroma with notes of malt and treacle and I couldn't wait to dive in for a taste.

Roasted malt and sweet treacle combine to produce a well-balanced ale.  Hints of chocolate add a tang of bitterness to the finish.  It's medium bodied and softly carbonated to give a velvety smooth mouthfeel.

It's a dark and delicious ale so it's a bit disappointing that it's only in a 330ml bottle.  I loved the roasted flavour and the chocolate finish is sublime.  I think it's well labelled as a 'Black Ale' as it feels like it's not quite a stout and not quite a porter, but a mighty fine black ale.  I loved it and Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Harviestoun Brewery, Alva, Scotland
6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at Harviestoun Brewery

BrewDog Zombie Cake

 

I love praline chocolates so I was desperate to get my hands on a bottle of Zombie Cake, BrewDog's praline chocolate porter but I have to say I was a little disappointed.

It's a very dark brown ale with a semi-tight robust beige head that leaves a good layer behind when it disperses.  The smell is amazing!  It does actually smell like praline with notes of nuts, chocolate, malt and treacle.  The nuttiness is lost in the taste though and I couldn't taste any nuts at all unfortunately.  The flavour is roasted malt, coffee and chocolate with the coffee lingering in the aftertaste.  Notes of chocolate do burst through at times but definitely no nuts for me.

It has a medium body and it's quite softly carbonated so it is very easy to drink.  It's a lovely porter but I don't think it's anything special.  It's definitely worth trying but Ale Not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by BrewDog Brewery, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery

Seven Bro7hers Honeycomb Pale Ale

This beer was very eager to get out of the can.  It was very very lively and it took four pours to get it in the glass so it ended up a bit cloudy.  The colour is amazing, it is the deep golden colour of honeycomb and it's topped with a huge, frothy cream coloured head.

The aroma is very sweet and it does actually smell like honeycomb with some underlying maltiness.  I couldn't wait to taste it and I was not disappointed.  It is SO good; sweet honeycomb, malt and hops combine to create a taste explosion in the mouth.  It's actually not as sweet as I expected so Seven Bro7hers have got the balance just right with this one.

It's well carbonated but it's not as harsh as I expected from its lively appearance.  My tongue got a good tingling as little bubbles of honeycomb burst to release their amazing flavour. 

Seven Bro7hers have got this one spot on; it really is a Crunchie in a glass and I could drink it all day long to satisfy my sweet tooth.  Ale Be Seeing You again and again!

Brewed by Seven Bro7hers Brewing Co, Manchester
4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.5/5

Find out more at Seven Bro7hers Brewing Co

Abbeydale Salvation Steadfast Stout

 

This is a deliciously dark vegan and gluten free stout with a huge, frothy, robust tan head.  It was very lively on opening so it took a few pours to get it all out of the can. 

Abbeydale have said on the back of the can that they're keeping it simple with this one, so it doesn't have a strong aroma but I picked up notes of malt and a hint of chocolate.  With flavours of malt, chocolate and coffee this very fizzy stout prickles the tongue and the flavour seems to intensify as you drink it.  It's lovely and chocolatey but with a medium body, it feels a little on the thin side for a stout.

It's a pleasant, easy drinking normal stout but the intense fizziness is a bit weird so I don't think Ale Be Seeing You again.  

Brewed by Abbeydale Brewery, Sheffield
4.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Abbeydale Brewery

Cassels New Zealand Milk Stout

I picked up this little beauty for 99p in Home Bargains and what a bargain it is!  I was gutted (but completely unsurprised) that they'd sold out when I went back for more.

Popping the lid off this 328ml bottle produces the most mouthwatering aroma of malt, chocolate, coffee and a hint of dried fruit.  It's a beautiful black velvet colour but it has a very rapidly disappearing beige head that rather disappointingly doesn't even leave a single bubble behind.  Appearances can be deceptive though, so on to the taste...

This is delicious!  Complex flavours of chocolate, malt, roasted coffee and liquorice results in a different taste in every sip.  The balance is tipped towards sweet and there's a lovely sweetness that lingers on the tongue - it's right up my street with me being sweet-toothed.  It has a medium body and carbonation is quite low but firm and I could feel little sugary bubbles bursting on my tongue.

I can see why this was voted number 1 in its category in the 2020 World Beer Awards and I'll be keeping my eyes peeled to see if Home Bargains get this in again.  Make sure you grab one if you can!  Ale Be Seeing You again (hopefully).

Brewed by Cassels Brewery, New Zealand
5.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Cassels Brewery

71 Brewing Raspberry Mash

I don't drink a lot of sours so I really have to be in the mood for one and this limited edition raspberry and coffee mash from 71 Brewing caught my eye in one of Lidl's beer festivals.  Conditioned on Scottish raspberries and freshly ground Burundian 'Red Bourbon' coffee beans, it sounded so weird that I just had to try it.

It's a beautiful ruby red jewel colour but it's completely headless so it looks like a glass of raspberry pop.  It did produce a bit of foam at first but it disappeared mid-pour and, as it is unfiltered and unpasteurised, there is the possibility of a bit of sediment so it needs a careful pour.

There is no mistaking the aroma of fresh and juicy raspberries but it has a slight sour whiff that made me think of raspberry wine.  The hit of raspberries in the first sip is lovely; it's a fruity, tarty and sour flavour which is followed by a hint of coffee.  It's a very small hint though and I'm not sure I would have noticed it if I wasn't looking for it.  Although it looks quite flat, it's surprisingly well carbonated with a thin and watery body.

It's definitely a sour, so I have to give 71 Brewing credit for producing what it says on the can.  I just would have liked a bit more flavour as the raspberries take over but, because it's quite watery in body, it tastes quite weak after a few sips.  I'm glad I tried it but Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by 71 Brewing, Dundee
4.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.25/5

Find out more at 71 Brewing

BrewDog Nanny State

 

As you can tell by the fact that I blog about it, I love real ale but drinking too much of it makes me look like a beer barrel.  So these days, I'm turning more and more to low or zero alcohol beers when I fancy a beer.  Whilst a lot of alcohol free beers taste like beer flavoured spring water, BrewDog's Nanny State is one of the best I have tasted.  It actually tastes like a craft beer, albeit a weak and thin-bodied one, but you can't really expect it to taste like a 6% full-bodied ale because it isn't.

Brewed with Centennial, Amarillo, Columbus, Cascade and Simcoe hops, Nanny State is a lovely malty, hoppy ale with a bitter citrus finish.  The flavour is like a cross between an IPA and a bitter as you've got a hint of citrus as well as a delicious maltiness.  It's thin-bodied and a little watery but with only 20 calories per can, I'm happy to lose a bit of body to have a guilt-free beer.

Currently, a pack of 24 cans is £24.95 from Amazon (or £4.00 + delivery for 4 cans from BrewDog) so at just over £1 per 330ml can, it's not the cheapest alcohol-free beer around but it might very well be the best.  It looks and tastes like a craft beer and it's so moreish and so low in calories that you don't feel bad having just one more.

Brewed by BrewDog Brewery, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
0.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery

Camerons A-hop-alypse Now

 

I haven't had a Camerons beer I didn't like and A-hop-alypse Now is no exception.  Just look at the beautiful golden amber colour of this golden ale!  It has a little bit of sediment in the bottle so I poured carefully to get a lovely clear beer.  The cream coloured head is very tight and it provides a good, robust layer of creamy bubbles.  It's an impressive sight and gets full marks for appearance.

It smells amazing; predominantly hoppy but with undertones of orange citrus and sweet malts.  I couldn't wait to dive in for a taste.  It doesn't have a strong taste but there's a plethora of flavours coming through: orange marmalade, buttery toast, smooth caramel, sweet malts and a hint of citrus.

Soft carbonation gives a smooth mouthfeel although it feels a little thin in body, but that's nothing unusual for a golden ale.  The head lasts and laces right until the very last drop too so this beer really does tick all the boxes for a quality pint.

A-hop-alypse Now is a stunning golden ale and it's well worth grabbing a couple from your local supermarket when they have this in stock.  I'll certainly be getting more and Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Camerons Brewery, Hartlepool, Co. Durham
4.3% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at Camerons Brewery

Moorhouse's Pride of Pendle

 

What a beauty!  Moorhouse's Pride of Pendle looks right up my street!  It's a deep golden, amber ale with a tight cream head that smells of hops and delicious malts.  I was very excited to get my first sip of this one and I was not disappointed.

With a base of dry biscuit malt and slight citrus fruit bitterness, this ale is so perfectly balanced.  It's bitter but not pithy and sweet but not sugary - just perfect!  It's so softly carbonated and very smooth to drink, my only disappointment was when I emptied the glass.

Deliciously malty and definitely one for my repurchase list: Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Moorhouse's Brewery, Burnley, Lancashire
4.1% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.5/5

Find out more at Moorhouse's Brewery

Goose Island Honkers Ale

 

No longer produced in bottles, Honkers Ale is an English style bitter from USA.  I love bitter so I was really looking forward to this one.  Let's see what I thought.

It's a beautiful warm amber colour but it has a dirty dishwater coloured head that vanishes within seconds.  There was also quite a bit of sediment in the bottle so it needs a careful pour to get a clear ale.  I got a bit of sediment in mine so it does have a bit of haze to it and the sediment seems to remain suspended in the liquid which was quite off-putting when drinking.

Rather alarmingly, it has no smell whatsoever.  I couldn't detect a whiff of anything and my nose was in full working order.  Slightly odd, but on to the taste.  Erm...there's not much taste either.  It's a little malty perhaps but I'm really pushing it to even say that.  It doesn't help that the body is very thin and watery and the bubbles are really harsh despite the flat appearance.  It's like drinking slightly malted fizzy water.

It's nothing like a beer never mind an English Bitter and Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Goose Island Brewery, Chicago
4.3% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 2.5/5

Find out more at Goose Island Brewery

Powderkeg Speak Easy

 

Speak Easy is an American pale ale from Devon brewers, Powerkeg.  It pours a beautiful deep golden colour with an orange hue and a small but tight cream coloured head that started forming the second the lid was popped.  The head is very robust and leaves some nice lacing on the glass.

It smells very citrusy with an underlying aroma of sweet malt and tangy hops.  Surprisingly, the flavour isn't predominantly citrus; the dry-hopping gives it a dry and fresh hoppy taste with slight caramel sweetness and there's just a hint of citrus in the dry bitter finish.

Very refreshing, medium bodied and not too fizzy, this is a lovely afternoon beverage and Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Powderkeg Brewery, Devon
4.3% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Powderkeg Brewery

Saltaire Raspberry Blonde

 

Saltaire's Raspberry Blonde is a golden yellow ale with a small, very loose, rapidly vanishing cream coloured head.  There isn't even a hint of a  bubble after a few minutes which is a bit disappointing, but we shouldn't judge a beer by appearance alone so on to the smell and the all-important flavour.

It has a delicious aroma of raspberries, it's so strong and fruity that you'd expect the beer to have a red tint.  Raspberry is not as strong in the flavour as in the aroma but it's definitely there and leaves a nice tartiness in the mouth after the initial taste of malt biscuit, spicy hops and hint of bitterness.  Mouthfeel isn't great though, the body is quite thin and watery and it feels quite flat in the mouth as there is so little carbonation.

So where it loses in appearance and mouthfeel it gains in aroma and flavour and it's a very refreshing ale that would be a perfect summer beer, especially with a bowl of raspberries on the side.  It's not currently in production but I'd definitely give another one a go and Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Saltaire Brewery, Shipley, West Yorkshire
4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Saltaire Brewery

Maltsmiths IPA

This is a lovely dark American IPA from The Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh and it looks like molten toffee in the glass.  It's an orange hued amber coloured ale with a small but very tight cream head.  There is a bit of sediment in the bottle so I left a bit behind to ensure a clear pour.

It smells very citrussy, but more oranges than grapefruit, and it has a slight hint of caramel and malt.  The flavour is quite weak, although this means that it's not too citrussy or bitter for me, and

thanks to the dry-hopping it has a lovely dry finish.  Body is thin but it's very fizzy which maintains the head nicely.  

It just seems a little too weak on flavour so Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by The Caledonian Brewery, Edinburgh
4.6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.25/5

Find out more at Maltsmiths Brewing

Põhjala Hooaeg

 

Hooaeg is a dry-hopped saison brewed with coriander seeds from Estonian brewery Põhjala.  It's very lively on opening and has quite a lot of sediment in it so, as I prefer a clear beer, I didn't quite manage to get a full glass out of this one.  It's a lovely bright golden yellow beer with a huge frothy off-white head that lasts well despite its loose appearance.

The aroma of hops and citrus is quite strong but very appetising.  I was a little disappointed in the flavour as the citrus completely overpowers the hops, although I did get a slight tang of coriander.  It's just far too pithy for me and it has a lingering bitter grapefruit aftertaste that isn't something I enjoy.

Definitely one for citrus fans but unfortunately not for me, Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Põhjala Brewery, Estonia
5.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.25/5

Find out more at Põhjala Brewery

Badger England's Own

 

Like sunshine in a bottle, this golden blonde ale has the most amazing hoppy, floral and elderflower aroma.  It's a shame that it has such a small, rapidly disappearing off-white head as it looks a bit off-putting in its headless state.

The elderflower aroma is replicated in the flavour along with white grape and its actually very refreshing.  It has a slight hint of bitterness in the finish which rounds it off nicely.  It has a thin body and surprisingly prickly carbonation which belies its flat appearance.

I really didn't expect it to be so nice; it's a perfect summer beer and I'd buy it again if it gets rebrewed.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Badger Brewery, Dorset
4.6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Badger Beers

Oakham Inferno

Inferno is a light yellow golden blonde ale with a loose off-white head that disperses to leave a thin layer of foam.  It smells very floral, perhaps elderflower, and there is a distinct whiff of hops (as there are 5 American hops in the brew: Sterling, Amarillo, Centennial, Cascade and Chinook).

The taste is very pleasant: hoppy and floral with a bitter citrus finish.  The subtle yet complex flavouring reminds me of a Scottish heather ale.  It has a medium body and it's quite softly carbonated so it feels very smooth on the palate.

So fresh and hoppy, Inferno is a lovely beer to have on a warm, sunny day and Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Oakham Ales, Peterborough 
4.4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Oakham Ales

Harper's North Bridge Brown Ale

 

North Bridge Brown Ale is a budget beer from Aldi and although it's not a patch on Newcastle Brown Ale, it's not bad at all.

It's a lovely chestnut brown colour but it's let down by the very small, rapidly disappearing beige head so you very quickly end up with a flat looking headless ale.

It has a lovely malty smell with a dash of sweet caramel which is replicated in the taste, along with some chocolate and burnt toffee.  The chocolate is more sweet than bitter so it has a lovely balance for the sweet-toothed among us.  Most surprising is the harsh carbonation, which considering its flat appearance came as quite a shock to the palate. 

Not bad at all for a budget beer and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed for Aldi by Harper's Brewing Co
4.7% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Three Kings Tyneside Tommy

 

This is an absolutely wonderful idea from Three Kings Brewery who have produced a traditional English ale with Tyneside's First World War soldiers commemorated on the bottle.  The beer has been brewed to raise awareness of the Northumbria World War One Commemoration Project which aims to create a memorial garden and place blue plaques on 600 homes of Tyneside soldiers who fell in the conflict.  

Each bottle has a little tag around its neck with a photo and story of a real Tyneside Tommy.  I got Private Joseph Forster who was born in Cramlington and lived in North Shields with his wife and six children.  We often hear of enlistees claiming to be older than they were but in an unusual twist, as he was considered too old for military service, Joseph Forster amended his birth certificate to make him appear younger than he actually was.  Private Forster was killed in action on the Somme in October 1916, aged 44 and I raise my glass to him.  

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

Tyneside Tommy pours a lovely deep gold/light amber colour with a very impressive tight, thick, cream coloured head that lasts and laces right up to the last drop.  It has a hoppy and lightly fruited aroma that you would expect from a traditional ale.

When you can actually get through the huge head, it has a metallic bitter taste with a dash of citrus and tangy hops.  It's a lovely old fashioned bitter and you can just imagine many a Tyneside Tommy drinking a pint of this when they returned home on leave.  It's full bodied and moderately carbonated giving a lovely smooth mouthfeel.

A tangy and refreshing old fashioned bitter this is a beer for real heroes.  I wholeheartedly recommend you pick up a bottle if you see it as it's a lovely bitter and supports an amazing project.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Three Kings Brewery, North Shields
4.1% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Three Kings Brewery

BrewDog 5AM Saint

 

It's a bunch of fives from BrewDog with their American red ale 5AM Saint: 5% ABV, 5 malts and 5 hops (actually 6 but I like the pattern they're going for).  Doesn't it look stunning?  It's a beautiful slightly opaque red/brown colour with a small, loose cream coloured head that vanishes quite quickly.

There's nothing subtle about the aroma with a huge hit of malt, caramel and orange marmalade citrus so I couldn't wait to dive in.  With a wonderful mixture of malts and hops, this really tingles the tastebuds.  Sweet malts and caramel make are followed by a bitter citrus tang but these conflicting flavours are seamlessly woven together on a biscuit base.  

The only thing that lets it down is the body.  It has a very watery mouthfeel and relatively low carbonation so it feels quite light despite the amazing flavours.  With a bit more body and a longer lasting head this would have been a five star beer without doubt.  I'd still have another one, so Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by BrewDog Brewery, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery

Williams Bros. Joker

 

Joker is a lovely golden yellow IPA with a very tight, thick off-white head.  You can often find Joker in supermarkets and it's especially good value when you can pick one up in Aldi or Lidl so make sure you grab one in your next shop.

It smells deliciously hoppy with notes of citrus and a delightful freshness from the hint of cedar.  The taste is the perfect bittersweet combination; it's slightly sweet at first with just a hint of citrus bitterness in the aftertaste.  It has slight herbal and pine notes that develop more as you drink it.

Medium bodied and perfectly carbonated, I loved the bittersweet balance of Joker IPA.  It's so delicious it had smiling from ear to ear just like the Joker and Ale Be Seeing You again!  

Brewed by Williams Bros. Brewing Co., Alloa, Scotland
5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at Williams Bros

Brew York Brew York

 

I picked up this vegan friendly triple hopped American Pale Ale a couple of years ago because I was tickled by the name but since then Brew York have taken off and become well known for brewing innovative and extremely unusual beers.

Just look at the head on that!  It's immense!  The cream coloured head is quite loose but there's lots of it so it doesn't vanish in a flash and it does lace the glass.  It sits atop a hazy orange-hued golden beer that is so vibrant it reminded me of the fiery colours of the setting sun.

It has an enticing smell of citrus and hops which transfer to the taste along with a hint of tropical fruit and caramel.  Well balanced, it's deliciously bittersweet with caramel infused citrus bubbles bursting on the tongue to produce a cream soda like flavour with a dry, bitter finish.  Very well carbonated (how could it not be to produce such an impressive head) and medium bodied, it's so easy to drink that it's a shame it was just in a 330ml can.

Brew York was my first Brew York beer and it certainly wasn't my last as I've tried a number of them since then.  I drank this in 2018 and it's possibly been rebrewed under another name by now as Brew York have a good range of vegan beers that are well worth checking out.  If it was still being produced, Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Brew York Craft Brewery, York
5.1% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Brew York Craft Brewery

Autumn Alt Brew No.03

I was really intrigued by the grain beers brewed by naturally gluten-free brewers Autumn Brewing Company based in County Durham.  As a dark beer lover, naturally I went for the stout brewed from rice, millet and quinoa.  So let's see what I thought.

It's a beautiful dark colour, almost black with a slight hint of mahogany but the head is really bad.  It's a dirty dishwater coloured, loose head that disappears at lightning speed so I was really lucky to catch a few bubbles in my photo as a few seconds after that there wasn't even a trace of a bubble left.

The aroma is VERY smoky and it smells more like cigarette smoke than roasted malt, so as a non-smoker this wasn't very appealing at all to me.  Holding my breath, I went in for a sip and almost spat it back out.  I can only describe the taste as what I imagine an ashtray would taste like with some dregs of beer left in it.  Not one to give up, I persevered and I did manage to get some bitter dark chocolate and coffee notes but they are completely overwhelmed by the smokiness.

It's not my kind of thing at all although it wasn't a drain pour as I did get more used to it as I drank it.  I thought the millet and quinoa would give it a nice nutty taste but I couldn't really taste anything other than smoke.  It wouldn't stop me trying Autumn's other beers but unfortunately Ale not Be Seeing Alt Brew No.03 again.

Brewed by Autumn Brewing Co, Seaham, County Durham
4.8% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 1.5/5

Find out more at Autumn Brewing Co