McColl's And All Things Nice

And All Things Nice is a triple spiced stout brewed by Bishop Auckland brewers, McColl's.  

It's a lovely velvety black ale with a very loose, rapidly disappearing tan head that vanishes without trace.  It's a shame that it looks very flat and like a glass of coke after a few minutes as it also smells like coke with the warming spices of ginger, nutmeg and cardamom all bursting out of the glass.

All three spices come through in the taste, although the cardamom takes over a little and drowns out the more favourable spices of ginger and nutmeg.  It also has notes of chocolate, caramel and coffee once your palate gets used to the spices.

It has a medium body that feels slightly thin for a stout and it has low. soft carbonation that weirdly makes it feel flat rather than smooth.  

With sweet, bitter and spicy notes, it's a really unusual combination and I love the spicy finish so it's a shame that the cardamom took over.  It's a one-off brew so Ale not Be Seeing You again anyway.

Brewed by McColl's Brewery, Co. Durham
5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at McColl's Brewery

BAD Co. Off-Tempo 0618

 

Off-Tempo is an experimental range of beers from North Yorkshire brewers, BAD Co.  0618 is a double dry hopped IPA with a stonking ABV of 7.4%.

It's a deep golden ale with a slight haze and a small but robust cream coloured head.  It has a fresh and fruity aroma with grapefruit zest combining with pine and caramel to create an intriguing blend.

Likewise, the flavour is an interesting one with notes of grapefruit and orange marmalade as well as floral and pine notes.  It has a lovely dry, bitter finish and it's well carbonated with a thin to medium body.

It's an unusual beer and a very aromatic experience.  It's zesty, bitter and piney with a lovely dry and bitter citrus finish that's not too pithy.  It's not my preferred style of beer (and BAD Co. are in administration) so Ale not Be Seeing You again but I liked it.

Brewed by Brewing and Distilling Company Ltd, North Yorkshire
7.4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Unfortunately, Brewing and Distilling Company Ltd went into administration in June 2002.

Seven Bro7hers Sling It Out Stout

Made with upcycled Kellogg's Coco Pops, Sling It Out Stout is a lovely sweet and malty stout from Manchester brewers, Seven Bro7hers.

With a dark brown body and a small, tan head, it looks like a typical stout but I knew that I was going to taste something above average from the intense malty aroma.  I couldn't really smell any chocolate at first as it's so malty, but I did get a hint of it as I started to drink it.

The flavour is delicious with a mouthwatering combination of sweet malt and more sweet than bitter chocolate.  It has a medium body with low, soft carbonation that produces a silky smooth mouthfeel.

This is definitely one for anyone who has a sweet tooth, like me.  I love intense malt flavours and with the added sweetness of the chocolate, this was right up my street.  It's a beautiful stout, although it's quite a simple chocolate and malt flavour, but it gets a big thumbs up from me and  Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Seven Bro7hers Brewing Co, Manchester
5.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at Seven Bro7hers Brewing Co

Greene King Flint Eye

Flint Eye is a lovely clear golden beer with a loose, off-white head that disappears quickly, leaving just a faint swirl of bubbles on the surface.  It has a hoppy aroma as well as notes of yellow fruit (banana, pineapple, peach and lemon) and a hint of honey.

Flavour is quite light, as you’d expect for a lager, but the dry hopping process gives it a lovely tang of hops as well as a hint of pine.  It has a thin body but it’s well carbonated, which adds a nice prickle to the mouthfeel.

It’s a lovely crisp, dry and refreshing lager with a decent ABV of 4.5%.  I’m pretty impressed with this lager and I think it’s the perfect lager to quench your thirst on a hot summer’s day.  Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Greene King Brewery, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
4.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Greene King Brewery

Drop Bear Beer Co. Bonfire Stout

Wow!  This is one very impressive alcohol free stout that’s brewed in the UK with Chinook hops.

It’s a dark brown beer with a frothy, loose tan head that disperses quickly to leave a patchy layer.  It is very aromatic with a burnt caramel, malty, smokey and roasted nut aroma.  It has a very crisp and dry flavour with roasted nuts combining with malt and the perfect level of smokiness.  It has quite a smooth mouthfeel with low carbonation and a thin body.

The smokiness is absolutely perfect.  It’s often done really badly and I’ve had a lot of smoked beers that taste of ash or bacon but this one is divine.  I have to applaud Drop Bear Beer for brewing a smoked beer that I like and it doesn’t even have any alcohol in it!

You would not guess that it only has an ABV of 0.5% as it looks, smells and tastes like a stout.  The low ABV has the benefit of being low calorie too and there are only 55 calories per can.

I don’t think I have ever rated a zero/low alcohol beer so highly; it’s definitely one I’d recommend and Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Drop Bear Beer Co.,  Haverfordwest, Wales
0.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Drop Bear Beer Co.

Drop Bear Beer Co. New World Lager

I am super impressed with this alcohol free New World Lager from Drop Bear Beer.  It’s brewed in the UK with three New Zealand hops: Motueka, Rakau and Wai-iti.

It’s a deep golden beer with a small, loose off-white head that quickly disappears to leave a very patchy layer.  The aroma is honey, caramel and hops with a hint of citrus fruit and this is replicated in the taste with notes of honey, biscuit and hops followed by a dry and slightly bitter citrus finish.  It’s well carbonated and thin bodied, as you would expect from a lager.

It looks, smells and tastes like a beer and I don’t think you would guess that it only has an ABV of 0.5%.  It’s really very impressive; it’s a full-flavoured lager that’s surprisingly tasty and it only has 46 calories per can.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Drop Bear Beer Co.,  Haverfordwest, Wales
0.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Drop Bear Beer Co.

Seven Bro7hers Cast Off Pale Ale

 

You've got to give Seven Bro7hers credit for teaming up with Kellogg's and upcycling their cast off cereal into beer that's not half bad.

Cast Off Pale Ale is made using Kellogg's Rice Krispies and it's a deep golden coloured ale with a loose, frothy off-white head that disperses to leave a thin, patchy layer.

It smells fruity and hoppy with a hint of buttery golden corn and the taste is similar with sweet biscuit notes and hops over a fruity base.  The fruit flavour is ever so light citrus that blends in beautifully without adding any bitterness.  It's quite softly carbonated with a thin body and it feels smooth to drink.

Although you can't really tell it's made with Rice Krispies, which don't have much taste anyway in my opinion, it a lovely easy drinking pale ale.  The buttery corn and sweet biscuit notes are delicious but it is a very light tasting ale with a surprisingly decent 5.5% ABV.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Seven Bro7hers Brewery, Manchester
5.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Seven Bro7hers Brewery

Brass Castle Gayle

 

Gayle craft ale is a very easy drinking ale that reminded me more of an IPA than a golden ale.  It was created to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and it’s brewed using an Australian recipe by Brass Castle Brewery in Malton, North Yorkshire.

It’s bright golden in colour with a slight haze to it as there was a bit of sediment in the can.  The off-white head holds well and laces the glass.  It smells very fruity with notes of citrus and tropical fruit over a base of caramel, biscuit and malt.

The taste is lightly fruity, like lemon and passionfruit squash, with some sweet notes of caramel, malt and a tang of hops.  There is a slight bitterness to the finish but there’s nothing at all bitter about the taste.  It’s nicely carbonated to give a good tickle of the tongue and it has a thin but not watery body.  ABV is a decent 4.5%.

It’s a very refreshing, vivacious beer that I really enjoyed.  It scored a very respectable 38/50 on my beer score sheet and it’s one I would happily recommend, especially to anyone new to real ale.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Brass Castle Brewery, Malton, North Yorkshire
4.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Gayle

Grounding Angels Good Vibrations

This is a hazy golden yellow beer with a loose, rapidly disappearing off-white head.  There is a lot of sediment in this one, despite a careful pour.

It smells like a fruit cocktail with notes of mango, guava, pineapple and grapefruit.  Grapefruit is the predominant taste but it's not overly bitter at first, however, it does leave quite a pithy aftertaste.  Underneath the grapefruit there's a slightly floral note with hints of mango.  It's well carbonated with a thin body and it has a spicy and dry finish. 

This beer has a bit of everything: it's fruity, spicy, floral, dry and bitter.  I just found the amount of sediment to be very off-putting and I really don't like seeing bits in my glass so unfortunately, Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Grounding Angels Brew Co, Hexham, Northumberland
4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Grounding Angels Brew Co

Seven Bro7hers Amber Lager

Just look at that beautiful amber colour of Seven Bro7hers' Amber Lager - this is lager, Jim, but not as we know it. 

I love the colour of this lager - it's deep golden/light amber with a small, loose off-white head that vanishes quickly to leave a patchy layer.  The aroma is not like any lager I've ever smelled before - it's sweet, fruity, hoppy and malty with notes of pineapple, tropical fruit, honey and caramel.  It smells like sunshine in a glass.

The flavour is equally impressive with a delicious blend of sweet fruit, caramel, malt and hops over a dry biscuit base.  It is well carbonated with a thin body and it's so refreshing to drink.  It's sweet and fruity at first but followed by a lovely crisp, dry finish.  This is a lager with attitude and I would never have guessed it was a lager in a blind taste test.

Very impressive and perfect for summer drinking, Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Seven Bro7hers Brewing Co, Manchester
4.3% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Seven Bro7hers Brewing Co

Brew York Goose Willis

 

I love seeing what imaginitive concoctions Brew York come up with and even the names of their beers make me smile.  Goose Willis is a gooseberry fool sour brewed with Nelson Sauvin hops and lactose and it completely exceeded my expectations.

It's a hazy golden yellow beer with a loose, rapidly vanishing off-white head.  It actually poured clear at first and became hazy as there must have been some sediment, but I wanted to get as much of this one out of the can as possible.

It smells delicious; it's so fruity with a sweet undertone, and made me think of a warm gooseberry pie just coming out of the oven.  Brew York rate this sour 3/5 for puckerability and I think that's spot on.  It definitely tastes of gooseberry but it's slightly sweet rather than being too tarty so I found it really pleasant to drink and barely had any lip puckering at all.  It's well carbonated but not overly fizzy and it has a thin body.

I really liked this one, it's very refreshing and easy to drink for a sour.  It's not too tarty and not too sweet, just perfectly balanced to fully experience the fruitiness of the juicy gooseberries.  I don't often say this about a sour, but Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Brew York Brewery, York
5.3% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Brew York Brewery

Thornbridge Lord Marples

 

I've had a few Thornbridge beers over the years but I didn't realise that Lord Marples was their first ever beer.  It all started here!

It's a deliciously dark  mahogany brown coloured beer with a small, loose, beige head that disperses slowly to leave a thin, patchy layer.  The aroma is mouthwatering, especially for a bitter fan like me; it's a traditional bitter smell of malt, caramel, honey, tangy hops and dark fruit.

Flavour is quite light but definitely bitter; it's a stunning mixture of caramel, honey, malt and dark fruits with an unusual bittersweet finish.  It's very well carbonated and has a thin but not watery body.

It's quite an unusual bitter in that its balance leans towards the sweet side but its light flavour make it a very nice, easy drinking beer.  I love bitter so Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Thornbridge Brewery, Derbyshire
4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Thornbridge Brewery

Evil Twin Wake Up and Smell the Gose

I don't drink beer for breakfast but if I did, I would definitely have Evil Twin's imperial breakfast gose on the menu.

Wake Up and Smell The Gose is a deep golden crystal clear ale with a loose and rapidly disappearing off-white head.  It smells of blueberries, burnt toffee and red liquorice laces at first then develops into something more like blueberry and caramel pancakes.

The flavour is very unusual, it's like fruity blueberry pancakes with a salt chaser.  It's tangy and slightly mouth-puckering but I liked it.  It has a thin but not watery body and it's quite harshy carbonated and very fizzy.

It's actually lip-smackingly good.  It's really tasty and very unusual.  I love how the salt lingers on the lips and it perhaps doesn't taste much like a beer but I liked it.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Evil Twin Brewing, Brooklyn, USA
6.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Evil Twin Brewing

Tiny Rebel Dutty

Dutty is a Vermont session IPA from Welsh brewers, Tiny Rebel.  It's a hazy golden yellow beer with a frothy, tight, off-white head that actually expands in the glass.  I couldn't believe my eyes!

From the moment you pull the ring-pull, you're hit with the mouthwatering aroma of fresh, juicy pineapple.  There's also a hint of grapefruit to add some zestiness to the sweet tropical fruit.

I was quite disappointed in the taste, it's rather weak and tastes like very diluted fruit squash.  There's not enough of any flavour to taste any bitterness or sweetness, but it is refreshing and very easy to drink.  The body is thin but not watery and it's well carbonated to maintain and expand the head.

The flavour if far too light and it's not a memorable beer so Ale not Be Seeing You again, unfortunately.

Brewed by Tiny Rebel Brewery, Newport, Wales
4.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3/5

Find out more at Tiny Rebel Brewery

Innis & Gunn Blood Red Sky

 

This ale is a stunning colour; it's a rich mahogany red with a loose beige head that disappears very rapidly, leaving just a few bubbles behind.

It's brewed in rum barrels and there's a definite boozy, rum aroma along with malt, fruit and a hint of vanilla.  The flavour is a bit bland at first as the vanilla overpowers the other flavours, but it gets sweeter as you drink it when the malt and spiced rum flavours start to come through.  It's thin bodied and surprisingly well carbonated considering it has no head.

It has the appearance of cola and the spiciness of the rum makes you think of cola too.  It's a shame the vanilla took over as it would've been a lovely scotch ruby ale if it had been balanced a bit more towards maltiness.

It's worth trying but it was a little disappointing, so Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Innis & Gunn Brewery, Edinburgh
6.8% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Innis & Gunn Brewery

Corsendonk Summum Goudblond

 

I've been impressed with the Corsendonk abbey beers and Goudblond is no exception, although it is perhaps my least favourite of all the Corsendonk beers I've tried.

It's a very dark golden/light amber ale with a thick, tight and robust cream coloured head.  On first opening, it smells a little floral with notes of caramel and hops.  The aroma then seems to develop into a more soapy smell which is a little offputting.

Thankfully, there's nothing soapy in the taste.  It tastes of sweet caramel and malt with a tangy, fruity hint of hops to remind you it's a Belgian ale.  The sweetness lingers on the lips and the whole flavour combination actually reminded me of caramel waffles.  It has a medium body and carbonation is perfect with lots of soft bubbles to tingle the tongue.

It's quite a sweet blonde ale but I have a sweet tooth so I rather liked it.  It would definitely have scored higher if it hadn't had the weird soapy smell.  Unfortunately, it's not in production any more but if it was brewed again, Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Corsendonk Brewery, Belgium
7.8% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Corsendonk Brewery

By the Horns West End Pils

West End Pils is a pilsner lager that's full of flavour.  It looks like a perfect traditional beer with its deep golden colour and frothy off-white head.

It smells surprisingly fragrant for a lager, with a combination of sweet malts, tangy hops and a slight hint of lime.  Flavour is similar with notes of malt and hopes, ending with a dry finish.  It's thin bodied but not watery and it's quite softly carbonated to give a smooth mouthfeel with a tingly finish.  

It's a very refreshing, tasty lager.  I wasn't expecting it to be so nice so it was a very pleasant surprise and it's one I would recommend trying.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by By the Horns Brewing Co., London
4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at By the Horns Brewing Co.

Signature Brew Nightliner

This is a dark brown porter with a small, very loose, rapidly vanishing beige head.  There is some sediment in the can so it neeed a careful pour.

It smells like freshly brewed coffee, and so it should as coffee is one of the ingredients listed on the can.  I got a whiff of malt after the initial coffee hit and then a bit more coffee.  It's definitely oozing with coffee and it is what it says on the can.

Following the huge coffee aroma, I was expecting a massive flavour kick but I was very disappointed.  It's very lightly flavoured with coffee that isn't bitter at all, but it isn't really much of anything else either.  It has a medium body and is very softly carbonated so it feels nice and smooth to drink, although it did remind me of a cold, weak coffee.

Quite disappointing really, the taste just didn't deliver what I expected from the amazing aroma so Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Signature Brew, London
5.7% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 2.75/5

Find out more at Signature Brew

Darwin Beagle Blonde

I have been very impressed with Darwin Brewery's core range and Beagle Blonde is no exception.  It's nothing fancy and sometimes you just want to drink something more traditional, so this easy drinking and refreshing golden coloured pale ale fits the bill.

It's a lovely golden coloured ale with a pretty tight off-white head that lasts and thickly laces.  It has a deliciously crisp and light aroma of hops, citrus, biscuit and caramel.

It's a hoppy tasting beer with a hint of mild citrus and sweet caramel and a lovely dry finish.  It has a thin to medium body and good, strong carbonation that retains the head right until the last drop.

The lovely sweet/dry balance makes this the perfect sunny day beer.  It's very light, refreshing and easy to drink and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Darwin Brewery, Sunderland
4.1% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Darwin Brewery

Beer Ink Lampblack

This is a very dark brown stout with a loose, cream coloured head.  The head disappears so rapidly that it almost disappeared during the pour so I had to straighten my glass and add a bit of force to get some semblance of head at all.

It has a good stouty smell; the aroma is intensely chocolately, malty and slighty fruity.  The aroma is replicated in the taste with notes of chocolate, malt and a tangy fruit flavour (blackberries according to the can).  The chocolate flavour intesifies and lingers.

The body is quite thin for a stout, I'd say it's thin to medium bodied but more on the thin side.  Carbonation is decent but there's not enough of it to maintain a head for more than a few seconds.

The addition of tangy, tarty blackberries gives it a very unusual taste but it didn't mix well with the chocolate for me.  It's a bit too tarty for a stout but well done to Beer Ink for trying something different.  Worth trying but Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Beer Ink Brew Co., Huddersfield
4.6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3/5

Find out more at Beer Ink Brew Co.

Camerons Motörhead Röad Crew

I love Camerons beers so when I saw this American pale ale, brewed in collaboration with British rock band Motörhead, I just had to try it and I was pretty impressed.

It has a traditional beery appearance; a deep golden clear ale with a small, loose, off-white head that retains a thin layer.  It smells incredibly hoppy with some fruit notes and a hint of (heavy) metal.

The taste is really nice and very well balanced.  Tangy hops combine with sweet caramel to tingle your taste buds and a citrus bitterness provides the big finish.  It has a medium body and it's very fizzy.

It's a very tasty, tangy and refreshing APA with a bitter kick.  I don't drink APAs very often but next time I fancy one, Ale Be Seeing Röad Crew again.

Brewed by Camerons Brewery, Hartlepool
5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Camerons Brewery

Wiper and True Milk Shake

 

Milk Shake from Bristol brewers Wiper and True is a dark, creamy stout brewed with lactose.

It's a very dark, black velvet stout with a small, tight, beige head that retains a thin layer.  It smells delicious: lashings of malt and loads of chocolate produce a sweet and roasted mouthwatering aroma.

The flavour is awesome.  A combination of sweet chocolate, malt and vanilla tantalises the taste buds and leaves a fabulous roasted malt taste on the tongue.  It's full bodied and lightly carbonated to give a velvety-smooth, silky mouthfeel.

It really is a delicious milk stout.  It may appear be a no-frills chocolate and vanilla stout but it's so very moreish and easy to drink that Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Wiper and True Brewery, Bristol
5.6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at Wiper and True Brewery

The Kernel Dry Stout Taiheke Wakatu

This is a lively bottle conditioned dry stout from London brewery, The Kernel.  It's a beautiful dark brown ale with a frothy, surprisingly robust dark cream coloured head.

It has a strangely floral aroma and a hint of citrus.  It's very alluring but a little strange for a stout as it smells quite heavily perfumed.  The taste is definitely dry!  It doesn't have any particular flavour competing for my attention; it's just dry.  There is a malty hint to it though so it's very drinkable.  It has a medium body and is well carbonated with perfectly balanced bubbles.  

It's a very unusual stout and I love the dryness of it.  I would have liked a bit more malt to boost the flavour but it is what it says on the bottle and I can't fault that.  It's well worth trying but I wouldn't go out of my way to have it again, so Ale not Be Seeing You.

Brewed by The Kernel Brewery, London
4.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at The Kernel Brewery

Loch Lomond Bravehop

 

This is a hazy, golden orange-hued IPA with a tight, frothy, cream coloured head that lasts and laces.  There's an amazing smell of marmalade and pine as soon as you open the can as well as citrus notes of lemon, orange and grapefruit.

The flavour is really unusual (in a good way); it tastes of citrus and honey at first but then apricot and caramel flavours develop.  The floral, fruitiness of the apricot is lovely and it adds a nice sweetness to the bitter citrus flavour.  It has a medium body and is well carbonated with fizzy, tingly bubbles.

It's a different take on an IPA with pine and apricot taking the edge off the bitterness of the citrus flavour.  It's fruity, sweet and bitter and I really liked it.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Loch Lomond Brewery, Dumbarton, Scotland
6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Loch Lomond Brewery

Siren Lumina

Lumina is a vegan, gluten free session IPA from Siren Craft Brew and for once I have the actual branded glass to match the beer.

It pours a slightly hazy golden yellow colour with a small, loose cream coloured head that disperses to leave a thin layer and even laces a little.  It is very lightly fragranced so I had to have a good sniff to pick up notes of citrus and tropical fruit.

The flavour is also quite weak, although it is stronger than the aroma.  The citrus and tropical fruit flavour is nice and easy to drink, although it reminded me of diluted fruit squash.  The body is thin but it is well carbonated.

It's a very refreshing and delicate session IPA, it's not overly bitter and it almost tastes like a watered down IPA so it would be a good one to try for someone new to craft beer.  It's all a little too weak for me so Ale not Be Seeing You again.  

Brewed by Siren Craft Brew, Wokingham
4.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3/5

Find out more at Siren Craft Brew