Saltaire Titus

I do love a good bitter and just look at this stunner!  Saltaire's Titus is a beautiful clear amber coloured bitter with a good sized, reasonably tight cream coloured head that retains a decent layer of foam while you're drinking it.

It doesn't have a strong smell so I needed a good sniff to pick up notes of hops, caramel and citrus.  The flavour is similar with a combination of hops, malt and caramel followed by a lingering citrus bitterness.  It's well carbonated and has a good, medium body.

It's a lovely refreshing bitter and the zingy citrus is a nice change from more metallic bitterness you often get in bitters.  With the growing popularity of IPA, Saltaire have updated a more traditional bitter that will appeal to pale ale fans looking for a new taste.

Brewed by Saltaire Brewery, Shipley, West Yorkshire
3.9% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Saltaire Brewery

Siren Soundwave

 

The tropical fruit notes burst out of the can as soon as you open Siren's Soundwave IPA.  It's a sweet smell that reminded me of pineapple cube sweets and there's a little floral hint too.  It's a bright golden yellow IPA that looks very inviting with its small, frothy off-white head.  The head dissipates to leave a thin, patchy layer.

The taste is predominantly tropical fruit too  but it's quite a complex flavour with an initial hit of hops, followed by sweet tropical fruits and finishing on delicious bitter notes.  The body is quite thin and carbonation is surprisingly low so it has a bit of a strange flat feeling, rather than a smooth mouthfeel.

It's a lovely tropical and hoppy IPA that's the perfect blend for someone like me, who's not a fan of too much citrus bitterness.  I loved the sweet tropical notes and it's very refreshing.  It's one for the summer I think and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Siren Craft Brew, Finchampstead, Berkshire
5.6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Siren Craft Brew

Tiny Rebel Stay Put Raspberry Ripple

 

Following my review of Tiny Rebel's Stay Put Mint Chocolate Chip, next up is their other Covid-19 lockdown limited edition marshmallow porter - Raspberry Ripple.

It's a very dark, almost black beer with a small, very loose beige head that pretty much vanishes as it's being poured.  My disappointment at the lack of head was quickly forgotten when my nose was hit with the mouthwatering aroma of raspberry ripple ice cream.

The taste isn't quite as strong as the smell but it's lovely.  Notes of tarty, sweet raspberries combine with vanilla and chocolate and it's like drinking ice cream.

It has a medium body with low carbonation that gives it a smooth mouthfeel and you get the added bonus of soft raspberry chocolate bubbles bursting on your tongue.   

The flavours are perfectly balanced to give a sweet, tarty easy-drinking porter and I thought it was delicious.  It's very moreish and I would buy more of these if they brewed it again.  If I could, Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Tiny Rebel Brewing, Newport Wales
5.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Tiny Rebel

Brains Dark

Welsh brewers, Brains have been brewing their dark ale since the 1920s.  I think that's pretty impressive that an ale has been in continuous production for so long and I couldn't wait to try it.

It's a very dark brown ale with a semi-tight frothy beige head that disperses slowly to leave a thin layer.

The smell is not what I was expecting at all.  In addition to the malty fragrance that I was expecting, there's also metallic notes of copper coins and a very fragrant, slightly soapy fruit that reminded me of lychee.

The flavour is delicious: malt and sweet dark fruits with hints of treacle, chocolate, liquorice and coffee, followed by a dry, nutty finish.  No flavour takes over and they all work beautifully together.  It has a good medium body and relative soft carbonation to produce a silky smooth mouthfeel.

Although the smell is a bit weird, it makes up for it in the taste.  I loved how the treacle, chocolate, coffee and liquorice flavours developed as I was drinking it and I hardly noticed the slightly odd smell after a few mouthfuls.

I'd be more than happy to have a Brains Dark again so Ale Be Seeing You!

Brewed by Brains Brewery, Cardiff
4.1% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Brains Brewery

Tiny Rebel Stay Put Mint Chocolate Chip

 

When Tiny Rebel released limited editions of their marshmallow porter, Stay Puft, for the Covid-19 lockdown, I just had to try them.  First up, it's Stay Put Mint Chocolate Chip.

It's a very dark brown beer with a small, loose beige head that retains a small layer of foam.  The aroma is very light but it definitely smells of mint choc chip ice cream with notes of chocolate, vanilla and mint.

The taste is very impressive.  It's a smooth, vanilla, chocolate porter with a hint of mint and a slight coffee aftertaste.  It's a very unusual blend and I didn't think it would work in a beer but it is stunning.  It's like drinking ice cream.

It has a medium body with decent carbonation that is quite soft, so it has a lovely smooth mouthfeel.

It's a delicious porter.  The flavours are perfectly balanced to just give a hint of mint without it being overpowering.  It's very moreish and I would buy more of these if they brewed it again.  If I could, Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Tiny Rebel Brewing, Newport Wales
5.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Tiny Rebel