Sadler's Peaky Blinder

I tried Sadler's Peaky Blinder many years ago but it's now brewed with different hops and has a slightly lower ABV so here are my thoughts on Peaky Blinder 2.0.  After closing the Stourbridge brewery in 2020, Sadler's transferred their production to Hawkshead Brewery in Cumbria but the Stourbridge site is still stated on the label.

This black IPA is brewed with five malts and five hops, although only four of the hops are listed on the label: Pilgrim, Green Bullet, Cascade and Chinook.  It has a very dark mahogany brown body with a small, tan head that disperses slowly to leave a thin layer.  

The aroma is very appealing with notes of roasted malt, juicy citrus fruit, a hint of spice and the slight tang of treacle.  The first sip reminds you it's an IPA with a big hit of citrus but more orange than lemon as it's not bitter at all.  The roasted malts jump in next together with some sweet treacle and liquorice and ending on a slightly dry note.  The liquorice flavour seemed to intensify as I drank it and I think it lingers on the tongue a little too long for my liking.  

It's softly carbonated to give a smoother mouthfeel than you'd expect and it has a good medium body.

It's a very unusual beer and one well worth trying.

Brewed by Sadler's Brewery, Stourbridge, West Midlands / Hawkshead Brewery, Cumbria
4.4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Jennings Hop Commotion

 

Jennings closed their Lake District brewery in 2022 but some of their beers are still being produced by Marston's in Staffordshire.  I picked up Hop Commotion in Home Bargains for less than £1 as I've always enjoyed Jennings' beers (and of course I can't resist a bargain beer).

Hop Commotion is a strawberry flavoured blonde ale that has a lovely golden coloured body and a robust off-white head that retains a decent layer of foam.  It smells very hoppy but there is a definite hint of strawberry in the aroma.

It tastes lovely and hoppy with a dry, bitter citrus finish and a very subtle hint of strawberry.  I'm not sure I would have noticed the strawberry if I didn't know it was there though.  It's well carbonated and very fizzy with a good, medium body.

This is a lovely dry and refreshing hoppy blonde ale but the bitter finish left a strong and lingering pithy citrus aftertaste that was a little too heavy for me.  I don't think it's in production anymore so Ale not Be Seeing You again anyway.

Brewed by Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Co, Cumbria
4.1% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Jennings Brewery

Staropramen Premium

Staropramen Premium is a light lager brewed with Czech hops.  It's mass produced and brewed in the UK by Molson Coors.

This bright golden beer has a very frothy off-white head that clings to the side of the glass as you drink it.  The aroma is very hoppy with hints of sweet caramel.

It has a traditional beery taste of hops and caramel with a dry, bitter finish.  It's well carbonated and fizzy with a thin body that makes it very refreshing to drink.

Considering it's mass produced, it's a very tasty lager with a bit of oomph thanks to the Czech hops.  Although it's nothing complex, it's a very refreshing thirst quencher to drink in summer and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Molson Coors Brewing Company, UK
5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Staropramen

Winding Path 885 Porter

 

This porter from America looks like black velvet in the glass.  There's a small beige head on top of the dark body that retains a thin layer.  It smells amazingly malty with hints of roasted nuts and sweet treacle.

It tastes as malty as it smells with additional notes of liquorice, treacle toffee, roasted nuts and some dark fruit.  It has a surprising bitter coffee finish that I didn't mind at first but found it lingered a little too long after a few mouthfuls.  It's well carbonated and fizzy with a full body.

It's a lovely rich, dark porter that tastes like it's brewed with a bit of everything to give it a sweet, dry, roasted, nutty and bitter taste.  I would have scored it much higher if the aftertaste hadn't been a bit too overpowering for me but it's well worth trying, even though Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Winding Path Brewing Co., Dallastown, Pennsylvania, USA
5.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at Winding Path Brewing Co.

Off Axis Crimson Tide

Well just look at this beautiful ruby ale from Home Bargains!  It was very lively and produced a huge frothy cream head on top of its ruby red body. 

I gave it full marks for aroma as it's brewed with five malts so it's incredibly malty and it has hints of sweet caramel, treacle toffee and dark fruit.  The taste is pretty similar, although weaker than I expected from the intense aroma, with notes of sweet malt, dried fruit and caramel together with a nice hoppy tang from the three hops: Amarillo, Nelson Sauvin and Columbus.

It has a good medium body with relatively soft carbonation that gives you a smoothish mouthfeel.  It's another bargain beer from Home Bargains that exceeded my expectations and it's a very nice ruby ale for less than £2.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed exclusively for TJ Morris (Home Bargains), UK
4.8% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5