Tiny Rebel Shake Down

 

This was a very lively beer and if I didn't know better, I would have thought that the can had been shaken before opening.  It took a couple of pours to get it out of the can and leave some of the more chunky bits of sediment behind.  

It has a hazy, deep yellow body with a huge, frothy off-white head that lasts and laces.  It has the most amazing smell of mango and it smells like a tropical fruit cocktail with a hint of citrus and another helping of mango for good measure.

The taste is a bit disappointing after such a strong and fruity aroma.  It's very lightly flavoured with notes of mango and a dash of citrus.  It's like a very watered down beery version of a tropical fruit punch.

With such a lively exit from the can, I expected harsh and abundant carbonation but it's surprisingly softly carbonated with a thin, but not watery, body.

It's a very refreshing IPA and a lovely sunny day kind of beer.  It's a lot lighter in flavour than I would normally expect from Tiny Rebel but it tastes like it says on the can.  Ale not Be Seeing You again but it's well worth trying if it's brewed again.

Brewed by Tiny Rebel Brewing, Newport, Wales
4.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Tiny Rebel 

Loch Lomond Hit It Chewy

 

When I saw a stout with a Star Wars reference in Lidl's beer festival, I just had to have one.  This is a Scottish tablet stout brewed with lactose by Dumbarton brewers Loch Lomond.  For anyone who doesn't know what it is, a Scottish tablet is a buttery, crumbly fudge and it's delicious.

This is a very dark brown, almost black, stout with a tight tan head that retains a decent layer.  The aroma is mouthwatering with notes of sweet caramel, chocolate cake and treacle bursting out of the can.

I could taste the sweetness in my first sip and the sweet chocolate and treacle flavours reminded me of a pastry stout then it does something different.  The Pacifica hops add a touch of bitter citrus and dryness to the finish.  There's also a hint of coffee to swing the bitter balance away from full-on citrus.

Mouthfeel is relatively smooth with low but firm carbonation and a medium body, which is slightly thinner than I would expect in a stout.

It's a lovely sweet stout but I felt that the flavours could have perhaps been a little stronger to match the amazing aroma.  I would definitely recommend trying it if it's brewed again and Ale Be Seeing You.

Brewed by Loch Lomond Brewery, Dumbarton, Scotland
4.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Loch Lomond Brewery

Brass Castle x North Riding Sweet Spot

Sweet Spot is a light mild brewed with actual Fruit Salad sweets by Brass Castle Brewery in collaboration with North Riding Brewery.  

It's a very lively beer with a deep golden body and it produced a thick, tight off-white head but it took me a couple of slow, careful pours to get it all out of the can.  Thankfully, no sediment was evident.  The head lasts and laces.

With notes of sugary candy, it smells like a sweet shop and very much like Fruit Salad sweets.  It also has a nice hoppy smell that adds a bit of sourness to the sweetness.  It really tingled my taste buds when I had my first sip as it's fruity but a little tart.  It has a silky smooth mouthfeel with low carbonation and a medium to full body.

It's a very moreish beer and definitely one for the sweet toothed among us.  It's quite sweet and sour, it reminded me of a bitter mixed with a fruity sour, and I really liked it.  It left me licking me lips and if it's ever brewed again, Ale Be Seeing You.

Brewed by Brass Castle Brewery in collaboration with North Riding Brewery, Yorkshire
5.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Brass Castle Brewery

Find out more at North Riding Brewery

Seven Bro7hers Hoppy Pale

This is a lovely traditional looking beer with a rich golden body and a frothy, loose off-white head that retains a thin layer and laces the glass.

It smells of tropical fruits, juicy citrus fruit, sweet caramel and malted biscuit.  The flavour profile is similar to the aroma with juicy fruit notes, biscuit and caramel except it tastes like it has been diluted as it's very light.  The thin, watery body and low, soft carbonation doesn't help as it just feels like it has been watered down.

It's an easy drinking, refreshing pale ale but I don't think it's particularly hoppy and it's just far too lightweight for me.  Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Seven Bro7hers Brewery, Manchester
3.8% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.25/5

Find out more at Seven Bro7hers Brewery

BrewDog Cake Cartel

Ooh I wanted to try this hazelnut stout from BrewDog as soon as I heard about it and it did not disappoint.  This is definitely one for the sweet toothed beer drinker.

It's a very dark brown stout with a small, rapidly vanishing tan head that doesn't leave a single bubble behind, giving it a very disappointingly flat appearance.  It makes up for it in the wonderful aroma though - it's as sweet as candy with notes of malt, caramel, milk chocolate and raspberry jam.

It tastes like liquid chocolate cake with a huge helping of malt, a dash of candy floss and a sprinkling of nuts.  It leaves a lovely sweetness of the lips and it's very moreish, although it doesn't taste as nutty as I expected.  Brewed with lactose, it's a very smooth stout with low carbonation and a full body.

This is a lovely rich, dark, sweet pastry stout and it tastes exactly as would expect from the can.  If it hadn't lost its head so quickly and tasted a bit more nutty, it would've been a five star beer but for taste alone, Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by BrewDog, Ellon, Aberdeenshire 
6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery