Goose Island IPA

This may look like a standard 330ml bottle but it actually contains 355ml of beer and more beer is always better.  It's certainly a beauty to behold when released from the bottle, being a deep golden beer with a reasonably tight, off-white head that lasts and laces.

It has a fruity, creamy and sweet caramel aroma and a crisp, dry and refreshing taste with a hint of citrus, sweet malts and some caramel.  The bitterness from the citrus lingers but it isn't pithy at all and the bitterness actually seems to increase in intensity as you drink it.  I'm not a huge fan of citrus so I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed this.

Carbonation is quite fizzy and harsh but it goes well with the whole package.  It did make me quite burpy and I expressed quite a few goose honk noises but it didn't put me off and Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Goose Island Beer Company, USA
5.9% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at Goose Island Beer Company

York Guzzler

Guzzler from York Brewery is a crisp and refreshing golden ale and it certainly lives up to that description.  It's a beautiful golden ale with a small, loose off-white head that disappears quickly to leave a thin layer.

With an appealing aroma of hops, sweet caramel and zesty citrus fruit I couldn't wait to have a guzzle of Guzzler.  It seems quite lightly flavoured at first; it's a hoppy ale with a tang of bitter citrus and a hint of caramel but it becomes more malty as you drink it.  I really like the crisp bitterness, it's in between metallic and citrus but it isn't too overpowering as there's an added sweetness from hints of fruit and caramel that smooth out the bitter kinks.  With medium carbonation and a medium body, it feels quite smooth to drink and lives up to its name as it quickly disappears from the glass.

Light in flavour and ABV, Guzzler is a very refreshing and easy drinking golden ale.  I picked this up from Lidl and although I can't remember the exact price, it'll have been around £1.50 so it's an absolute steal.  Definitely one where I can say: Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by York Brewery, York
3.6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at York Brewery

Skinner's Hops 'n' Honey

With an eyecatching colour that looks like it has just been poured out of a honey jar and an aroma of hops and honey, this ale is exactly what it says on the tin.  There's only a small head but it is tight enough to hold its shape.

As with any honeyed ale, the taste is quite mellow with a very smooth consistency that makes it slip down very easily indeed.  The balance of hoppiness and sweetness is perfect giving it a bitter/sweet taste with a tangy toffee aftertaste.

The head leaves nice lacing on the glass, showing that quality over quantity really pays off in some cases.  It's a very pleasant golden ale, that you think doesn't have a lot of taste at first but it awakens something in your tastebuds and you get a different experience with every mouthful.

Brewed by Skinner's Brewery, Cornwall
4.2% ABV

My rating:

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Sambrooks Pumphouse Pale Ale

You can't help but notice the strong smell of hops as the lid pops off this one. There is a bit of sediment in the bottle so I poured it carefully at the expense of the head, although the head is so loose I don't think it made that much difference.  It's a delicious deep golden/light amber colour and it's such a shame that the head disappears so quickly.

Not really my cup of tea (or pint of ale), it has quite a harsh strong taste but I did get used to it and it left a crisp citrus aftertaste.  Not one Ale Be Seeing Again, unfortunately.

Brewed by Sambrooks Brewery, London

4.2% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Sambrooks Brewery

Skinners Betty Stogs

I'm feeling in the mood for a bitter so I thought I'd try Betty Stogs, labelled as a brazen Cornish bitter.  There's an absolutely divine malty aroma as this amber nectar pours into the glass.  It doesn't have a bad little head but it disperses to leave a thin layer, as you would expect from a bitter.  It's a perfect copper colour with just a hint of fizz so my mouth was watering in anticipation.

Boy, was I not disappointed.  Betty Stogs is an outstanding bitter with absolutely no metallic aftertaste.  It has a creamy malty taste, with a slight hint of citrus and a clarity that can only have come from the pure Cornish water.  I was getting a lovely biscuit and grapefruit aftertaste which makes a pleasant and refreshing change from copper coins or lemon squeezy washing up liquid.

Betty Stogs slips down a little too easily and my only disappointment is that I only bought one bottle.

Brewed by Skinners, Truro

4.0% ABV

My rating:

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Badger Firkin Fox

This is in between a deep golden and light amber colour with a huge frothy head.  It smells slightly malty with a subtle hint of citrus.

After the initial carbonation disperses it is silky smooth.   Warm spicy biscuit notes explode on the tongue with just a slight citrus aftertaste.  The huge head leaves some impressive lacing on the glass as it holds on to the very last drop.

I really like Firkin Fox and Ale Be Seeing You Again.

Brewed by Hall & Woodhouse, Dorset

4.6% ABV

My rating:

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