BrewDog Mail Order Martian

 

Well this was an unexpected surprise; I think it's the first time I have awarded full marks to an IPA.  Yes, that's a full 50/50 and I don't hand that score out very often.

I usually try to keep the sediment in the can but this is a milkshake IPA so I just poured it all in the glass.  It looks like orange juice with a thick cream coloured head.

It smells SO fruity with a combination of tropical fruits and citrus.  I picked up notes of mango, peach, lime, grapefruit and lychee and it smells like there's a full and varied bowl of fruit crammed into this can.

The taste is DIVINE!  It's sweet and juicy with tropical fruits and citrus combining with the lactose and oats to give a smooth and perfectly balance flavour.  It's definitely one for the sweet toothed beer drinker, but it's not too sweet and it has a lovely bitter finish.  There isn't even a hint of raw alcohol taste, despite the stonking 7% ABV.

It's full bodied and well carbonated to give a nice tingly mouthfeel that reminds you it's beer not juice that you're drinking. 

I couldn't fault this beer at all and it was well deserving of a perfect score from me.  I'll be stocking up on this if BrewDog brew it again and hopefully, Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by BrewDog, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
7% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 5/5

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery

BrewDog Lost in Blood Orange

This is no ordinary lager from BrewDog, it contains a massive helping of blood orange citrus and it smells absolutely divine.

It pours a light golden yellow colour with a slight haze and a robust, frothy off-white head.  It has the most amazing smell of blood orange and the aroma is strong and distinct.

The flavour is more subtle with the orange citrus taking more of a back seat and letting the hops and biscuit notes shine through.  Body is thin and it's well carbonated to give it that lovely fizzy and refreshing lager mouthfeel.

It's very refreshing and zesty and it's a lovely twist on a standard lager.  It is what it says on the can and Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by BrewDog, Ellon, Aberdeenshire 
4.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery

BrewDog Hoppy Xmas

Christmas time is here again and you can always count on BrewDog for a festive beer. 

Hoppy Xmas is a festive IPA and it's very lively so it took me a couple of pours to fit it all in my 330ml glass.  It pours a slightly hazy golden yellow with a tight, thick, robust off-white head that lasts and laces.

The aroma is deliciously fruity with notes of lemon, orange and tropical fruit as well as the expected blast of hops.  It tastes like it smells with a lovely blend of citrus and tropical fruits and hops that give it a lovely dry/bitter finish.   The pineapple and papaya flavours add a note of sweetness that takes the pithy bitter edge off the citrus.

It has a good medium body and it’s very well carbonated, as you can see from the head, but the bubbles aren't harsh and they give the tongue a nice tickling.  

I don't think there's anything particularly festive about it apart from the name, but it's a lovely IPA that's just the right level of bitterness for me.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by BrewDog, Ellon, Aberdeenshire 

6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery

BrewDog Cold Front

To mark the recent cold spell here in the UK, I cracked open my can of BrewDog's Vienna-style lager, Cold Front.

It has a deep golden, orange hued body and a frothy, pretty robust cream coloured head that laces the glass.  The aroma is quite light as you would expect from a lager but it's quite hoppy and there are hints of zesty citrus and sweet caramel.  

The first sip really twanged my taste buds as zesty marmalade bubbles burst in my mouth.  It also has sweet biscuit notes and a lovely dry, bitter finish.  It's well carbonated but not too fizzy and it has a thin to medium body.

It's a lovely refreshing hoppy lager with a surprising zesty kick.  I enjoyed it and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by BrewDog, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
4.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery

Black Isle Vanilla Stout

This vanilla stout looks like black velvet in a glass with its frothy, tan head that disperses to leave a patchy layer.

It has a sweet smell of chocolate, malt and vanilla and the same notes are replicated in the taste.  Full marks to Black Isle Brewing Co for brewing exactly what it says on the tin.  It has a smooth mouthfeel with a full body and low carbonation.

It's nothing complex but it's a lovely smooth, sweet stout that is enhanced by the hint of vanilla.  I really liked it and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Black Isle Brewing Co, Inverness, Scotland
4.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Black Isle Brewing Co

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

Bellfield Dark Sky Porter

 

This is a beautiful dark and fruity porter from Scottish brewers, Bellfield.  It's very dark, almost black, and it has a small, loose and rapidly vanishing tan head.

It has a mouthwatering aroma of roasted malt, treacle, chocolate and coffee with a hint of juicy red fruit.  It tastes as good as it smells too; it's sweet and fruity with notes of chocolate, treacle and caramel with an unusual and interesting coffee and tangy berry finish.

With low but firm carbonation and a full body, it has a smooth but tingly mouthfeel that made it really pleasant to drink.

It's a lovely fruity porter with a delicious sweetness that reminded me of candied fruit.  I have a sweet tooth so I really liked it and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Bellfield Brewery, Edinburgh
4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Bellfield Brewery

Stewart Brewing Cocoa-Nut

I love chocolate and I love stout so I snapped up this chocolate and hazelnut stout when I saw it in Lidl's beer festival.

It has a traditional stout appearance with a black velvet body and a small tan head that leaves a patchy layer when it settles.  It smells incredibly nutty and I could smell them as soon as I opened the can.  Underneath the nutty aroma there are delicious notes of chocolate, malt and even more nuts.

The taste is deliciously dark with loads of malt and hints of chocolate and liquorice.  The chocolate is dark and slightly bitter and there's no prizes for guessing the aftertaste: it's nuts!  It has a lovely full body and medium carbonation, giving it a relatively smooth mouthfeel that I like to see in a stout.

With an ABV of 7.1%, it's a very rich and decadent stout.  The dark chocolate bitterness is a little bit too much for me as I don't really like dark chocolate but the nuttiness is amazing and it tastes like it says on the can.  It's definitely one I'd recommend trying and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Stewart Brewing, Loanhead, Midlothian, Scotland
7.1% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Stewart Brewing

Days Pale Ale

I’m pretty impressed with this Days alcohol free pale ale.

It’s a beautiful deep golden, molten amber coloured ale with a small beige head that dissipates to leave a thin patchy layer.  It smells deliciously hoppy and malty and I think the aroma is enhanced as it’s not masked by the overpowering smell of alcohol.

The flavour is spot on for a pale ale with notes of malt, hops, dried fruit and a dash of sweet caramel followed by a lingering bitter finish.  It’s softly carbonated with a medium body and it’s very smooth to drink.

This is a very impressive alcohol free pale ale - you can taste more intricate flavours without the alcohol and it’s very pleasant to drink.  I would be happy to drink this beer on a regular basis so Ale Be Seeing You again!

 

Brewed by Days Brewing, Edinburgh
0% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Days Brewing

Fierce Beer May Contain Brambles

I ordered a clearance pack of near dated/out of date beer from Beer52 and I was really impressed with this fruity porter from Aberdeen brewers, Fierce Beer.  It was a month out of date but it tasted AMAZING and I was delighted that I had three of them in my pack.

It pours a dark brown with a decent beige coloured head that disperses to leave a thin layer.  I poured carefully in case there was any sediment in the can from the fruit, but there was none.

As soon as you open the can, there is an amazing aroma of juicy blackberries on a malt and chocolate base and I couldn't wait to dive in for my first sip.  I was not disappointed at all.  

It's incredibly fruity and perfectly balanced between sweet and tart.  The rich fruit flavour is followed by a hint of roasted malt and the bramble flavour returns to leave a delicious fruity finish.  It has a thin to medium body and the perfect level of carbonation that's neither too fizzy nor too flat.

This is a really unusual porter and I would never have thought that the tartness of blackberries would work in a beer but it really does.  It's a full flavoured porter that gets extra credit for being exactly what it says on the can.  I loved it and Ale Be Seeing You again.

  
Brewed by Fierce Beer, Aberdeen, Scotland 
5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.5/5

Find out more at Fierce Beer

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

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

BrewDog Puppy Love

 

A milkshake IPA containing lactose, Puppy Love is a limited edition Valentine's Day beer from BrewDog.

It's a hazy deep yellow colour with a small, loose, rapidly vanishing off-white head.  Once the head has gone, it looks like a glass of orange squash.  It has the most amazing aroma of fresh, juicy raspberries with a hint of zesty citrus.  

The flavour is quite light and it's very refreshing.  It's citrussy but there's no bitter pithiness at all, there's a definite hit of sweet not tarty raspberries and there's also a slight hint of tropical fruit that's almost perfumy like lychee.  Lactose gives an overall creaminess to the taste.  The body is thin and ever so slightly watery with low, firm carbonation.

With a lower than usual ABV for an IPA of 4.7%, it's very easy to drink and I really enjoyed it.  It's limited edition for 2022 but I hope it's brewed again next year.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by BrewDog Brewery, Ellon, Aberdeenshire

4.7% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery

BrewDog Quench Quake

Although I'm not sure they should be considered a beer, I keep being drawn to fruity, refreshing sours - the more lip-puckering the better.  So, I thought I'd try Quench Quake, BrewDog's grapefruit and tangerine sour but I was a little disappointed to be honest.

It's a lovely bright golden colour with a small, rapidly disappearing off-white head.  Once the head has gone, it looks like a glass of cider.  I leaned in for a sniff and was very disappointed; it smells just like a lager and lime!  

There was no lip puckering in the taste, although the zingy grapefruit citrus had a good attempt at pinging my tastebuds.  It does have a sour taste but it's not overly so, it's like it can't quite make its mind up what to be between a lager and a sour.  Body is unsurprisingly thin and watery and carbonation is low and soft.

Whilst it's tasty and fruity, it's nothing exciting.  There's not even any lime in it, but to me it just tasted like a lager and lime with far too much lime in.  It's maybe one for those who like alcopops, which isn't me, so Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by BrewDog Brewery, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
4.6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3/5

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery

Innis & Gun Mangoes on the Run

Mangoes on the Run is a beautiful deep golden, orange hued ale with a large, frothy, and surprisingly robust off-white head.  There is no sediment at all so I got every last drop out of the can.

I was expecting a strong smell of fruit when I opened it but it's mainly just hops with a slight hint of fruit that's more citrus than mango.  Although I was a little disappointed with the aroma, it redeemed itself in the taste.  It's definitely mango!  The flavour is very hoppy with notes of caramel, biscuit and citrus and it has a very bitter, pithy citrus aftertaste that lingers.

It's thin bodied with low, reasonably soft carbonation that feels quite smooth in the mouth with a little bit of a tingle on the tongue.

It's what it says on the tin and Innis & Gunn deserve a round of applause for getting the unmistakeable taste of mango just right.  The pithy aftertaste was a little too harsh for me which is where it lost marks so although Ale not Be Seeing You again, it's worth trying if you like pithy bitterness.

Brewed by The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company, Edinburgh, Scotland 
5.6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.25/5

Find out more at The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company

Fyne Ales Maverick

Fyne Ales Maverick is quite an impressive sight - it's a nutty brown, dark amber ale with a tight, cream coloured head that barely budges.  Definitely full marks for appearance.

It has a lovely traditional bitter smell: tangy hops, sweet toffee, malt and a slight citrus/metallic hint.  It tastes like a traditional bitter too, although it's quite a light flavour of malt, toffee, tangy hops and a dry, metallic bitter finish.  The toffee flavour intensifies as you drink and it's a nice contrast to the lingering bitter finish.  Body is thin but not watery and it's quite fizzy so it gave my tongue a good tingling.

It's nothing extraordinary, just a good old traditional bitter, so it didn't score exceptionally high but I do enjoy a nice bitter so I'd have this again.  Ale Be Seeing You!

Brewed by Fyne Ales Farm Brewery, Argyll, Scotland
4.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Fyne Ales Farm Brewery

Pilot Cocoa Morello

WOW!!  This Cocoa Morello stout from Edinburgh brewers Pilot is simply awesome.  It's such a shame it was only in a 330ml can as I could've drank this all day, although with a mighty 7.1% ABV I might've been a bit sozzled.

It's a deliciously dark stout with a loose, frothy beige head that dissipates to a patchy layer.  The aroma is amazing: chocolate, vanilla and tarty cherries create a sweet and sour smell that had my mouth watering.  My first sip did not disappoint as I drifted off to beer heaven with the flavour of tart cherries dipped in sweet chocolate on my tongue.  It's well carbonated with bubbles that are robust but not too harsh and it has a full, almost syrupy body that clings to the glass.

I really can't fault this stout and it scored full marks across the board.  It's something a little bit different that works surprisingly well.  The overall flavour is perfect: it's not too sweet and not too sour.  The chocolate flavour is more sweet than bitter and it blends beautifully with the slight sourness of the cherries.  Absolutely AWESOME and without a doubt Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Pilot Beer, Edinburgh
7.1% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 5/5

Find out more at Pilot Beer

Harviestoun Old Engine Oil

 

I've wanted to try Harviestoun's Old Engine Oil for quite a while and I'm pleased to say that it did not disappoint.

It's a lovely velvety black coloured ale with a tight tan head that hardly budges.  It has a mouthwateringly sweet aroma with notes of malt and treacle and I couldn't wait to dive in for a taste.

Roasted malt and sweet treacle combine to produce a well-balanced ale.  Hints of chocolate add a tang of bitterness to the finish.  It's medium bodied and softly carbonated to give a velvety smooth mouthfeel.

It's a dark and delicious ale so it's a bit disappointing that it's only in a 330ml bottle.  I loved the roasted flavour and the chocolate finish is sublime.  I think it's well labelled as a 'Black Ale' as it feels like it's not quite a stout and not quite a porter, but a mighty fine black ale.  I loved it and Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Harviestoun Brewery, Alva, Scotland
6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at Harviestoun Brewery

71 Brewing Raspberry Mash

I don't drink a lot of sours so I really have to be in the mood for one and this limited edition raspberry and coffee mash from 71 Brewing caught my eye in one of Lidl's beer festivals.  Conditioned on Scottish raspberries and freshly ground Burundian 'Red Bourbon' coffee beans, it sounded so weird that I just had to try it.

It's a beautiful ruby red jewel colour but it's completely headless so it looks like a glass of raspberry pop.  It did produce a bit of foam at first but it disappeared mid-pour and, as it is unfiltered and unpasteurised, there is the possibility of a bit of sediment so it needs a careful pour.

There is no mistaking the aroma of fresh and juicy raspberries but it has a slight sour whiff that made me think of raspberry wine.  The hit of raspberries in the first sip is lovely; it's a fruity, tarty and sour flavour which is followed by a hint of coffee.  It's a very small hint though and I'm not sure I would have noticed it if I wasn't looking for it.  Although it looks quite flat, it's surprisingly well carbonated with a thin and watery body.

It's definitely a sour, so I have to give 71 Brewing credit for producing what it says on the can.  I just would have liked a bit more flavour as the raspberries take over but, because it's quite watery in body, it tastes quite weak after a few sips.  I'm glad I tried it but Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by 71 Brewing, Dundee
4.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.25/5

Find out more at 71 Brewing

Maltsmiths IPA

This is a lovely dark American IPA from The Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh and it looks like molten toffee in the glass.  It's an orange hued amber coloured ale with a small but very tight cream head.  There is a bit of sediment in the bottle so I left a bit behind to ensure a clear pour.

It smells very citrussy, but more oranges than grapefruit, and it has a slight hint of caramel and malt.  The flavour is quite weak, although this means that it's not too citrussy or bitter for me, and

thanks to the dry-hopping it has a lovely dry finish.  Body is thin but it's very fizzy which maintains the head nicely.  

It just seems a little too weak on flavour so Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by The Caledonian Brewery, Edinburgh
4.6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.25/5

Find out more at Maltsmiths Brewing