Hiver Amber Beer

This is a beautiful deep amber coloured beer with a small, robust cream coloured head.  It smells deliciously malty and hoppy with a hint of honey.

It tastes absolutely lovely with flavours of sweet malt, smooth honey and tangy hops, followed by a slightly bitter finish.  It's pretty smooth to drink with soft carbonation and and a decent medium body.

I really enjoyed the amber honey beer.  It's sweet, malty and slightly bitter with a delicious hint of smooth honey.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Hiver Beers, London 
4.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Hiver Beers

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

Evan Evans Fire Island Oahu

This exotic golden beer is brewed in Wales and the label design is perfect as the beer looks like a beautiful setting sun in a glass when it's poured.

It's a deep golden/light amber colour with a frothy beige head that lasts and laces.  It doesn't have much of a smell, I had to have a really good sniff to get notes of hops and caramel but I didn't pick up any fruitiness at all.

The taste is much like the smell: hops and caramel with added citrus.  It has a very pithy aftertaste and it tastes more like an IPA than a golden beer.  It has a thin body and looks really fizzy in the glass (which helps to maintains the head) but carbonation is surprisingly soft and low, which gives it a lovely smooth mouthfeel.

It's easy to drink and quite refreshing but it's a little too pithy for me.  It's good that it's vegan and gluten free but Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Evan Evans Brewery, Llandeilo, Wales
4.8% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3/5

Find out more at Evan Evans Brewery

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

Seven Bro7hers Amber Lager

Just look at that beautiful amber colour of Seven Bro7hers' Amber Lager - this is lager, Jim, but not as we know it. 

I love the colour of this lager - it's deep golden/light amber with a small, loose off-white head that vanishes quickly to leave a patchy layer.  The aroma is not like any lager I've ever smelled before - it's sweet, fruity, hoppy and malty with notes of pineapple, tropical fruit, honey and caramel.  It smells like sunshine in a glass.

The flavour is equally impressive with a delicious blend of sweet fruit, caramel, malt and hops over a dry biscuit base.  It is well carbonated with a thin body and it's so refreshing to drink.  It's sweet and fruity at first but followed by a lovely crisp, dry finish.  This is a lager with attitude and I would never have guessed it was a lager in a blind taste test.

Very impressive and perfect for summer drinking, Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Seven Bro7hers Brewing Co, Manchester
4.3% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Seven Bro7hers Brewing Co

Corsendonk Summum Goudblond

 

I've been impressed with the Corsendonk abbey beers and Goudblond is no exception, although it is perhaps my least favourite of all the Corsendonk beers I've tried.

It's a very dark golden/light amber ale with a thick, tight and robust cream coloured head.  On first opening, it smells a little floral with notes of caramel and hops.  The aroma then seems to develop into a more soapy smell which is a little offputting.

Thankfully, there's nothing soapy in the taste.  It tastes of sweet caramel and malt with a tangy, fruity hint of hops to remind you it's a Belgian ale.  The sweetness lingers on the lips and the whole flavour combination actually reminded me of caramel waffles.  It has a medium body and carbonation is perfect with lots of soft bubbles to tingle the tongue.

It's quite a sweet blonde ale but I have a sweet tooth so I rather liked it.  It would definitely have scored higher if it hadn't had the weird soapy smell.  Unfortunately, it's not in production any more but if it was brewed again, Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Corsendonk Brewery, Belgium
7.8% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Corsendonk Brewery

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

Seven Bro7hers Honeycomb Pale Ale

This beer was very eager to get out of the can.  It was very very lively and it took four pours to get it in the glass so it ended up a bit cloudy.  The colour is amazing, it is the deep golden colour of honeycomb and it's topped with a huge, frothy cream coloured head.

The aroma is very sweet and it does actually smell like honeycomb with some underlying maltiness.  I couldn't wait to taste it and I was not disappointed.  It is SO good; sweet honeycomb, malt and hops combine to create a taste explosion in the mouth.  It's actually not as sweet as I expected so Seven Bro7hers have got the balance just right with this one.

It's well carbonated but it's not as harsh as I expected from its lively appearance.  My tongue got a good tingling as little bubbles of honeycomb burst to release their amazing flavour. 

Seven Bro7hers have got this one spot on; it really is a Crunchie in a glass and I could drink it all day long to satisfy my sweet tooth.  Ale Be Seeing You again and again!

Brewed by Seven Bro7hers Brewing Co, Manchester
4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.5/5

Find out more at Seven Bro7hers Brewing Co

Moorhouse's Pride of Pendle

 

What a beauty!  Moorhouse's Pride of Pendle looks right up my street!  It's a deep golden, amber ale with a tight cream head that smells of hops and delicious malts.  I was very excited to get my first sip of this one and I was not disappointed.

With a base of dry biscuit malt and slight citrus fruit bitterness, this ale is so perfectly balanced.  It's bitter but not pithy and sweet but not sugary - just perfect!  It's so softly carbonated and very smooth to drink, my only disappointment was when I emptied the glass.

Deliciously malty and definitely one for my repurchase list: Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Moorhouse's Brewery, Burnley, Lancashire
4.1% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.5/5

Find out more at Moorhouse's Brewery

Goose Island Honkers Ale

 

No longer produced in bottles, Honkers Ale is an English style bitter from USA.  I love bitter so I was really looking forward to this one.  Let's see what I thought.

It's a beautiful warm amber colour but it has a dirty dishwater coloured head that vanishes within seconds.  There was also quite a bit of sediment in the bottle so it needs a careful pour to get a clear ale.  I got a bit of sediment in mine so it does have a bit of haze to it and the sediment seems to remain suspended in the liquid which was quite off-putting when drinking.

Rather alarmingly, it has no smell whatsoever.  I couldn't detect a whiff of anything and my nose was in full working order.  Slightly odd, but on to the taste.  Erm...there's not much taste either.  It's a little malty perhaps but I'm really pushing it to even say that.  It doesn't help that the body is very thin and watery and the bubbles are really harsh despite the flat appearance.  It's like drinking slightly malted fizzy water.

It's nothing like a beer never mind an English Bitter and Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Goose Island Brewery, Chicago
4.3% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 2.5/5

Find out more at Goose Island Brewery

Three Kings Tyneside Tommy

 

This is an absolutely wonderful idea from Three Kings Brewery who have produced a traditional English ale with Tyneside's First World War soldiers commemorated on the bottle.  The beer has been brewed to raise awareness of the Northumbria World War One Commemoration Project which aims to create a memorial garden and place blue plaques on 600 homes of Tyneside soldiers who fell in the conflict.  

Each bottle has a little tag around its neck with a photo and story of a real Tyneside Tommy.  I got Private Joseph Forster who was born in Cramlington and lived in North Shields with his wife and six children.  We often hear of enlistees claiming to be older than they were but in an unusual twist, as he was considered too old for military service, Joseph Forster amended his birth certificate to make him appear younger than he actually was.  Private Forster was killed in action on the Somme in October 1916, aged 44 and I raise my glass to him.  

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

Tyneside Tommy pours a lovely deep gold/light amber colour with a very impressive tight, thick, cream coloured head that lasts and laces right up to the last drop.  It has a hoppy and lightly fruited aroma that you would expect from a traditional ale.

When you can actually get through the huge head, it has a metallic bitter taste with a dash of citrus and tangy hops.  It's a lovely old fashioned bitter and you can just imagine many a Tyneside Tommy drinking a pint of this when they returned home on leave.  It's full bodied and moderately carbonated giving a lovely smooth mouthfeel.

A tangy and refreshing old fashioned bitter this is a beer for real heroes.  I wholeheartedly recommend you pick up a bottle if you see it as it's a lovely bitter and supports an amazing project.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Three Kings Brewery, North Shields
4.1% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Three Kings Brewery

Sainsbury's American Pale Ale

This is a beautiful looking beer; it's a rich, deep amber colour with a frothy and tight cream coloured head.  

It smells very hoppy with a hint of citrus and it tastes crisp and fruity with slightly sweet malts.  It doesn't have overly strong flavours but it sure did awaken my taste buds.  It has a medium body and decent carbonation that maintains the impressive head right to the very last drop.

It's an all round pleasant drink but nothing really out of the ordinary.  I'm glad I tried it but Ale not be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Tap Room Brewing Company, New York, USA 
5.3% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.25/5

Birra del Borgo Maledetta

 

Maledetta is an amber coloured Belgian style ale in a cute funky shaped bottle.  Of course, it may look good on the outside but it's what's inside that counts.

It pours a deep amber with an orange hue and a slight haze as it's bottle conditioned.  I thought at first that I wasn't going to get any head at all but then all of a sudden it appeared with a vengeance and gave me a good layer of thick, tight and cream coloured bubbles.

The aroma of toffee and citrus is mouthwatering and the taste is even better.  With a slight hint of honey to start, it passes through flavours of caramel and malt to finish with a burst of slightly sour and tangy orange citrus.  It has a medium body and relatively soft carbonation that tickles across the tongue to really get your taste buds going.

I've been really impressed with the Birra del Borgo ales and Maledetta is another one where I can definitely say: 'Ale Be Seeing You again!'.

Brewed by Birra del Borgo, Italy 
6.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Birra del Borgo

McGrath's Craft Irish Amber No. 5

 

I know you often get what you pay for but now and again a little gem comes along at a bargain price and McGrath's Craft Irish Amber No.5 certainly fits the bill.  At only 79p from B&M Bargains, this is one beer I wish I'd stocked up on but of course there were none left when I went back for more.

It pours a slightly hazy chestnut brown colour with a small, loose beige head that disappears rapidly to  leave a thin, patchy layer with a little lacing.  The aroma is floral, fruity and hoppy with a hint of caramel and malt.  I was surprised to find the notes in the aroma to be turned on their head in the amazing taste; it's so incredibly malty with big dollops of treacle and caramel followed by a slightly bitter citrus finish and a lingering sweetness on the lips.  

It's very fizzy and quite harshly carbonated but mouthfeel is softened by the caramel and citrus notes that seem to glide across the tongue in their own bittersweet symphony.  With a decent medium body, it's a very dry and refreshing ale.

I do hope McGrath's brew more of these as Ale definitely Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Clanconnel Brewing Company, Northern Ireland
5.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at McGrath's Beer

Conwy Minera Mountain

 

Minera Mountain is a bottle conditioned ale so it's no surprise that it contains a lot of sediment.  With a very careful pour I managed to get a good amount of it out of the bottle without it turning cloudy.  It has a very traditional looking appearance, being a lovely deep golden colour with a huge, frothy, tight and thick Mr Whippy style cream coloured head.  

The aroma isn't very strong, although I picked up floral hints and some tropical fruit.  I think the aroma is perhaps smothered by the large head as I really had to dig through it to get my first taste.  This is where it lost points for me as the head is very bitter and metallic but it's so thick and robust that all of the beer has to pass through it, which gives it an overly bitter taste.  Once you do get through the head, it has lovely floral notes tinged with honey which is what you'd expect from a heather ale.

It's very well carbonated and a little on the harsh side, but you do get used to it after a while.  It also has a decent medium body.  The head is amazing though, it leaves thick lacing on the glass that needed to be scrubbed off.

It's a bit disappointing for a heather ale; the honey and floral flavour is lovely but it's totally overpowered by the metallic bitterness of the head.  It tastes like I've sucked all of the copper coins in my purse then had a glug of beer.  It's not bad by any means, it just wasn't for me and it's not one Ale Be Seeing again, unfortunately.

Brewed by Conwy Brewery, North Wales
4.3% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.25/5

Find out more at Conwy Brewery

Leffe Biere de Noël/Kerstbier

  

Leffe Biere de Noël is a stunning beer; it's a mid-brown colour with a lovely amber hue and a bubbly cream coloured head.  The head is quite loose so it's not surprising to see it disappear but it does retain a thin foam layer. 

The aroma is so malty with a huge hit of spicy mixed fruit and a hint of smooth, sweet toffee.  It's not a terribly strong smell but it is so appealing and I knew I was in for a real treat as I leaned in for my first sip.  The taste is HEAVENLY; tangy toffee, sticky treacle, sweet malt and a slight hint of cinnamon - this is a dark ale lover's dream.

It's medium bodied and well carbonated which gives the feel of champagne bubbles bursting on the tongue, however, I would have preferred the bubbles to be a little less harsh.  It's a shame it's so fizzy as it was looking like it would score full marks across the board.

An absolutely delicious malty ale with sweet toffee notes and a pinch of festive spice, I'd be more than happy to drink a Biere de Noël again so Ale Be Seeing You!

Brewed by Leffe, Belgium

6.6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.5/5

Find out more at Leffe

Anchor Steam Beer

 

Anchor Steam Beer can often be found on supermarket shelves but strangely enough it wasn't a beer I'd tried until someone bought me one as a gift.  On seeing the glorious amber coloured beer with its thick and tight creamy head, I couldn't believe it had taken me so long to try it.  With the amber colour creating a beautiful orange glow in the glass, it really is a beauty to behold but let's see if it tastes as good as it looks.

The aroma is very hoppy with a hint of fruit, sweet caramel and malt.  My mouth was watering as I leant in for my first sip and I was not disappointed.  It is deliciously malty with hints of biscuit, bread and caramel, resulting in a beautifully dry and crisp flavour with a slightly metallic bitter finish.  With a decent body it is quite fizzy but not harsh.

I haven't had many American ales, but Anchor have certainly nailed the Yorkshire head; a head so thick it clings to the glass and lasts to the final drop, which you almost always experience in ales from Yorkshire and North East England.  The mid-amber colour makes it a bit of an in-between beer, being neither light nor dark, so it will definitely appeal to many palates.

I absolutely love the crisp, dry and refreshing flavour and can see why Anchor Steam Beer is a permanent feature on supermarket shelves - it should be a staple beer in any beer stash and Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Anchor Brewing Co, San Francisco, USA
4.8% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at Anchor Brewing Co

Loose Cannon Scottish Smokehouse Ale

 

I set up my blog as a record of all the beers I've tried over the years, good and bad.  Unfortunately, this post is a bad one, although not quite a drain pour it just wasn't to my taste at all and I'm not surprised to find that it is no longer in production.

A deep amber colour with a loose beige head, it looks like my kind of beer.  The head does disappear quite quickly, leaving a thin foamy layer.  It has a reasonably appetising aroma of fruit and malt with the unmistakable aroma of smoke.  

All I could taste in my first sip was smoke and a woody bonfire type smoke at that.  It's very weird, bordering on unpleasant and the aftertaste is awful, leaving a mouthful of smoke lingering on the tongue.  I couldn't taste anything but smoke, smoke and more smoke.  

Thin bodied and watery it has very harsh bubbles filled with yet more smoke that burst their evil contents over every part of my mouth.  Of course, not one to throw in the towel, I kept drinking it and although I got used to the weird flavour I was glad to polish off the last drop.

Like drinking a beer soaked ashtray, Ale NOT Be Seeing You Again!

Brewed by Loose Cannon Brewery, Oxfordshire
4.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd rating: 2/5

Find out more at Loose Cannon Brewery

Schlenkerla Fastenbier

When I placed my first order with Honest Brew, I was intrigued by the Fastenbier from historic German brewpub Schlenkerla.  The bottle label is very striking and the beautiful deep amber/ruby coloured beer inside looks pretty good too.  The small, cream coloured head is quite loose and it disappears quickly leaving just a few bubbles around the sides.

The most striking thing about Fastenbier is the smell.  As soon as I popped the lid off I was hit with the smell of a German food market.  In fact, the first thing I said when I opened it was: 'it smells like bacon'.  I haven't eaten meat for almost 30 years so there may be some people who disagree with my description of this aroma, but the smell of this beer evoked memories of my Nanna frying bacon.  Aside from the smokiness, there's also a distinct malty aroma but I couldn't get past the bacon aroma so I was a little scared to lean in for a sip.

The taste is definitely better than the smell, and improves if you don't breathe in when you're drinking!  The initial flavour is sweet malts and burnt caramel followed by smoked meats.  A very odd combination but it sort of works and it did grow on me.  Despite the lack of head, it's surprisingly fizzy with soft carbonation and a medium body.

No wonder the sneaky monks invented this beer when they were fasting over Lent; it's like a bacon sandwich in a glass!  Although it's wasn't for me, I'm glad I tried it as it's a very good smoked beer and I much prefer a beer tasting and smelling of smoked meat rather than an overflowing ashtray.

Brewed by Schlenkerla Brewery, Bamburg, Germany
5.9% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3/5

Find out more at Schlenkerla Brewery

John Smith's Original

I do like a bitter and John Smith's is my go-to cheap as chips beer if I find myself in a pub with a poor choice of real ales.  Pubs serve the John Smith's extra smooth variety, which is in the green can, but when Amazon pantry had a 4 pack of original for £1.75 I couldn't check out fast enough.  So at just under 44p per can, let's see what I thought.

I love the colour of this, it's a clear chestnut brown ale with a frothy and loose cream coloured head.  The head disappears quite quickly, leaving a patchy foam layer.  The aroma is pretty uninspiring; it's more metallic than anything else with an underlying dirty water smell.  Sounds great, doesn't it?  I kept the faith as John Smith's had never failed me!

It definitely pulled its socks up in the taste.  It's so easy to drink with delicate notes of sweet malts and bitter hops along with a delicious nutty flavour.  It's light, fizzy and so very easy to drink.  I do think I prefer the John Smith's Smooth but I'm glad I tried this one; indeed who wouldn't try it for the amazing bargainous price I paid?

John Smith's is my not so guilty pleasure and I'm not ashamed to say Ale Be Seeing You Again!

Brewed by John Smith's Brewery, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire
3.6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at John Smith's Brewery