Prime Time Lager+

Prime Time's Lager+ is a caffeine infused low calorie lager.  I have to applaud Prime Time for creating a low calorie lager that tastes like a regular lager but the addition of caffeine feels a bit like too much of a gimmick for me.

It pours a deep golden colour with a frothy, robust off-white head that lasts and laces.  It smells delicious with a sweet and juicy aroma of citrus, hops and caramel.

The flavour is so light that it's quite disappointing after the amazing smell, but I had to remind myself that it's a lager and I wouldn't really expect an explosion of flavour.  It has a very watery taste of hops and a slightly soapy hint of citrus.  The hint of caffeine is perhaps in the aftertaste that I can only describe as 'a bit weird'.  As you would expect from a lager it's thin bodied and well carbonated so it has a proper lagery mouthfeel.

It's a refreshing light lager but it's more of a Lager minus than a Lager plus for me.  The caffeine leaves too much of a weird taste in my mouth and I much prefer a beery aftertaste so  unfortunately, Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by The Innovative Brewing Co, London
4.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.25/5

Find out more at Prime Time

Prime Time Premium Lager

I was attracted to Prime Time's premium lager by the 95 calories per can as I often drink alcohol free beer when I'm on a diet.  So, I have to give Prime Time extra credit for creating a low calorie lager but as you know I like my dark ales, so lager is never going to be a high scorer for me.

The lager is a deep golden colour with a frothy and surprisingly tight off-white head that lasts and laces.  I was really impressed by the aroma; it smells lovely and beery with a traditional combination of hops, malts, caramel and light fruit.

The flavour is very light but not unexpected for a lager, however, after getting a whiff of the lovely beery aroma, it tastes like a watered down beer.  There's a metallic aftertaste that is really the only hint of flavour I picked up.  It's well carbonated and nicely fizzy with a thin body.

I expected a bit more taste from a 'premium' lager so I was disappointed with the very weak flavour.  It's a very subtle lager that will appeal to novice palates but I prefer my beer with a bit more oomph.  Unfortunately, Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by The Innovative Brewing Co, London
4.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.25/5

Find out more at Prime Time

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

Off Axis Hop the Light Fantastic

 

Off Axis Brew Co is a range of budget beers brewed exclusively for Home Bargains.  I do like a bargain beer, so I thought I'd try their pale ale, Hop the Light Fantastic, brewed with Talus, Eldorado and Citra hops and it's actually pretty good.

It's a deep golden, hazy ale with a thick, frothy cream coloured head.  It has a very fruity aroma with notes of strong, juicy citrus that smells more sweet than bitter.  As you would expect from its name, it also has a lovely whiff of fragrant hops.

The taste is quite light, which is surprising after experiencing the intense aroma.  The flavour is like a watered down version of the smell: citrus and hops.  It's not pithy at all and the citrus balance leans towards sweet.  It's quite fizzy with firm bubbles and a decent medium body.

It's a very refreshing beer and I love the hint of sweetness.  I think it's a decent budget beer and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed exclusively for TJ Morris (Home Bargains), UK 
4.7% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

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

Siren Soundwave

 

The tropical fruit notes burst out of the can as soon as you open Siren's Soundwave IPA.  It's a sweet smell that reminded me of pineapple cube sweets and there's a little floral hint too.  It's a bright golden yellow IPA that looks very inviting with its small, frothy off-white head.  The head dissipates to leave a thin, patchy layer.

The taste is predominantly tropical fruit too  but it's quite a complex flavour with an initial hit of hops, followed by sweet tropical fruits and finishing on delicious bitter notes.  The body is quite thin and carbonation is surprisingly low so it has a bit of a strange flat feeling, rather than a smooth mouthfeel.

It's a lovely tropical and hoppy IPA that's the perfect blend for someone like me, who's not a fan of too much citrus bitterness.  I loved the sweet tropical notes and it's very refreshing.  It's one for the summer I think and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Siren Craft Brew, Finchampstead, Berkshire
5.6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Siren Craft Brew

BAD Co. Off-Tempo 0618

 

Off-Tempo is an experimental range of beers from North Yorkshire brewers, BAD Co.  0618 is a double dry hopped IPA with a stonking ABV of 7.4%.

It's a deep golden ale with a slight haze and a small but robust cream coloured head.  It has a fresh and fruity aroma with grapefruit zest combining with pine and caramel to create an intriguing blend.

Likewise, the flavour is an interesting one with notes of grapefruit and orange marmalade as well as floral and pine notes.  It has a lovely dry, bitter finish and it's well carbonated with a thin to medium body.

It's an unusual beer and a very aromatic experience.  It's zesty, bitter and piney with a lovely dry and bitter citrus finish that's not too pithy.  It's not my preferred style of beer (and BAD Co. are in administration) so Ale not Be Seeing You again but I liked it.

Brewed by Brewing and Distilling Company Ltd, North Yorkshire
7.4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Unfortunately, Brewing and Distilling Company Ltd went into administration in June 2002.

Seven Bro7hers Cast Off Pale Ale

 

You've got to give Seven Bro7hers credit for teaming up with Kellogg's and upcycling their cast off cereal into beer that's not half bad.

Cast Off Pale Ale is made using Kellogg's Rice Krispies and it's a deep golden coloured ale with a loose, frothy off-white head that disperses to leave a thin, patchy layer.

It smells fruity and hoppy with a hint of buttery golden corn and the taste is similar with sweet biscuit notes and hops over a fruity base.  The fruit flavour is ever so light citrus that blends in beautifully without adding any bitterness.  It's quite softly carbonated with a thin body and it feels smooth to drink.

Although you can't really tell it's made with Rice Krispies, which don't have much taste anyway in my opinion, it a lovely easy drinking pale ale.  The buttery corn and sweet biscuit notes are delicious but it is a very light tasting ale with a surprisingly decent 5.5% ABV.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Seven Bro7hers Brewery, Manchester
5.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Seven Bro7hers Brewery

Darwin Beagle Blonde

I have been very impressed with Darwin Brewery's core range and Beagle Blonde is no exception.  It's nothing fancy and sometimes you just want to drink something more traditional, so this easy drinking and refreshing golden coloured pale ale fits the bill.

It's a lovely golden coloured ale with a pretty tight off-white head that lasts and thickly laces.  It has a deliciously crisp and light aroma of hops, citrus, biscuit and caramel.

It's a hoppy tasting beer with a hint of mild citrus and sweet caramel and a lovely dry finish.  It has a thin to medium body and good, strong carbonation that retains the head right until the last drop.

The lovely sweet/dry balance makes this the perfect sunny day beer.  It's very light, refreshing and easy to drink and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Darwin Brewery, Sunderland
4.1% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Darwin 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

Badger England's Own

 

Like sunshine in a bottle, this golden blonde ale has the most amazing hoppy, floral and elderflower aroma.  It's a shame that it has such a small, rapidly disappearing off-white head as it looks a bit off-putting in its headless state.

The elderflower aroma is replicated in the flavour along with white grape and its actually very refreshing.  It has a slight hint of bitterness in the finish which rounds it off nicely.  It has a thin body and surprisingly prickly carbonation which belies its flat appearance.

I really didn't expect it to be so nice; it's a perfect summer beer and I'd buy it again if it gets rebrewed.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Badger Brewery, Dorset
4.6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Badger Beers

Brew York Brew York

 

I picked up this vegan friendly triple hopped American Pale Ale a couple of years ago because I was tickled by the name but since then Brew York have taken off and become well known for brewing innovative and extremely unusual beers.

Just look at the head on that!  It's immense!  The cream coloured head is quite loose but there's lots of it so it doesn't vanish in a flash and it does lace the glass.  It sits atop a hazy orange-hued golden beer that is so vibrant it reminded me of the fiery colours of the setting sun.

It has an enticing smell of citrus and hops which transfer to the taste along with a hint of tropical fruit and caramel.  Well balanced, it's deliciously bittersweet with caramel infused citrus bubbles bursting on the tongue to produce a cream soda like flavour with a dry, bitter finish.  Very well carbonated (how could it not be to produce such an impressive head) and medium bodied, it's so easy to drink that it's a shame it was just in a 330ml can.

Brew York was my first Brew York beer and it certainly wasn't my last as I've tried a number of them since then.  I drank this in 2018 and it's possibly been rebrewed under another name by now as Brew York have a good range of vegan beers that are well worth checking out.  If it was still being produced, Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Brew York Craft Brewery, York
5.1% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Brew York Craft Brewery

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

Ursus Timisoreana

Timisoreana is a lager from Romania and it has a traditional light yellow appearance with a small but frothy bright white head.  It looks like the head will disappear quickly but it's actually surprisingly robust.

Mainly smelling of hops, it has quite a sweet and sour aroma.  It's a lager so there's nothing complex in the smell but it does smell appealing.  It's actually a lot tastier than I thought it would be with a tangy hoppy sourness and a slight metallic bitter aftertaste giving it more of a beery taste than a bog-standard lager.  It also has a lovely crisp and dry finish that I really liked.

Body-wise, it is unsurprisingly thin bodied and it does have quite harsh carbonation with hard little bubbles that grated across my tongue.

It's a lightly flavoured, tangy, crisp, dry lager and is very refreshing so it would be a perfect tipple for a hot, sunny day.  I don't buy a lot of lager so Ale probably not Be Seeing this one again, however, I'm sure that seasoned lager drinkers will love it.

Brewed by Ursus Breweries, Romania
5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.25/5

Find out more at Ursus Breweries

Black Sheep My Generation

 

A bright golden yellow, slightly hazy session pale ale, My Generation is a collaborative brew between Black Sheep and My Generation Beer Co.  As we have come to expect from Black Sheep, it has an amazing thick tight frothy head that leaves excellent lacing.

The aroma is very fruity with underlying hoppiness and a little malt.  It's definitely a citrus fragrance but seems a little sweeter more like pineapple.  The hops gives it a slightly sour aroma too.

The taste of tangy hops and citrus blended with sweet malt give a lovely fresh, bitter finish.  The bitterness is slightly metallic at first but transforms to more palatable citrus as you drink.  Although you can see bubbles, which maintain the head beautifully, it is quite softly carbonated and medium bodied.

With just the right level of citrus for me, this is an easy drinking pale ale and I'd have one again; it's a lovely refreshing beer to drink during the day in Spring/Summer.  Yet again, award winning brewers Black Sheep can do no wrong in my eyes.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Black Sheep Brewery, Masham, North Yorkshire
4.7% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Black Sheep Brewery

Coopers Sparkling Ale

 

Sparkling Ale from Coopers Brewery in Australia has been in production since 1862 and little has changed in the brewing process.  It's naturally conditioned in the bottle so there is some sediment visible.  Apparently, you're supposed to roll the bottle gently to mix up the sediment before pouring but I preferred to pour carefully and leave it in the bottle.

My careful pour resulted in a surprisingly clear glass of golden ale with a lovely tight white head that leaves tremendous lacing on the glass.  It does look a bit like a lager but it packs a punch at 5.8% so it's not one to be guzzled too quickly.

It has a traditional beery aroma of hops and malt, with the sour hops smell being quite strong.  Flavourwise, it's definitely more malty than I expected with a dry finish but it's not strongly flavoured.  It has quite a thin body and very soft carbonation so I think I maybe should have given that sediment a swirl to get the full sparkling experience.

Crisp, dry and refreshing with the added bonus of a lovely malt flavour, this was much nicer than I expected for a light coloured ale.  It's definitely worth giving it a try if you see it.

Brewed by Coopers Brewery, Australia
5.8% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Coopers Brewery

Black Sheep Pathmaker

 

I am a huge fan of North Yorkshire brewery Black Sheep and consider their bitter to be one of my favourite beers of all time.  I don't hesitate to pick up anything new that they brew as you're always guaranteed a quality beer.  

Pathmaker is an American style pale ale, it's a slightly hazy golden colour with a loose frothy head. Unfortunately, it's not a standard Black Sheep head as it does dissipate to a thin layer.  It has a very strong citrus aroma but with a sweet malty edge and a hint of hops and some floral notes coming through.

I was a little worried this would be too much of a citrus flavour for me but it's not as citrusy as the smell would suggest.  It is predominantly citrus flavoured but there is a sweet malt flavour that adds a caramel sweetness to balance out the citrus.  It's fizzy with a decent body and has a dry/bitter finish.

It hasn't quite tempted me over from the dark side, but it's a lovely full-flavoured pale ale in keeping with the quality you expect from Black Sheep.

Brewed by Black Sheep Brewery, Masham, North Yorkshire

5.6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at Black Sheep Brewery

Otter Brewery Otter Bright

It says on the label that Otter Bright is a lager beer but I think it's doing itself a bit of a disservice as it's definitely more of a pale ale than a lager, in my opinion.

Looking like a very traditional pint of beer, it's a lovely golden colour with a small, loose off-white head.  The head disappears faster than I'd like resulting in just a thin foam after a few minutes before disappearing altogether.

The aroma is very hoppy with notes of honey, caramel, biscuit and just a hint of fruity citrus.  All of these smells transfer to the taste with the sweet notes of honey and caramel being followed by a mild citrus bitterness.  The citrus level is perfect for me with no hint of lemon squeezy washing up liquid to be found.  As you would expect with a pale ale, it's relatively thin-bodied but well carbonated which gives it a pleasant silky mouthfeel.  

Very crisp, dry, refreshing and so easy to drink, this is definitely a beer I'd have in my fridge for a sunny day.  Otter Bright, Ale Be Seeing You Again.

Brewed by Otter Brewery, Devon
4.3% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Otter Brewery

Rudgate Pale

A mixed pack from Rudgate in York was one of the first (of many) packs of beer I bought when the UK went into lockdown.  I hadn't tried any of their beers before so I thought I'd start light with their pale ale.

When I first started to pour it, I thought it was almost colourless then it appeared to have a strange pink hue.  I started to get nervous and wondered if Rudgate had bottled pink champagne instead of pale ale.  It turned out a surprisingly nice light golden colour with a small, relatively loose off white head that holds on for a while to leave a thin foam layer.  There is some sediment in the bottle so it needs a careful pour to get a clear pint.

The aroma is deliciously hoppy with hints of honey and caramel along with zesty citrus and tropical fruits.  The flavour, however, is disappointingly weak with very little taste.  The initial taste is predominantly hops, honey and straw but it does develop slightly over time to become more fruity.  There is a slight citrus bitterness to the aftertaste and, as I'm not much of a fan of pithy citrus, the citrus flavour is subtle enough to be palatable for me.

Although it has decent carbonation, it has a very thin and watery mouthfeel but then again it's quite a light beer at 3.8%.  It's not terribly tasty but it's very light, clean and refreshing; it's what I would call a nice summery day beer - it'll quench your thirst without having you dancing on the tables.

Brewed by Rudgate Brewery, York
3.8% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3/5

Find out more at Rudgate Brewery

Grounding Angels Chasing the Horizon

I recently found Northumberland brewery Grounding Angels Brew Co on Instagram and when I saw that they were offering local home delivery it was definitely an offer that was too good to refuse.  So doing my bit to support local businesses during lockdown, I chose a mixed case of 12 cans and a couple of hours later they were in my fridge.

First up is Chasing the Horizon, a New Zealand NEIPA.  I was a bit put off by the cloudy, opaque and slightly weird juice-like appearance at first but the amazing aroma of fresh mango, orange and lime more than made up it.  It really does resemble a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice when the loose frothy cream coloured head disappears.  If I could drink beer for breakfast, this would definitely be one I'd choose!

The aroma is unbelievable; it's so deliciously fruity and the mouthwatering aroma continuously wafts out of the glass as if it was a scented candle.  It smells like a bowl of freshly peeled fruit comprising orange, mango, peach and lime; it's very exotic and summery.  Everything I smelt in the aroma was replicated in the taste along with a hint of spice and a citrus bitter finish.  It really is a lovely blend and so very refreshing.

It's a full bodied ale with a smooth appearance but has the perfect amount of carbonation to give the tongue a good tickling.  It's like a beer cocktail and just needs a little cocktail umbrella and a slice of lime on the side of the glass to look the part.  It's not something I'd usually pick but I'm so glad that I did as I really liked it; with the balance being more tropical fruit than citrus, it turned out to be more my kind of thing than I thought.  As I bought 4 cans, I can definitely say Ale Be Seeing You Again!

  
Brewed by Grounding Angels Brew Co, Hexham, Northumberland
5.3% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Grounding Angels Brew Co