Off Axis Crimson Tide

Well just look at this beautiful ruby ale from Home Bargains!  It was very lively and produced a huge frothy cream head on top of its ruby red body. 

I gave it full marks for aroma as it's brewed with five malts so it's incredibly malty and it has hints of sweet caramel, treacle toffee and dark fruit.  The taste is pretty similar, although weaker than I expected from the intense aroma, with notes of sweet malt, dried fruit and caramel together with a nice hoppy tang from the three hops: Amarillo, Nelson Sauvin and Columbus.

It has a good medium body with relatively soft carbonation that gives you a smoothish mouthfeel.  It's another bargain beer from Home Bargains that exceeded my expectations and it's a very nice ruby ale for less than £2.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed exclusively for TJ Morris (Home Bargains), UK
4.8% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Better World Koala Red Ale

 

I do love a red ale and Koala from Better World Brewing looks stunning.  It is a beautiful deep red/copper coloured ale with a small, loose beige head that retains a thin layer.  It smells very fresh and fruity with loads of malt and hints of toffee, citrus and pine.

The taste reminds me of an APA with a huge malty base and layers of caramel and pine followed by a citrus bitter finish that's not pithy at all.  It has a medium body and low but firm carbonation that gives a nice tingle on the tongue.

I really enjoyed this beer, it's so tasty and refreshing with zingy fruit and lashings of malt.  It's a lovely blend with a delightful bitter finish and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Better World Brewing and partners, London
5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Better World Brewing

BrewDog 5AM Saint

 

It's a bunch of fives from BrewDog with their American red ale 5AM Saint: 5% ABV, 5 malts and 5 hops (actually 6 but I like the pattern they're going for).  Doesn't it look stunning?  It's a beautiful slightly opaque red/brown colour with a small, loose cream coloured head that vanishes quite quickly.

There's nothing subtle about the aroma with a huge hit of malt, caramel and orange marmalade citrus so I couldn't wait to dive in.  With a wonderful mixture of malts and hops, this really tingles the tastebuds.  Sweet malts and caramel make are followed by a bitter citrus tang but these conflicting flavours are seamlessly woven together on a biscuit base.  

The only thing that lets it down is the body.  It has a very watery mouthfeel and relatively low carbonation so it feels quite light despite the amazing flavours.  With a bit more body and a longer lasting head this would have been a five star beer without doubt.  I'd still have another one, so Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by BrewDog Brewery, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery

Leffe Ruby

 

I love the packaging of the 750ml bottles from Leffe: this wine bottle sized beer looks perfect for a special occasion with a champagne-like cork and wire trapper hidden under the foil.  I opened my bottle at Christmas to discover the most beautiful jewelled ruby red ale inside.  It has a cute baby pink frothy head that's reasonably loose.

It has an incredibly fruity aroma of strawberries, raspberries, cherries and blueberries that transfers to the taste along with a hint of Parma violets.  With a slightly sour hint and a very fizzy mouthfeel, it reminds me of cherryade and it does feel like more of an alcopop than a beer.  I also picked up a floral aftertaste that seemed a bit out of place.

A light and refreshing ale that was very easy to drink, perhaps a little too easy as it is very much like a bottle of pop.  It's definitely not a traditional ruby ale (which is my favourite style of beer), so I was left feeling a little disappointed.  It's not a Leffe beer Ale Be Seeing again but I'm sure it will hit the spot for those who love fruity ales and sours.

Brewed by Leffe, Belgium
5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Leffe

Twickenham Red Rye IPA

  

Brewed for Aldi by Twickenham Brewery this is a lovely deep amber coloured ale with a small, tight beige head.  There might not be much of a head but it stays really tight and laces the glass.

It has a bit of a strange aroma; it's definitely malty but it almost has a hint of sour cherries mixed in with the underlying aroma of citrus and hops.  I found the flavour equally odd; roasted malt and caramel with a bitter citrus and spicy rye aftertaste.  The whole effect is quite understated really and I felt like I had to hunt for the flavours.  It's also quite harshly carbonated with a thin body and feels a little oily on the tongue.

This is a beer that looks a lot better than it tastes.  I didn't like the lingering aftertaste of citrus and rye and felt like I needed to brush my teeth in between sips.  Unfortunately, Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Twickenham Brewery, London for Aldi 
4.7% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 2.75/5

Find out more at Twickenham Brewery

BrewDog Slot Machine

It's not an optical illusion (or a very small glass), this is a 660ml gigantic bottle of Slot Machine, a red rye IPA from Scottish brewers, BrewDog.  It pours a beautiful russet brown colour with a huge frothy but tight beige head.

The aroma is mainly malt and biscuit with hints of citrus fruits and warm spice.  The initial flavour is predominantly citrus followed by a floral, spicy taste.  As you drink it, the citrus flavour seems to diminish and more toffee and caramel flavours develop.  The citrus flavour remains throughout to give a lingering bitter aftertaste.

Surprisingly softly carbonated, it has an almost smooth mouthfeel and is a full bodied ale.  The head leaves good lacing on the glass and I loved the developing toffee flavour which takes the edge off the initial citrus hit.  The spicy rye flavour is well balanced, giving more of a hint than a full hit which can often take over.  

It's a decent red rye IPA and very drinkable, which is just as well as I got two full 330ml glasses out of the oversized bottle.

Brewed by BrewDog, Ellon, Aberdeenshire 
5.2% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery

Ringwood Red Boar

Just look at this beauty!  Red Boar is Ringwood's first red ale, it is a delicious mahogany red with a loose beige head that disappeared to a thin foam.  There isn't much of an aroma, nothing I could really identify except perhaps faintly malty and nutty.

First taste was a bit disappointing; it feels very thin without much flavour and it's quite watery with medium carbonation.  After a couple more sips I found it had a very nutty taste and it leaves a surprising bitter aftertaste.  I was disappointed that I didn't really get any hint of the 'subtle roasted malt undertones'; I like my reds more malty than this, but it's only 3.9% ABV so it's more of a light 'day beer'.

It's interesting that Red Boar isn't listed on Ringwood's website but I have had some brilliant ales from them in the past including Boon Doggle and my favourite, Old Thumper.  Red Boar isn't bad for a first red ale, but I'm hoping that version 2.0 is more to my liking.

Brewed by Ringwood Brewery, Hampshire

3.9% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Ringwood Brewery

Three Kings Brewery Canadien Red

I popped into The Exchange in North Shields for a coffee but I was like a kid in a sweet shop when I saw all the local hand pulls on offer.  I went from tempted to sold in 0-60 seconds when I saw a red ale was among the brilliant selection.  Each pump had a little kilner jar of ale in front of it so you could see the colour of the ale, but obviously I wasn't going to go for anything other than the Canadien Red from Three Kings Brewery.

The first thing I noticed, after the mouthwatering ruby red colour was the thick tight creamy head.  It was as smooth as a milk pond and the whole appearance is like a ruby red Guinness.  It has a lovely light malty fruity aroma but I admit to not being able to resist diving in for a taste without lingering on the smell.

Oh it is just heavenly.  It is deliciously malty with a liquorice undertone but with a slightly citrus and metallic bitter aftertaste.  It is a full bodied ale that is SO smooth it slips down far too easily and I could have stayed for a few more.  I even let my Mam have a taste and usually she would comment with a 'bleurgh' but she liked it and said: 'I could drink that'.  Give it back!!!

Canadien Red, Ale Be Seeing You Again and I might even buy my parents one instead of a coffee next time we visit North Tyneside.

Brewed by Three Kings Brewery, North Shields

4.8% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Three Kings Brewery