Goose Island Midway

 

This session IPA is a beautiful deep golden colour with a frothy off-white head that retains a thin layer on dispersal.  It smells incredibly fruity with notes of citrus and tropical fruits bursting out of the can along with a tang of hops and a metallic bitter hint.

The citrus and tropical fruits combine beautifully to create a very refreshing beer with a big dollop of hops.  It's well carbonated and has a thin body, as you would expect for an IPA.

This is what I would call an everyday beer; it's light, easy to drink and refreshing .  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed for Goose Island Brewery, Chicago, USA
4.1% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Goose Island Brewery

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

To ØI Solar Flare

 

Solar Flare pours a hazy orange colour with a small, loose cream coloured head.  The head disappears quite quickly, leaving the beer resembling a glass of fruit juice.  It smells like fruit juice too - it's very fruity with fresh and juicy notes of tropical mango and citrus fruits. 

It doesn't taste as fruity as I expected from the smell and it's a lovely smooth, sweet and creamy blend of fruit, hops and malt.  There's no bitterness at all from the citrus fruit and the mango adds a lovely fragrant fruitiness.  It's very fizzy and has a thin body but it's very refreshing and easy to drink.

It's a very interesting flavour combination and I loved the sweet tropical fruits that smooth out the citrus bitterness you expect from an IPA.  It seems stronger than its 4.2% ABV and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by To ØI Brewery, Denmark
4.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Brewery

Impossibrew Enhanced Hazy Pale

 

I’m very impressed with this hazy pale beer from Impossibrew.  Not only is it alcohol free, it also contains L-Theanine and Griffonia seed extract to calm and soothe the mind.

It’s a hazy deep golden yellow beer with a small, loose, rapidly vanishing off-white head.  It has an intensely fruity aroma of tropical fruit and citrus and I could easily identify notes of pineapple, mango and lemon.

The flavour is also very fruity and it’s well balanced between sweet and bitter with sweet pineapple and mango giving way to a slightly bitter, but not pithy, citrus finish.  It reminds me of a weak fruit squash with so many different fruity flavours tingling the taste buds.  It has a medium body and it’s very well carbonated.

It’s fruity, refreshing and enjoyable to drink.  Whilst I can’t confirm the calming and soothing effect of the botanicals, I couldn’t tell that it was alcohol-free and I felt as if I was drinking a beer with a decent 4% or 5% ABV.

I’m pretty impressed with this Impossibrew hazy pale and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Impossibrew, London
0.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Impossibrew

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

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

Brass Castle Gayle

 

Gayle craft ale is a very easy drinking ale that reminded me more of an IPA than a golden ale.  It was created to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and it’s brewed using an Australian recipe by Brass Castle Brewery in Malton, North Yorkshire.

It’s bright golden in colour with a slight haze to it as there was a bit of sediment in the can.  The off-white head holds well and laces the glass.  It smells very fruity with notes of citrus and tropical fruit over a base of caramel, biscuit and malt.

The taste is lightly fruity, like lemon and passionfruit squash, with some sweet notes of caramel, malt and a tang of hops.  There is a slight bitterness to the finish but there’s nothing at all bitter about the taste.  It’s nicely carbonated to give a good tickle of the tongue and it has a thin but not watery body.  ABV is a decent 4.5%.

It’s a very refreshing, vivacious beer that I really enjoyed.  It scored a very respectable 38/50 on my beer score sheet and it’s one I would happily recommend, especially to anyone new to real ale.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Brass Castle Brewery, Malton, North Yorkshire
4.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Gayle

Grounding Angels Good Vibrations

This is a hazy golden yellow beer with a loose, rapidly disappearing off-white head.  There is a lot of sediment in this one, despite a careful pour.

It smells like a fruit cocktail with notes of mango, guava, pineapple and grapefruit.  Grapefruit is the predominant taste but it's not overly bitter at first, however, it does leave quite a pithy aftertaste.  Underneath the grapefruit there's a slightly floral note with hints of mango.  It's well carbonated with a thin body and it has a spicy and dry finish. 

This beer has a bit of everything: it's fruity, spicy, floral, dry and bitter.  I just found the amount of sediment to be very off-putting and I really don't like seeing bits in my glass so unfortunately, Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Grounding Angels Brew Co, Hexham, Northumberland
4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Grounding Angels Brew Co

Tiny Rebel Dutty

Dutty is a Vermont session IPA from Welsh brewers, Tiny Rebel.  It's a hazy golden yellow beer with a frothy, tight, off-white head that actually expands in the glass.  I couldn't believe my eyes!

From the moment you pull the ring-pull, you're hit with the mouthwatering aroma of fresh, juicy pineapple.  There's also a hint of grapefruit to add some zestiness to the sweet tropical fruit.

I was quite disappointed in the taste, it's rather weak and tastes like very diluted fruit squash.  There's not enough of any flavour to taste any bitterness or sweetness, but it is refreshing and very easy to drink.  The body is thin but not watery and it's well carbonated to maintain and expand the head.

The flavour if far too light and it's not a memorable beer so Ale not Be Seeing You again, unfortunately.

Brewed by Tiny Rebel Brewery, Newport, Wales
4.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3/5

Find out more at Tiny Rebel Brewery

Siren Lumina

Lumina is a vegan, gluten free session IPA from Siren Craft Brew and for once I have the actual branded glass to match the beer.

It pours a slightly hazy golden yellow colour with a small, loose cream coloured head that disperses to leave a thin layer and even laces a little.  It is very lightly fragranced so I had to have a good sniff to pick up notes of citrus and tropical fruit.

The flavour is also quite weak, although it is stronger than the aroma.  The citrus and tropical fruit flavour is nice and easy to drink, although it reminded me of diluted fruit squash.  The body is thin but it is well carbonated.

It's a very refreshing and delicate session IPA, it's not overly bitter and it almost tastes like a watered down IPA so it would be a good one to try for someone new to craft beer.  It's all a little too weak for me so Ale not Be Seeing You again.  

Brewed by Siren Craft Brew, Wokingham
4.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3/5

Find out more at Siren Craft Brew

Tiny Rebel Clwb Tropica

 

Oh wow!  This is sunshine in a glass, it's just missing a little cocktail umbrella and a slice of orange on the rim.

Clwb Tropica is a hazy sunshine yellow IPA with a small tight off-white head that disperses slowly to leave a thin, patchy layer.  

The aroma is AMAZING.  Juicy pineapple, mango and peach leap out of the glass in a very alluring concoction.  It's a lovely, strong, distinct aroma of a tropical fruit punch.  All of this transfers to the flavour with an added citrus note.  I got a mouth-watering taste of pineapple cube sweets at first, followed by a tropical/citrus mix that gives it a zingy bitter finish.

It's not harshly carbonated so it's more of a tongue tickler but it's relatively fizzy which maintains the head and leaves a little bit of lacing on the glass.  It has a thin to medium body, but it's not watery at all.

So if the sun is shining, or you want to be reminded of sunny days, Clwb Tropica is the perfect year-round drink.  I love the tropical taste that really sets it out from the crowd in the oversaturated IPA market.

I loved it and Ale Be Seeing You again, Clwb Tropica!

Brewed by Tiny Rebel Brewing, Newport, Wales
5.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.25/5

Find out more at Tiny Rebel 

Bear Republic Grand-Am

 

With a fabulous chequered flag on the label, this looks like the perfect beer to drink while watching Formula 1, although it's quite strong at 6% so I wouldn't like to drink too many of them.  

It's a deep golden beer that's so bubbly and lively it produces a huge off-white head.  I didn't think I was going to get it all in the glass!  

It has a lovely aroma of sweet juicy mango and pithy grapefruit with a hint of caramel and hops.  The flavours all transfer into the taste and it's a rather nice blend of tropical fruit, citrus fruit, caramel and malt with a slight floral hint.  The citrus aftertaste is quite strong but isn't so pithy that it's unpleasant, it just lingers a little bit too long for my liking.

It doesn't feel like a strong beer when you're drinking it, but I got a bit of a flushed face so I knew it was a strong one.  It's quite fizzy and harshly carbonated that it gives the tongue a good tingling and maintains the head right through, leaving thick lacing on the glass.

Not bad at all, I really liked the tropical fruit flavour that took the edge off the citrus.  A very pleasant American Pale Ale and I'd definitely have another one if I saw it again.  Ale Be Seeing You!

Brewed by Bear Republic Brewing Company, California, USA
6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Bear Republic Brewing Company

Rudgate Valkyrie

What a beautiful looking pint this is!  Valkyrie, an American pale ale, is a deep golden ale that has a slight pink tinge as it pours, as I've found with all of my Rudgate ales so far.  It has a small, loose cream coloured head that disperses to leave a thin foam layer.

The aroma is delicious; it has quite a sweet smell of hops, mouthwatering gooey caramel and soft ripe tropical fruits.  All of these smells transfer to the taste which is predominantly sweet caramel drizzled over ripe, juicy tropical fruits.  I could definitely taste passion fruit but not so much of the citrus that is mentioned on the label; as I'm not a fan of too much citrus, I certainly wasn't disappointed about that.

Valkyrie has a very soft mouthfeel, which resulted in a couple of lost points on my scorecard; it is so softly carbonated that you can hardly feel any bubbles at all.  It has a medium body but is slightly on the watery side, which isn't unexpected in an APA.

I often find American pale ales too harsh but I really liked this one; it isn't bitter at all and the sweetness level is just right.  I was surprised how much I liked the passion fruit flavour; it's very unusual and gives the ale a distinct flavour.  Well done Rudgate, Ale Be Seeing Valkyrie again when I fancy a pale ale.

Brewed by Rudgate Brewery, York
5.0% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Rudgate Brewery

Shepherd Neame Spitfire Gold

A deep gold fizzy beer with a thin white head giving it the look of a traditional beer.  It smells very strongly of hops, as I've found with all Shepherd Neame ales.  Once my nose got through the strong smell of hops, it is replaced with a fresh pine and tropical fruit aroma.

There is an initial lovey taste of sweet malts but it is quite fizzy which enhances the fruity bitterness that follows.  The aftertaste is creamy rather than bitter which makes it one of the better Shepherd Neame ales.  The head is non-existent after a few minutes which is a shame, but it's very easy to drink and not bad at all for a mass-produced beer.

Definitely one Ale be happy to See Again.

Brewed by Shepherd Neame, Kent
4.3% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Shepherd Neame