Prime Time Session IPA

Prime Time brew low calorie beer that's only 95 calories per can but you really can't tell that this is a low calorie beer at all.  It's also gluten free and vegan

It pours a beautiful golden colour with a frothy, robust off-white head that disperses slowly to leave a patchy foam layer.  The aroma is quite light but I could smell citrus fruit and hops. 

The flavour is stronger than the smell and the hops/citrus balance definitely swings more towards hops.  I'm not a huge fan of too much citrus as it can be a bit too pithy so this more hoppy version of an IPA is right up my street.  It's well carbonated and has a thin body, as you would expect for an IPA.

It's a very crisp, dry and refreshing beer that's very easy to drink and you don't have to worry about the calories.  As it's heavy on the hops, it tastes more like a premium lager than an IPA to me (which is where it lost marks on my score sheet) but I liked it so Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by The Innovative Brewing Co, London
4.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Prime Time

New Bristol Coffee & Biscotti Stout

Wow!  You can smell the delicious aroma of coffee as soon as you open the can of this Coffee & Biscotti stout from New Bristol Brewery.  It's a lovely looking stout with a dark brown body and a deep tan head.  The head disappears quite quickly and leaves a very patchy layer behind.

The aroma is coffee, coffee and a bit more coffee with a slight hint of milk chocolate and malt biscuits.  The flavour is sublime as my taste buds were hit with a lovely biscotti taste followed by a generous helping of creamy white coffee that isn't bitter at all.  It does have a slight bitter aftertaste but it's very pleasant.

Carbonation is very light, which gives it a beautiful silky smooth mouthfeel, and it's so incredibly full bodied that I was almost tempted to stick a spoon in it to see if it would have stood up.

I was very impressed with this stout; it is what it says on the can and it has the perfect balance between sweet and bitter, being neither too much of one nor the other.  If you love coffee cream chocolates then I would definitely recommend trying this one.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by New Bristol Brewery, Bristol
5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4.5/5

Find out more at New Bristol Brewery

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

Impossibrew Enhanced Lager

 

Impossibrew Enhanced Lager is an alcohol-free beer with a difference: it contains mood enhancing L-Theanine and Griffonia seed extract to calm and soothe the mind.

It’s a lovely light golden yellow lager with a frothy off-white head that retains a decent, albeit patchy, layer as you drink it.  Although it has quite a light aroma, it has a traditional lager smell but slightly more hoppy I think.  

The taste of dry hops continues into the taste as well as a slightly bitter hint that lingers in the finish.  It’s not an overly complex flavour profile but it’s clean and refreshing, which is what I’d be looking for in a lager.  It’s well carbonated and fizzy with a thin but not watery body.

I loved the hoppiness of this lager and the slight citrus tang in the finish.  I wouldn’t have guessed that it was alcohol-free if I was doing a blind taste test.  I think the mood enhancement works too as this lager had a similar effect to CBD drinks.  I felt calmer and more relaxed but of course I had a beer in my hand so I was already in my happy place.

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

Brewed by Impossibrew, London
0.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Impossibrew

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

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.

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

Abbeydale Salvation Steadfast Stout

 

This is a deliciously dark vegan and gluten free stout with a huge, frothy, robust tan head.  It was very lively on opening so it took a few pours to get it all out of the can. 

Abbeydale have said on the back of the can that they're keeping it simple with this one, so it doesn't have a strong aroma but I picked up notes of malt and a hint of chocolate.  With flavours of malt, chocolate and coffee this very fizzy stout prickles the tongue and the flavour seems to intensify as you drink it.  It's lovely and chocolatey but with a medium body, it feels a little on the thin side for a stout.

It's a pleasant, easy drinking normal stout but the intense fizziness is a bit weird so I don't think Ale Be Seeing You again.  

Brewed by Abbeydale Brewery, Sheffield
4.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Abbeydale Brewery