Beeston Worth the Wait

No, I haven't already had a big mouthful before taking the photo!  There is a good amount of live yeast sediment in the bottle so I poured very slowly and carefully and, from the clarity of the resulting ale, I think I didn't do a bad job.

This is a lovely golden ale, a slightly deeper gold than the picture appears.  It has a lovely hoppy smell with a hint of citrus so I was expecting a very lemony taste, but thankfully I was wrong!  The citrus bitterness has been balanced perfectly with the hops leaving a refreshing taste with just a hint of a bitter aftertaste.  Due to the live yeast, there is so much fizz in this ale; it's like having bitter beery sherbet fizzing on your tongue.  Why has nobody invented that...

It only has a little head due to the slow careful pour, but what is there remains for as long as the beer stays in the glass.  Which in my case, was not long at all.  This is one of the best golden ales I have had in a long time; with not a hint of lemon squeezy, Ale be Seeing You again and it was definitely Worth the Wait.

With a portfolio of delicious mouthwatering ales, I will certainly be looking out for more Beeston Brewery ales - Find out more at Beeston Brewery

Brewed by Beeston Brewery, Norfolk

4.2% ABV

High House Farm Nettle Beer

I've been on the lookout for Nettle Beer for quite some time, it is really hard to get hold of as it is only brewed once per year in the Spring.  It is an amazing light golden amber colour and strangely aromatic.

There is a slight floral or honey aroma on pouring, I can't quite describe it as it is something I have never smelt before.  It's almost like sugar coated cut grass; really unusual and distinctive.  I would go so far as to say that it smells green, hilariously reminding me of Percy in Blackadder when he invents the gem called 'green'.

There is not a great head on it and it virtually disappears before I can get the glass to my lips.  So on to the taste...at first I would say it doesn't have a lot of taste but then I'm hit with smooth honey tones and the taste of 'green'.  It's so refreshing and slightly sweet that I think that if I had a blind taste test, I would find it hard to decide whether it was a very unsweet cider, a slightly sweet ale or a cider/ale mix of both.

Based on a 14th century recipe and only brewed once per year, this is the holy grail for beer lovers.  Everyone should try Nettle Beer at least once - it's so unusual and, with a different taste in every mouthful, so difficult to describe that I know Ale be Seeing You Again!

Brewed by High House Farm, Northumberland

4.5% ABV

Find out more at High House Farm Brewery

Morland Old Speckled Hen

I often overlook Old Speckled Hen as it is so readily available, but as soon as the malty aromas poured out of the bottle I realised that it really should be one of my staple ales. The colour is a beautiful deep amber and although there is only a small head it has just enough fizz to keep a little head as the ale is quaffed.

It smells of malt, toffee and fruit and leaves a smooth toffee aftertaste on the tongue.  With a small amount of lacing on the glass, it doesn't really lose any body as the head disappears.  As the bubbles burst on my tongue I was reminded of home-made cinder toffee that Nanna used to make.  Simply delicious!

A lovely deep amber colour reminiscent of molten toffee, and a deliciously malty taste make this a smooth ale that Ale be Seeing Again.

Brewed by Morland Brewery, Bury St Edmunds

5% ABV

Find out more about Old Speckled Hen

Brighton Bier Pale

This has the most amazing tropical fruit smell oozing out of the bottle on opening - I can smell pineapple and mango as the bright sunshine yellow ale transports me to sunnier climes.  There is a lot of fizz in this pale ale, as almost champagne-like bubbles rush to the surface, and consequently it has a massive head.

On to the taste!  After I got through the head it has an almost overbearing flavour of grapefruit citrus and I didn't like it at first.  It has a very bitter strong grapefruit taste that is a little too harsh for me.  It fels almost as if I had a whole grapefruit in my mouth; pith, skin and all.  I definitely got used to the taste and I'm never one to write off a beer but Ale not be seeing this one again.

Brewed by Brighton Bier, unsurprisingly in Brighton

4% ABV

Find out more at Brighton Bier

Williams Bros Fraoch Heather Ale

A lovely golden ale with a subtle floral aroma as it is opened.  It also smells of hops and malt so I knew I was going to be in for a treat with this one.  It has one of my favourite types of head; one that you think will not fit in the glass and leaves a Mr Whippy style coronet on the top of the pint.  A head that lingers to the very last drop, leaving amazing lacing down the side of the glass.

So I know it looks and smells great, now on to the taste.  My first taste reminded me of a 'proper' beer as the hops and malt were recognised like old friends on my tastebuds.  Then the subtle floral aroma took over bringing a smooth golden sunshine taste to my mouth.  I even found it had a subtle aftertaste of ginger and was surprised to see that ginger was indeed an ingredient in this ale.

It has a complexity of flavours that mean you get a different taste with every mouthful.  It really has to be experienced to be believed.  Fraoch Heather Ale - it's not just for Burns Night and without doubt Ale be Seeing You Again.

I picked this up from Aldi for a bargainous £1.49 as part of their Burns Night promotion so I'll be heading back to stock up as I can't wait another year to try this beauty again.

Brewed by Williams Bros, Alloa

5% ABV

Find out more at William Bros

Innis & Gunn Irish Whiskey Finish

For some reason I wasn't expecting such a dark ale to spring out of this small bottle, but I am by no means disappointed.  It is dark, smooth and delicious.  It smell's slightly sweet and has a definite whiskey aroma.  There is a good head on pouring but it's not terribly robust so most of it disappears but leaves just enough behind so you don't confuse this ale with a glass of coca cola.

At first it tasted of treacle with an aftertaste of chocolate but as my tastebuds adjusted, I got a perfect hint of whiskey.  The whiskey grows in flavour with each sip and I would say it definitely tastes like a smoky, peaty whiskey.

It feels so rich and decadent; I really rather enjoyed this one and Ale be Seeing You again, Innis & Gunn Irish Whiskey Finish.

Irish Whiskey Finish won gold in 2014 at the prestigious Monde Selection Awards and bronze at the International Beer Challenge

Brewed by Innis & Gunn, Edinburgh

7.4% ABV

Find out more at Innis & Gunn

Shepherd Neame Rudolph's Reward

This was another of my Christmas ale gifts and I think Rudolph did so much hard work over Christmas, he deserves a beer-shaped reward.  This is an amber ale which has a slight red hint to it, a real ginger ale.  Although it pours with only a medium head, the head is retained whilst drinking and laces the side of the glass.

It does smell faintly of Christmas - orange with a hint of spice and chestnuts roasting on an open fire.  It has the distinctive metallic aftertaste of most Shepherd Neame ales but first you get a fruit and nut hit of very refreshing ale.  It's actually one of the better Shepherd Neame ales I've tried.

Brewed by Shepherd Neame, Kent

3.8% ABV

Find out more at Shepherd Neame