Brew York Goose Willis

 

I love seeing what imaginitive concoctions Brew York come up with and even the names of their beers make me smile.  Goose Willis is a gooseberry fool sour brewed with Nelson Sauvin hops and lactose and it completely exceeded my expectations.

It's a hazy golden yellow beer with a loose, rapidly vanishing off-white head.  It actually poured clear at first and became hazy as there must have been some sediment, but I wanted to get as much of this one out of the can as possible.

It smells delicious; it's so fruity with a sweet undertone, and made me think of a warm gooseberry pie just coming out of the oven.  Brew York rate this sour 3/5 for puckerability and I think that's spot on.  It definitely tastes of gooseberry but it's slightly sweet rather than being too tarty so I found it really pleasant to drink and barely had any lip puckering at all.  It's well carbonated but not overly fizzy and it has a thin body.

I really liked this one, it's very refreshing and easy to drink for a sour.  It's not too tarty and not too sweet, just perfectly balanced to fully experience the fruitiness of the juicy gooseberries.  I don't often say this about a sour, but Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Brew York Brewery, York
5.3% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Brew York Brewery

Thornbridge Lord Marples

 

I've had a few Thornbridge beers over the years but I didn't realise that Lord Marples was their first ever beer.  It all started here!

It's a deliciously dark  mahogany brown coloured beer with a small, loose, beige head that disperses slowly to leave a thin, patchy layer.  The aroma is mouthwatering, especially for a bitter fan like me; it's a traditional bitter smell of malt, caramel, honey, tangy hops and dark fruit.

Flavour is quite light but definitely bitter; it's a stunning mixture of caramel, honey, malt and dark fruits with an unusual bittersweet finish.  It's very well carbonated and has a thin but not watery body.

It's quite an unusual bitter in that its balance leans towards the sweet side but its light flavour make it a very nice, easy drinking beer.  I love bitter so Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Thornbridge Brewery, Derbyshire
4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Thornbridge Brewery

Evil Twin Wake Up and Smell the Gose

I don't drink beer for breakfast but if I did, I would definitely have Evil Twin's imperial breakfast gose on the menu.

Wake Up and Smell The Gose is a deep golden crystal clear ale with a loose and rapidly disappearing off-white head.  It smells of blueberries, burnt toffee and red liquorice laces at first then develops into something more like blueberry and caramel pancakes.

The flavour is very unusual, it's like fruity blueberry pancakes with a salt chaser.  It's tangy and slightly mouth-puckering but I liked it.  It has a thin but not watery body and it's quite harshy carbonated and very fizzy.

It's actually lip-smackingly good.  It's really tasty and very unusual.  I love how the salt lingers on the lips and it perhaps doesn't taste much like a beer but I liked it.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Evil Twin Brewing, Brooklyn, USA
6.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Evil Twin Brewing

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

Innis & Gunn Blood Red Sky

 

This ale is a stunning colour; it's a rich mahogany red with a loose beige head that disappears very rapidly, leaving just a few bubbles behind.

It's brewed in rum barrels and there's a definite boozy, rum aroma along with malt, fruit and a hint of vanilla.  The flavour is a bit bland at first as the vanilla overpowers the other flavours, but it gets sweeter as you drink it when the malt and spiced rum flavours start to come through.  It's thin bodied and surprisingly well carbonated considering it has no head.

It has the appearance of cola and the spiciness of the rum makes you think of cola too.  It's a shame the vanilla took over as it would've been a lovely scotch ruby ale if it had been balanced a bit more towards maltiness.

It's worth trying but it was a little disappointing, so Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Innis & Gunn Brewery, Edinburgh
6.8% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.75/5

Find out more at Innis & Gunn Brewery

Corsendonk Summum Goudblond

 

I've been impressed with the Corsendonk abbey beers and Goudblond is no exception, although it is perhaps my least favourite of all the Corsendonk beers I've tried.

It's a very dark golden/light amber ale with a thick, tight and robust cream coloured head.  On first opening, it smells a little floral with notes of caramel and hops.  The aroma then seems to develop into a more soapy smell which is a little offputting.

Thankfully, there's nothing soapy in the taste.  It tastes of sweet caramel and malt with a tangy, fruity hint of hops to remind you it's a Belgian ale.  The sweetness lingers on the lips and the whole flavour combination actually reminded me of caramel waffles.  It has a medium body and carbonation is perfect with lots of soft bubbles to tingle the tongue.

It's quite a sweet blonde ale but I have a sweet tooth so I rather liked it.  It would definitely have scored higher if it hadn't had the weird soapy smell.  Unfortunately, it's not in production any more but if it was brewed again, Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Corsendonk Brewery, Belgium
7.8% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Corsendonk Brewery

By the Horns West End Pils

West End Pils is a pilsner lager that's full of flavour.  It looks like a perfect traditional beer with its deep golden colour and frothy off-white head.

It smells surprisingly fragrant for a lager, with a combination of sweet malts, tangy hops and a slight hint of lime.  Flavour is similar with notes of malt and hopes, ending with a dry finish.  It's thin bodied but not watery and it's quite softly carbonated to give a smooth mouthfeel with a tingly finish.  

It's a very refreshing, tasty lager.  I wasn't expecting it to be so nice so it was a very pleasant surprise and it's one I would recommend trying.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by By the Horns Brewing Co., London
4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at By the Horns Brewing Co.