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

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

Guinness Cold Brew Coffee Beer

I like Guinness, I like coffee and I LOVE Guinness Cold Brew Coffee Beer!

With its black velvet body and thick, creamy head it looks just like a regular Guinness but you know it's something different when you get the unmistakeable whiff of coffee.  It's not overpowering though, it's more a hint of coffee on top of the chocolate and caramel notes of Guinness.

The flavour is lovely, it's chocolate and caramel followed by a hint of coffee.  It's not bitter at all and it works well with the full body and smooth mouthfeel we know and love from Guinness.

The rich notes of coffee and caramel are perfectly balanced and the overall flavour reminds me of the coffee creams you used to get in Milk Tray so if you liked them, you will love this.  I can't fault this Cold Brew Coffee Beer and Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by Guinness Brewery, Dublin
4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 5/5

Find out more at Guinness Brewery

ALDI France Bière Triple Traditionnelle

I picked up this huge 750ml Belgian tripel from an Aldi beer festival and it's not bad at all for a budget beer.  

It's a deep golden beer with a frothy, robust off-white head.  It has a sweet and hoppy aroma with the distinctive tang of a Belgian ale.  I could smell notes of caramel, honey and banana in addition to the hops.

The taste isn't as much of a Belgian ale as the smell implied, although it is a very easy drinking ale.  It's a sweet taste of honey, fruit and hops all blended together beautifully.  It has a thin body and is very well carbonated with prickly bubbles that are a little on the harsh side.

It's a lovely, sweet honey beer that's not as hoppy as I expected but enjoyable nonetheless.  It's a good attempt by the French but it just goes to show that nobody does a Belgian ale as good as the Belgians!  The huge size is a little too much for me so whilst I enjoyed it, Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed in France for ALDI
6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

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