Prime Time Premium Lager

I was attracted to Prime Time's premium lager by the 95 calories per can as I often drink alcohol free beer when I'm on a diet.  So, I have to give Prime Time extra credit for creating a low calorie lager but as you know I like my dark ales, so lager is never going to be a high scorer for me.

The lager is a deep golden colour with a frothy and surprisingly tight off-white head that lasts and laces.  I was really impressed by the aroma; it smells lovely and beery with a traditional combination of hops, malts, caramel and light fruit.

The flavour is very light but not unexpected for a lager, however, after getting a whiff of the lovely beery aroma, it tastes like a watered down beer.  There's a metallic aftertaste that is really the only hint of flavour I picked up.  It's well carbonated and nicely fizzy with a thin body.

I expected a bit more taste from a 'premium' lager so I was disappointed with the very weak flavour.  It's a very subtle lager that will appeal to novice palates but I prefer my beer with a bit more oomph.  Unfortunately, Ale not Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by The Innovative Brewing Co, London
4.2% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.25/5

Find out more at Prime Time

BrewDog Lost in Blood Orange

This is no ordinary lager from BrewDog, it contains a massive helping of blood orange citrus and it smells absolutely divine.

It pours a light golden yellow colour with a slight haze and a robust, frothy off-white head.  It has the most amazing smell of blood orange and the aroma is strong and distinct.

The flavour is more subtle with the orange citrus taking more of a back seat and letting the hops and biscuit notes shine through.  Body is thin and it's well carbonated to give it that lovely fizzy and refreshing lager mouthfeel.

It's very refreshing and zesty and it's a lovely twist on a standard lager.  It is what it says on the can and Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by BrewDog, Ellon, Aberdeenshire 
4.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery

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

BrewDog Hoppy Xmas

Christmas time is here again and you can always count on BrewDog for a festive beer. 

Hoppy Xmas is a festive IPA and it's very lively so it took me a couple of pours to fit it all in my 330ml glass.  It pours a slightly hazy golden yellow with a tight, thick, robust off-white head that lasts and laces.

The aroma is deliciously fruity with notes of lemon, orange and tropical fruit as well as the expected blast of hops.  It tastes like it smells with a lovely blend of citrus and tropical fruits and hops that give it a lovely dry/bitter finish.   The pineapple and papaya flavours add a note of sweetness that takes the pithy bitter edge off the citrus.

It has a good medium body and it’s very well carbonated, as you can see from the head, but the bubbles aren't harsh and they give the tongue a nice tickling.  

I don't think there's anything particularly festive about it apart from the name, but it's a lovely IPA that's just the right level of bitterness for me.  Ale Be Seeing You again!

Brewed by BrewDog, Ellon, Aberdeenshire 

6% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery

Kees Baby Caramel Fudge Stout

 

This pastry stout is a lighter version of Brouwerij Kees' imperial caramel fudge stout but it still packs a punch at 5.3%.  I couldn't see any best before date on the can so I've got no idea whether or not it was in date when I drank it.  

It has a dark brown mahogany coloured body with a small rapidly vanishing tan head.  The aroma is surprisingly light for a sweet stout and although I didn't smell any caramel I did pick up notes of malt and chocolate.

After the slightly disappointing smell and appearance,  it totally redeems itself in the taste test as it is delicious.  It's like sweet, creamy candy covered in milk chocolate and it's so malty.  The sweetness really lingers so it's definitely a beer for the sweet toothed among us.  It has a full body and medium carbonation which gives it a relatively smooth mouthfeel.

It's a lovely sweet stout but it tastes more chocolate than caramel fudge to me.  I'd be really interested to try its big brother in the future and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by Brouwerij Kees, 
5.3% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Find out more at Brouwerij Kees

Love Lane Maple Syrup Stout

 

I have a sweet tooth and I love stout so I was really looking forward to trying this maple syrup stout from Love Lane Brewery in Liverpool and whilst it is nice, I was a little underwhelmed.

It has a dark brown body with a small, loose tan head that tries to disappear as it's poured so I had to straighten my pour to get a decent head and take a very quick photo.  

I was a bit disappointed when I leant in for a smell as I only got a very slight whiff of maple syrup beneath the malt and treacle notes.  I think if it didn't say maple syrup on the can I wouldn't have noticed it at all.

The taste is more like it; it's sweet and tangy with notes of dark chocolate, treacle and maple syrup.  It has a bit of a liquorice aftertaste and weirdly, it's slightly soapy.  It has low but firm carbonation and a decent medium body.

It's a very rich and dark stout that's surprisingly easy to drink considering it's high ABV of 7.4%.  There's just nothing particularly special about it, which is a little disappointing as I was really looking forward to it.  I'm glad I've tried it but Ale not Be Seeing You Again.

Brewed by Love Lane Brewery, Liverpool
7.4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at Love Lane Brewery

BrewDog Cold Front

To mark the recent cold spell here in the UK, I cracked open my can of BrewDog's Vienna-style lager, Cold Front.

It has a deep golden, orange hued body and a frothy, pretty robust cream coloured head that laces the glass.  The aroma is quite light as you would expect from a lager but it's quite hoppy and there are hints of zesty citrus and sweet caramel.  

The first sip really twanged my taste buds as zesty marmalade bubbles burst in my mouth.  It also has sweet biscuit notes and a lovely dry, bitter finish.  It's well carbonated but not too fizzy and it has a thin to medium body.

It's a lovely refreshing hoppy lager with a surprising zesty kick.  I enjoyed it and Ale Be Seeing You again.

Brewed by BrewDog, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
4.5% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 3.5/5

Find out more at BrewDog Brewery