Discworld Invalid's Restorative

Flat beer day continues with a deep golden ale from Discworld.  A beautiful gold colour but with a disappointing head, consisting of just a few stray bubbles.

This has a bit of a Jägermeister smell to it and certainly has a medicinal aftertaste.  It smells, but doesn't taste, of a slight hint of citrus.  I don't get any of the vanilla notes it claims to have, but perhaps the vanilla plus the ageing in whiskey barrels gives it the Jägermeister smell and taste.

An interesting craft beer, but I don't think Ale be seeing you again.

Brewed by Brecon Brewing, Powys, Wales

6.5% ABV

Find out more about Discworld Ales

Rebel Brewing Company Bal Maiden

This had no head at all and was very flat on pouring, with only a hint of carbonation despite some live yeast sediment.

It is a lovely toffee colour with toffee notes replicated in the taste. It smells fruity and malty and I really liked the mellow malty taste but it desperately misses even just a millimetre of foam.

Unfortunately, Ale not be seeing you again.

Brewed by The Rebel Brewing Co, Cornwall

4% ABV

Find out more about Bal Maiden at Rebel Brewing Co

Innis & Gunn Rum Finish Oak Aged Beer

A colour that's reminiscent of molten toffee and this certainly has toffee aromas a-plenty to match.  There is no head to write about but it had such a lovely mellow taste that I can overlook that.

The flavour is mainly toffee and malt but you can definitely tell that it's been aged in a rum infused barrel and probably accounts for the lack of head and virtually non-existent carbonation, which isn't a necessarily bad thing, it just makes it different.

I do like an Innis & Gunn but in my opinion it's more like a spirit than a beer, and is well suited to a cold evening in front of the fire (or a summer's day in the North of England).

Brewed by Innis & Gunn, Edinburgh

6.8% ABV

Head over to Innis & Gunn to find out more

Guinness West Indies Porter

A lovely head as you would expect from Guinness and apart from the ever so slight ruby hint, this looks like an original Guinness.

There is very strong licquorice/treacle taste which has quite a pleasant aftertaste and there is an aroma of dark fruits.  The carbonation is just right and creates some lovely lacing down the side of the glass.  Stronger flavoured than a Guinness, and at a swashbuckling 6% it's not for the faint-hearted.

Brewed by Guinness, Dublin as part of the Guinness Brewers Project

6% ABV

Find out more about Guinness West Indies Porter

Butcombe Brewery Bitter

A beautiful dark amber coloured ale with a typical bitter style thick creamy head.  It has a lovely hoppy aroma on pouring and I can actually smell the pepper that it mentions on the label.  It does have a lovely crisp taste with a malty kick in the aftertaste.  The carbonation is perfect making it a nice smooth pint and exactly what you would expect in a traditional bitter.  The head is quite a revelation as it doesn't just lace, it actually sticks to the side of the glass.  I'll need a brillo pad to get it off - both the glass and my upper lip!

A very nice bitter that leaves little bursts of flavour on my tongue between every sip.

Brewed by Butcombe Brewery, Bristol

4.5% ABV

Find out more at Butcombe Brewery

Black Sheep Brewery All Creatures

This has an amazing head as it bursts out of the bottle - I didn't think it was all going to fit in the pint glass!  Full marks to the frothy white head that clings to the glass with substantial lacing.  It's a lovely crystal clear light golden colour and smells so fresh, like a summer beer garden ale.  Unfortunately it was a typical Northern summer day - cold and cloudy so I drank this in front of the TV watching the Hungarian GP qualifying!

I did have a little chuckle when I tasted this.  It's not for the faint-hearted or regular IPA drinkers - this is Pale Ale Yorkshire style!  It has a massive hoppy aftertaste that is a bit metallic at first but is unnoticeable after a few sips.  I thought there was a very very slight suggestion of citrus which takes the edge off the bitterness of the hops.  The aroma is stated as blackcurrant but unfortunately I didn't get any hint of that.

Brewed by Black Sheep Brewery, Masham, Yorkshire

4.0% ABV

Find out more at Black Sheep Brewery

Guinness Golden Ale

Head: perfect

Colour: perfect

Smell: perfect

Taste: perfect

This was quite a revelation!  As you would expect from Guinness it has a thick creamy white head that lasts to the end leaving lacing down the side of the glass.  The colour is a delightful deep amber thanks to the amber malts it is brewed with.  It has a fruity aroma to the overall maltiness and I just knew it would taste as good as it smells.  It's fruity yet malty with a light and fizzy feel to it - it wouldn't be out of place in a summer beer garden or on a winter's evening.

A successful experiment by the Guinness Brewer's Project - 10 out of 10 to Guinness for this one.  Ale be seeing you again!

Brewed by Guinness, Dublin

4.5% ABV

Find out more at Guinness - The Brewer's Project