Purity Warwickshire Amber Ale

I just have to say that, although it is a perfect amber colour, this ale has no head, nothing at all no matter whether poured straight or at an angle. There wasn't even a rapidly disappearing head, it's just not there at all, there are only a few bubbles around the edges. It's slightly disappointing in appearance for an amber ale, but we all know that appearances can be deceptive, so let's see what it smells and tastes like.

I was very impressed by the smell and taste; it is very malty and has a smooth and fruity taste like a thick butterly slice of malt loaf. It's actually a very nice taste and it's a real shame that there's no head (did I mention that). It is quite fizzy but smooth, you can see from the picture that there isn't much carbonation but the bubbles appear from nowhere as they burst on your tongue.  It's tastes very crisp and refreshing, with a clear spring water aftertaste.  Half way down the glass, the head magically appeared, but it was too little too late I think.

Brewed by Purity Brewing Company, Warwickshire

4.5% ABV

My rating:

Find out more about Purity Brewing Company

Arundel Castle

This is definitely a traditional bitter colour of ale - it's a lovely toffee colour with a traditional tight frothy head.  It smells hoppy, fruity, malty and ever so slightly sweet.

There is an abundant mixture of tastes coming through including toffee, fruit and biscuit with the traditional slight metallic aftertaste.  Arundel Caste is smooth, dry and deliciously hoppy; an easy 4 or even 4.5 rating from me.

Brewed by Arundel Brewery, West Sussex

3.8% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Arundel Brewery

Wychwood Dunkel Fester

A Halloween special edition ale from Wychwood is a delicious dark ale with a ruby tinge.  It has a beige head although there isn't much of it.  The smell is predominantly malty yet fruity so I think I'm going to like this one!

It has a lovely sweet liquorice taste, very much like Guinness but fizzy.  It's a surprisingly pleasant drink, and feels rather light for a dark ale, but one I'd definitely pick up again at around the £1.50 mark from Aldi. 

Brewed by Wychwood, Oxfordshire

4.4% ABV

My rating:

Although Dunkel Fester was a seasonal ale, you can find out more about Wychwood brewery by clicking here.

Allendale Curlew's Return

This has a lovely light ruby colour with a distinct floral and citrus, yet malty, smell.  It has a really good head on pouring but it is quite loose so disappears after a few minutes to a thin foamy layer which does lace on the glass.

The citrus is very subtle in the taste, but mixes excellently with a floral bitter aftertaste.  It has a really nice mixture of flavours with malt giving way to floral and then citrus.  It's quite unusual and certainly not a traditional red ale, with the additional of the floral and citrus notes.  Curlew's Return is very nicely carbonated with just enough bubbles to give a pleasant explosion on the tongue.

A highly unusual red that Ale Be Seeing Again.

Brewed by Allendale Brewery, Northumberland
4.2% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Allendale Brewery

Beery Christmas Day 24

The final day is here.  Have Beer Hawk saved their best for last?  I think I will cry if it's another IPA...

The final beer is Cortigiana from Birra del Borgo in Italy in a really eyecatching and unusual shaped bottle.  Beer Hawk do call it a pale ale but Birra del Borgo call it a golden ale so I'll let them off with this one.

Birra del Borgo's website describes Cortigiana as:

Just like a lady from bygone days, Cortigiana makes the most of her arts of seduction to conquer every palate. First she entices with her bewitching freshness, then she reveals its determined attitude that promptly leads you to the second sip. It's hard to resist her charming aroma, where the citrus and floral scents given by the hop melt with the malt's honey notes; an intriguing spicy note in the finish adds a certain je ne sais quoi to this easy drinkable beer. You can betray her, but never say farewell to her!

5% in a 330ml bottle

Buy it from Beer Gonzo for £3.50 or Beer Hawk for £2.99

Well that's all the doors of the advent calendar open...so all that's left to do now is try all of the beers!  Keep an eye on my blog as I review all the beers in the calendar over the next few weeks.

Beery Christmas Day 23

Only 2 more sleeps and unfortunately only 1 more door to open after this one.  So don't forget to join me tomorrow for the final beer revelation.

Today's beer is Anchor Dry-Hopped Steam Beer from San Francisco - it's not an IPA hurrah!

From Anchor Brewing's website:

San Francisco’s famous Anchor Steam® Beer is unique, for our brewing process has evolved over many decades and is like no other in the world. To give this classic beer a radically traditional twist, we created Anchor Dry-Hopped Steam Beer™. Made with its own special recipe, this brew is dry-hopped with a blend of new and traditional hops. The result weds the rich maltiness of Anchor Steam with the alluring fragrant hoppiness of our ales. 

California Commons are a unique American style of beer created by fermenting lager yeast at warmer temperatures similar to ales. This creates a hybrid between the two beer styles, though lager yeast is always used. Anchor Steam Beer is the original California Common made in San Francisco since 1896.

The original Anchor Steam Beer has rich caramel malt flavors balanced by an herbal hop spiciness. Anchor Dry-Hopped Steam Beer, on the other hand, has flavors of light malty sweetness and a lingering, bitter hop finish with distinct aromas of citrus and pine with hints of ripe fruit and subtle maltiness. Brilliant amber in color with a tight, tan head, Anchor Dry-Hopped Steam Beer is moderately full in body, smooth and velvety. Dry-hopping since 1975, Anchor was the first craft brewery in modern times to revive this century old brewing method in America. The same radically traditional techniques are still being used today.

5.4% in a 355ml bottle

Found for sale on The Beer Boutique for £3.00 or The Beer Shack for £2.75

Beery Christmas Day 22

Pretty coloured lightbulbs on the door of Day 22, but what colour beer is inside?  Pale, perchance?

Well you could knock me over with a feather, it's another IPA but cunningly disguised as a lager from Camden Town Brewery.  IHL is an abbreviation for India Hells Lager.

IHL is described on Camden Town Brewery's website as:

So this is the IPA, resurrected as lager. Sounds almost spiritual, right? In our office, this is known as “the brewers’ beer”. All the flavour of an IPA. Minus the heavy sweetness. Amen to that, brother.

6.2% in a 330ml can

Buy it from Ales by Mail for £2.65 or from Honest Brew for £2.59