Latest beer tastings

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Bass, Premium Ale (England) The long and noble history of Bass, one of England's best-loved beers, has been chequered of late, and now the company is part of the giant Inbev group, with the beer no longer brewed in its original Burton-on-Trent home. This beer - formerly known as "Bass Finest" - pours a ruby colour with a white, thinnish head. The nose is quite subdued, with nettle and light malt notes and a nutty character. On the palate it is quite fresh and fruity, with moderate bitterness and a touch of malty sweetness. Fine session stuff, though no greatness here. 4.4% ABV, 50cl, £1.69, Onlyfinebeer, Waitrose.

Casta, Milenia (Mexico) This is a Belgian Abbey-style dark beer, showing the ambition of this craft brewery in Mexico. It pours a deep, hazy orange/amber with a high-rise off-white head that subsides to a lace. The nose is extremely fruity, with a definite banana aroma, orange and lots of sweet caramel. On the palate the caramel and Seville orange flavours continue, with lots of bitter orange-oil notes, spices and a nice, full texture. This does not have the depth of the best dark Abbey beers, but it is very good indeed and has lots of flavour. Almost sneaks a full four stars. Only 5,000 bottles made. 8.0% ABV, 33cl.

Coors UK, Fine Light Beer (England) Not the same beer as the US-brewed Coors Light, but a higher-strength beer created and brewed in the UK at Coors Burton plant - the ex-Bass brewery. Crispness and freshness is what this is all about, down to a device on the rear label that changes colour when the beer is chilled to ice cold. The colour is a light, lemony gold with a white head. There are aromas of pear and citrus, with an estery banana note and very subtle malt. On the palate it is lemony and fresh, with a smooth texture, a rather insipid mid-palate, and a crisp, thirst-quenching finish. It's a decent lager that does its job well. 5.0% ABV, 33cl, £1.29, Onlyfinebeer, quite widely available.

Dos Equis, Amber (Mexico) This beer, a "Vienna-style lager" according to the label, pours a very attractive auburn colour with a cream-coloured head. It has a sweet malty aroma, with malted-milk, some plummy fruit and not much in the way of hops. A full, creamy texture leads on to a slightly underpowered palate, with darker stewed fruit and nutty notes all rathered watered down. A pleasant beer, that just sneaks three stars. 4.8% ABV, 33cl, £0.98 - £1.29, Asda, Peckhams.

Guinness, Original Stout (Ireland) This is an Irish-brewed version of Guiness, said to be superior to the "draught" version available in cans. It pours a very dark amber which is almost black, with a coffee-coloured head. The nose is biscuity rather than very dark and malty, with a nice hoppy edge. On the palate it is smooth and creamy-textured, though not as dense as draught Guinness, with a big raft of bitter, burnt, dark-roasted flavours. There's a suggestion of something figgy and rich, but this is quite a clean, with a hop bitterness and good acidity in the finish. This doesn't have the depth of the best bottled stouts, but is very good. It is also available in cans. 4.3% ABV, 50cl, £1.19 - £1.49, Majestic, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, quite widely available.

Morland, Hen's Tooth (England) The first thing to say is that this bottle was made in the original Suffolk brewery of Morlands, before Greene King, the new owners of Morland, started making it to the same recipe, in Oxfordshire. The beer has a heavy yeast sediment and pours a deep nutty brown with a hint of ruby, and has a thick fawn-coloured head. A malty, caramel and roasted grain aroma dominates, before a palate that is smooth and rich, with a slightly metallic undertone to a melange of toffee and grassy notes, but with a robust, fruity character and full-bodied, chewy texture making it a very decent beer. 6.5% ABV, 50cl, £1.39, Majestic.