search results

There are 123 beers matching your search string '' (interpreted as meaning all beers).

Beers 1 - 10 of 123:

Adnams, SSB Suffolk Strong Bitter (England) At 4.5%, SSB its not that strong. It has a very nice medium ruby colour with a white head. Though the nose is immediately hoppy and clean, some malty, dark-roasted espresso emerges, as well as some spicy fruit-compote notes. On the palate it is quite crisp, and has a tangy dry hop character along with some clean red fruits. Like the nose, the malt fills in later, adding a richly toasty note to the nicely bitter finish. I thought this was a lovely beer, that almost sneaked 4 stars. 4.5% ABV, 50cl, �1.79, Waitrose.

Anchor Brewing Co, Anchor Steam Beer (USA) Anchor Steam (from bottle) was one of my favourite beers when I first came across it in San Francisco in the early 1990s. It is an amber ale with a creamy head, that has a fresh, hoppy aroma with a hint of caramel. On the palate it is quite light and refreshing and has a fruity mid-palate with a clean, dry finish with a bit of bite. Still a very good beer indeed, though perhaps a little less complex than 10 years ago? 4.9% ABV, 35cl, �1.59, Oddbins, Selfridge's, Surf4beer.

Arkell's, Moonlight (England) Supposedly the colour of moonlight, I'd describe this beer as a dark, tawny gold colour with a creamy, thick head. It has a clean, hoppy nose is joined by a crunchy, sweet crystal malt character and notes of toffee. It is rich and toffeish in the mouth too, with a full texture. It is very smooth, with a nice bitter tang of hops that is really quite green and grassy. This Swindon-brewed beer is only available in local branches of Asda. 5.0% ABV, 50cl, �1.68, Asda.

Arran Brewery, Arran Blonde (Scotland) From this island off the Scottish West Coast come Arran Blonde, a light golden-coloured beer with a white, quite persistent head. On the nose it is very crisp and quite elegant, with citrus and hops and a distinct wheatbeer perfume. On the palate there's a touch of grassy, herbal character and a smooth, medium- to full-bodied texture. The fine citrussy flavours fill-in on the mid-palate, and a real creaminess develops. It is a refreshing style of beer served quite cold, with a touch of caramel sweetness too. Lovely stuff. 5.0% ABV, 50cl, �1.75, Asda, Safeway, Waitrose.

Badger Brewery, Blandford Fly Premium Ale (England) This dark gold/bronze ale has a white, thin head. The nose is distinctly spicy, with ginger and cinammon notes dominant, and a sweet hint of flowers. On the palate there is a noticeable sweetness, that softens all the hop and malt edges. Some bitterness does creep through to engage the palate on the finish, but this is a distinctively sweet and spicy beer that will split the jury into lovers and haters I suspect. 5.2% ABV, 50cl, �1.82, Waitrose.

Badger Brewery, Tanglefoot Summer Ale (England) Pours a lovely burnished gold colour, with a medium-density off-white head. The nose is somehow summery, with a distant echo of nettle beer, as well as lots of tangy citrus and a little note of toffee. On the palate it is medium-bodied but creamy smooth, with a seamless, delicious palate that balances a hint of sweetness against grassy herbal and resinous hop flavours. This beer is elegant and beautifully balanced, and though not flashy, really grows on you with every sip. Quite subtle, but terrific stuff. 5.0% ABV, 50cl, �1.72, Waitrose, widely available.

Baltika Brewery, Classic Lager Number 3 (Russia) Brewed in St Petersburg, Baltika is now distributed in the UK by Scottish Courage. This very pale coloured lager has a thick white head that dissipates quickly. the nose is very hoppy, with an emerging suggestion of sweet caramel and a touch of honey, and delicate floral notes. On the palate it is a touch bland, with a slightly soapy character before decent hoppy, bitter flavours of endive and toasty grain, and a warming, malty finish. It is light and doesn't have a lot of bite to it, though it is a decent beer. 4.8% ABV, 50cl, �1.59, Tesco Metro.

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.

Batemans, Combined Harvest Multigrain (England) For me this is one of the stars of the range I've tasted from Bateman's. As well as barley, this beer is brewed from wheat, rye and oats, and perhaps that adds to its fine complexity. The colour is a deep, glowing bronze/gold, with a tight, white head. There's a lot of toast and a spectrum of malted, puffed wheat grainy aromas on the nose. On the palate it is smooth and full with an immediate sensation of extreme sweetness, that is quickly overtaken by a dry, hoppy acidity and slightly bitter, burnt flavour that adds lots of contrast. It is quite a dense, chewy mouthful of beer, with a crisp fruity acidity in the long finish. I thought this was lovely, and almost worth that extra half star. 4.7% ABV, 50cl, �1.19, Aldi.

Batemans, Summer Swallow (England) Nice, deep golden/amber colour. Head quite short-lived. Quite soft, hoppy nose with a touch of burnt toast. Really very nice as it strikes the palate; quite broad and creamy, with a dry, nettle and hop bitterness and undertow of hedgerow fruit. Stays quite fat in the mouth through to a long finish, with hints of caramel sweetness. Light enough to be a good session beer, but some good personality too at a very fair price. 4.2% ABV, 50cl, �1.19, Aldi.