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Scotland
 scrapes in  decent  good  excellent  sublime
Arran Brewery, Arran Blonde 
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. 50cl. 5.0%ABV. �1.79 Safeway, Waitrose.
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Belhaven Brewery, Belhaven Best
Definitely one that falls into the "session beer" category with only 3.5% alcohol, Belhaven Best is one of Scotland's most ubiquitous draught ales, and this widget-dispensed can is a pretty close copy of the real thing. I'll confess I find
Best a little too sweet for my taste, but with its ultra-creamy head and body, smooth, malty flavours and clean finish, it may lack hoppy bite or real complexity, but is
easy to drink and very likeable. 44cl can. 3.5%ABV.
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Black Isle Brewery, Organic Blonde
This bottled-conditioned beer has cloudy, pale gold colour with a white head that is quite persistent. The nose is both citrussy and floral, with a really perfumed edge to lime and quite exotic, lychee fruit notes. On the palate it has some real wheat beer bite, with a fine-grained palate of
citrus fruit in a medium-bodied format. Perhaps it is the Hersbrucker and Hallertau hops, but this is very distinctive, with lots of grassy qualities on the finish.
50cl. 5.0%ABV. �1.89 Luvians, Safeway (Scotland) and independents.
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Black Isle Brewery, Organic Porter
This is a live, bottle-condition Porter made from dark-roasted malt. Its colour is opaque black, with a low-foaming cream coloured head. On the nose it is quite subdued, with nutty and charry aromas with a hint of black plum. On the palate
it is smooth though quite light-bodied with very gentle carbonation. There are dry, roasted barley flavours and hints of burnt toast and charcoal before a nicely bitter, coffeeish finish. Subtle charms and very grown-up.
50cl. 4.5%ABV. �1.89 Luvians, Safeway (Scotland). 
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Black Isle Brewery, Red Kite Organic Ale
This beer form Black Isle has a lovely ruby/amber colour and creamy head. Brewed with whole hop flowers it is quite aromatic, with hoppy, slightly vegetal notes of nettles, but also plenty of vivid fruit. There's a little background of coffee.
On the palate there's an initial sweetness as this smooth-textured beer coats the tongue, with a tangy fruitiness, but then a big raft of bitter hop flavours takes a grip. A very nice beer indeed, that is crisp on the finish despite a developing
malt character. 50cl. 4.5%ABV. �1.89 Luvians, Safeway (Scotland).
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Black Isle Brewery, Organic Scotch Ale
This ale pours a brassy amber colour with a quickly disipating white head. The slight cloudiness settles to a steady amber. It has quite gently nettly aromas, in a fruity, herbal style without too much malt in evidence and a citrus
character. On the palate it is medium bodied, with fruity, orangy, pleasant, but rather understated flavour. It doesn't really carry a lot of interest, but is quaffable and enjoyable in its way. 50cl. 4.5%ABV. �1.99 Luvians, Safeway (Scotland).
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Black Isle Brewery, Organic Wheat Beer
The colour of this bottle-conditioned beer is a very pale yellow/gold that pours hazy, with a thin white head. On the nose it is very fresh in style, with a clean citrus aroma, some grassyness and a little background note of
burning embers. On the palate it is quite light-bodied, with an extremely clean, pure flavour of orange and a light caramel. There's a little spice and a clean, quite long finish. This is a light and simple style of wheat beer,
but is very appetising and moreish. 50cl. 4.5%ABV. �1.89 Luvians.
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Craigmill Brewery, Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale
This Ale is based on a 16th century recipe, and brewed from roasted oats, barely, wheat and fresh elderberries. The colour is jet black, with a hint of ruby at the core. The fawn-coloured head is
quite thick and persistent. On the nose, the immediate impression is if liquorice and chocolaty malt, with just a hint of blue/black, inky fruit quality. On the palate this is surprisingly light-bodied and unsubstantial. There's a definite flavour
of the elderberry fruit that is both sweet and tart, then more of that dark-roasted malt. It has good acidity and a tangy finish, and I think this would be an ale to drink with hearty food, as it is a little unsatifying on its own. 33cl. 6.5%ABV. �1.49
Peckhams.
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Craigmill Brewery, Swallow I.P.A.
The instantly intriguing thing about this beer is that it is the only commercial beer brewed with hops from the Clyde Valley, about half hour from my home. From the same brewery that makes the popular Fraoch Heather Ale, this has a pale to medium gold colour,
and a subdued, but not unattractive nose of hops and a malted brown bread. A little bit yeasty and honeyed too. On the palate some bitter hop character and a note of grapefruit pith are delivered in a medium-bodied format. Unexceptional, but
quite easy to drink. 35.5cl. 4%ABV. 99 pence from Safeway (Scotland).
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Caledonian Brwery, Deuchars I.P.A.
This IPA has a medium, burnished gold colour and a creamy, but fast disippating head. On the nose there's a lovely softness and weight of mamalade-scented fruit, hedgerow hops and a background maltiness. It flows onto the palate
with great harmony: a seamless, tangy and crisp fruit character with creamy texture and a nice grapefruity hop bitterness into the finish. This beer might not be decisive enough for some who like a lot of hoppy acrobatics,
but I thought it was gentle and lovely stuff.
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Harviestoun Brewery, Old Engine Oil
Former Ford worker Ken Brooker only turned to brewing in his 40's, but has already established a great reputation and following for his unusual and playfully named beers. This jet-black beer has a creamy, thick but quite quickly dissipating head.
The nose is sumptuous: loaded with tar, liquorice and thick malty treacle aromas, and a hint of stewed prunes. On the palate it has a chocolaty texture and roasted, smoky flavours with more of that treacly depth of sweet malt,
a really nice fruity core and a bite of incisive bitter hops on the finish. With fantastic length, this is a fabulous Porter-style beer with extra bittersweetness and depth. 33cl. 6.0%ABV. �1.29 Sainsbury's, Tesco. 
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Innis & Gunn Brewery, Oak-Aged Beer
One of the most innovative products in the beer market today, this Edinburgh ale is aged in brand new malt whisky barrels, made from American oak. The colour is a glowing gold, with a creamy head. On the nose it is intensely aromatic,
with really fresh, grassy hop character and quite a deep, almost briney note. The oak influence is more noticeable on the palate, where a luscious vanilla and caramel note permeates the beer. This adds an unguent sweetness on the mid
palate, but the freshness of the hops cuts through and the acidity is clean in the finish. I thought this beer was delicious. 33cl. 6.6%ABV. �1.69 Safeway,
Sainsbury, Asda, Morrisons, Booths, Scottish Tescos.
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Innis & Gunn Brewery, Limited Edition Blonde Beer
The regular Innes & Gunn oak-aged beer is a five-star favourite of beer-pages, so this 37,000 bottle edition, in a presentation box, launched November 2004 promised much. The colour is perhaps
a shade lighter, with an off-white, creamy head. The nose is fantastically nutty and toffeed, with notes of buttered popcorn, roasted sesame seeds and Seville orange. On the palate a caraway and burnt toast
depth is layered with espresso beans, dark chocolate and more of that marmalady fruit quality. There's a complex and unfolding quality to this beer, with a tang of bitter hops and a sweet suggestion of vanilla pods
as well as a brightly-focused acidity that really lifts and extends this beer in the mouth. Brilliant, unusual and a must try beer. 33cl. 5.3%ABV. �1.99 Sainsbury's.
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Innis & Gunn Brewery, Limited Edition Blonde Beer
The regular Innes & Gunn oak-aged beer is a five-star favourite of beer-pages, so this 37,000 bottle edition, in a presentation box, launched November 2004 promised much. The colour is perhaps
a shade lighter, with an off-white, creamy head. The nose is fantastically nutty and toffeed, with notes of buttered popcorn, roasted sesame seeds and Seville orange. On the palate a caraway and burnt toast
depth is layered with espresso beans, dark cholate and more of that marmalady fruit quality. There's a complex and unfolding quality to this beer, with a tang of bitter hops and a sweet suggestion of vanilla pods
as well as a brightly-focused acidity that really lifts and extends this beer in the mouth. Brilliant, unusual and a must try beer. 33cl. 5.3%ABV. �1.99 Sainsbury's.
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Isle of Skye Brewery, Oyster Stout
Native oysters are part of the recipe for this beer, I believe being steeped in the mash for a period. That does not give an overt "fishy" character, but I did detect a clean, ozone-like note of sea freshness on the nose. It is a dark stout,
with plenty of malt and bitter chocolate as well as that intriguing salty freshness. On the palate it is quite dense and creamy, with lots of malty dark flavour and a sourdough note that is quite grown-up and very pleasant. An unusual
seasonal beer, that may be hard to track down. 50cl. 4.6%ABV. �2.00 Wineraks, Scotland.
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Orkney Brewery, Dark Island
This dark, Stout-like beer is malty and dry on the nose, with bitter dark chocolate and some fruity hop notes. On the palate it is a tiny bit lacklustre; perhaps just a touch less exciting than the nose and colour promised, with
some roasted, nutty flavours and again that malty note. It has a nice texture and weight in the mouth, and is definitely a good beer with only gentle carbonation and good length. A bit of a sleeper, it grew on me. 33cl. 4.6%ABV.
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