Another Empire

I tick off number seven on the list this week, and my second Marston’s beer – Old Empire. This is my second IPA, and as you may recall, stands for India Pale Ale. Typically, IPAs are stronger than your average beer and usually quite bitter. Marston’s version is no different.

I wrote at some length last time about how I felt many IPAs weren’t actually that pale. But, I admitted, this is probably more about what I think of as pale rather than the beer hue itself. This beer is, however, fairly pale and crystal clear as you might expect.

Marston’s is a pretty big brewery, and as well as Pedigree and Old Empire IPA, produce a broad range of beers which you can get hold of. When I quickly skimmed their website earlier today, they list a number of other breweries such as Jennings and Bank’s, and I wonder if they just kindly advertise these other ale-makers or have a hand in them also. Many of the larger breweries have bought up the smaller ones, which is often a shame as the little guy just can’t compete with the big business breweries.

About the beer

The 300 list classes this as an IPA.

I really like Old Empire, and irrespective of how you feel about big breweries, this is not a bad bottle of beer. It’s strong, at 5.7% as you’d expect from an IPA and has that good level of bitterness also. It doesn’t whack you in the taste buds with hops, but a slower bitter tang that hands on the tongue. It is a mass produced beer, which I know many don’t like, and perhaps has some of those characteristics. It’s a better alternative than some other so called IPAs I could name, and I don’t think you would be disappointed if you tried it.

Alcohol: 5.7%

My rating: 7/10

Whether you love the big name breweries, or prefer a smaller, local brew, you have to give credit where it’s due here.

The great thing about Old Empire, and Marston’s beers in general, is that you can find them without much trouble. Most large supermarkets supply them, and in fact, I picked up my bottle from our local Home Bargains at a basement price of only £1.59. That’s not bad for a good pint.

How does it compare to other IPAs? Well, looking back at my notes, the only other IPA I’ve tried so far was the Burton Bridge Empire – the name is simply a coincidence! I notice I’ve scored them both a 7, which seems somewhat unfair to the Burton-on-Trent beast. That was a great beer, and had real character and strength. Perhaps the truth is though, that while the beers are both IPAs, they really are quite different animals. Even side by side in the “IPA” box, you see a big difference in them, and that’s what I love about ale! Every single beer is different, and you never quite know which you are going to love the most – this one, or the next! Keep tasting, that’s what I say!

Wych-wood you choose?

It’s been a while since my last blog post, for which I can only apologise for. My limited but not so weak excuses include: personal motivation, Israeli beers and a house move which has forced me to drink much of my garage stock! This has left me with little time to write sadly.

I return with my sixth beer on the list, and a cracking one at that! Wychwood Hobgoblin was one of the first “real” beers I ever enjoyed and to this day, I still love a drop of it. A particular friend of mine is a huge fan of all things Wychwood, and usually has a couple of dozen bottles in his beer fridge. He has a slight oddity in that he doesn’t always like to drink his beers, but rather save them like a collector. Save the empties, that’s what I say!

About the beer

The 300 beers list classes it as: Extra Strong Beer

Wychwood Hobgoblin is the flagship beer, as I see it, of the Witney-based brewery. They produce a wide range of beers, including a favourite of mine – King Goblin. It’s a bit of a strong one, but I do like a bottle on Christmas Day!

Hobgoblin is a dark and flavourful beer. I was once told it was modelled on chocolate fudge, but not sure if that’s the case or not. It’s rather gulpable, and not overly bitter but with a good balance. It’s widely available now, as is its Gold cousin, and also in mini-kegs.

As stated above, it’s classed as an Extra Strong brew, but at just over 5%, it’s not ridiculous and there are many beers on the list that far exceed its volume. Hey though, who am I to question the list?

Alcohol: 5.2%

My rating: 9/10

I love Hobgoblin, as it’s a great tasting beer and a fond favourite of many a real ale drinker. I’ve been to a few breweries in my time, but never made it up to Witney to visit Wychwood. I’m keen to put this right at some point soon, and want to see what else they have to offer. For Christmas this year, my lovely wife bought me a case of Wychwood beers which included such great titles as Goliath, Arrowaine and Bah Humbug (their Christmas beer, in case you hadn’t guessed!). Wych-wood you choose?

If you’ve not had Hobgoblin, where have you been? But seriously, if you’re just starting your real ale journey, this is a great one to get you started! Enjoy!

Meantime Chocolate Porter

As mentioned in a previous post, I’ve had a couple of memory lapses lately, buying a beer I thought was on the list when it in fact wasn’t. I corrected this by posting the list to this blog, so that when I’m out and about, I can take a quick gander before I buy.

I approached the bar recently, and spotted a bottle of Meantime Chocolate Porter in one of the beer fridges. Without hesitation, I ordered one and took it back to my seat. One of my fellow drinkers, who is way ahead of me on his 300 list, pointed out that the Meantime Chocolate Porter was not on the list. We debated this point for a minute or so, but he was quite right – it’s not. The Meantime London Porter is on the list, and I think that’s where I was getting confused.

So was I disappointed to have bought the Chocolate Porter in error? Not at all!

About the beer

Meantime Chocolate Porter – not, in fact, on the 300 list but great all the same!

This beer is dark and delicious. It starts in the mouth with a hit of bitterness, and then you taste the chocolate. We debated, my friends and I, what it reminded us of – one thought of chocolate ice cream, and another cream soda. Either way, it’s a really wonderful flavour and a full bodied beer. Because of the chocolate, it won’t fit all situations I guess, and likely won’t be a good match for a fish dinner! As a dessert beer, it’s bang on.

Alcohol: 6.5%

My rating: 8/10

I really struggled to rate this one, as it really is genuinely delicious. It’s not a session beer, at a hefty 6.5%, but also the flavour, as good as it is, is perhaps not what you always want in a “beer”. I can’t emphasise enough how good it is though, just specialised perhaps.

 

The Meantime Brewing Company is based in South-East London and offers a range of beers including a Lager, the two Porters mentioned above and a Stout. You can source their beers directly from them, but obviously can get them in and around London (and beyond). Like many breweries, you can visit them and take tour.

I’m a particular fan of the Meantime bottles, as seen in the attached picture. I’m not sure why, but it’s nice to see a more unusual shaped bottle! A friend commented that not only do you get a great beer, but you can keep the bottle and put a candle in it later… True, this may be, but I’m not sure Mrs Brown would be too keen on having naked flames and a set of empties dotted about the premises!

Having sampled this Meantime beer, I can’t wait to get on to the beers that actually on the list! I’ll keep my eyes peeled for a chance to get my hands on them.

Brooklyn Mine-Mine

If you’re not familiar with the TV show – Brooklyn Nine-Nine, then the above pun may be lost on you. Anyway, I digress…

A recent trip to our local Weatherspoons had me perusing the drinks menu once again. You may remember before that I missed out on a chance to try the Brooklyn Lager in my local, as they were out of stock. Here, at the Spoons, I had another chance to get my hands on a bottle of this American brew. Success! They had a good supply of them!

As I proudly stood my lager on the table, some of my real ale drinking buddies were a little derisive that I would pick up a bottled lager by choice. In fact, shortly before this, they had poked fun at a Heineken drinker who felt our real ale was a bit “tasteless!”

I tried to explain that lager, as they knew it, was mostly watery, light and tasteless, but I knew this Brooklyn Lager would be different. If, in your mind, lager means Becks, Bud or Carling, then you are missing out on true beers and especially what true lager can be. Brooklyn Lager is worlds apart from these aforementioned lagers, and is certainly not watery or tasteless!

About the beer

Brooklyn Lager by the Brooklyn Brewery – classed as a Vienna beer

Brooklyn Lager is a great beer. It is full of flavour and would please any a real ale drinker I’d wager. Vienna style beers have been popular in Brooklyn for a long time, but this has a slight twist on the usual Vienna style. According to Brooklyn Brewery’s own web site, they “dry hop” the beer to create an American original. This dry hopping (explained later) gives the beer a great floral aroma. The beer is amber-gold in colour, balancing a strong malt flavour with a firm bitterness.

Alcohol: 5.2%

My rating: 7/10

 

Dry hopping is a technique where you add fresh or dried hops to a batch of fermented beer, leaving it to steep for several days. This gives the beer a fresh hoppy aroma, and depending on the hops you use, can really alter the scent coming off the beverage. Many breweries use this technique to lift their beers, but it’s a great thing to do at home (when using kit brews) as it can bring the ale to life.

As I said above, Brooklyn Lager can be found in Weatherspoons pubs but also other non-Spoons establishments. I understand it’s also available in Waitrose, and likely other supermarkets as well, so I hope you can get your hands on some.

If not, you could always hop across the Pond to the Big Apple and get it from the source!

Burns Night Beer

I don’t need much of an excuse for a celebration, and like St Patrick’s Day in Ireland, Burn’s Night is being marked beyond the borders of Scotland. Truth be told, I wasn’t entirely sure what Burn’s Night is all about, but since discovered it’s the birthday of Robert Burns – a noteworthy Scottish poet.

Our local Aldi, and I suppose Aldi’s across the nation, mark such days with special offers and themed beers. This Burns Night was no exception. They had a selection of Scottish beers, including the one I’m sampling tonight – the Rabbie Burns Blonde beer.

I know it’s yet another departure from the 300 beers list, but I hope you still appreciate my random thoughts on the subject! I did have a good look to see if I could find a Scottish beer that was also on the list, but alas I could not. Actually, I should say another Scottish beer… I have got one in my stash, ready for a certain upcoming event which I’ll tell you about later.

About the beer

Rabbie Burns – Blonde Beer seeming brewed by “Traditional Scottish Ales Ltd” – imaginative name by the way!

Described as a blonde beer, it’s the colour of some lagers and is very pale. It has a smooth and almost creamy taste, with very little bitterness. It’s well rounded and quite enjoyable all in all. My only complaint is that it’s a little forgettable. It’s perfectly fine, but not outstanding.

Alcohol: 4.2%

My rating: 5/10

I feel a little bad rating this as a 5. It’s not awful by any means, and it slips down rather easily. The issue is, I probably won’t remember it in a week’s time and unless I read back over my blog, I won’t even recall its name!

Well, if you celebrate Burns’ Night, I wish you a very happy one – if that’s the right phrase! My little beer this evening is by no means the end of my celebrations, as a few of us are gathering in a week or so to do a “proper” Burns’ night with haggis and the full works!

The Burns’ Night event will be a beer fest also. Each will bring a chosen beer for the rest to rate and guess the alcohol content. I’d tell you more about the beer I’ve chosen, but I’ve been sworn to secrecy so as not to ruin the game. Leave it said that it is both Scottish and on the 300 list, so a blog will follow… bet you can’t wait?!

Norfolk Nog

Believe it or not, I’ve been to the pub twice this week! It is slightly unusual, as I often don’t get time to go but I managed to get there.

Earlier in the week, I met a friend for a chat over a pint. Actually, it was just me who had the pint as he’s staying dry for the moment. He popped to the bar and came back with a pint of Old Speckled Hen for me, which was darn decent of him I thought. It may not be my favourite beer but it’s better than some and pickings were slim on the pumps that evening.

Anyway, whilst waiting on him to come back from the bar, I started perusing the drinks menu. White wine, red wine, pink wine and the usual, and a whole page of various gins. Who knew that one of my locals offered a selection like that! I then turned over to find a “Craft Beer” page! Fantastic! I looked with interest to see what they had on offer, and low and behold, two of the 300 list were on there!

Looking somewhat disappointedly at my pint of Old Hen, I thought I’d missed a golden opportunity. Round two shortly followed and I skipped eagerly to the bar looking for either one of the Goose Island IPA or a Brooklyn Lager. Sadly, double disappointment was to follow as the barman shook his head to say they had neither on offer tonight. Like a child told they weren’t allowed any sweets, I returned to my seat with a second Old Speckled.

I shared my disappointment with my companion and we discussed whether the barman had even heard of the two beers on the list I had asked for. He did seem a little confused when asked about them, and certainly didn’t go looking. Could it be that no one had asked for these beers before?

Later that same week, some work colleagues and I went to our local Weatherspoon’s. I know, some don’t like the Weatherspoon’s’ way of doing things, but often they have a good offering of real ales. The other appeal is the price. The average cost of a pint in our non-Weatherspoon’s’ local is £3.25 which is often a pound a pint more. I know that Weatherspoon’s charge less because they buy in bulk, they buy beers nearer the end of their shelf life (because they can shift them) and sometimes don’t look after their beers so well. Anyway, perhaps we’ll pick up this subject another day – but for now, we were in there!

Our first round was a no brainer. A quick glance along the pumps and we saw the wonderful Norfolk Nog by Woodforde’s. This is a tremendous dark beer and slips down way too easily. I didn’t have the 300 list with me at the time, but would have bet good money that Nog was on there. As it turns out, it is not. Woodfordes do have two beers on the list; Wherry and Nip, but not Nog sadly.

About Woodforde’s Nog

Nog is a smooth and rich beer, quite black but with a hint of ruby red (according to Woodfordes) and is like velvet in a glass. Woodfordes suggest it’s a great match for game or venison, but a beer that stands on its own for sure. It has a good balance between sweetness and bitterness and is in the “Old Ale” class.

Alcohol: 4.6%

My rating: 9/10

I do rate this highly, as it’s a delicious beer. If you don’t like dark beers or beers in this style, of course you won’t be a fan. It’s a very different beast to the multiplicity of golden ales out there these days, but for me is hard to beat.

If you can’t find Nog in your local, then you can buy it in various forms from Woodfordes directly. For homebrewers, you can even buy a Nog kit to make at your leisure.

After the double disappointment of missing out on ticking off two of the 300, a couple of pints of Nog really made up for it. Get yourself one and see what you think!

Empire Strikes Back

Burton Bridge Empire pale ale is an IPA. In case you have ever wondered, IPA stands for India Pale Ale. It doesn’t originate from India, and is not Indian Pale Ale but I believe has its roots in sending British beers overseas. To endure the journey, they were brewed stronger than your average beer, and that should still be the same today.

You see a lot of beers boasting the title “IPA” these days but I’m not always convinced they are true IPAs. In my book, two things are true about a proper IPA. 1) They are pale and 2) they are brewed strong (perhaps to the 6%+ range but certainly 5.5%). You see plenty of examples in the supermarkets and elsewhere of ale that are dark and weak, and yet still claim to be IPAs. Not so in my humble opinion!

The Burton Bridge Empire pale ale is both strong and pale, and an excellent example of what I think of when I hear the term “IPA”.

About the beer

Burton Bridge Empire pale ale – my fourth beer on the 300 list and is classed as an IPA – you may have guessed.

It is pale and golden, and if I had to sum it up in one single word, that would be “rich”. This is truly a “rich” beer, and its sumptuous taste doesn’t disappear as soon as you swallow it. You don’t get punched with bitterness, as some IPAs can, but rather the richness of the malt and hops fades leaving a lingering bitterness on the tongue. It really is a splendid beer!

Referring to my previous post about not wasting your units; this is furthest from doing so. A pint or bottle of this beer could last you a fair while if you savour it. At a hefty ABV too, you won’t need too many before you reach the recommended daily alcohol limit!

Alcohol: 7.5% (that’s 3.75 units for the 500ml bottle and above the daily intake recommended by the new guidelines)

My rating: 7/10

 

This is a great beer, and one I’ve not had before. If you get a chance to try it, I’d recommend you do so. It’s brewed by Burton Bridge brewery, in Burton-on-Trent and if you can get to their brewery tap and try it, you won’t regret it. For those of us who don’t live in the area, you may find it harder to come by.

Where did I get mine? Believe it or not, I bought it from Amazon! They don’t just stock CDs, books and the like these days, and actually have a fair few brews to choose from. You have to watch the delivery prices, as they can really sting you if you’re not careful, but a pack of six Empire ales was a little more than £20 delivered. That may seem quite expensive, but don’t forget how strong this beer is and you won’t find it on 4 bottles for a fiver in your local Asda!

More on where to get your beer in a future blog I suspect!

A final word about bottle-conditioned beers. Empire ale is an example of a beer that is bottle-conditioned and what this means is that there is live yeast in the bottle and it will therefore have sediment in it. If you don’t pour it carefully, you will get a cloudy beer. This is worsened by buying online, as it will only get shaken up and disturbed on route to your home.

Again, more on bottle conditioning in a future blog. But for now, if you procure one, just make sure you pour it slowly and carefully, and where you can see the beer clearly. Stop pouring if you see the sediment coming out! It won’t hurt you, but could affect the taste of your beer.

Don't waste your units

There’s been a lot in the news of late about alcohol consumption and the UK government changing its advice about how much you should and shouldn’t drink. Given the subject of my blog, I felt I ought to throw in my opinion – in case anyone’s interested! I know it’s a detour from the 300 beer list, but relevant right?

The previous advice was that a man could drink 3-4 units a day and a woman 2-3 and be at a lower health risk. I’ve often wondered why men were “allowed” more than women, but never found out the answer. The new guidelines have corrected this and the new advice is that the risks increase above 2-3 units per day, irrespective of whether you are male or female. They recommend that you should not exceed 14 units a week, and have at least 2 days every week where you don’t consume any alcohol. All in all, these new guidelines are much tighter than the previous ones.

Are they right to do this? I’m not a doctor, and I can’t honestly say whether the new guidelines are necessary or what the real impacts of drinking small (or otherwise) amounts of alcohol are. I’ve not delved into the depths of the science behind the recommendations, but do know how difficult it is to study such things. The impact of drinking alcohol would need to be studied over a lifetime, and this is extremely hard to do. It’s also very difficult to exclude other factors which can affect your results.

The issue is that the NHS (in the UK) have to spend a great deal of money on treating people whose illnesses are in some way linked to alcohol. Whether we are talking about an alcohol addiction or a one-off trip to A&E on a Saturday night after a heavy session, there is a cost associated with it – and this cost is rather large. The government have to tackle the issue in some way, and you can make up your own mind whether this is the way to go about that.

The truth is, drinking any amount of alcohol can affect your health. I can’t argue with that, and it all comes down to the lifestyle choices we make. You can’t force people to stop drinking any more than you can force them to go to the gym. All you can do is offer the best advice possible and let them make up their own minds.

So where do I stand, writing my beer blog and having said all the above? There is a risk to drinking alcohol, I make no secret of that and urge everyone to do so responsibly.

If you are going to drink though, make it count! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean go nuts and binge yourself into a walloping hang-over, I just mean emphasise quality rather than quantity. Don’t waste your units. Set yourself a limit you are happy with and stick to it. Don’t guzzle the cheapest or weakest beers or wines without thought.

When I turned 18 (ish) I drank the standard lagers on offer in my local pub. Don’t judge me too harshly, I just didn’t know any better! Nowadays, I choose what I want to drink and would rather have one pint of a quality and delicious beer than guzzling down any old rubbish on offer.

If you limit yourself to one pint (or whatever you choose), then make sure it’s a good one!

 

To finish, as a guide, one pint of a good quality ale at 5% equates to 2.8 units.

Pedigree Yum

Sincere apologies to Marston’s for in any way associating their beer with a popular dog food… but it was literally the best I could do!

We return to our 300 beer challenge and hit the third beer so far – Marston’s Pedigree – in case you hadn’t figured that out. Pedigree is a pale ale, and like some IPAs, really isn’t all that pale. Looking again at the definition of a pale ale, I realise I need to reassess what I think of as “pale”. This is a beer you can see through, but it’s not light or golden, which is what I associate with a “pale” ale. In all honesty, this is my own misapprehension, and pale doesn’t mean golden or straw coloured as I imagine inside my skull.

Perhaps I should have said up front, but I like dark beers. I don’t mean that I like them to the exclusion of paler beers, but I guess I do prefer a dark brown or black hue to my beverage. While the market for craft and real ale continues to grow, there does seem to be a lot more golden ales around than dark. Perhaps that’s just my impression, but the major supermarkets seem to stock a lot of the golden beers in all shapes and sizes.

Pedigree is a pale ale – as I’ve mentioned. And this is not to be confused with a bitter. Had you asked me beforehand, I might have made the mistake of thinking that it was a bitter – as I’m not well versed in Marston’s beer (yet). The label on the bottle however is very clear, and if that wasn’t enough, one taste should tell you it’s not a bitter.

Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not criticising at all, it’s not meant to be a bitter and therefore shouldn’t taste like one. It is, very proudly, a good example of a pale ale.

About the beer

Marston’s Pedigree is a pale ale and is not bitter – I emphasise. You don’t get a huge wallop of hops when you drink this, and I know there are many who don’t favour these “hop bomb” beers that seem to be around nowadays. Instead, Pedigree is subtle and malty, and therefore almost sweet on the palette. It’s not flavourless by any means, but won’t hit you round the face like some beers might.

Alcohol: 4.5%

My rating: 6/10

I rate this beer a six, not because it’s somehow lacking, but rather because it’s not the sort of beer I would drink regularly. It’s a great example of its class, and does taste really good. If you find bitters too, well, bitter, then you might prefer this sort of brew. The good thing about a challenge like this is that you can try lots of different types of beer and see which you like, and which you don’t.

A friend of mine often says “I don’t like red wine…” To me, that a bit like saying “I don’t like music.” You may not like some, or even most, types of music, but there’s bound to be something out there you do like. The same is true for wine, and indeed, beer. So get out there and see what you can find!

A nice Lidl surprise!

OK, I know it should be pronounced “lee-dl” but I couldn’t resist a little pun! Taking a slight detour from the 300 beers list this time, I’ve sampled my first Hatherwood Craft beer – the Green Gecko IPA.

While the big supermarkets have branched out and not only sell their own branded beers, as well as an ever growing range of real ales, the smaller supermarkets have done too. Aldi have won medals for their wines and here we have an example of a beer produced by Lidl. I wouldn’t have thought to go into Lidl looking for beer, but the good people over at BrewUK.co.uk pointed me in their direction.

Just before Christmas, I went to our nearby Lidl and found that they offer a number of their own craft beers. I picked up a Golden Goose, Purple Panther (a porter) and a Spiced Winter ale (which I had in the run up to the festive season). I was particularly interested in trying the Green Gecko IPA, as I’d heard good things. As an aside, they also sell a few other craft beers including a lager.

About the beer

This does not appear on the 300 beers list, but don’t let that put you off!

The beer is fairly pale (when compared to a porter say) but is more brown than gold. It packs a good strong bitterness, as you would expect from an IPA and was, on the whole, very enjoyable. I wasn’t bowled over with the scent of hops, as you sometimes are these days, but it wasn’t lacking in flavour. I felt it lacked a little “mouth feel” or body, but often bottled beers do when compared with their draught equivalents.

Alcohol: 5%

My rating: 6/10

When you compare this beer to some of the mammoth beers you’ll find on the 300 list, it probably won’t stand up against them. This isn’t meant as a criticism though, as the Green Gecko and its siblings is not trying to be a world beater. It comes in at a reasonable £1.25 (or thereabouts) which is pretty darn cheap. As the saying goes, you tend to get what you pay for, but this is a very reasonable pint for not much more than a pound.

If you have a Lidl near you, why not take a punt? Or a pint, if you prefer!

If the other beers in the range are good, I’ll be sure to write about them also. I’m particularly looking forward to sampling the Purple Panther porter, but then, I’m a sucker for a dark beer!

Heather ale? What will they think of next!

What exactly is beer? What ingredients are used to make it? Well, in essence, there really isn’t a long list of ingredients. You have malted barley or similar, yeast, water and hops. That’s pretty much it. Sounds simple huh? Actually it’s quite difficult because you can combine those four ingredients in many different ways, and get really rather different results. I suppose that’s why there are 300 beers on the list, showcasing the supposedly best in the world. Sure, you can use different types of grain (or even rice), and you would be surprised how much difference using different yeasts can make. Many of the big breweries even have their own strain of yeast, such as Adnams, which give their beers their characteristic flavour.

These days though, you’ll see all manner of things being introduced into the beers on the supermarket shelves. Fruit beers, such as raspberry wheat beers, are common and have distinctive flavours. Badgers brew a whole host of beers boasting different flavours from peach to liquorice to ginger. Other beers include spices, honey, and yes, even flowers like elderflower.

Here is an example of a beer that is made using other additions. As the name suggests, this beer includes a generous amount of heather. But you would be wrong to think this is a new idea however, as I understand the Scottish Fraoch has been around a long time. In fact, some sources suggest heather has been used for nearly 4,000 years!

About the beer

Beer 2 of 300 – Fraoch Heather Ale by Williams Bros.

The 300 beer list categorises it as “Beers made with fruit” Is there any fruit in it? I’m not sure, but there is heather… I suspect!

The beer is very light and refreshing, and has a golden honey colour. You can certainly taste the heather in it, although it’s not overpowering by any means.

There was some fairly heavy sediment in the bottom of my bottle (which shouldn’t put you off), so it’s a good time to mention that many beers are “bottle conditioned”. To carbonate a beer, or put simply “make it fizzy” you can either inject CO2 into it or else add sugars to the beers when you bottle it. If you do the latter, the yeast in the beer will convert the sugar into alcohol and CO2, and this will make the beer fizzy. It’s worth being aware that beer conditioned in this way will have a small amount of sediment in the bottom.

Alcohol: 5%

My rating: 7/10

This beer is produced all year round, but I have to confess, I’m not 100% sure how I came about possessing one! As mentioned in a previous post, I searched my extensive beer stash for beers on the 300 list, and this was one I found. Where did I get it from? I just don’t recall! There’s a good chance my lovely wife picked it up for me one day while doing the weekly shop (she’s wonderful like that!). If that was the case, then chances are you can find one yourself in your local supermarket.

I don’t know a great deal about Scottish beers, and must confess I’ve never ventured that far north myself. Based on this little brew though, I’ll look forward to sampling a few more.