Last of the 6 is the stout. Always best to leave the stout til last. Stoodley Stout (black bottle top) headlines as rich and creamy. Bottle notes say: “… the bottle is a traditional British Stout. The beer is rich and pitch black and contains chocolate malt with oats and wheat. It has a rich [...]

It’s reached an acceptable hour in the day where you can open a bottle of beer and not be frowned upon. Besides – I’ve been working hard all morning so why not. Two ales from Little Valley remain – this one being the Cragg Vale Bitter. Cragg Vale (purple bottle top) headlines as bold and [...]

Probably the last for today. Little Valley Ginger Pale Ale is a 4% bottle (with a green top). It headlines as fresh, light and gently ginger. Bottle notes say: “… the bottle exceptional drinkability. Light and ginger with a hint of citrus, it makes a delicious aperetif or perfectly accompanies any spicy Chinese or Indian [...]

So 2 down 4 to go. Probably not all tonight. You can’t really be objective after too long. Withens IPA (red bottle top) headlines as light and hoppy. Bottle notes say: “… the bottle is a light version of the traditional IPA. Withens is steeped with Cascade hops, which gives the beer a refreshing floral [...]

2nd bottle being sampled is Tod’s Blonde. Tod’s Blonde (yellow bottle top) headlines as cool and crisp. Bottle notes say: “… the bottle is a Belgian style Blonde beer. The beer is bright yellow in colour with a pleasant malty taste and a smooth finish. It is a surprisingly mellow beer with a light fruity [...]

First let me qualify this review by saying I don’t generally like Wheat Beers. I also don’t generally enjoy Organic ales. Hebden’s Wheat (silver bottle top) headlines as fresh, fruity and naturally hazy. Bottle notes say: “… the bottle is a Belgian style Wheat beer. The beer is light in colour with aromas of coriander [...]

My ever faithful buddy Simon – Trading Manager at Ocado – supplied me with 6 bottles of Little Valley Brewery ale for sampling. Little Valley are from West Yorkshire and all their ales are organic and hand crafted. First noticeable – but totally irrelevant thing is the bottles are heavy – heaven knows what they [...]

I picked up some new bottles that I’d not seen before from a brewer called Grain Brewery Norfolk. They came via the Classic Car Show at Helmingham Hall. According to the blurb: “Our belief in simplicity and quality means that all our efforts are put into making great beer for you. We have fed your [...]

I wonder sometimes if trying a ‘Golden Ale’ after a bitter ale is a smart move, but why not? This is another Badger offering that doesn’t fail to disappoint. Much sweeter than the other, non-Golden Ales, this one also has a flowery smell. It reminds me of when I used to make Elderflower wine. Checking [...]

I haven’t had a bottle of ale for a while, mainly due to the large quantity of Guinness gracing my cupboards and fridge. So I was pleasantly surprised to be asked to sample a bottle of ‘William Worthington’s White Shield’ by the Head of Trading at Ocado. Being as it is a tough call to [...]