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 aroma with [...]

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 and spicy [...]

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 and lemon. [...]

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 put [...]

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 the [...]

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 decide [...]

Something seriously simple learned from sitting at the bar of The Grapes all night while they served some pretty lively Timothy Taylor’s Landlord. Decanting makes bottled ales much more enjoyable and closer to their draught counterparts. So from now on, I’m going to carelessly pour my bottle of ale into a large jug and then [...]

I have been giving ale a bit of a rest lately. Mainly due to my growing stomach, but also because I have stacks of wine to get through ! I’ve had the odd pub lunch with Brad – but nothing exciting enough to write about. Until today!
My Italian friend Enrico fancied a pint of Guinness [...]

Having been a bit grumpy at work this week I was glad to see the back of it. So getting home nice and early and popping the cap on an ale was definitely what the doctor ordered. And the ale left in the fridge was ‘ASDA’s Whitechapel Porter’.
I have to say I wasn’t optimistic about [...]