ABBOT ALE - GREENE KING 

I was putting in an order for some more erm.. supplies, and I realised that I had tried quite a few from Greene King and Morland (same brewery) and pretty much loved them all (except Old Speckled Hen). I thought why not see what else is about from them and I saw this in Sainsburys so here we are.  Much deeper colour than the golden beers I've been sampling, big fruit aromas too. I actually really like it, there are rich fruitcake and peel flavours along with good maltiness, and a gentle peppery bitterness underneath. Its still all about the fruit though. As the bottle says, brewed longer for a full flavoured, smooth and mature ale. Cannot argue. 5% volume.  Brewed in Bury St Edmunds by Greene King.

Raspberry rye beer

Buxton brewery

Red raspberry rye beer 4.9%

When I saw this I thought fantastic I like rye beers and I love eating raspberries a marriage made in heaven ( well the beer gods anyway). One word describes this beer and that is TART. You get the taste and smell of raspberries. This to me is not a beer but drinking alcoholic raspberry juice and I'm not liking this one bit. Shame I had high hopes for this beer. On a side note does drinking this count towards my five a day?

Hepworth Pullman ale 4.2%

Every so often I want a bitter. I do love a good bitter, but just lately I seem to be trying IPA and American beers rather a lot. Don't get me wrong I love finding these new beers. But today I wanted something that I haven't seen in a long time. This  is a rather pleasant beer. It's nothing special but that honestly doesn't matter as it consistently always good

Butcombe Gold

Butcombe Gold 4.7%

This is a gold beer made with fuggles hops. Very easy drinking and it's perfect to have with a main meal. According to the info on the bottle it's slightly sweet I don't pick up on this. It's got lots of flavour from the hops which is great. It doesn't have a smell of an all.

GOOSE IPA - GOOSE ISLAND BEER CO. USA

Another one I had seen around in supermarkets etc. and I always chose something else. Well today I thought yeah give it a go. Glad I did its exceptional. Just a perfect package of citrusy aromas and rich caramel malt. Then a soild hoppy finish with a slight peppery bitterness. Brewed in the USA, 5.9% volume and definitely going on my favourites list. A cracking IPA.

OLD EMPIRE IPA - MARSTONS BREWERY

Mmmm I wonder. I bought this from Sainsburys the same time as I bought their Taste the Difference IPA (also brewed by Marstons). Truth to tell I had that a couple of nights ago, and a lot of water (ok beer) has gone under the bridge (ok I drunk it) since then. I think this is more or less that beer. Slight differences, this one has a large foamy white head, and the volume is a gnat's chuff less 5.7 to 5.9%.
Anyways I digress, its an excellent IPA, fruity, malty and refreshing. Brewed by Marstons in Burton upon Trent.

CAESAR AUGUSTUS - LAGER/IPA HYBRID - WILLIAMS BROS BREWING CO

Saw this also in Sainsburys and thought "that's interesting" - a lager/IPA hybrid gotta give that a whirl. So here we are, looks like a lager, light golden colour, white creamy head that has laced the glass all the way down. Plenty of bubbles, aromas are very hoppy and fruity, initially tastes like a lager, but as it goes down you get the malty fruitiness from the hops followed by a substantial bitter and dry finish. I like this a lot.
Cold fermented with lager yeast for 2 weeks, then stored at zero degrees for 4 weeks with shedloads of IPA hops. This is the result. Boom! Hail Caesar!
4.1% volume and brewed in Alloa Scotland.

LONDON GOLD - YOUNGS BREWERY

There is yeast sediment in the bottom, you can pour carefully and leave it with the last few drops of beer or swirl it around to mix it before you pour for a stronger flavour. I went with option A and its not bad. Quite typical of the genre, sharp citrusy flavours, mouthwateringly so, and a really clean finish. The bottle says a hoppy bitter finish, I didn't get that, however if you take option B and mix the yeast in who knows. Not bad at all.  Brewed in Bedford by Youngs, part of Wells and Youngs. 4.8% volume.

SAINSBURYS TASTE THE DIFFERENCE IPA - MARSTONS BREWERY

Thought I'd try this, saw it whilst food shopping, Noticed its brewed and bottled by Marstons so definitely worthy of a try. I'm guessing its probably an IPA they already do rebranded for Sainsbury's. Whatever. Its actually surprisingly good. Quite a complex set of flavours but the whole package is great, another gulper! On pouring I thought it was cider, really bubbly and orangey colours.Not much of a head. Citrusy aromas, but a real malty and fruity taste, and a subtle bitterness in the finish. Not huge on bitterness, but this is only slight and the whole thing works a treat. A very excellent 5.9% volume. Taste the difference indeed!

SA GOLD - BRAINS BREWERY

Looked the part, pure golden colour, big white foamy head, but its the aftertaste that killed it for me. Almost a chemically twang. Can't put my finger on it, but did not enjoy it. Brewed by SA Brain & Co in Cardiff, Wales. 4.7% volume.

Hogstar Lager

Hogs back Hogstar Lager

This is the beer that got me back into drinking lager's again. Tonight I wanted a curry and also wanted to watch the rugby, Australia Vs England in their third test. What more can I say beer and curry and watching Rugby a match made in heaven.
This lager is very different from other lagers it's slightly bittery which I like a lot. This beer goes so well with a curry

HOOKY GOLD - HOOK NORTON BREWERY

This is OK, its in the same ballpark as Old Golden Hen and Greene King IPA Gold, but it's not as good as either, maybe it's an unfair comparison. It's certainly drinkable, but its just not as refreshing. Its not exactly bitter, I guess less sweet would be the thing, not that the others are sweet... I dunno. Its just missing something, slightly less interesting than the others. Brewed by Hook Norton using the American Willamette hops married with English Goldings and Fuggles hops. 4.1% volume.

Hogs back

Hogs Back Farnham White 4.0%

Andy reviewed this earlier in the month. This is the first time I had this in a bottle. I had this back in February which I had whilst I was watching the start of the six nations. At the time I really like it and I wanted to get some more but the next time I went to the brewery they didn't have any. So when Andy posted a picture of the bottle on here thought I would have to try and find it. Apprently all the bottles was sold to waitrose supermarkets. 

So for my review of beer.

This beer is produced with their own hops and it's also their first crop of hops. You get a slight earthy and peppery taste. It's easy drinking but my I'm not sure I still like this. 

EAST LONDON BRWING COMPANY Pearly Queen London Porter 4.5abv
A slightly fizzier,creamier porter.MRs Andynapoleon wanted a beer so I gave her this one.Its very nice.Well you pays yer money and thats what yer get.Its very nice.Thank you and good night drop the microphone.Elvis has left the building.

HOXTON STOUT REDCHURCH BREWERY 6.0abv
Very good porter,a little lighter than some in viscosity.Good chocolate and coffee finish.Drinkable and pleasant but I dont think award winning.More small brewery's spring up in London everyday.

GOLDEN SHEEP ALE  - BLACK SHEEP BREWERY

Had this on draught at the brewery in Masham, North Yorkshire and it was very good indeed. Its freely available in the supermarkets in bottles and tins as well. Thought I'd review the bottled version, and its great, its another easy drinking, very moreish golden ale. Has a really clean finish. 4.7 % volume.

BRISTOL BEER FACTORY Acer 3.8abv
Columbus hops for a little bitterness and sorachi ace for citrus ,dill and Coconut.COCONUT I hear you scream in terror.Yes and you can taste it and all things considered its quite a nice taste in a beer.I cant believe I am even writing such a thing.But its true.Gently citric,not sure I get the Dill.Absolutely Coconut.

OLD HOPPY HEN - PALE ALE - MORLAND BREWERY

Its one-all in the battle of the Hens. First off was Old Speckled Hen and I that was everything I don't like. I then tried Old Golden Hen, in bottle and on draught and that was beautiful. I was hoping for third time lucky and this is a real gem, quite lively (check out da bubbles!) and a  pleasant hoppy punch of flavour. Really balanced, bit of maltiness on the tongue but the pleasing hoppy finish prevails. A real gulper. 4.2% volume - goes well with football! Brewed by Morland under the Greene King flag in Bury St Edmunds.

THORNBRIDGE BREWERY Colorado Red 5.9 abv
I don't usually favour reds but I thought I would give it a go for variety.I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.It had a good long taste with a bitter finish.Described on the bottle as having a flavour of dried fruit and candied peel,which I am not sure I get,thankfully.Flavour that stays all the way down.Not bad. 

ANSPACH AND HOBDAY The Porter 6.7abv
Thank You for making me wait for a good beer.This made it worth the wait.This a beautiful porter.A Small brewery in london with their own bar.They make lots of dark beers which I cant wait to try and over 30 different experimental keg beers,including something called smoked brown.These are ex graduates but I forgive them.This is the perfect dark beer.Well done lads. 

Post vote drink

Northern monk India pale ale 6.2%

I thought I would drink this beer tonight. So this is an IPA from Leeds, and it's damn good. Very clean finish and tastes so good. I don't know which hops are used but they are balanced very well and it has no after taste which makes a very good beer. Again you don't notice the strength.

NANY OGGS  SCUMBLE 7.5abv
Made by discworld ales..Its a strong bottle conditioned cider for those who like strength over flavour.To be honest this has very little flavour apart from apples,which would be o.k. if it was a bit sharper or more interesting.A little dull.In an age of interesting beer and cider I seem to be getting a fair amount of dull stuff.The best bit of this cider is the label which is quite funny.

HOFBRAU OKTOBERFESTBIER 6.3 abv

A German Lager type specially brewed for the Oktoberfest.Not bad,a sort of quaffing large amounts whilst eating sausage type beer not bad tasting but mainly a getting drunk as a skunk type beer.Brewed under the German Lager purity laws which you should know if you don't already, is absolute BullS***.It never was for purity,it was so all wheat went to bread during hard times.

Grapefruity

Lervig  lucky jack grapefruit edition

My last beer from Lervig brewery in Norway. Do not drink this beer if you don't like grapefruit you won't like this ( I don't know why you don't  like grapefruit  the best fruit there is) . This beer you get a strong smell of Grapefruit from the moment you open the can, you can also taste the grapefruit. I'm enjoying this I've had two other beers recently that are made with grapefruit, this one is the best though.

WOODHALL BREWERY Wizards sleeve cider 4.5
As the man most likely to drink cider I feel duty bound to report when I see something different This is made in Worcestershire with Hereford apples and thats the most interesting thing about it.Refreshing as most ciders are but very undistinguished.

Rogue Nation

Rogue Nation Brutal IPA 

This beer is from America not sure where abouts though. First two things bother me one is what is the strength and second is that it's sedimented ,it would of been nice if the bottle said so so didn't pour it all in. As for the beer well it's biscuity and different from any IPA'S I've had before not sure I like this.