Beers to note - August 2017

August wasn't a busy beer drinking month. At the beginning of the month I did manage to try a few different brews down in Cornwall but the last 3 weeks of the month were busy at work which prevented any school night drinking. This also shows in the more standard ABV of the beers compared to July 2017.


Lushingtons (Skinners) - 4.2% | Cask Pint

Not sure if drinking closer to the source makes the beer taste better or is potentially fresher, but this beer was a fine accompaniment to a wonderful pub meal, without having any overpowering or off flavours.




Cali American Pale Ale (Tiny Rebel) - 5.6% | Keg Half Pint

I happened across this beer part way through my London Drinker deliveries. I hadn't seen it before, so had to give it a go. It was a hopped fruity APA that went down oh so quickly. If I hadn't been delivery the mags I would have had turned it into a pint.

Unfiltered Lager (Fullers) - 5% | Keg Pint

I wasn't sure what to expect with this from Fullers. I half expected it to be an unfiltered Frontier as that is their lager, but thankfully it was a completely different pilsner style lager which was hazy.



Small Batch Brews Baobab (St Austell) - 5.2% | Bottle 330ml

I picked this beer up at the Eden Project when down in Cornwall. I was intrigued by the label and what it said Baobab adds to the beer. To be fair, I couldn't tell what it added to the flavour, but I must say this was an nice Wit Bier.

Lager (Truman's) - 4.5% | Keg Half Pint
I not been a fan of the Truman beers I've come across in both keg or cask. I seen the beer but avoided it and ordered something else. However after getting talking to the barman I decided to give it a try and I must say this is the best beer I've tasted by Truman's so far.

London Pub Tour 60 - Belgravia: Antelope and Bag O'Nails

I visited the following two pubs on alternate days, and they were the only ones in the surrounding area I needed to tick off. The first pub the Antelope (SW1W 8EZ) is situated just of Sloane Square. This is a Fuller's pub which has the appearance of a small back street boozer. The pub was built in 1827 and gives off a feel that it hasn't changed much. Walking through the front door and the island bar is to your side and takes up most of the space in the pub. There are some benches with tables under the front window, and then a little snug area at the rear with books on the walls and soft seating. The snug area is carpeted whilst the rest of the pub has wood flooring. There is a room to the left of the entrance that is more geared up towards dinning and has about 6 tables. The whole bar has wood panelling to either waist or shoulder height, with the remainder wallpapered. The ceiling is also wood panelled and large red velvet curtains drape over the windows.

Proudly presented on the bar were 5 hand pumps offering up a selection of Fuller's Ales: Pride, ESB, Oliver's Island and Seafarers (x2). The keg selection was quite small offering Frontier, Guinness, Veltins, Amstel, Honey Dew, Cornish Orchards and 1664. I went for a pint of Veltins Pilsner which came in at £5 on the nose. Most people in the pub were eating and the snug and front bench areas were taken, so I ended up sitting on a free table in the dinning area. There is also a dinning room upstairs though not sure if its open everyday. As I sat drinking my pint I gazed through to the main bar where there are old cricket and rugby team photos on the walls. Also there is a history of the pub's cricket team's wins. The majority of people in the pub were men in suits, who are guess are regulars or there on a business lunch.

The second pub I visited was certainly more touristy considering its the closest pub to Buckingham Palace, and on the route between the Palace and Victoria. The pub is the Bag O'Nails (SW1W 0PP) another Greene King convert from Taylor Walker. The pub resides on a busy intersection on the one way system around Victoria, so its not surprising that no one was sat on the seating outside. Walking inside and the noise of the traffic does still flow in, making the pub perhaps not a tranquil place for a pint.

The bar sits on the back side wall and had six hand pumps offering GK IPA, Bag O'Nails Best (GK House), London Glory (x2), Trooper, Amplified and one pump advertising Old Rosie Cider. Keg wise there was Peroni, Guinness, Aspall, 1664, Punk IPA, Amstel and Orchard Thieves cider. I went for a pint of the Bag O'Nails Best which as I suspected was just the standard Greene King House. I stayed for a second pint having the Orchard Thieves cider which was certainly very carbonated. The packet of sweet chilli crisps certainly helped drink it down. I didn't note the prices but the ale didn't break £5 though the cider did.

The pub itself has lots of clear space around the bar. The floor is wooden except for raised tiling around the base of the bar and at the rear of pub where it is carpeted . Rows of high tables run from the entrance along the windows on either side. Next to a small pillar opposite the bar are two small tables. The carpeted area contains 8 small tables and at the end sits an open fire place. Above the fire place is a TV on a news channel. One thing to note is the union flag which is all over the pub. When i first arrived there were about 3 people in the pub, but this increased to 10 by the time I left, though all of these were tourists.

London Pub Tour 58 - Battersea: Powder Keg Diplomacy, The Beehive, Churchills and The Plough

The sun was shining, the weather was hot and it was Friday, we all know what that calls for, a few beers. I decided to make my way to Clapham Junction, as it's only one stop away from work on the train, and hit the pubs slightly further away from the station on St John's Hill. My first stop was the Powder Keg Diplomacy (SW11 1TQ) which is a Gastro pub decorated in what Whatpub.com describes as a colonial style. The royal blue frontage stands out from the surrounding shops and there were some tables and chairs outside to make the most of the beautiful weather. The front french windows had been opened up to allow more air to flow through the pub. Inside the pub the bar is situated against the right wall. I was greeted and then offered a seat at the front, but opted to stay out of the direct sun and took one of the large bench booths directly opposite the bar. There are about 5 of these booths alongside the bar area, with some more seating in front of the french windows. There were two hands pumps on the bar with the beer names written on tags which were hanging awkwardly, meaning I couldn't see what was on offer. On the back wall were 6 taps which again were hard to see and all looked the same badge. I ended up opting for a bottle as there were visible and easier than having someone run off all the beers and not knowing what I was purchasing. I selected a bottle of Paradise Pale Ale from Redchurch brewery. The beer came in at 3.7% was lightly carbonated, low fruit levels, smooth and gentle on palate. Not bad for first beer after work.

I decided to have a poke around and look at the rear of the pub which has a conservatory setup for their dinning. it does indeed look like something you might have seen in Colonial India, and in the sunlight looked beautiful. The white with dark wood and the green foliage certainly balance nicely. The front of the bar is decorated differently with worn wooden floor boards and hanging filament lamps but retains the dark wood look along with mirrors on lots of the walls. The wooden walls are painted white and there are some paintings opposite the bar which are woodland / forest themed. There were only 5 customers in the bar at this stage, though it was still early doors. The barman brought over a glass of chilled water for me, which came in handy for a bit of hydration. I tried again to look at the beers but gave up and decided to wander down to my next stop, The Beehive (SW11 1TH).

The Beehive is a small Fullers pub, probably one of the smallest I've seen of theirs. Again there was outside seating on the road, with three small tables, and the frontage was also a wonderful blue. Upon walking in you realise both the size and lack of seating/tables. There were two church pews opposite the bar, one high table with seats at the rear and thankfully stalls at the bar. Again the pub wasn't that busy with about 5 people inside, and by the time I had left 7 people outside.

Being a Fullers pub there was of course ale on, and all of it Fullers. There were five hand pumps offering across them Pride (x), Seafarers (x2) and ESB. On the keg front we had Frontier, Sierra, Honey Dew, Peroni, San Miguel, Fosters, Stowford Press and Guinness. Fridge wise there wasn't many options. I opted for a refreshing pint of Stowford Press at £4.95. The card machine was playing up and I ended up paying in cash, though I had withdrawn this cash for the next pub which I knew charge for card purchases, so this was slightly annoying. The Stowford went down a treat as you would expect in this warm weather.

The pub has a traditional pub decor with dark mahogany wood, some bee related prints on walls and the dark wood flooring. Sky and BT are both shown and food is served, though am not sure on the menu. There was a small fire place opposite the bar and also some lights hanging in birdcages. The pub was surprisingly cool inside considering there appeared to be no fans or air conditioning, which I put down to its darker appearance keeping everything cooled.

The Beehive seems a very traditional local pub but as stated wasn't that busy. My next stop the Churchills (SW11 1TQ) though is in every sense of the word a busy local pub. The pub has a distinctive yellow and black frontage. Again the width of the pub is very similar to the Beehive and Powder Keg, though it is far large in length and also houses a patio garden at the rear which was roaring with people. Upon entering the front of the pub was vacant and all the crowd were gather around the bar which is situated more towards the middle of the building. Frustratingly this was just your regulars crowd hanging around the bar drinking and talking, making it impossible to order. It's a slight pet peeve of mine people blocking up the whole bar where there is space elsewhere. I'm all for stalls at bar, but at least keep one section free for people to place orders. After finally managing to squeeze through and get attention I had to place an order greater than £10 to use the card machine, damn you Beehive for not having a working card machine. Due to reasonable pricing I ending up coming away with a pint of Becks (£3.95), a bottle of Courage Light Ale (£2.10), a pack of scratchings (£0.90) and a drink for the barmaid.

I walked further down the pub past the bar and took a seat on one of the side on tables situated against the wall. The seats are enclosed booths with a table and wood/glass partition, and some books in a rack above, very nice. Horse racing was on TV though not many paying attention to it. There was a good mix of men and women, and didn't appear to be your entirely after work crowd. I would say there were about 30 or more people in the pub. The floor is carpeted which helps keeps down any noises and the wallpaper was a patterned red/brown on bottom half and white on top. Fans on the ceiling were running and I noticed a sky light letting in the much needed light halfway down the pub. Like a lot of pubs, the food served is thai food, though I didn't see anyone eating at this time on a Friday. I note I hadn't mentioned the beer options so it's worthwhile mentioning ale is sold here, with three hand pumps which were offering up Golden Hen and GK IPA. Keg wise was small with Guinness, Becks, Stella, 1664 or Fosters.

After finishing my two drinks at Churchills I walked back towards Clapham Junction where my final pub laid in wait. The Plough (SW11 1SY) is a modern pub on a street corner under a new-ish development. Young's have gone for an industrial look with exposed brick walls, wood floor boards, metal pipes showing on ceiling and funky lighting. The pub is very airy and light, with plenty of space. It wasn't very busy with only about 10 people in the pub, the majority of whom were female. There is a large open space in front of the bar, and the bar is quite large. Air conditioning was on, and as there is neither an area outfront or in garden, I could understand why the pub wasn't so busy


On the bar there were 6 hand pumps, with only 4 on, which gave a repeated offering of Young's Bitter or Gold. Keg wise there was Meantime Brewery Fresh Lager (Supplied from the tanks to the side), Founders All Day IPA, London Pale Ale, Peroni, Estrella, Hells, Birra, Guinness, Neck Oil, Four Pure Pils and Waddlegoose Cider, so quite an offering. I went for a pint of the All Day IPA coming in at 4.7% at £5.20 which was okay, but nothing to rave about.

I must say the bar itself, for a modern pub, does look very slick. There are some sofa seats to the left of the entrance, which act as a divider before the dinning area facing the open kitchen. There are the chandeliers and element bulbs hanging down, but most importantly no high tables. There is a DJ booth which looked like was being prepared for later that evening, though it didn't stopped them pipping out quite loud music. Even a foosball table for the lads later on into the night. Though I did note a sign stating they show TV programs on certain days for joint viewing e.g. Game of Thrones, when new episodes are out.

And with that I had finished my pint and started to make my way back home. Four pubs, with two gastro and two local. Each had their own nice internal design whether going modern or traditional, though on this very hot day for some strange reason the customers appeared to be hibernating.

London Pub Tour 56 - Waterloo: Hole in the Wall and The Wellington

After my visit a few days back in Waterloo I felt the need to go back and visit two of the pubs that everyone who goes through Waterloo must have popped into at some stage. My first port of call was the Hole in the Wall (SE1 8SQ) which evidently doesn't look enticing from the outside, situated under the railway arch. Upon walking in their are two bar sections. The small front bar feels cosy and like a local pub, but smelt damp and wet from the rain. There is soft seating around the edge with small tables. There is 70s style cheap wood around the bar, and not the full offering of beer is available.

If you walk through the little corridor you arrive into the large rear bar. There is a further door out into a tiny corrugated iron covered patio for the smokers. The rear bar stretches along the side wall, most of the length of the rail arch. There were 8 hand pumps offering Young's Bitter, GK IPA, Doombar, Harvard American Pale Ale, Wandle, Boon Doggle, T.E.A and Bow Bells. The kegs included Guinness, Wolf Rock, Strongbow Original and Dark, Budweiser, Becks Vier, Yardbird, Stella and more.

I went for a pint of the Harvard from Southwark Brewery for £4.05. I handed in £10.05 and only got a pound change, but once queried I got the fiver as well. The beer had some nice floral notes and wasn't hoppy, with a slightly bitter after taste. The pub was busy with standing room only There were some gaming machines in the corner and also a pinball machine. The walls were white wood panels and there were some old beer mirrors from Guinness. You can hear the trains running overhead but their not too noisy. I only stayed for the one as I was on a tight schedule with a train to catch, but I had enough time to pop out to my next pub the Wellington (SE1 8UD).

The Wellington is a Fuller's pub just outside of the Jubilee line entrance. There are two entrances into the pub and the bars are on the back wall. There are three sections to the pub with the far left being seating only. The bars are large with big spirit displays behind, which grabs your eye. There were 5 hand pumps on the bar offering up Pride, Seafarers, ESB, Southern Star and Olivers Island. On the keg side there was Guinness, Kozel, Stowford Press, 1664, Frontier, Fosters, San Miguel, Peroni and Heineken. I actually spotted a bottle in the fridge I hadn't come across before. I selected a 330ml bottle of Fullers Pale Ale which came in at an astonishing £2.65. The beer is only 3.5% and is meant to be used for mixing with bitter for a half and half, but I had it on its own. It was an ok beer with slight carbonation but at a great price for a Fullers pub.


The pub as always was quite busy but there were some free seats in the pub, so I sat on one of the high tables and admired the beautiful murals on the arched ceiling (The photo opposite do not do it justice). There is exposed brick walls behind the bar. The rest of the pub is a lovely wood paneling with a white paint on the walls above. There are frames along the walls with different historical references. There are chandeliers hanging from the walls providing simple lighting. Mostly soft seating and low tables, with a few high tables in the middle bar area. Gaming machines are also present between the two bars area.

The Wellington is a very nice Fullers pub which as I've stated the photos here don't do it justice. A hotel is also present in the building. Unfortunately I had a train to catch but it won't be long before I visit as I often visit the Wellington when awaiting a train at Waterloo.

Beers to note - May 2017

So I forgot to post my beers to note for May 2017, so here they are.

1936 Bière (Brauerei Locher) - 4.7% | Bottle 330ml
This is always a beautiful Swiss beer. It has a beautiful smooth taste, which may be due to the water filtering down through the Alps.




Gale's HSB (Fullers) - 4.8% | Cask Pint
This is a solid strong bitter which I consider miles better than the Fuller ESB. I understand Gales had quite a few good beers but it seems the only ones to survive were Seafarers and HSB.





Curiously Dark Mild (Millis) - 3.6% | Cask Pint
A wonderful dark mild that didn't have too much of a malt hit, but was smooth and tasty. Session qualities throughout even being a dark beer during a warm May.





Winter Welcome Ale 2016 - 2017 (Sam Smith) - 6.0% | Bottle 550ml
I'd been looking for this beer for a while and it took till May to find it. Though outside of the cold season I wasn't going to give this beer a miss. It was slightly chilled which enhanced the malts. Slight hop taste but none of the expected alcohol taste or burn you might expect from some strong winter ales.


Peanut Butter Milk Stout (Tailgate) - 5.8% | Can 330ml
I happened across this beer and though not normally a fan of anything peanut butter I thought, why not give it a go, and I'm glad I did. Has a peanut butter nose and the taste is spot on. Stout with peanut butter is amazing.


Velveteen (Dark Revolution) - 4.8% | Keg Pint
A sweet nose on this milk stout, with a slight bitterness to the taste. It doesn't taste so milk stout but its still good.

London Pub Tour 45 - Hornsey: Great Northern Railway Tavern, Three Compasses and Hornsey Tavern

On a lovely warm Sunday I went to pay a visit to an area I used to hang out and visit some of the pubs I frequented. I selected this day as one of the pubs had just been re-opened by Fullers so I was interested to see what they had done with the pub. The location - Hornsey, the pub - Great Northern Railway Tavern (N8 7QB). I had fond memories of the GNR Taverm. This was a large pub with a beautiful wooden interior and a partition between the rear of the pub and the front. My over-riding memory was sitting drinking beer whilst a choir were practicing next door and hearing beautiful voices filling up the air. The pub though was in need of a good repair and it did close for while whilst undergoing a refurb. I never visited after the refurb but learned last year Fuller's had bought out the pub and it's been on my list to visit since.

I arrive early into the afternoon with the sun still high, and only four days after the official opening of the pub. The outside has remained the same with the etched windows and Fuller's have brought some of the lovely iron works back to life. I entered via the eastern door closest to the station and immediately could see the difference from before. The bar was facing straight at you and then turned down some steps, turned again and run all the way down the middle wall ending just prior to the conservatory area. This was now a large 'horseshoe' style bar. There were taps displaying about 6 beers on this short end of the bar. Walking down the steps and into the main pub area you are confronted with all the rest of the taps and 4 hand pumps. In all there were 21 taps serving up a selection of Fullers beer (Black IPA, Pride Unfiltered, Frontier...), some standard Fullers options (Veltins, Sierra, Kozel...) and a variety of small London brewery beers (N1, Crate). The four ales on offer were Howling Hops Chocolate Coffee Vanilla Milk Porter (Which was the first beer to run out at the Reading Beer Festival this year), Redemption Trinity, Sound Wave and of course London Pride. To go alongside this large offering we also had a large bottle selection offering the likes of Delirium and Kwak for the high ABV lovers.

I got speaking with the manager who gave me a taster of the Howling Hops Choc Coffee.....Porter which was okay but I really couldn't taste all those flavours in the one beer. I though had my eye on the Fullers Black IPA which I had not come across before but did know of its existence. The barmaid I ordered from tried to tell me cool kids don't call it Black I.P.A but Bipa. I'm not one for turning initialisation into words, and retorted do people come in and order ipa's or epa's? I took my lovely dark looking Black IPA, which came in 5.7% and cost £5.85, and walked to the conservatory of the pub. Now the area I entered the pub from seemed small and had a few tables. Then the area opposite the bar was more spacious and had quite a few tables against the wall. The conservatory area though is in a class of its own. From the four large high back chairs/sofas, to the grandfather chairs in front of the mirrored fire place, and tables around the outside. The ultimate piece was the stain glass windows on the ceiling. I sat down and just took in the look of the pub and though my pint had a sticky after feel it went well for the hot day and location.

I went back to the bar and ordered a pint of Brick Field Brown from Five Points Brewing which was also charged at £5.85. This was a dark caramel brown beer which has that sticky malty taste you expect. It was good but not a session beer. The pub wasn't that busy as it seemed a lazy Sunday and people were out elsewhere and perhaps unaware of this excellent establishment being open. The majority of people were sat outside in the beer patio area which didn't have a spare table. The back wall in the garden had multiple sloped roofs that make it feel like sheds lined up in a row. I would recommend people come visit this pub to see how a pub can be beautifully restored and brought back to be a central focal point. My only concern with such a large pub being run by Fullers and having such a large beer option is the knock on effect at the other local pubs. My next stop was to visit the Three Compasses (N8 7NX) which used to be the more upmarket Gastro pub.

The pub is a short walk and across the road from the GNR Tavern. The pub is beautiful to look at from the outside which a curvature to the building, and the white frontage fitting in nicely with the brick above. There are two entrances on either side of the pub. The floor is wood, with tiles around the bar floor and some bar stools available. The back bar is also tiled which I always like the look of. The pub is an L shape and the bar also, and the bar is made of a beautiful solid wood. The pub stretches back further than it's width. In the front half of the bar are lots of small numbered tables for dining and drinking. The rear has a sofa area opposite the bar which gathers around the fireplace but the rest is mainly setup for dining. The rear area has a sunlight and glass partitions which help the area look nice and bright. The pub has been refurbished since I last visited and seems to have become more food focused. Originally it would have been aimed at the city type who lived nearby but the area seems to have become younger and more upmarket which is who the pub are aiming at.

The bar had 6 hand pumps serving Pride, Knowles Spring by Tim Taylor, Rutterkin, Landlord, Last Suspect by Upham and Pride (again). The keg front was Carlsberg, Brooklyn, London Pale Ale, Pravha, Heneken, Stowford Press, East Coast IPA, Angelo, Poretti, Guinness and Amstel. I went for a pint of Rutterkin at £4.10. This golden ale had a slight citrus nose and quite a bitter taste to it, which they may classify as the zesty finish. The pub wasn't too busy and had about 10 people inside relaxing. This is Hornsey's oldest public bar and I don't see it being impacted too much by the Fuller's opening and should at least provide them with the need to up their game. The pub always has a good selection of ales which are non-gimmicky compared to perhaps the GNR Tavern's offerings.The pub was nice and airy and had a relaxing environment, with the furniture fitting in perfectly with the atmosphere.

I only stayed for the one as I had one more pub to visit which falls into the local pub category compared to the previous two pubs. The Hornsey Tavern (N8 7PB) is an ex-Greene King pub which I understand has been bought out and become independent. Upon entering though I seen that out of the three hand pumps, only one was on offering GK IPA, and bizarrely this was gravity drop and not from the tap. Just like the previous two pubs this is a large corner pub with multiple entrances. I entered through the front door where the bar slightly separates out the front and rear, but not entirely. The floor is carpeted with a dark colour and there is an array of low and high tables throughout the pub. Football was on TV and everyone was looking up at the many screens around the pub. The pub actually feels lighter than when I previously visited.

Since the only ale offering was GK IPA I knew I would be having a lager. The options were Coors light, Carlsberg, Stella, Peroni, Carling or Fosters. I went for a Stella which cost £4 and came in a Carling glass. The pub also served a variety of cheap snacks such as Space Raiders and Cheese Moments, so I obliged in picking up a few. I took a seat at an empty small table which had those accompanying small stools. There was a pool table towards the rear of the pub next to an electronic juke box. There were some cuddly toys above the bar. The pub was actually quite open and so felt empty considering there was at least 15 people in the pub. There is a small outdoor patio area which is mainly used for smoking and doesn't, as I learnt, lead to an outside exit.

I watched the first half of the football and made my way back down to the GNR Tavern to see whether it had picked up at all. The pub hadn't got any busier though more people were sitting inside as the Spring sun started to set. I picked up a pint of the generically named Lager by Crate Brewery and took up a seat again in the conservatory area. The pint wasn't that great as it had a strange after taste but it didn't ruin me harking back to fond memories of nights out always ending in the GNR.

Beers to note - April 2017

Black Eel (Twickenham) - 5.0% | Cask Pint
The last pint in a three pint lunch time on a nice warm spring day and though it may black it wasn't a heavy body. Added to this the stein glass it was served in and the pub surrounding, and it all made for an excellent pint.



Birra Chiara (Brodie's) - 5.0% | Keg Pint
I've not been a massive fan of the Brodie's beers. I want to love them but can only ever manage one or two before I have to switch off them. This time I notice that Brodie's now had Keg beers and thought I would give them a go. After careful selection (point at anything) I select the Birra Chiara which turned out to be very much like a euro lager but with an extra hit. It went down very nicely whilst watching the football in the Old Coffee House.



London Pride Unfiltered (Fullers) - 4.1% | Keg Half Pint
So after holding off, temptation set in and I finally had a pint of London Pride Unfiltered. I had easily held off as to me Pride is one of the ales I never order due to the off taste it has. So I only had a half pint expecting the worse and surprisingly I liked it. The keg version was much more maltier and that off taste normally in Pride was more subdued. I got to the bottom of my half quite easily and ordered another half.




Whitstable Bay Black Oyster Stout (Shep Neame) - 4.2% | Keg Pint
I wasn't even aware that Shep Neame had made a Black Oyster Stout in their Whitstable Bay range so when I happened upon this I jumped straight at the opportunity. This stout is more creamy than the standard Shep Neame Double Stout but a straight comparison between the two is not possible as both are great. It's a shame these other Whitstable Bay beers aren't more commonly available in Shep Neame pubs.





Stout (Pirate Life) - 7.1% | Keg Half Pint

I only opted for a half due to the high ABV. The beer had a beautiful tan head and dark body. There is a lovely roasted smell coming off the beer. The taste is slightly bitter but with a nice malt kick.



DIPA v13 (Cloudwater Brew Co) - 9.0% | Keg 1/3 Pint
I finally had me a DIPA from Cloudwater, and it might so happen to be their last in this line. The pub was only selling in thirds due to the ABV and this is sensible. The beer is cloudy (as expected) and has an amazing citrus smell. The hops come straight through in the taste alongside a bitter orange taste.




BBC1 (Brentwood Brewing Company) - 1.5% | Cask Half Pint
Well I don't think I've ever come across a beer with this low an ABV. At 1.5% I knew what to expect. There was a weak but nice aroma coming from the beer but it severely lacked in the taste department



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Vintage Ale 2016 (Fullers) - 8.5% | Bottle 1/3 Sharer of 500ml
I had this previously on tap at GBBF but now it was time to crack open one of the bottles for a tasting. The beer was malty and dark with a clear alcohol punch coming through. Perhaps leaving to age the other bottle for longer is called for so that the flavours can develop more.





Apricot Jungle (Grafton) - 4.8% | Cask Half Pint
I had this fruit beer at the Reading beer festival and it proved very popular. The smell is spot on and the taste even better. I had this as an early starter (more like breakfast) and it went down a treat.






Old Tom (Robinsons) - 8.5% | Cask Half Pint
I've seen Old Tom in all the shops but as it's available always in bottle I've shun the need to buy and try this classic Ale. At Reading this beer was on cask and it finally called for me to tuck in to it. Although 8.5% ABV it didn't taste like it. Wonderful plum notes coming through along with a nice warming feel after. This is a top notch ale.






Afgan Pale Ale (Grey Trees) - 5.4% | Cask Half Pint
The beer with no tasting notes at the beer festival and worth a punt. This was the best Pale Ale at the festival I tried a fruity aroma that carries through into the taste and made for a wonderful beer.