I would imagine that many of you reading this (if indeed there are many of you reading it at all) haven’t noticed, but this column is written by different people at different times.
It’s always someone from The Good Spirits Co and it’s usually me, but for the past few weeks you have been reading Jamie from our Clarence Drive branch’s musings as I was taking a very relaxing break after the madness of the festive season.
Now I’m not suggesting that I haven’t kept at least one eye on new beer during that time. In fact I was in Manchester for a few days at the start of the year and that is pretty much a paradise for beer lovers, you should go if you get the chance (and feel free to get in touch for some suggestions if you do).
However, for the couple of weeks after my return I have been doing my bit for temperance and limiting myself to one or two beers one or two nights a week. My thinking is that if you’re only going to have one or two then they might as well be good ones, so I have been working my way through my not inconsiderable backlog of those beers that I had cellared for just the right occasion. I say "cellared", it’s just a cupboard but it contains a lot of the strong and special numbers so by the time of my return to work I had tasted several lovely things, but I had also just about had my fill of barrel-aged Scotch Ales, earthy Lambics and Imperial stouts and I’m now longing for something a little lighter.
So, this week I’m looking at some sessionable easy drinkers that still pack a punch despite relatively low ABV.
Magic Rock Sour Passion
£2.50/4.7%/330ml
Probably the beer I was most excited to try on my return was this tropical take on Salty Kiss. Initially there was a hit of lime, before a big tropical mouthful that immediately put me in mind of juicy ice lollies (which I enjoyed despite the current weather conditions), plenty of salt in the finish too as every good gose should have. A very fun beer and a delicious twist on one of my favourites.
Track Sonoma
£2.70/3.8%/330ml
I first tried this in Manchester – where the brewery are based – and was delighted to see that they had started to bottle some of their beers, having previously focused on cask and keg. This is a cracking session IPA, light and refreshing with mango and zesty citrus notes, good malt character and just enough bitter bite in the finish for balance.
Basqueland/Magic Rock Chucker
£3.60/5.2%/330ml
Starting floral and herbal before a wash of juicy soft citrus and some spritzy carbonation on the palate adds depth and refreshment, the finish on this NEIPA is very dry and a little bitter. Excellent stuff from two cracking breweries.
Burnt Mill Steel Cut (£4.50/4.5%/440ml)
A gluten free offering with plenty to keep non-coeliacs interested too, oats adding good body where other GF beers can be a little thin. It has a juicy orange note that I loved, and a deep malty sweetness leading to a dry finish. Excellent, well balanced and moreish.
Stillwater Artisanal Nu-Tropic (£4.00/6.0%/330ml)
Seems like tropical is the thing at the moment, and I for one have no complaints. I wanted to keep all the beers I reviewed around 5% or less this week, but this mango, papaya, passionfruit and pineapple bomb was too good not to share. For all of that fruit it’s never too sweet, another cracker from Stillwater.
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