Hopping Hare

Brewery: Badger

Brewer's Description: "Hopping Hare is thrice hopped with three types of hop used during the brewing process. Aromatic Goldings and Cascade combine to provide an uplifting citrus-grapefruit and floral aroma, whilst First Gold carries the bitterness. The effect is a refreshing ale with a unique hoppy aroma and well-balanced bitterness that is bound to satisfy! It is a terrific match with roast lamb and spicy Thai dishes!"

Alc: 4.4% vol

Overall Rating: 8/10

Uniqueness: 5/10

Refreshing? 8/10

Should you try it? No. Not "you should". You must. This beer is just excellent, lovely hoppy aroma and taste but still a light easy-ish drink. Maybe this comparison is a bit loose, but this is what lager ought to taste like if it had more of a flavour.

Incidentally, this is one of the most accurate brewer's descriptions I have seen of any beer. Though, I didn't try it with lamb or a spicy Thai dish. Maybe next time I'll try it with the recommended cuisine and it'll be even better.

Late Red

Brewery: Shepherd Neame

Brewer's Description: "Shepherd Neame uses the finest blend of Kent hops and barley to produce this rich, red autumn ale. Enjoy Late Red on long balmy evenings before the onset of winter.

This handsome autumn ale mingles nourishing crystal malts with enchanted hop-garden scents. The pungent freshness of East Kent Goldings meets the exotic grapefruit and floral hints of Cascade."

Alc: 4.5% vol

Overall Rating: 9/10

Uniqueness: 7/10

Refreshing? 7/10

Should you try it? Yes, you should. The ruby red colour is gorgeous, the malty smell is delicious and the beer tastes wonderful. This beer is all about balance and character. It takes you right back to the heart of beer drinking - not taste, not a label, not even a unique and slightly humorous name, but the whole experience of enjoying a pint.

I am just gutted that I found this in January and will have to wait till next Autumn to find an excuse to drink it in larger quantities.

Best Bitter

Brewery: St Peter's

Brewer's Description: "A traditional best bitter ae brewed with Pale and Crystal malts and Goldings aroma hops. The result is a full-bodied ale with distinctive fruity caramel notes. Brewed with skill and patience in one of Britain's finest small breweries."

Alc: 3.7% vol

Overall Rating: 8/10

Uniqueness: 6/10

Refreshing? 7/10

Should you try it? Yes.

I should add a caveat here - I rarely say "no" to this question. I have never (I mean literally never) tried an ale that I later regretted. Try them all! The real measure is how emphatically it gets a "yes".

Let's tackle this head on. I may embarrass myself by saying this and will probably make some readers very annoyed. Here it goes: a lot of beers taste the same. I know. I can picture you now, slamming your Oktoberfest beer mug down in protest, and probably sloshing beer all over your laptop keyboard (sorry). But seriously, it's a bit like wine tasting. I like beer, I really do, but I am not a sophisticated beer taster and my beer vocabulary is limited.

With that in mind, this beer is a best bitter and as such is not far different from others of a similar strength and colour. But I would say the St Peter's is one of the very best. It has an interesting taste, worth savouring, but not too dark or bitter. This is a really great brewery, with several other beers well worth trying (Golden Ale and the IPA, to mention two).

To top it all off, feast your eyes on this traditional oval bottle (the design of which dates from 1770):

Banana Bread Beer

Brewery: Wells

Brewer's Description: "Long ago, ale was known as "liquid bread". We've used our long history of creating the finest malt blends & added Fairtrade bananas to awaken the senses with a seriously fruity, rich, yet surprisingly versatile banana bread beer.

An inspired brew made with our own natural mineral water & Fairtrade bananas. Tempting banoffee aromas & flavours are balanced by the sikly richness of a masterful malt blend & the peppery spice of the freshest, ripest hops."

Alc: 5.2% vol

Overall Rating: 8/10

Uniqueness: 10/10

Refreshing? 7/10

Should you try it? Yes, if you like something a bit different.

I have to confess, I was dubious about this beer before I tried it. "Banana bread beer" - well it's certainly an interesting idea, but really? Banana and beer? Beer and banana? (and where does the "bread" come in...?). Not exactly a match made in heaven, surely.

But, surprisingly - this beer works. It really does. No, seriously, try it, you will be pleasantly surprised. It is not too sweet, contrary to my expectations it does not taste like accidentally spilling your pint over the banoffee pie at a posh dinner party and then eating the evidence. It is very refreshing, the best way to describe this beer is smooth, somehow the bananas make it taste almost silky. It is easy to drink (and easily forgotten to be over 5%).

You really should try this beer. It is sensational. It's like going to your favourite steak house and ordering the butternut squash risotto because it sounds cool and you want to know what it tastes like. You try this beer for the sheer heck of trying something new, and you end up loving it.

Hats off to whoever came up with this stroke of genius.