XB

Brewery: Theakston's

Brewer's Description: "Ruby coloured, richly flavoured, full-bodied with a deliciously complex hop aroma. Masham's little secret!

Brewed using the finest quality natural ingredients and over 178 years of brewing wisdom."

Alc: 4.5% vol

Overall Rating: 9/10

Uniqueness: 9/10

Refreshing? 7/10

Should you try it? This beer is refreshing, zingy and bitter - a fantastic drink, definitely worth trying. For someone unsophisticated in the vocabulary of beer, this is actually a really hard one to describe accurately. It is a sensation  to drink, a bit like sucking a lemon. You can almost feel the effect of the beer on your mouth. If that sounds odd, don't worry - I haven't had one too many of these! I just cannot think of a better way to explain the unique experience of drinking this beer.

So - enjoy!

India Pale Ale

Brewery: Marston's

Brewer's Description: "Marston's Old Empire is a true India Pale Ale - it has a strong hop aroma and flavour, a rich malty, bitter taste and is pale in colour.

During the 19th Century, Burton became famous for brewing the best beer for export to India. Sparkling spring water, a robust strain of yeast, high levels of hops and maturation in oak casks all ensured that the beer survived the three-month sea journey to India. The result was a beer with a tangy, clean bitterness and wonderfully refreshing character."

Alc: 5.7% vol

Overall Rating: 8/10

Uniqueness: 6/10

Refreshing? 7/10

Should you try it? If you like hoppy beers, you will not be disappointed. This has a fantastic strong flavour and a lovely dark golden colour, with plenty of hoppy flavour to boot. It would be perfect with a spicy curry (I had it with Trinidadian food, which worked pretty well). But don't try to drink it fast - at nearly 6% and with a strong bitter flavour, you will need to savour this one to enjoy it.