Abbot Ale

Steve: The trend for Wychwood beers seems to be "Hit or Miss" at this point. Either their beers are good, or they are disappointing. Bah Humbug! was a decent ale, but not a Christmas ale. I was expecting something darker, something spicier, more flavorful, heavier, more alcoholic. This was more like a standard pale ale, nothing more. I was expecting something like Sam Smith's Winter Welcome, but this is far from it. (12/30/2006)

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Bass Ale

Bass Brewery

Steve: Having not had this for a while, I got a pint (plastic, of course) of Bass when I went to see my NJ Devils play the Thrashers here in Atlanta. Despite the plastic cup, it still tasted as good as I remembered. What enhanced the overall flavor was not the malt, nor the hops, nor the water, but rather by the time I finished this, the Devils were up 2-0, and my daughter and I (and a few friends, including Kris and Rocky from TOBP, John, and my wife) were just sticking it to the Thrashers fans with one Devils cheer after another. So, if you want your beer to taste absolutely kick-ass, drink it while seeing the Devils (or the team of your choice, but I have no clue why it'd be anybody but the Devils) pummel a hapless opponent in that opponent's own house. (4/24/2004)

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Bass Country Chase Ale

Bass Brewery

Steve: Bass' seasonal brew. This tastes sweeter than regular Bass. The flavor jumps right out at you, and keeps it all the way. This is a must-try for any ale drinker. This is a good beer for those who think Bass is too strong. This is a good social beer, as opposed to a relaxing one.

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Black Sheep Ale

Black Sheep Brewery

Steve: A pleasant, smooth ale, with a low 4.4% ABV, so this is meant for easy drinking for all but the hottest months. This comes in a really cool half liter bottle with raised images of hop leaves and stuff like that, so it's definitely one for the collection. It wasn't that distinguishing, but if available here (I bought this in Ontario Canada) I would try it again. It did have a kind of flat taste to it, but I can't verify when this was brewed, so I imagine it was an older batch. Definitely promising. (4/26/2003)

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Black Wych Ale

Scottish & Newcastle Breweries

Steve: I didn't have a full bottle, just a few sips from my brother's glass. He pussed out and didn't finish it, so he invited me to kill it (unfortunately, it had gotten piss-warm by that point, so I wasn't any more interested in finishing it then he was. Note to Erik: Dude, if you pay $3.50 or more for 1 bottle of beer, you need to finish the damn thing. There are thirsty alcoholics in Keansburg NJ, you shouldn't waste beer). Anyway, the few sips I had were good. This is very dark, like Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout, and I did detect an oaty flavor, but what stood out was the distinct coffee-like flavor of the dark malts used in this ale. Not too much of a hop presence, but I think only because it wouldn't be able to stand up to the malt. I'd like to give this a try again. (4/5/2003)

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Boddington's Pub Ale

Strangeways Brewery

Tim: When you pour this beer you get a pale gold color with a creamy head. When you taste it you get a smooth drinking ale with an excellent taste. There's no carbonation or gassiness to this beer at all which is wonderful. The taste isn't that different from most English ales except that it is so smooth. The aftertaste is there but not as stiff as you would expect. Which to me makes this one of the best English ales to drink. It's also one of the few that doesn't necessarily seem perfect with breakfast food. I've had it on tap a few places and been disappointed. Perhaps it doesn't travel well. But the can has some "ingenious draught flow system" and it does seem to do the trick. Every time I buy it in the can it tastes excellent. (2/1/2003)

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Butty Bach

Wye Valley Brewery

Steve: This is a smooth, light drinking ale, which the label proclaims as "The Friendly Pint," right above a picture of a very drunk Englishman. It was the friendly pint, as a matter of fact. It didn't insult my heritage, or call me an American wanker, or accuse me of theft. It did nothing but sit in my glass, looking all beer-like. Nothing at all. Didn't greet me, or say, "Hello, mate," or ask how my day was. Son of a bitch, this pint wasn't so friendly after all. Screw it. (6/19/2004)

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Crest Super Premium Lager

Crest Brewing Co

Tim: At %10 alcohol and less than $2 for a 500ml can, this is the perfect stuff on which to get drunk cheaply and in a hurry. And that's how I first heard of this beer. It's the number one choice of the gutter dwelling and alley way drunks in the city I live in. So what does it taste like? It could taste worse. It actually does have a legitimate hop taste. It's just that it's not strong enough to balance the high alcohol taste. There's no body to this beer. You're left with this burning alcohol taste in your mouth with not enough beer flavour to balance it. So yes it tastes bad. Kind of like if you'd spiked a below average ale with rubbing alcohol. But it's not as bad as say "Maximum Ice" or any of that other high alcohol beer the major breweries put out for you to get pissed on. (11/8/2003)

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Directors Bitter

Tim: I don't want to sound like a lush but I enjoy drinking this beer with breakfast. Goes well with hearty food like sausage, eggs, and hash browns. I tell myself that because I work at night and sleep during the day it's OK to drink beer in the morning. Anyway, the beer. It has a hoppy, fruity taste with a strong bitter aftertaste that I enjoy. Nothing wimpy about this beer. You'll either appreciate the strong flavour or find it overbearing. I choose the former and really enjoy this beer. (8/3/2002)

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Duchy Originals Organic English Ale

Sam: For some reason, this has sat in my beer fridge for months. Somehow there just wasn't a right moment to open it until last night. Hello, what's this? Warm mahogany glow in the glass. Delicious hoppy aroma. Malty and smooth, nicely but not aggressively hopped. Suddenly I feel like wearing a tweed jacket, picking up my Parker .20 gauge, and coursing the hounds. And then I read this was brewed for Prince Charles' charitable foundation. Wow. Go Charlie. Up the British. (Edit: my wife reminds all to curl your upper lip and read this drivel in a stuffy British accent for full effect) (10/5/2008)

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Duchy Originals Organic Old Ruby Ale 1905

Tim: This beer has something to do with Prince Charles's massive agricultural holdings and I couldn't help thinking of the rambling English countryside and the era of the landed gentry (mostly recalled from watching Masterpiece Mystery on PBS). But this beer has that classic ale taste that's rarely replicated on this side of the ocean. It pours a dark amber with a quickly disappearing head, and with very little carbonation (which I think is a telltale sign for a good ale). It has a bready malt taste to it with a subtle bitterness. It makes me wish I was in a country pub enjoying this instead of my living room. A wonderful beer to come in from the cold and enjoy. (10/5/2011)

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Entire Butt English Porter

Salopian Brewing Co, Ltd

Steve: I'll admit it....I bought it for the name. I'd like to see you find this in a beer store and not buy it. This came in a half liter bottle, 4.8% ABV, and was, for lack of a better word, yummy. Entire Butt is an old English term for "Entire Barrel" and is a mixture of over a dozen malts, and clearly brewed to a well-perfected recipe, because if you gave Anheuser Busch 14 different malts, you'd have something non-drinkable. This is a nice, soothing type beer, enjoy this one for a while. It is bottle-conditioned, so if not poured properly, you'll find yeast floaties. (6/28/2002)

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Fiddler's Elbow

Steve: Fiddler's Elbow is a physical malaise often found in such backwater places as Brigadoon Scotland, Thunder Gulch Kentucky and Poplar Bluff, Missouri. You know, places where fiddlin' is the usual form of musical entertainment. OK, so I'm full of BS, you got me. Fiddler music is often warm, soothing and relaxing, and it's Wychwood's intention that the beer be so as well. The wheat malt and Styrian hops do make for a good heartier summer ale, and there is a citrus background to it. Pretty easy to drink, and the name is a good conversation piece if you're full of crap like I am. (10/22/2005)

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Fuller's 1845

Steve: This may be the first exposure many of our American readers have to a bottle conditioned beer (those in the UK should already be well-versed in such a style, unless your idea of a good beer involves a Carling). Basically, the beer continues to ferment while in the bottle, and while in your digestive tract (Independence Day in your belly). Which shouldn't be a big deal, since you're probably not dating any super models if you're drinking this often (the label should say "No Wankers Allowed"). Hopheads need to check this out. The bitterness did overpower me, so I wasn't head-over-heals for this, but I will keep coming back to 1845. (4/10/2004)

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Fuller's IPA

Steve: This is another atypical English IPA. Which is good. 1/2L bottle, good hop content, nice alcohol level, although it tasted a *little* like it was a rough ride across the Pond. But that's all. So, if you want a nice long relaxing brew, this is a candidate.

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Fuller's London Porter

Sam: It's been years since I had this beer, and I don't know why. Perhaps it's because it tends to be on the expensive side, and I'm a cheap bastard. But a guest on the forums recently wondered aloud why we hadn't reviewed it, so this last weekend I ponied up the ten bucks for a sixer. Man this was good! Jet black in the glass. Wonderful malty sweet aroma. Flavor was robust malts with just a hint of hoppiness. An absolutely splendid beer. It didn't hurt that we were gathered as a family putting up the Christmas tree as James Taylor's soothing voice caressed a few seasonal tunes on the stereo. If you like porters, do yourself a favor and try Fuller's. Absolutely outstanding. (5/12/2007)

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Fuller's London Pride

Tim: This is a fine English Ale. Everything about it is as it should be. The bottle it comes in is made of thick heavy glass, and it's a good 500ml. Nothing lightweight about this beer. It pours a good copper colour and it smells like beer, nothing overpowering but you can smell it. And then you drink it. This thing is loaded with hops, but well balanced hops. There's this distinctive maltiness to it that seems to balance everything out. The brewmaster put a lot of work into it and you can taste it in the result. At first it's crisp and mellow, and then the malt takes over. It has a pleasant bitter aftertaste, just enough to remind you of what you're drinking. And that of course is an English Bitter, a fine one at that. It's easy drinking enough that you can drink several pints in an evening, and I've certainly enjoyed doing so tonight. I'd love to have this on draught somewhere, particularly if they serve it at the proper temperature. I'd probably end up rating it even higher. Darn near perfect. (1/22/2005)

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Fuller's Vintage Ale (2005)

Steve: I bought this at some point in 2006, and waited for a special occasion to drink it. I never quite came across one, but one came across me last week, when my friends Kris and Melissa welcomed their first baby, John Stephen, into the world. From 800 miles away, I poured this and raised this glass in John Stephen's honor. It could've been the blessed event, it could've been the wonderful beer, but tears literally came from my eyes as I was overwhelmed with emotion at the moment. Part of it was the lovely Scotch whiskey undertones in this ale, part of it was the emotion knowing there was now a child that shared my name. Will you get the same effect from drinking this? Well, if you wait for such a special occasion, maybe. Maybe not. But if you buy one of the Fuller's Vintage series, please don't drink it simply because "hell, it's Saturday." At least wait until something special comes up. A wedding. A birth. The 2008 presidential election. You get the idea. (12/2/2007)

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Fuller's Vintage Ale 2006

Steve: I had this one stored for a few years, as you can see, and I enjoyed it when I finally opened it. It was a bit sweet, with tastes of caramel and toffee, but the hops came out rather nicely as well. This is the kind of beer you want to store for a bit. I have 2 more recent vintages, 2007 and 2009 that I'll be opening over the next couple of years. I was not disappointed with the last one, and certainly wasn't with this. (2/13/2011)

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Hobgoblin British Ale

Marston, Thompson, and Evershed

Steve: I'll say this about Hobgoblin, it's got a really cool bottle. The bottle has raised lettering and a raised outline of a hobgoblin carrying an axe. The label itself has the same hobgoblin, carrying a bloody axe. Very cool. Good novelty beer for Halloween, which is when I drank this, in my neighbor's driveway after the kids went to bed from their sugar-fueled evening of trick-or-treating. We were keeping an eye on the neighborhood a la Tom Hanks and Bruce Dern in "The Burbs." The ale itself was OK. It was a year old, left by my brother in my parent's fridge, and held up well. Distinct hoppy flavor, and the maltiness was smooth and balanced, but not much else to write home about. Not as good as their Black Wych. (11/8/2003)

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John Courage

Courage Brewery

Steve: Probably the best amber I've tasted, this has a great alcohol content, and is perfect if you're looking for something heavy and aren't into dark beers or stouts. Plus, it has a great name (that's the reason I first tried it). Most ambers have a funny taste to me, but not this one.

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King & Barnes Festive Ale

King & Barnes Ltd

Steve: This is bottle conditioned ale (live yeast added to beer after bottling), and isn't filtered...to the layman, this means you have stuff floating in it. Normally. Not so much in this case, which will be a plus for the people who hate that. This Real Ale is much like a Jaguar....very pleasing to the senses. Copper colored, lightly sweet (not overly hoppy), and very yeasty (my favorite quality). This is probably one of the better English beers I've had to date...not as good as Bass, but it's different enough that you can't compare the two. (10/2/1999)

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Mackeson XXX Stout

Whitbread Beer Co

Kris: This was strong, but not in your typical triple stout way. It had a very chocolaty taste, one that kind of wore on after awhile. It wasn't bad, just strong. I can just imagine their commercials: "You got your chocolate in my beer." "You got your beer on my chocolate." I would treat this as a novelty beer, nothing more. (3/21/2001)

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Marston's India Export Pale Ale

Steve: My first impression was liquified metal shavings. That's never a good thing for a beer. It improved on that, but not significantly. To tell the truth, it was just plain. Nothing special. It had the normal IPA bitterness, but it wasn't a flavorful taste, more like tasting a watery Bud...it's just supposed to be there, not something that was earned. Don't be tempted by the great English sounding bottle...this is nothing more than mediocre. (7/31/1998)

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Marston's Pedigree

Marston, Thompson, and Evershed

Tim: This beer is brewed in oak casks. I don't know what that does for it. It didn't taste overly unique. Has an amber colour to it. Its flavour isn't as some other English ales, but it's certainly not week. It has a bit of hoppiness to it, slight fruity taste. I found that if I didn't drink it all in say 15 minutes the tastes became kind of stale and undesirable. But that doesn't need to be a problem. I liked it, but nothing really made it more than above average for me as far as English ales go. (8/3/2002)

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Marston's Strong Pale Ale

Marston, Thompson, and Evershed

Steve: 6.2% ABV. Why is that significant? Well, that's almost 2% more than most Americans see in beer. If this was sold in a lot of US states, it would say Malt Liquor on the label. This was a smooth, full bodied beer, with a nice balance of hops. Not too bitter, otherwise it might've affected the taste in a negative way. I bought this in Mississauga Ontario, not sure if you can find it in the US, but it's worth a shot. I know Marston's is sold in Atlanta. Bring this to parties and give to Bud drinkers and watch them make faces. Trust me. (3/15/2003)

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Monkman's Slaughter Ale

Cropton Brewery

Kris: Pretty strong, but good, beer. Very tasty. Very smooth. I'd give it two thumbs up, but then I'd have to put down my glass. There's the small matter of the typo on the label, but I'll overlook it. Hmmm, I just noticed the label also says "Vegetarian and Vegan". I'm not sure what that means. Why would you have meat in beer? Hell, you could also put "Anthrax Free". Ah, whatever, it's a good beer. (6/1/2002)

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Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale

Black Sheep Brewery

Steve: I've got to say that this is a novelty beer, one you'd pick up more for the label than the taste itself. Very entertaining, kind of like trying to find the frog or the peeing monk on an Old Style label. The lable is very Python-ish, with some of the cartoony scenes, plus the line "Tempered over burning witches." As for taste, it has a bitter background, like a pale ale, but not too much else going for it. It was a decent drinking experience, worth the money, but I'm not sure I'd shell out for this too many more times. (5/17/2003)

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Morland's Hen's Tooth

Morland's

Steve: Meh. This was all bark, no bite. Nice label, with a tag hanging from the neck proclaiming the loveliness of this bottle-conditioned ale. It was OK. Even above average. I'll admit, it likely would've been good in a dark pub in England, surrounded by a bunch of people singing songs about the glory of Man United, but in my living room, I didn't get that vibe. Sometimes, beer can be about location. (12/2/2007)

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Morland's Old Speckled Hen

Morland's

Steve: This comes in one of those Draught-flow cans, like Guiness Pub draught. Wasn't wild about it, as it had this bitter (from the hops I assume) metallic taste, like I was actually licking the side of a keg (and I was drinking it out of a glass). If you are after the pub draught novelty, pick carefully. This should not be in your top choices, unless you lack minerals in your system. (10/10/2004)

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Newcastle Brown Ale

Tyne Brewery

Steve: Chances are, this is the first Brown Ale that you'll remember having, but that has more to do with their relentless ad campaign (and what the hell are they saying? You need, you need, Newcastle? That commercial should be on kissthisguy.com). Brown ales, I think, are meant to look like you're drinking something dark and badass, but in reality they're not that heavy on the hops, so they don't taste as strong as the more bitter pale ales. You could probably drink this out of the bottle without hurting your drinking pleasure, and you might even look all European and cool. If you're drinking this, I applaud you for upgrading your standards of beer, now put it down and go try a good pale ale or IPA. (4/24/2004)

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O'Hanlon's Original Ruby Stout

Steve: Another great bottle-conditioned ale, this is a stout "enriched with ruby port wine." It gives it a nice reddish tint, and is really smooth to drink. You can definitely feel that wine-like finish, which makes this a good after dinner drink. I had this after pounding down some Williamson's BBQ and wings. It would've gone nicer with a steak, but it was still pretty good. I'll be coming back to this one trying to find the perfect meal to precede this beer. (9/26/2004)

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O'Hanlon's Original Rye Beer

Steve: Odd that a beer called O'Hanlon's is from England, and not Ireland. Not quite as odd as the label art, which looks like a bowl of swirling green vomit. Despite that, this beer is proof of my feeling that more brewers should use rye in their beer. It produces a flavorful, sweet taste like a weissbier. This is also bottle-conditioned, and the brewery has the awards from CAMRA to prove it. It's hard to compare the styles, I know, but for bottle-conditioned, I liked this better than Fuller's 1845. This proves it...good label art=bad beer, bad art=good beer. (8/7/2004)

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O'Hanlon's Wheat Beer

Steve: To start with, the credentials: Double Champion at the Society of Independent Brewers Wheat Beer Challenge, 1999 and 2002, so pretty much everything I have to say about this one, good or bad, is irrelevant, because clearly better authorities than I have given their stamp of approval. If you still wish to hear my thoughts, I have to concur. This is unfiltered and bottle conditioned, and has that lemon background but still a hop wallop, if you will. Basically, it tastes like a combination of a German Weissbier and an English pale ale. As one who enjoys both types, this is a beer to keep on hand regularly. (8/14/2004)

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Old Devil Beer

Steve: It took me a while to come up with a redeaming quality about this ale, and here it is: At least it didn't poison me. Wait, I have another one: it didn't cause me to wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. So, there you go. Two wonderful attributes about this beer. I have nothing else positive to say because it was absolutely tasteless, with no finish. When I say tasteless, I mean it had NO taste. Budweiser leaves more of a taste on your tongue. A nasty taste, but a taste nonetheless. Once I got down to the bottom 1/3 of the glass, it started to develop some character. Unfortunately, that character was Hannibal Lechter, because I started to think finishing this beer would kill me, and it left me looking like a cat that just ate something nasty. An English beer that sucks. Never thought I'd see the day. Maybe it was the clear glass bottle. Maybe it just sucked on its own. Either way, I suggest you steer clear. Cool label, which should've told me right there that this beer would blow like a $2 whore. Oh, one more thing.....this cost me almost $4 (for a half-liter bottle), which makes me even less charitable. (4/19/2003)

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Old Growler Porter

Nethergate Brewery

Sam: Very nice. Pours that enticing black coffee color, but with the warming ruby tones held up to the light. Delicious malty aroma. Flavor was a bit thin 'til I swirled and added the sediment; then the flavor became much richer, with smoky, chocolate, coffee notes. Muted hops, of course. A solid representation of the style. (2/4/2007)

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Old Izaak Traditional English Ale

Whim Ales

Steve: This English ale is named after Sir Izaak Walton, the 17th century author of "The Compleat Angler." Hardly as intimidating as the Scottish ales named after Scottish heros like William Wallace, Old Jock, Kinmount Willie and others. Definitely a shift in priorities. Then again, how can you fault anything dedicated to someone who was completely devoted to leisure activities (Fishing with Orlando? How about Drinking with Orlando)? Nice English hop character, good for relaxing evenings at home. (10/9/2004)

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Old Peculier Ale

Theakstons

Steve: Definitely peculiar at first, with an odd aftertaste. All it takes is a little getting used to, because it improved the farther down the bottle I got. It has a strong flavor, almost like coffee, but not overpowering like a scotch ale. This ale seemed to have a caramel-like flavor to it. It is a good relaxation beer, and would probably be better in a glass than the bottle I had it in.

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Old Slug Porter

RCH Brewery

Steve: I tell you, some of the names the English come up with for their beers are completely out there (then again, they're probably thinking, "Dead Guy Ale? WTF?"). Apparently, the brewery had an issue of slugs getting into the brewery, so they chose the logical step of naming their porter after them, because the trail on the glass reminded them of a slug's train. This had a nice hint of coffee and chocolate, and because it was bottle conditioned, it had a beautiful head, reminding me of a root beer float's head. I've heard of some people using stouts to make an ice cream float. If I ever use a beer for such a purpose, I think it'll be this one. Plus, Old Slug has curative powers....I was developing a migraine right before I started drinking this, and Wham! It went away. (10/15/2005)

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Original Flag Porter

Darwin Brewery

Steve: This is brewed with yeast from the year 1825, salvaged from a sunken vessel in the English Channel. Aaaaand, that's all I've got. Seriously, they didn't have any modern yeast? They were out of ideas on how to brew a beer? OK, a little harsh. This was a decent Porter, nice roasted malt flavor, little hint of chocolate, overall a good cold weather beer. And, with the novelty of 180 year old yeast. Hence the outrageous price for a 12 oz bottle ($3.00). (8/5/2006)

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Pendle Witches Brew

Moorhouse

Steve: The one characteristic of this is the sweet smell. You can smell it from a few feet away. So, not as hoppy as some ales run. This beer is named after the hill where witches were hanged. It is full-bodied, rich in flavor, and overall a good beer. Typical English ale, in other words. (5/3/1999)

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Ridgeway Lump of Coal Dark Holiday Stout

Steve: Brought to us by The Shelton Bros, the kind folks that bring us obscene beers with Santa and bad Elves on the labels, this was an extremely smooth stout. It has a rich taste and a nice coal-like color, and the 8% abv takes you by surprise. You'll definitely sleep easily after drinking this pint. (1/27/2007)

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Ridgeway Santa's Butt Winter Porter

Steve: Ahh, the beer too racy for Connecticut. Then again, anything more wild than Joe Lieberman in complete suit and tie is too racy for Connecticut. Santa's Butt is wide open for a slew of jokes that frankly are beneath me. It's 6% abv, which is unfortunate, because here it is Christmas night and I'm seriously wanting something strong enough to knock me on my ass and keep me there until mid-day December 26. As it is, Santa's Butt is only good enough to make a bunch of Connecticuters excited enough to pee their pants from moral shame. (12/30/2006)

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Ridgeway Very Bad Elf Special Reserve Ale

Steve: I seem to have the best of luck when being asked uncomfortable questions by women selling me beer. First it was the Steel Reserve 211. Now, it was this one. At Total Wines in Kennesaw, the woman asked me, "Have you bee a very bad elf this year?" I could only stutter out, "well, my kids might think so." In retrospect, that might not have been the best response. It was a hearty English ale, nice and hoppy, but surprisingly easy to drink, so the 7.5% abv hit me quickly. I might have to go and try all of the other "behaving inappropriately" line of elf beers that Ridgeway offers. All in one night. Friends, I apologize in advance if I drunk dial you. (1/19/2009)

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Ridgeway Warm Welcome Nut Brown Ale

Steve: I'm not easily impressed by brown ales. So it's not everyday that I get concerned when I realize I forgot to review one, and end up fishing through the recycling bucket looking for this bottle. One of the better brown ales I've had, probably due to the 6% abv, which is a little higher than the norm. The roasted nutty flavor makes this more of a winter selection than a summer, hence it's part of the holiday pack by the Shelton Bros. (8/25/2007)

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Riggwelter Yorkshire Ale

Black Sheep Brewery

Steve: This is a fairly strong beer, packing a strong punch...not in alcohol, just very filling. Mind you, it's 5.7% abv, so it's no slouch, it's just that it's like drinking a meal. I've heard that people from Yorkshire have a reputation of being blue-collar, hard working. I don't know if that's true, but this beer fits that mold. This is a real-man's beer. Not the best I've had, but it's far from the worst. Comes in the cool Black Sheep custom bottle. (5/17/2003)

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Royal Oak Pale Ale

Steve: Man, if bottle conditioned ales (AKA Real Ale) are your thing, then you must be jerking off at the thought of this brewery. Do us all a favor though, use tissues, and close the bathroom door, we know you do it, we just don't need to see it. This was pretty good, went as a good after-dinner drink to my Valentine's Day London Broil (so it was appropriate that it was a British ale). I'm liking this brewery, but I like their wheat and rye ales better, but that's a personal preference. (8/13/2005)

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Ruddles Best Bitter

Ruddles Brewing

Tim: Has a nice red colour, not too dark. A good ale, and it goes down smooth. But it again is a little watery even if it is more flavourful than "Ruddle's County". You won't taste much right way. I liked this beer, but I won't go out of my way to get it. There's better options on the same shelf right next to it when I go to the store. (7/27/2002)

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Ruddles County Ale

Ruddles Brewing

Tim: "A classic of the English brewing tradition, smooth and strong with a distinctive hoppy falvour". That's what the can says. And I should mention that this beer comes in a can that pours a perfect pint. A nice touch. But back to the actual beer. It has a light amber colour to it and does have a nice hoppy flavour. Good aftertaste, typical of an English bitter. My knock on this beer is that it's too watery in that you don't taste much right away. I even tried a second one at a warmer temperature just to be sure. But no, still a little too watery. I'd say this beer is average for it's type. If you like English bitters you can do better, but you'll still probably like it. (7/21/2002)

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Rudolph's Revenge Winter Ale

Cropton Brewery

Steve: I think I had the same disappointed feeling I had after drinking Wychwood's Bah Humbug! Rudolph's Revenge had a nice hoppy bottle-conditioned flavor with Cascade and Styrian hops (not sure if I've ever seen an English ale with Cascades before). But I wanted something a bit spicy, and I didn't get that. It's 6% abv, but you wouldn't know it. There's even a story on the bottle about Rudolph stopping in Cropton and getting shitfaced, but I can't very well see how it was on this beer. (12/30/2006)

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Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout

Steve: The label is great. Pretty simple in white, gold and black, with the words, "Contractors to Her Majesty's Forces." Implying that maybe a few of these were quaffed before Captain Mallory took out the guns of Navarrone or something like that. Anyway, it's an "Imperial Stout" because of its 7% ABV. In a 12 oz bottle it wouldn't be a big deal, but I had the 550 ml bottle, which meant it didn't catch up until after I finished it all. Good thing that was a few minutes before bedtime. One things for sure, I slept wonderfully. The roasted malts and chocolate-colored head went perfectly with an evening of relaxing in front of my favorite British sitcom on a Saturday night. (5/28/2005)

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Samuel Smith's India Pale Ale

Kris: Yummy! This one's a winner. Excellent potential for a "get drunk" beer. This beer would surely knock bud off it's piss-laden throne if it had more widespread availablity. Great alcohol content and tasty too! How many beers from the "top three" could say that? Usually I'm leery of buying beer by the pint in case it sucks, but I had nothing to worry about this time.

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Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale

Steve: This was not quite as good as Newcastle, in my opinion. With that said, this is still a great beer. It also isn't quite as good as other Sam Smith's products, but for the most part, that's comparing apples and oranges. This was a very smooth, red-meat type beer. Rich, nutty, and a balanced flavor (not too hoppy). (1/4/2000)

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Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout

Kris: When I first ordered this, I thought it came in a black bottle. Wrong, it was clear. I tried to drink this with dinner. Bad move. An aggressive roasty beer that would be good when you're just sitting in your backyard in late autumn. (1/30/1999)

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Samuel Smith's Organically Produced Ale

Steve: OK, I will admit it. I don't have a high opinion of anything "organic," nor do I think much of those who insist on buying organic. Let's face it. If it's organic, then it's got all sorts of bacteria, bugs and other crap on it. And if natural fertilizer is involved, well, face it, you've got crap on your veggies. I've built up a healthy resistance to the chemicals, so when the nuclear war comes, I'll survive with all of the cockroaches (mmmm, Cockroach Beer). I want to know that no crawlies could survive in the beer. With that said, this was yummy. I had a really crappy day at work, I came home, and this was sitting in the fridge, bought a few weeks prior but never got around to drinking. This was worth the wait. Nice balanced flavor, not too bitter, but not too light flavored, so it was good for a chilly winter night (which, in Atlanta, is all of about 35 degrees F). And I couldn't taste any manure at all, which is a plus for any beer, organic or not. Hippies, you'll love this, and for all of us normal people, you'll like it too. (4/20/2002)

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Samuel Smith's Organically Produced Lager

Steve: God what a long name. Anyway, the one thing you're going to notice is the unusually high hop content for a lager (like the regular lager), one that is more typical of ales....nothing close to an IPA, but still noticeable in the finish or mouthfeel (sorry, always wanted to use that word in a review ever since I saw it in my beer-a-day calendar...sounds like a term to describe felatio, doesn't it?). Like most Sam Smith's, this is definitely one of the better brands out there, and I believe this was better than their normal lager, which was below average. I'm not too wild about strong hop content in lagers, but this wasn't too bad. (8/18/2002)

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Samuel Smith's Pale Ale

Steve: Pretty good, and like most pale ales, has a distinct bitter hop flavor. However, the balance was a bit too hoppy, and could have been more flavorful. Try it in a 12oz bottle, and not the 1/2 L bottle, as the bitter taste wore on after a while. I recommend it, as it's a quality ale with a fresh taste.

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Samuel Smith's Pure Brewed Lager

Steve: Definitely an eye catching label. Unfortunately, the appeal ends there. Sorry Sam, this doesn't cut the mustard with your usual product quality. This was either gone bad or just too overhopped for a lager. A bit too ale-like for my taste (when I'm sampling a lager, that is...nothing wrong with ales). This was like a Beck's that had been sitting on the shelf for a presidential term or two. Not deadly, but loses points for not living up to the standard that Sam Smith's set. (10/25/1998)

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Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter

Kris: Damn, Sam Smith did it to me again. Midnight black beer in a clear bottle (see Oatmeal Stout review above). To be honest, there was nothing special about this beer. It's strong, and more than a bit bitter, as a porter should be. It tastes better if it's not ice cold. It reminded me of Guinness in a very vague, you'd never tell if you were stone drunk sort of way. I wouldn't go as far as to say it's liquid bread, but then I don't think Guinness is either.

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Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome 1997-1998

Steve: This is what helped ring in the New Year for me (one of the few shining moments of that night, as the bar, Gimpi's in Highlands NJ absolutely sucked--tell your friends), and it did the job. A little hoppy, a bit spicey, extremely tasty, perfect for a cold night. The beer should have been slightly warmer, but that's the bar's fault (see above). Standard 1/2L clear bottle, great for any collection. (1/15/2002)

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Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome 2001-2002

Steve: I believe that this was better than my recollection of SSWW 1997/1998, but that could have had something to do with the fact that the bar, Gimpi's (Highlands NJ) sucked. Big time. Those sons of bitches ruined that New Years. Well, not ruined, because I spent it with my wife and my best friend Kris. However, we could've gone someplace cool that had a band. When I called them that afternoon, they told me they had a band, but didn't. So screw them. Anyway, back to the beer. Come on, it's Sam Smith's, you'll like it. Trust me. There is a quote on the bottle from Shakespeare, "Blessing of your heart, you brew good ale." Now, that could be like those movie and book reviews that have one non-negative sentence like, "It'll leave you wanting more," or they could have stolen that line from another beer that Willy liked, but in my opinion, he was on target if he was referring to S. Smith's. This beer rang in the 2002 New Year, and it made it quite pleasant. Much better than 1998, no thanks to Gimpi's. Gimpi's, I hope you get burned down by that white trash kid who lived next door to me on Shore Drive. (1/15/2002)

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Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome 2002-2003

Steve: I liked this one better than the other Winter Welcomes, mostly because of the label. They're all good, and I've resolved to have one every New Year's Eve. This had a nice cream/malt texture and taste, slightly fruity, and just the perfect thing for a cold winter night. This went really well with the fondue that my wife and I do on an annual basis at New Year's. What helped put this over the top was the neat label, which changes every year. This year's commemorated Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee. Kind of neat. (1/25/2003)

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Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome 2003-2004

Steve: In the words of Paul Teutul Jr from American Chopper: "I'm going to be completely honest with you." This, of course, was one of my New Year's Eve 2003 beers. However, it was 3rd in line, and by then I was feeling, for lack of a better word, swell. So, I can't quite recall the exact taste. Was it good? Hell yeah it was good. Would I have it again? Yup. Will I do the same thing in 12 months with WW 04-05? You damn betcha! So what else do you need to know? If you made it down this far in the page, you can tell that I like WW, and I look forward to it every year. As Jonah O'Malley from In The Line of Fire would say, "That's that with that!" (1/9/2004)

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Shepherd Neame India Pale Ale

Shepherd Neame

Steve: Gee, you'd think England's oldest brewery could have turned out a perfect product by now. Actually, this IPA is probably another victim of the Atlantic Ocean sundrome in beer. It wasn't all that bad, but I was expecting something better. This might also lend credibility to the arguement that clear bottles aid in deterioration of beer. Warning, if your spouse/partner isn't a beer fan: My wife could smell the hops in this from across the room.

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St. Peter's Cream Stout

Sam: Comes in those cool greenish flask-like bottles. Jet black, hardly lets any light through. But the taste is a little thin and watery, and yet it tastes burnt. If you're going to buy St. Peter's, stick with their English Organic Ale or the Porter. (9/23/2006)

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St. Peter's English Ale

Rocky: Very distinctive bottle, oval-shaped and olive green. Reminds me of a medicine bottle or a rounded flask. Sticker on the front about the size and shape of an egg with a blurb about organically grown hops and barley. Solid beer, but not spectacular. Very much like most enlish ales. Think of Bass with a bit less malty sweetness and a bit more hop bitterness. I'd get this again or gladly try others from this brewery, although I'm not on a mission to find it. (3/13/2004)

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St. Peter's IPA

Sam: Another knockout from the folks across the pond. Deep golden amber, delicious floral hops nose, but surprisingly smooth on the palate. Were I a rich man, I would drink this beer often. I recommend. (6/14/2009)

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St. Peter's Old Style Porter

Steve: This was originally bought as a novelty, due to the half liter flask-shaped bottle it came in, but turned out to be pretty good (my luck with novelty bottles hasn't been all that stellar, some decent, some absolutely horrible). This has a smoky, coffee-like flavor, and was overall pretty typical of English porters (only Americans brew beers that don't fit the style to which they claim to be brewed to). It finished pretty good, not too bitter, so it went down smooth (you won't be wondering how to get the aftertaste out of your mouth, in otherwords). If held up to a light, it has a really cool reddish color, otherwise this is the same color as root beer. What else can I say except that if you like porters, I think you'll like this. If you're not familiar with the style, it's one step down from a stout, if that helps decide whether or not to sample. (2/2/2002)

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St. Peter's Organic Ale

Guest Review - Steven S: This was my first shot at an organic ale, and if I hadn't tried any old German beers then nothing would have prepared me for its taste. It has a strong smell, very little after-taste, but just burp after drinking this ale and you'll definitely taste/smell some foul odor coming from your mouth. This would the perfect drink for any environmentalist since it's more pure than the rain forests. Organically certified, 4.5%, straight from the U.K., please stick to German beers. (6/16/2001)

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St. Peter's Summer Ale

Steve: This ale had a very slight smoky flavor to it. Also, it had a slight wine-like presence to it. Hard to place. It certainly wasn't like one of the barley wines that I've tried, and no where near as much alcohol, but it wasn't lacking in that department either. I am glad that I tried it in the middle of Autumn, because I'm not sure I would've enjoyed this in warmer weather (which was the problem I had with Rogue's Hazelnut Nectar). All in all, a nice beer, cool bottle (whiskey-flask shaped), and helped put me to sleep before SNL, which was a blessing since it sucks balls this year. (1/4/2003)

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St. Peter's Wheat Ale

Greene King Westgate Brewery

Steve: This comes in their signature flask bottle (as do all their beers, I believe). Most wheat beers I've had have a certain creaminess to them, which I didn't find in this one. The most dominating characteristic was the medium bitterness from the hop content....not as prominent as a real IPA or Best Bitter, but still noticeable, but very well balanced. I could swear that there was a hint of a fruity background to this, but it wasn't in a negative way (I don't usually care for fruity beers). This also poured kind of flat, but it didn't hurt too much, unlike those HC Berger beers that I tried. However, this was kind of pricey, and wasn't all that outstanding. Drinkable, but a lot of beers are drinkable. You will get a novelty bottle if you like homebrewing, but that's about it. (3/2/2002)

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Strong Suffolk Vintage Ale

Tim: This pours a dark mahogany colour and damn is it good. There are all sorts of flavours in here. In the end you're left with a burnt toffee kind of an aftertaste. There's nothing subtle about this beer, it's full of big flavour. You drink a beer like this when the weather is cool; something substantial. If you want something "easy drinking", well piss off and drink something else. At 8% you're best to take your time and appreciate this one. It's not an award winning beer by accident. It goes well with funk cheese like stilton, just in case you like funk cheese. (5/28/2007)

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Strongarm Ruby Red Ale

Camerons Brewery

Rocky: It's not bad, but it's also not red. More like pondwater brown, with about the same clarity. Smells very malty, almost like a bock, tastes more like an english bitter than a red ale. So, it's a bit of mutt style-wise, but it tastes good. That is the goal, after all, but there is something to be said for proper labeling. (5/29/2004)

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Summer Lightning

Hop Back Brewery

Tim: This is a refreshing beer that will hit the spot on a hot day. It's also an "English Bitter". I didn't really think the two went together, but my ignorance has been corrected. Although I suspect this beer may be a marvellous exception. The beer pours straw coloured, nice and golden with a frothy head. It starts off sweet and then becomes nicely bitter, and it leaves you with a dry finish. It's incredibly well balanced being malty and bitter at once. Don't be put off by the sediment that you'll find at the bottom of the glass, it's supposed to be there. An incredibly satisfying beer to sip at summer gatherings. Smooth enough to drink several in an afternoon, and I've enjoyed doing both. (1/29/2005)

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Tetley's English Ale

Carlsberg-Tetley Brewing Ltd

Tim: Sure it seems a little off putting to be drinking a beer that shares the same name as a popular brand of tea. But give it a try anyway and you'll wonder why you ever put off trying this beer. Malted barley, selected hops, and incredibly creamy. Nothing different or surprising about this English ale. Just that it's real good. If you've got a taste for ales you'll enjoy this one a lot. Maybe not as stiff tasting as some, but I don't know that I'd call it the smoothest ale I've tasted either. It's a good balance. (1/25/2003)

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Toleration

Hambleton Ales

Steve: This one is a hard beer to review. First of all, it's gluten-free, so if you suffer from Celiac Disease, I would suggest seeking this out. However, I should point out that the ingredients contain no grain whatsoever. NONE. Most gluten-free beers do contain some grains, usually sorghum, rice, corn, millet or buckwheat. Some are better than others (let's face it, barley, wheat, and rye make a better-tasting beer). This beer is brewed only with water, top-fermenting yeast, Challenger, Liberty and Cascade hops, and "specially prepared sugars." So, basically they use sugar instead of grain. The result is a beer that is low-carbonation, deep red in color, and smelled very boozey. The aroma kind of wavered between cheap bourbon and red wine. Strong, red, fortified wine. Yeah. It tasted very fruity, but not citrus-like as the label claims. Maybe old grapefruit, but that's a stretch. In fact, now that I smell the empty bottle, I think that's what the aroma is, old grapefruit. I understand what the brewer was going for, something for the growing Celiac market, but there are brewers doing a lot more with gluten-free grains, I now see no reason why one should eliminate grain altogether. If you're going to do that, just ferment some grapes and make wine. (10/5/2011)

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Wells Banana Bread Beer

Kris: Banana bread beer, who knew? Yes, it tastes, smells, and burps like banana bread, probably because it is made with actual bananas. Both the wife and I were climbing the trees for this, but honestly, only as a novelty. It's not something either of us would go ape for as a daily beer. But a nice, dessert beer? No monkeying around there. (8/9/2009)

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Wells Bombardier English Premium Bitter

Sam: Mmm mm. Gotta love those British ales. This is an ESB, smoky amber in the glass with a delicious malty aroma. Muted but flavorful hops. A wonderfully understated brew. Pick it up if you see it. (5/2/2009)

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Whitbread Pale Ale

Whitbread Beer Co

Rocky: As soon as I poured it into the glass the appearance reminded me of some earlier homebrew attempts to clone Bass. Then I tasted it and the disappointing feeling of not coming very close was also similar. A cut above the macros, but I won't go out of my way to buy it again. Although its my favorite style, this pales in comparison to most other English Pale Ales. Maybe because it's not really English anymore...it says this beer was first brewed in London in 1742, but now bottled in Cincinnati. Figures. (1/9/2004)

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Wychcraft

Steve: Yes, this was my choice for Halloween beers. I think it went well with the stockade and guillotine, built by me, that decorated our front yard. The most prominent aspect of this beer was the citrus flavor. It took me a while to realize it was a grapefruit flavor, which I'm guessing is from the trple infusion of Styrian golding hops. I say "guessing," because you know I don't approve of research. Anyway, the more I drank this, the more I realized I loved it. And not just for the beautiful label and cool name. It was such a pleasant drinking experience, I could've had 4 of these, one after the other. (4/15/2007)

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Young's Christmas Ale

Kris: The first impression I had was of a sweet tasting, not quite so nutty stout, without the color or the bitterness. It had the color of a brown ale, fairly bitter, a little spicey. Best served at 50-55 degrees, so the bottle says...I concur. Pretty good, but not as good as Pete's (believe it or not) or Catamount. In all fairness, they have entirely different tastes.

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Young's Dirty Dick's Ale

Guest Review: (Reviewed by Brent C) At first sip I thought I was sucking on the bottom of a coffee filter. It's definitely an ale with "texture". By the third sip I was amazed at how smooth the drink was, while at the same time having the taste of chocolate dirt. I can only give it a 7 because it's hard for me to think of drinking more than a pint in a sitting. Young's Dirty Dick is probably more popular between Catholic Priests I'm sure. Starting the night with this will crank up your taste buds, while ending the night with it will probably have you wish you had ordered a Newcastle instead. (7/21/2002)

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Young's Double Chocolate Stout

Steve: Wow, this really kicked my ass. It's not very strong at 5.2% ABV, but it's thick, rich, and extremely heavy. It had good qualities, but unfortunately, this stout just isn't to my liking. It had a very burnt flavor to it, undoubtedly due to the roasted chocolate malts used, which kind of overpowered everything else, including hops. Wait, overpowered is the wrong word. More like forcibly sodomized. Yeah, that's better. It forcibly sodomized my taste buds. If rich stouts are your thing, go for it, you'll like this. If you think Guiness sucks, can I suggest you stick with a soda? (3/6/2004)

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Young's Oatmeal Stout

Steve: This is cool just for the bottle, which has some neat raised relief patterns on it (like Young's trademark ram and such). This was a thick, deep stout with distinct coffee and chocolate flavors to it. Yummy, and it would have been even better if the outside temperature was 20 degrees lower. Not as good as Sam Smith's, but it's still worth a shot. Very pleasant when you kill a pint of this in front of a fire. (4/19/2003)

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Young's Old Nick

Steve: My limited experience with barley wines hasn't been great. This one, on the other hand, was pleasant. Mind you, at 7.2% ABV, it's not the strongest one out there. It had a kind of rum-like burn as it went down, very warming (I'm not saying it's as strong as rum, it just had a similar taste sensation, albeit not as strong). I think I'd try barley wines if they were more like this, but this is one of the weaker ones, so not bloody likely. (5/22/2004)

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Young's RamRod Famous Ale

Steve: I'm sure most of you are thinking that we've finally reviewed a Young's beer with a normal name. Umm, guess again. Half liter, tall bottle. RamRod. Can you get more phallic? No, I think not. It's my understanding that this is Young's flagship ale, and it's like they're saying "Beer for Men with Large Penises, just like our bottles." They even have livestock on the bottle, for the Welsh and Scottish drinkers (although it should be noted that it's a ram, which is a male sheep). There's a nice balance between the hops and the malt, although the malt was more prevalent to me, and overall an enjoyable beer. Now if I can just get past the fact that it's a penis marketing campaign, all will be fine. (11/12/2005)

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Young's Special London Ale

Steve: I'm on sensory overload from having spent the day at Six Flags, with all the lights, bells, buzzers, and a clientele that looked like the audience of a Jerry Springer show. As such, I'm at a bit of a loss for words of any intelligence. However, I will say this is a nice, smooth, easy to drink English ale. This is one of those beers I'd consider keeping in the fridge all the time; whether it's after a day of taking Emily through Bugs Bunny World in the summer, or going to a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese in the dead of winter, this is a beer that can help unwind the pent-up hostility of being in such a miserable environment. Young's Special London Ale may very well have saved some lives today, let's just leave it at that. (8/27/2005)

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Young's St. George's English Ale

Sam: Another gimme from a co-worker, this was a pretty decent English ale. Not the absolute best, but certainly not the worst. It's a handsome color, has a nice malty aroma, and as with most English ales, has a hops bite but not one that just grabs you by the throat. A decent, well-balanced ale. Pretty cool bottle, too, though I have my sneaking suspicions it's packaged that way just to appeal to us gullible Americans. (2/5/2006)

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Young's Waggledance Honey Ale