Arrogant Bastard (Stone)

Pours a darker than expected malty brown, with perfect fizz and head. The aroma is delicious but again surprising, gentle pine and caramel malt but that's all. No huge blast of nuclear dry hopping.

The initial malt, where do you start, it's one of the most unique thinks I've tasted. It gives an instant roasted bitterness, followed by a deep malt taste, leading to some beautiful caramel sweetness. Its almost like caramel centred choclates, the flavours building as released, coating the mouth.
The finish follows in perfect balance, a flash and a bang of hops deliver razor sharp bittering, followed by some delicate pineapple fresh fruit notes that join the lingering malt caramel perfectly.

I had big expectations for this beer, it has an aura that crosses continents. I was expecting a nuclear dry hopped strong pale ale. It's far more classy than that. Critically, it's the malt that's the star of the show not the hops, it's very unique, balances dry bitterness and sweet caramel perfectly.

10/10 Bold, unique and balanced. A tour de force for your beery tastebuds

For those interested here is my attempt to Homebrew a clone of this beer

India Pale Ale (Meantime)

The brewery is very proud of this beer, and understandably so, its won many awards, and even has a page devoted to its heritage.

The cork pops gently, like champagne's less pretentious brother. Pours a beautiful Amber, the smell is outstanding, floral, fresh pine, hints of caramel.

Initially slight bitter on the tongue, developing to a more warming malt, sweetness and equal fruity bitterness dance hand in hand into every corner of the mouth, amplifying the malt again and again.

The finish is a diverse echo of hops reminding you this a IPA of pedigree. A long lingering finishes of reoccurring fruit notes, not overly dry, with final note of raw malt husks.

10/10 Outstanding, without doubt the best English style IPA I've had. A very special beer.

Time for you History lesson : The history of the IPA has more myth than fact, I'm not going to begin to try and cover it here, when so many people have done such amazing work on it. If you are interested i suggest you read the following, as like QI most things you know are probably wrong. Zythophile has an excellent blog, with a well a researched article here
The excellent Shut up about Barclay Perkins blog, also has several great articles here

Failing that, you could just drink it and enjoy it.

American Style IPA (Adnams)

Part of Adnams new Handcrafted Ales range, head brewer Fergus has created some world famous beer styles in the heart of Suffolk.

Its bottled conditioned so pours with a gentle rumble, the aroma is immense, the US hops deliver a powerful but delicate bouquet of grass, pine and gentle floral notes, all hidden within a fantastic sweet citrus.

The malt is far more present than in say an English IPA style, less golden, more brown sugar. With the malt comes a beautiful sweetness and deep malt flavour. What follows soon after is those fantastic US hops, I’m told they are Cascade, Willamette, Centennial, Chinook and Amarillo! Its like you can taste every one of them, a hop overload to the senses. Grass, charcoal, honey, citrus zest are all hidden within the gentle bitter finish.

Strong malt, powerful hops, and a decent 6.8% ABV are all perfectly balanced within this stunning beer.

10/10 A truly fantastic American IPA, the fact it has been brewed in the UK only makes it even more impressive. Up there with the best of the US IPAs

The mind boggles at what the rest of the range is like. Suffolk today, tomorrow the world!

Buy Adnams ales here

Torpedo Extra IPA (Sierra Nevada)

Took a gamble and picked up a 6 pack of these in Austin, TX.

Pours a lovely tan colour, huge aromas flood out, full of powerful but delicate fresh hop smells.

Rich warming malt, perfect sweetness following through to one of the best hop finishes I've ever had. So much flavour, a psychedelic mix of fresh grass, juicy citrus and lovely lingering bitterness.

Leaves the palate begging for another sip! Its 7.2%, but you would never know, so perfectly balanced is the malt and hops.

10/10 Wow, one of the best beers I've ever had, a mind blowing American style IPA

Admirals Ale (St Austell)

Today CAMRA declared it their Bottled Beer of 2010.

So is it worthy of the title?

It pours a beautiful brown amber, perfect fizz and a delicious toffee coloured foaming head. It has a beautiful sweet and floral bouquet with hints of heather and honey.

Lovely warm maltiness, followed by a delicate hop bitter finish, such a perfect balance of bittersweet leaves no highs or lows just consistent smooth balanced flavour. A lovely mellow oakiness and hints of rum and warm spirits.

10/10 Pure bottled perfection, warmth, balance and a hundred delicate flavours. Go buy a bottle and be amazed.