Winter Ale (St Peter's)

St Peter's , the Bungay brewery, gets a second review this week with their beguiling Winter Ale - perfect for an evening by the stove when outside resembles Tromso in the depths of the Norwegian winter night.

St Peter's claim this is a ruby ale on the label, although up against the light only the faintest trace of a murderous red frames the solid darkness.

Really, it's a highly charged porter to my eye, as the label warns of a weighty 6.3%abv.

The head is lacy and fluffy, and the solidness of the pint makes it look like it weighs a ton. The nose is all chocolate, peatiness and malty molasses, only mulled wine could smell more wintry.

The first taste is delightfully munchy coffee/toffee/dark fruit with edges of caramel. I got a pinch of cinnamon at the back, possibly a fleeting winter mirage. The carbonisation is soft and perfectly pitched.

If I were to give any drawback, its that perhaps the texture is a little thin for a winter comforter, perhaps a creamier pint might have seemed slightly more apt. This just keep keeps it off the 9 spot for me, although as gripes go it's pretty tiny. What the texture does though, is make it remarkably quaffable for a 6%+ drink.

Finely bittered out at the death of the taste, just enough to tip the balance back from the heavy initial flavours, it's a gorgeous pint. I'm not sure who is doing the quality checks at St Peter's, but I hope those tastebuds are insured. Easy drinking strong seasonal beer.

8/10 - St Peter's strikes gold again. Insulating hearty ale.

- The Broadside

Hallowe'en Special: Hobgoblin (Wychwood) - 5.2%abv

The Bunker launches itself into what is probably an opportunistic gimmick by saluting this spooky time of the year. I have to confess though I do love Hallowe'en, partly due to it's ancient roots, but mainly because they don't sell cards for it at Clintons (I think..)

Hobgoblin of course offers itself up as a prime ghoulish-monickered product to review. It's a drink that'll be familiar to many, not least of all Barack Obama, who was given some by David Cameron when he visited earlier this year. Whatever your politics, real ale gifts are a top diplomatic move in my book. If only he'd recieved a six pack of Dogfish Head in return, the special relationship might have been cemented for another 100 years.

Hobgoblin pours a deep oxblood ruby. The head brewer says if he'd added any more dark malt it would have looked like Guinness. It's head is undulating but thin and fairly brief. The nose is rather toffee and somewhat roasty, happy autumn smells. Malts are prevalent, and the whole effect appealing.

It's proper tasty as well, sturdy and balanced. There's a wash of tea in the taste, but its a delicate edge rather than overpowering. Bitter hops are fairly intense at the end, but fruit swirls about to lessen the sourness and nothing unpleasant is left in the mouth once it's gone.

It's a fine drink, and one of the easiest to drink 'complex' beers readily available in supermarkets. I think this is a great ale to stock up on for any occasion. Only the most closed-minded lager devotee or real ale novice will fail to find something delightful in it's bewitching flavours.

8/10 - This ale is becoming something of a diabolical national treasure.

- The Broadside

Ruby Red Ale (St Peter's)

I love the idea of ruby ales.

Some may say that a pale straw is the colour of beer, but there's something about a deep tawny depth that resonates with high backed leather armchairs, games of chess with good friends and general class.

This Suffolk ale, made with Cascade Hops, won the silver medal in the 2010 International Beer Challenge. The Broadside, being a Suffolk bred lad, was already a fan of this brewery prior to approaching this bottle. Their Best and Organic bitter are firm 4* beers for me, and I may dare to review the 6.5% Cream Stout before long.

The Ruby pours with a fleeting head, creamy white which strikingly offsets the red undertow depths beneath. The nose is herby with smidges of caramel and sherry.

In the mouth it slides about like satin, no fuss, little effervescence and initially serves up a light kiss of biscuit-malt. The body to the back of the tongue is almost tea-like, with a vague but never intrusive oil texture. The tail is all about spiced bitterness and rolling hops. It may be a little too hoppy for some, but for me it's just fine. Once swallowed, like Barnstormer it evaporates to a dry echo, inviting the next sip.

An excellent and discerning all-rounder. Whilst the colour may advertise mince pies and snowy cancelled-school days, it is in fact a light 4.3% all rounder that would be enjoyed at any time of the year.

A solid 7/10 - another fine ale from the Bungay brewery.

- The Broadside

Eric The Red (Septimus Spyder)

I knew very little about the county of Shropshire before deciding to spend a week in the Vivat Trust's Summerhouse, but what an idyllic rural haven of winding rivers, secret woods, airy hills, walks and ales it is.

I picked up various bottled gems even before spending a day at the Ludlow Food Festival, where ales from Ironbridge, Wells, Corvedale, Hobsons and Kingstone "fell" into my rucksack (via a till of course).

Eric the Red was found in the local section of the food market at the beautiful Weston Park, home of V Festival for a loud weekend every year, when the acorns are shaken in their cups by several million watts of music.

Against type, I was after a rumbustuous little pict of an ale - something old and hearty. Eric comes in a charming little dark bottle, adorned with a home-grown label stuck rather haphazardly on, methinks in someone's shed.

The label text promised "dark ruby ale", and so it was - a very attractive deeply ochre pint sits sturdily in the glass, small bubble lines hinting at a touch of excitability on the tongue. The head is patchy, a Fresian cowhide pattern mottling on the surface.

To the nose, this is a pungent number, and images of a medieval banquet floor sprang to the Broadside's mind. Not perhaps the most attractive of smells but ask for traditional and ye shall receive, a sharp, hoppy odour piling up the nostrils like a minstrel doing thrash metal requests.

As for the taste - giant hops volley through at the homebrew-style opening second, a chomping early biter of a taste, like pac-man in a hessian singlet. The middle is pure spiky barley/wheat BEER in CAPITALS. Not subtle, but then it was not to be expected. My achilles heel, and perhaps something others may admire, is a dislike for beers with an aftertaste outstaying it's welcome and so this proved - a squawking bitter clarion call, the taste equivalent of an angry heron on methadone chasing you round the house with a bag of pins.

Not really for me, but hearty enough to not be baulked at if it was slipped in mid-session at an outdoor party in high wind. 4/10.

- The Broadside

Old Ruby Ale (Dutchy Originals)

Pours crystal clear copper with only hints of the expected ruby. Smells of light fruit and charcoal.

Taste is initial malt sweetness followed by a fruity middle of summer berries. Finish is gentle bitter with a tangy edge.

This says “Brewed in Oxfordshire” so i’m guessing its Wychwood, although no mention on the bottle. Reminds me very much of bottled Ringwood Old Thumper.

4/10 A rather gentle fruity beer that lacks any real stand out qualities.