Proper Job (St Austell)

A powerfully hopped Cornish IPA is what the bottle promises, and it delivers. Its bottle conditioned which is always lovely to see, but it pour with a near perfect head and fizz. A lovely fresh aroma of grassy hops builds expectation to the first sip.

It starts with an unexpected sweet caramel taste, with a lovely tongue coating creaminess, shut your eyes you could be drinking the draught product here. What follows in this initial surprise is a dial tone of hopiness and bitter notes. It starts midway through the taste and grips the taste buds until the finish and beyond.

8/10 A fantastic bottled beer, perfectly conditioned, a smooth but powerful IPA.

Thanks to St Austell, you can buy their beers here

Thanks! St Austell

The bunker was very impressed with St Austell Tribute 8/10, and the near legendary Admirals Ale 10/10, so we were particularly pleased when St Austell sent us the above to review the rest of the range.

Looking forward to reviewing! You can buy there beers here as well as in most good Supermarkets.

Tribute (St Austell) 4.2% Abv

Snow white foamy head, pours crystal clear caramel. The hops are beautifully sweet smelling, very similar to an American style.

The malt is gentle not brash, its followed by a huge caramel sweetness, a smooth and creamy middle. No big chunky middle of fruit or yeast. The finish is still sweet but turning more citrus, flavours of sweet oranges coming through instead of big hops or bitterness. One criticism would be the fizz/head which disappears very quickly after pouring, a Bottle Conditioned version would be something to saviour.

8/10 Gorgeously drinkable, a smooth, sweet caramel, premium ale.

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.

Cornish IPA (St Austell)

With a buttered cod cackling in the pan, sweet potatoes on the boil and a jolly hungry tum, the Broadside looks through his collection for an ale that is "good with fish".

Cornish IPA is a smartly dressed Marks and Spencers ale. M&S is a funny old shop, determined to self brand everything.

Saying that, of late, a few choice alternative brands have crept into the shop and for an ale drinker to have ST AUSTELL plastered across the bottle would certainly be attractive. For that is what this is, a lovely light summer ale bottle conditioned by that king of Cornish breweries. As it is, the words are there, but in small font for the discerning ale hunter to seek and be pleased with.

As an IPA, the Broadside knew this wouldn't be Admiral's Ale mk II and from the moment it left the neck into the glass he was proved correct. This is a golden ale, a summery tangerine of a beer, the bottle conditioning providing wonderful biting gas on the tongue.

The first sip is of malted biscuit, and a middle eight kisses the mouth with that St Austell yeasted paradise. This is as balanced as summery IPAs come - sharp, malty and smart in the start, fruity-chompy in the middle and with an end signature of bitter hops followed by a P.S. of caramel.

Sadly, the thing is drunk and the fish is not yet ready - back to the cupboard!

Not everyone shops at M&S, but if you do, once you've picked up your cellophane sealed courgettes and Morroccan bean houmus I urge you to take a short detour past the ale selection on the way to the till and the inevitable payment card wince. These beers are frequently on a 6 for 5 or similar offer and there are some gems from well established breweries to be found.

8/10, superb.

- The Broadside