Baltic Night (Compass)

Pours smooth with an inky pitch soul, there's enough black depth here to interest Stephen Hawking.

A suggestion of a rusty head soon evaporates to nought, leaving a few roast and barley tones in the breeze and a considerable air of threat. Also, unusually for a stout a clutch of hops dances on the nose.

The sip is quite extraordinary. Typically with the stouts we've had, hearty big dark flavours come along all together, and mosh for attention in robust tapestries of taste. Baltic Night though is an altogether more subtle affair. It's roasty and bitter, but smooooth. Coffee tones slide in like an advanced driver overtaking on a rainy night, before a simple yet very effective dry chocolatey finish closes the deal.

It's altogether the most cohesive and well planned stout I think I've had. Everything here fits like gears in a swiss clock. There's very little of the classic stout 'munch', and more a craft-beer style invitation to sip again. This is dark beer by design.

This 4.8%abv Compass ale has won the odd award and rightly so. It's delightful to sip by itself, but I'd suggest this is one stout very suitable for accompanying rich food, without bulldozering the palate.

8/10 - Delicate and designed to delight, this is a Bang and Olufsen stout, brewed with care and intention.

The Kings Shipment (Compass) 6%Abv

Cracks with the slightest pop, a very limited head on the pour. Pale golden, aromas of orange light pine and a bit of toffee sweetness.

Gentle sweet malt to start is quickly followed by a fresh blast of oak, this seems to amplify the sweetness and caramel taste. Following that is a very fresh piney punch of hop bittering that lingers along with he caramel to the end.

7/10 A cracking oaked beer that gives a nice twist to the standard IPA.

Thanks to Compass Brewery for providing, you can find out more about their beers here.

Thanks Compass Brewery

A big thanks to the Compass brewery who have sent these beers to be reviewed for the bunker.

Based in Oxford they have three core beers Baltic Night Stout, The King’s Shipment IPA, and Isis Pale Ale. All sound fantastic and we can't wait to review.

Triple (Brakspear) 7.2% Abv

A deep copper beer, the aroma is nutty and of brown sugar.

The initial taste is like a hammerblow of malt and powerful fruity flavours. The rich fruit flavour just keeps building, plum and blueberrys definately hidden within.

The finish is lingering, but not of bitterness, or of any real noticable hopping, despite the fact this beer is supposedly "triple hopped". Instead the fruit lingers on long into the finish, becoming increasingly sharp, finishing with an almost sherry taste as the abv powers home.

7/10 Like a boozey fruit pudding, could be fantastic with cheese inplace of Port.

Oxford Gold (Brakspear) 4.6% abv

Pours a rather standard "gold" colour, biscuity notes hidden with the nose with the odd flash of zest and gentle fresh cut grass.

Initial taste is rather malty and dry, followed by light sweetness. A biscuity middle, like a digestive, leading to a rather nutty twang. The finish is mellow without and notable hopping or bitterness.

I remember buying this beer a few years ago when it was bottled conditioned, it was as crisp and fresh as a lawn mowed in summer time. Now sadly it tastes like a rather generic Marstons beer. A real shame, a fallen hero.

4/10 Nothing offensive in this beer, but sadly nothing of note.

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.

Dutchy Originals Select Ale (Wychwood)

A bold ale with clear intent, strong aromas of raspberries and other summer fruit make their mark instantly.

A strong matured maltiness fills the palate, some sharper grapefruit flavours coming through. It finishes with a bitter and dry finish, leaving the strong nature of the beer hanging.

7/10 A mature beer of class.

Organic Ale (Dutchy Originals)

A lovely, almost coppery brown beer is released from this regal looking bottle. If the bottle is a reflection of the beer a classy beer of breeding is expected. Brewed by Wychwood using organic barley from the Highgrove estate.

It starts with a lovely gentle malt, sweet notes hit the palette, followed by a warming matured flavour that washes over the corners of the mouth. There is limited bitterness and a distinct lack of a IPA style hop kick, but what you do get is a warming Carmel flavour with beautiful biscuit malt.

When best enjoyed : At home when you want to gently saviour some gentle, full flavours without a high alcoholic strength.

7/10 As comforting as a caramel covered digestive….but much classier than that.