Xingu Black Beer

The Brazilian beer Xingu (pronounced shin-goo) is quite fascinating, and unlike any other beer I've tried.

It's 4.6% ABV and sold in small bottles (12 fl oz US), and I came across it on the back of a shelf in Tesco. The label mentions the beer is inspired by brews first made by Amazonian indians from manioc root.

When they say black, they mean it - no light at all passes through this and it's akin to staring into a scrying mirror. On pouring a brown head forms which lurks around in a threatening fashion.

The nose is sweet and malty, with a handful of chocolate and a pinch of fudge.

With my UK experience of black beers limited to porters and stouts, I was expecting a heavy viscosity, but the beer is surprisingly light. It's very lowly carbonated, so the thinness never feels gassy. This is essentially a black lager.

The sweetness intensifies slightly on taste, this beer is all about the malt and I can't really detect any hops at all. The bitterness, for what it is, seems malty too. The end notes are faint plum and butter.

I checked only slightly at the start of this drink as it was so different, but I'm warming to it with each sip. If you don't mind your beer slightly sweet then I'd recommend giving this a try. It's not dessert-wine sweet, but for a light imbiber after a meal I could think of a many worse options.

This is different, but certainly not some madcap speciality blend. To the end of the glass this turns into an easy-supping but exciting drink that any beer fan ought to try at least twice.

7/10 - I may have to get another of these…

- The Broadside

Exmoor Gold (Exmoor Ales)

Summer is reaching well into October here on the south coast so for a Sunday treat I thought I'd stick with the warm-weather ales, and it's the turn of Exmoor Gold.

Gold is brewed by Exmoor Ales from their Golden Hill brewery in Somerset.
The classily designed stag-motif label describes the drink as a "single malt" beer, something of a revolution when first brewed 24 years ago. It bucked the then trend by being the colour of a golden lager or deep chardonnay. It was initially brewed as a limited edition, but proved so popular it became a permanent fixture.

It pours with a beautiful golden hue, and the lager-like streams of bubbles can be seen in the picture. The head is snow-white, frothy and persistent. The nose is a grassy basket of hops with a rub of caramel malt. The taste is sweet and light, although at a robust 5% ABV is a little deceptive in strength.

Just one type of pale malt is used, and the hops are a mix of Fuggles, Goldings and Challenger. The centre note is freshly fruity, and the aftertaste has a weave of citrus and vanilla.

This is a rich and rewarding golden ale, beautifully made and balanced. Supping conjures images of picnics and lazy chats on the veranda, it's a sumptuous drink to unwind with.

8/10 - Excellent, rewarding gold ale,. Only a fractionally over-lengthy bitterness in the aftertaste keeps it from a chalking a Bunker Grade 9.

- The Broadside

Parish Bitter (Wood's)

I bought a few Wood's beers back from Ludlow Food Festival, so time for a review.

Wood's brew eight staple beers, and Parish Bitter is a well known drink around Shropshire, popular in the pubs of this ale heartland.

The bottle is brown and neat, and carries a picture of the church at Wistanstow, where the drink is produced. It describes itself as "best pale", and pouring gives a beautiful golden pint, although not as pale as you might have expected, more honey-coloured.

It's 4% ABV, and the nose is toffee and biscuit. Being a lighter strength, I was anticipating a bit of a compromised drink, like TT Landlord (not keen on that in a bottle), but this is a delight.

The sup is fresh and with good length. Initial malt-caramel gives way to a cosy fruity middle. The beer is bittered with the noblest of English hops, Fuggles and Goldings. This lends the taste a touch of Shepherd Neame character to my tongue, but without the idiosyncratic Neame yeast.

Above all the drink is refreshing and moreish and I can tell why it's endured so long locally. This is probably not one to see on supermarket shelves outside Shropshire, but I'd thoroughly recommend it if you can find it. Put me down as a fan.

8/10 - if only all session beers were this good.

- The Broadside

Lucky Beer (Lucky Drink Co.)

I've not reviewed a lager on here yet, but this one looked so unusual I thought I'd have a crack at it.

Lucky Beer is available in Tesco, and brewed in China under license from an Australian company (I think).

The bottle is striking, a jade curved affair, blown to represent a cackling Bhudda holding what looks like half a revel above his head, although it could equally be a sombrero or a portion of a Cadbury's creme egg.

The beer is fizzy and it pours pale. Their website says it's a fusion of "rice, malted barley and Qingdao hops", so a Tsingtao-mastered rice taste was expected, all cleanliness and refreshment.

On the nose, it's a snatch of metallic lemon. On the tongue it's watery with a twist of citrus zest, framed against the half-noticed backdrop of some other vegetable I don't know. It's quenching, and not unpleasant, although it's ideal environment would be beside a lazy-susan stacked with take away.

Clocking in at 4.8% ABV, it's the definition of a Bunker Grade 5 for me - one to hand out at parties and not grieve too much about the stocks being depleted. The flavours skate about a bit, none of them enduring enough to give this beer any lasting character.

5/10 Interesting, but the other assembled ales in the Broadside Armoury need have no fear of being replaced.

- The Broadside

Old Engine Oil (Harviestoun)

This one is delicious.

The label promises "viscous, roasty and chocolatey", in fact this is the only thing I've ever heard described as roasty but it does fit.

It's consistency is perhaps just shy of a true stout, more porter but it matters little. The pour is eager and creates a pleasant latte coloured head which lingers a short while. The nose is a touch of coffee and full roast notes.

The taste is initially sweet with a rub of cherry and the feel is velvet-creamy, tending to bitterness in the mouth. Slight carbonisation only helps matters, and for the taste is just right. This is the third porter Goldilocks will have tried.

The mid section is a waft of chocolate surfboarding on a riptide of malt - but whilst bold and assertive it is not overpoweringly so. Part of the pleasure of this beer for me is the well-heeled subtlety of the mix, and there's nothing here to make the drinker make their gnarly face.

It finishes with a rising quip of hops, but just for the sake of bittering and is a delicious keepsake of the sup. I love it.

9/10 - Best in it's class for me, this slim bottled thick black ale is a treasure - full credit to Harviestoun.

- The Broadside

Schiehallion (Harviestoun)

Amazing aroma of fresh hops, grass and light caramel. Colour is a beautiful sun bleached golden.

The taste is beautifully refreshing and crisp, light citrus is followed by an explosion of hops. 100 delicate flavours flood through, delicious grassy tastes are followed by grapefruit and a light caramel undertone.

Reminded me very much of Sam Adams Boston Lager, nice to see the Scots doing a classic European style so well.

8/10 A best in class Pilsner, packed with fresh hops, beautifully balanced.

UBU (Purity)

Pours a brownish amber clour, beautifully clear, a delicate smell of sweet grass hops.

Gentle sweet malt, slightly bitter, the middle leaves almost a nutty tangy. The finish is smooth, delicate bittering with a fresh taste.

7/10 A very drinkable, and very modern session bitter. Lovely Cascade hops.

You can by there ales at most good Sainsburys or Tescos or via Ocado here

Ducks Folly (Goddard's)

Smells of toffee and fruity notes, instantly capturing the imagination as something a bit different.

Initial malt is followed by a wealth of flavours, all of which i struggle to pin down! Sweet but bitter malt, fruity notes, dates and raisins just some of those that made it to the note pad. The ABV is less well hidden with an alcoholic edge going toe to toe with the limited final bitterness.

6/10 An enigma of a beer, the hallmarks of a best bitter, but strong and full of fruity notes.

You can buy beer from the Isle of Wight here

Pure Gold (Purity)

Pours like bright liquid gold, perfect light fizz.

Sweet light caramel, followed by some fruity grapefruit and peach flavours. The finish is well balanced hints of almost bubblegum flavours coming through to a dry and very gentle bitter finish.

7/10 A lovely and rather unique golden ale, a break from the norm.

You can by their ales at most good Sainsburys or Tescos or via Ocado here

Thanks! Purity

Thanks to Purity for providing these beers to review, look forward to them.

Challenger Ale (Kingstone)

I visited Ludlow Marches Food Festival this year, a magical bustling carnival of smells, sights and tastes set within the ancient castle walls.

Chatting to five or six breweries (curiously Ludlow Brewery didn't appear to be there), all were affable and thoroughly interesting sorts. Corvedale, Hobson's, Wye Valley and Kingstone were very approachable, and I walked away with various bottles for inspection.

Kingstone Challenger is a treat on draught. It's not very strong (4%), so I feared for it in the bottle somewhat. It pours deeply copper with a brief head, and the nose is a hoppy confection of toffee and spiced fruit.

The beer is a mix of wheat and barley malts, and as the name suggested, a heavy trowel of Challenger hops are thrown in. The Challenger hop, a British brewing favourite, is apparently one of the few proper "dual purpose" hops, providing "acidity and kettle hop aroma" - and a steady backbone of bitterness.

As far as I can tell, this is the sole hop type in this beer, and so on first taste it strikes me as too bitter. It's certainly a refreshing drink (serving chilled is also suggested), with friendly bottle-conditioned carbonisation, but that tart note was initially a little disconcerting.

However, as the ale goes down the glass the drinker's tongue settles to the job, almost like the conditioning needed to enjoy a fine expresso. This is the way the beer is meant to be, and perseverance is rewarded. The ale empties the glass as a minor session classic, with excellent intermingled hops and malt.

8/10 - Initially a drink for a brave palate, this fine ale asks the right questions of the recipient. It segues from an uncompromisingly bitter first sip into a quality session drink, rewarding application to the Challenge.

- The Broadside

Hole Hearted (Oakleaf)

Oakleaf is a Gosport based brewery run by Dave Peckersgill. I'd heard a fair bit about it's beers so thought it timely to have a taste.

Hole Hearted pours bright and smells similarly, lots of flower and solely Cascade hops. This ale is on the same lines as that hopcentric uber-beer Summer Lightning. However on taste there's a patch of malt and a whole bag of fruit - mainly apples.

It's a session ale for me, very drinkable and at 4.7% ABV one to settle in on a summer evening with. The finish is bitter but comfortable.

For my palate the fruits are just a little too pronounced. I feel a little mean giving this a 7, as it would be a square 8 for most, but it's got a touch too much orchard for my tongue.

Still, this is an ale made with care by a brewery who know's their product. I'll certainlly be trying some more from Oakleaf.

7/10, a fine beer.

- The Broadside