Downton Brewery - Dark Delight 5.5%

Taste: vanilla, caramel. Balsamic nose. Really yummy.

Appearance: molasses

Would you buy 2? Four again

Would you buy 4? Yes

Rating (out of 7): 5*****

Location:La Gothique

Windsor & Eton Brewery - Canberra 4%

Taste: This has a really evocative smell. This is more like it! Has a delicious slatey taste. When I smell it it feels like I'm in the days of the Raj. A multi-layered ale.

Appearance: it's really dark.

Would you buy 2? We bought 4.

Would you buy 4? Yes!!!

Rating (out of 7): 6****** best of the festival so far.

Location:La Gothique, Wandsworth

Naylors Brewery - Merlin's Revenge 4.3%

Taste: Floral Squash. Kiaora. Again, freezing. It's okay. Coppery. Pennies and two pence pieces.

Appearance: dusty Danny glover,

Would you buy 2? Four.

Would you buy 4? Yes.

Rating (out of 7): 4****

Location:La Gothique

Skinner's - Cornish Scream 4.3%

Taste: minerally. Quite eggy. Sharpened pencils. Nice.

Appearance: egg mist. If you look from underneath the head, it looks like the Puzzler's Beard from Numberjacks.

Would you buy 2? We bought 4.

Would you buy 4? Yes then.

Rating (out of 7): 5*****

Location:La Gothique

Downton - Nelson Delight 4.5%

Taste: smells like pickled eggs. Sulphur. You can taste the rum. Smooth. Again, ice cold.

Appearance: yellow

Would you buy 2? 3!!!!

Would you buy 4? Not now!

Rating (out of 7): 4****

Twickenham Fine Ales - Strange Brew 4.1%

Taste: Ice cold. I can't tell. But it's my first ale after a week of gastroenteritis. Tastes great!

Appearance: amber

Would you buy 2? I did

Would you buy 4? Not now

Rating (out of 7): 4****

The Kernel Brewery London - India Pale Ale Scanners 6.9%

Taste:  This is exactly how I hoped it would taste.  Strongish, hoppy flavours that seem to occupy your whole mouth.  It's floral, but I don't know which type because I don't eat many flowers.  This makes me want to go out in the garden and give it a try.

Appearance: It's crystal clear and bright yellow/orange.  Doesn't look dissimilar to a certain brand of vitamin drink.  Amazing, I guess that means it's good for you.

Would you buy 2?  Given the opportunity yes.

Would you buy 4?  In a flash.  Not to drink all at once though.  This is a 2 in a sitting ale for me.

Rating (out of 7):
5*****

Ringwood Brewery - Boondoggle 5%

Taste: Not sure how this one missed our attention? Yeasty electric fence buzz and waxy lemon peel tastes doing a duet... There's a raw radish flavour lurking in there too... there's things going on. That's good because I'm relaxed by the ale excitement.

Appearance: weak gold. Fans of metal alloys may call it Tumbaga in fact.

Would you buy 2? Yes, yes I would.

Would you buy 4? There's a fair chance I would consider this.

Rating (out of 7): 5 * * * * *

Bristol United Brewer's - Collaboration 2012 Smoked Porter 6%

Taste:  Oh my it's thick, and chocolatey!  Ale, chocolate, smokey goodness.  Wait, there's something else, I think it's citrus....This one's complex!

Appearance:  It's dark, really dark.  A bit rusty if you hold it to the light.

Would you buy 2?  I certainly would.

Would you buy 4? Only to share, this one's quite rich!  2 would be welcome, but enough.

Rating (out of 7):  4****

The Kernel Brewery - Imperial Brown Stout; London 1856 10%

Taste: Woah. A lot more planty than their other IBS (imperial brown stout, not irritable bowl syndrome, which this might give you if you drink too much). Like getting down and gnashing on the very stalk of a soft shielded fern. It's strong, sweetly boozy and it makes my lips sticky. What's not to love?

Appearance: it's too dark in here. I'm sure it's dark.

Would you buy 2? I have. Not both for myself.

Would you buy 4? I would. I couldn't drink them consecutively.

Rating (out of 7): 6******

Stone Brewing Co. - Ruination IPA 3.7%

Taste: This smells like my heaven. Oh yeah! It tastes incredible! So much hoppy flavour and at a strength which would allow you to drink this from am to pm.

Appearance: Yellow. It's sticky, like hop flower sap. I think they just put hops in a liquidizer. The devil on the bottle is a nice touch at this time of year.

Would you buy 2? I wish. This was the last in the shop.

Would you buy 4? If I can find them, I'll buy them.

Rating (out of 7): 6****** Incredible!

Moorhouse's - Pendle Witches Brew 5.1%

Taste: Liquid toffee. American candy. It's soooo sweet. It's like chewing sugar cubes. Christ, it's like a pudding, liquid pudding.

Appearance: Thick golden treacle with a light sprinkling of rusty nails and burnt pennies. There's a nice witch on the label... I wonder where she's flying off to?

Would you buy 2? Absolutely no way. It's too sweet and sticky.

Would you buy 4? Merlin's beard! Are you drinking drugs? No. You'd swell up like a big Sunday pudding and burst.

Rating (out of 7): 2** Too sweet and too gloopy. This is a real mission to finish actually. It's just not what I want from a Halloween based ale.

Location:Wimbledon

Wychwood Brewery - Pumpking 4.2%

Taste: A fizz festival. Whoa! You sure this ain't yellow governor? It certainly don't taste like any brown this kid has tried. It makes my insides gurgle and pop.

Appearance: Orange. Pumpkin orange. Amazing label art.

Would you buy 2? Maybe. If I was feeling hyper.

Would you buy 4? Slow down mate! 4 of these would have you bouncing off the walls!

Rating (out of 7): 3*** A Halloween based ale appropriately chocked up on fizzy sweets and whizz-bangs. Enjoy it and go nuts but know when to put it down.

Location:Wimbledon

Fuller's - Red Fox 4.3

Taste: Red Fox! Like a car I used to own! Hmmm, it's fresh. Too fresh though. This ale is FREEZING! It's not yellow, why are you chilling the bones off her?! It might taste like rain and wind; I think it does.

Appearance: It's actually brown. Wow. Maybe red now.

Would you buy 2? Not at this temp. Silly pub.

Would you buy 4? No way!

Rating (out of 7): 3*** We'll never know the true potential of this ale served at these Siberian temperatures. Shame. Goodbye Red Fox. We loved you.

Location:The Wellington Hotel, Waterloo

Batemans - Combined Harvest (4.7%)

Taste: pleasantly crisp. Imagine myself harvesting corn on a beautiful summer's day while drinking this. Possible appearance of lemons. I'm eating flowers. Munching a hedgerow.

Appearance: amber like a prehistoric piece of amber.

Would you buy two? I would.

Would you buy four? Ooh, that's a lot of ale.

Rating( out of 7): 4

Bateman's -Autumn Fall (4.2)

Taste: Sweet and flowery. I'm quite liking that! Light and tasty on an autumnal afternoon.

Appearance: The finest conker I've ever seen.

Would you buy two? I could he tempted.

Would you buy four? It's a hard question.

Rating (out of 7): 4

Wye Valley Brewery - Dorothy Goodbody's Country Ale

Taste: Ffa coffi. Standard. Relaxing yet uneventful. Straight to the back of the throat.

Appearance: dodgy toilet water. Cloudy thick honey.

Would you buy two? Yeah, let's have two.

Would you buy four? I'd question four.

Rating (out of 7): 4

RCH Brewery - Old Shag (4%)

Taste: Start with could be quite drinkable, but then I'd move on. Not what I was expecting. Sparkly nothingness.

Appearance: disantry, burnt caramel.

Would you buy two? Not for me, but maybe for two to try

Would you buy four? Definitely not

Rating (out of 7): 3

Glastonbury Ales - Lady of the Lake 4.2%

Taste: A slightly sweet and fruity bitter. Not bad. Subtlety flavoured, but it does contain the required alcohol. So all's okay... The taste is better now its warmed up a bit. Caramel dreams.

Appearance: Electric Copper. Nice Mermaid based bottle. If the maid is in a lake, is it still a Mer? Or would it be a lacmaid?

Would you buy 2? I could take two down. This one was bought for me by a lovely friend.

Would you buy 4? I'd drink four.

Rating (out of 7): 5*****

Wye Valley Brewery - HPA (4.0%)

Taste: Soily lemonade with a twist, but a little tasteless.

Appearance: light golden water with sparkly dullness.

Would you buy 2? At a push

Would you buy 4? Only if tasty ale hadn't been invented.

Rating (out of 7): 3***

Brains - Jack Black (4.3%)

Taste: Deep, dark harshness scrubbed deep into tongue and lingers for hours, but strangely pleasant.

Appearance: Sophisticated death

Would you buy 2? Yes, to put on Noah's ark

Would you buy 4? Possibly, but probably not

Rating (out of 7): 3

Exmoor Ales - Beast 6.6%

Taste: Syrupy and rummy. Ooooohhhhhhh that's nice. The last time I had this was in the Ifor Davis in Cardiff. What a morning that was!!!! It's strong enough to relax your legs and tasty enough to relax your mind.

Appearance: look at the label! Perfect. I'd like to see a beast if Bodmin Ale.

Would you buy 2? Of course!!!

Would you buy 4? At your peril. But yes!

Rating (out of 7): 6****** Hooray for ale!!!

Location:Stentaway Lane,,United Kingdom

Quantock Brewery - White Hind 4.5%

Taste: I've had enough of this. Bottled ale doesn't have to be like this! I'm sure this would be incredible on draft. But this is wet wash.

Appearance: burgundy.

Would you buy 2? No.

Would you buy 4? 1 was a dissapointing mistake.

Rating (out of 7): 2**

Location:Stentaway Lane,,United Kingdom

Country Life Brewery - Old Appledore 3.7%

Taste: Malty swill. Cardboard and suet. It's okay. It feels like there hasn't been much effort put into this bottle.

Appearance: Standard brown.

Would you buy 2? No thanks.

Would you buy 4? No.

Rating (out of 7): 3*** not interesting.

Location:Saint Mary's Road,Croyde,United Kingdom

Otter Brewey - Amber Ale 4%

Taste: ooh! This is nice! A little fruity! Grapefruit. Smooth.... This guy's alright!!! Best of the night.

Appearance: golden.

Would you buy 2? We did. No regrets.

Would you buy 4? Most definitely!

Rating (out of 7): 6****** classic ale

Location:Stentaway Lane,,United Kingdom

St. Austell - Dartmoor Best 3.5%

Taste: More deceit, this time from St Austell Brewery. Brewing for Devon.... No brewery on the pump clip. Embarrassed? There's not much to be embarrassed about. It's standard bitter. Quite delicious, in a boring way.

Appearance: Orange eyes.

Would you buy 2? No thanks.

Would you buy 4? I'd drink 4.

Rating (out of 7): 4****

Location:Stentaway Lane,,United Kingdom

Country Life Brewery - Golden Pig 4.7%

Taste: Quite cold. Not much taste but very refreshing. Creamy smooth. I'm enjoying it. Scampi Fries might be overpowering this. Lemon? Deceitful strength.

Appearance: Golden Pig.

Would you buy 2? I bought three.

Would you buy 4? Not today. But yes.

Rating (out of 7): 5*****

Location:Myrtle Farm View,Croyde,United Kingdom

Golden Hill Brewery - Exmoor Gold Ale 5%

Taste: lager top. It's fizzy. Orangy head. Not so good.

Appearance: yellow

Would you buy 2? We did.

Would you buy 4? No way!

Rating (out of 7): 2**

Location:Saint Mary's Road,Croyde,United Kingdom

Devon Brewing Co. - Pale Ale 4.2%

Taste: Delicious! smooth brew. A Smokey, deep flavour. But light. If you know what I mean.

Appearance: surface scum, doesn't subtract from the flavour.

Would you buy 2? I bought three and a half.

Would you buy 4? Yes.

Rating (out of 7): 5***** yummers!

Location:Saint Mary's Road,Croyde,United Kingdom