Itchen Valley - Wat Tyler 5%

Taste: Wet, hoppy yet chewy. You could enjoy this in winter as well as in the comfort of a beer garden on a summer's eve. Caramel lip smacks.

Appearance: Wat looks a bit like Nicholas Cage on the bottle. Wat's lesson? Don't fight the poll tax lest you lose your head. Beer is dark brown.

Would you buy 2? Yes.

Would you buy 4? Okay.

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

Piddle Brewery - Premium Ale 4.1%

Taste: That's nice. Even if it's a bit too lively. It's coppery and a little bit fruity. Ooh mamma.

Appearance: wee-joke bottle. Beer doesn't look like wee.

Would you buy 2? Yes.

Would you buy 4? It's possible.

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

Vibrant Forest - Wheatwave 4.8%

Taste: Not usually a fan of English wheat beers, but this is edging it's way towards Belgium in style. Kind of tastes like a tasty bottle of Le Chouffe. Very Tasty.

Appearance: orange to my eyes

Would you buy 2? I have

Would you buy 4? Yes!

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

Location:Belle Vue Road,Bournemouth,United Kingdom

Fuller's - Traitor's Gate 4.5%

Taste: Musty autumn ale. It slips down a treat. But it's not going to win any awards for innovation.

Appearance: a pleasing chestnut brown.

Would you buy 2? Not today.

Would you buy 4? For friends

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

Art Brew - Baby Anarchist 3.2%

Taste: Watery, zesty and tree bark are the first 3 words used for this ale. A slight bit eggy, a definite horse tail in the mouth and a quick dab with a 9v battery on the tongue.

Appearance: Holds it's own in a darken room.

Would you buy 2? Mmmmm. Could do.

Would you buy 4? No thanks.

Rating (out of 7): 4 * * * *. Good for such a low alcohol ale but not an anarchistic as it would like to think it is.

Grey Trees - Caradog's Bitter 3.8%

Taste: File away into that large section of ales, known as 'Standard Good Ale'. You know the stuff, not mind blowing tastes, nothing weird or wonderful, but pleasant and drinkable and so far removed from Creamflow syndrome you can't accuse it of being bland.

Appearance: Solid tea brown

Would you buy 2? No rush

Would you buy 4? Even less of a rush.

Rating (out of 7): 4 * * * * You won't regret having a couple - but it won't stick it the mind.

Celt - Native Storm 4.4%

Taste: I always get tempted by Celt - it must be the labels - and then the ale is, well, underwhelming. Same story here I'm afraid. Carbon hops and a gassy taste. A metallic flavour that dries out the mouth. It's fine, but that's it.

Appearance: Disco brown

Would you buy 2? Two would not be the end of the world.

Would you buy 4? No.

Rating (out of 7): 3 * * *. It's fine - but so many ales are.

Vibrant Forest Brewery - Metropolis 6%

Taste: A taste almost on par with The Kernel Brewery's Imperial Brown Stout (take 6% abv). It's hoppy, a little smokey and dark.

Appearance: an all enveloping blackness.

Would you buy 2? I have

Would you buy 4? I would

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

Vibrant Forest Brewery - Vibrant IPA 7.3%

Taste: Interesting stuff. It tastes like a hedgerow. Mega hopped, again. It's fruity, I get a jammy blackcurrenty taste. But I did just eat a curry.

Appearance: brown cloud.

Would you buy 2? I did.

Would you buy 4? I could again.

Rating (out of 7): 5***** another great one from the forest.

Vibrant Forest Brewery - Vibrant Pale Ale Citra 5%

Taste: Oh god. Let this be good... It smells delicious.... Yes!!! It's amazing! Powerfully hopped with Citra. It's so tropical. It's not afraid either, it tastes like you didn't dust your grapefruit half with sugar. Lovely stuff.

Appearance: New brewery from the new forest. It really tastes like they know there stuff and aren't afraid to keep it modern. Beer'a clean and amber in colour.

Would you buy 2? I did. I'm happy.

Would you buy 4? Yes, back for more, I'll be.

Rating (out of 7): 6****** a good start from vibrant forest.

Shipyard Brewing Co. - Double Thumper 5%

Taste: Wow, it's like the autumnal beer from ringwood that I've always known but with a massive bunch of hops poked in there. It's great.

Appearance: Camphor Wood Chest. Two boars on the label.

Would you buy 2? I bought a polypin.

Would you buy 4? I kind of have. I would again.

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

Little Valley - Python IPA 6%

Taste: tastes dissapointing. Our time is running out. And we've got this. Not on.

Appearance: brown

Would you buy 2? Yes

Would you buy 4? No

Rating (out of 7): 2**

Location:Hanham Road,Wimborne Minster,United Kingdom

Dark Star - American Pale ale 4.7%

Taste: USA hop mega blast. I love this. I think I've reviewed this before. It's great. Give it to me. Straw. Pulled up from the root.

Appearance: light. delicious.

Would you buy 2? We have.

Would you buy 4? Yes

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

Black Paw - IPA 5%

Taste: smells like a veggiemite horror. Tastes like a void. It's not a full void. But there IS some flavour there. Slate. mud. Oil. These are our masters now.

Appearance: chestnut

Would you buy 2? We did.

Would you buy 4? I can't see it today

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

Location:Priors Walk,Wimborne Minster,United Kingdom

Milestone - Harry Porter 4.8%

Taste: rich blackcurrenty. Porter taste. SMOOTH!

Appearance: solid

Would you buy 2? Yes

Would you buy 4? Not sure

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

Location:Allen Court,Wimborne Minster,United Kingdom

Abbeydale - Brimstone 3.9%

Taste: this is good. So good. But wet. I'm enjoying it. Tastes like the ale world has opened up the ale gates and let the flavours flow forth.

Appearance: dark ale.

Would you buy 2? Yes

Would you buy 4? Yes

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

Location:Hanham Road,Wimborne Minster,United Kingdom

South Hams - Devon Pride 3.8%

Taste: it's good. It's fruity water. It has a tang. It puts a spring in my step and a wobble in my belly.

Appearance: whatever

Would you buy 2? Yes

Would you buy 4? It could happen

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

Location:Allen Court,Wimborne Minster,United Kingdom

North Cotswolds - Shagweaver 4.5%

Taste: it's bloke in the pub no one wants to talk to but you are obliged to. He's nice, but he's boring. He wants to talk about work.

Appearance: boring.

Would you buy 2? Yeah. Probably. That's the perversity of real ale.

Would you buy 4? Yeah, (uncomfortable noises)

Rating (out of 7): a solid 3 ***

Location:River Close,Wimborne Minster,United Kingdom

Bournemouth Brewing co. - Golden Grain 4.8%

Taste: I wouldn't say the hop flavour is 'merciless' as described. There's a hint of pity in there.... But it is tasty none the less. This secret bournemouth brewery are holding their own. Biscuits.

Appearance: beer.

Would you buy 2? We did.

Would you buy 4? Yes

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

Location:River Close,Wimborne Minster,United Kingdom

Salopian - Oracle 4%

Taste: the surprise brewer of the festival. So nice. Hopped to the max. It's unadulterated hop pleasure. I'd happily die in this stuff.

Appearance: yellow.

Would you buy 2? We have.

Would you buy 4? We will.

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

Location:Allen Court,Wimborne Minster,United Kingdom

Potbelly brewery - Captain Pigwash 4.2%

Taste: intense. No holds barred fruitiness. Soothing to the palette.... Dangerous. Stings the lips but I quite like the sting. It's off. Oh. Betrayal.

Appearance: death.

Would you buy 2? We bought 5

Would you buy 4? Not again

Rating (out of 7): 1* we've been betrayed.

Salopian - Lemon Dream 4.5%

Taste: one reviewer says it's too nosey. But I'm all for this. Strongly hopped with citrus and grapefruit. I'm all over this one.

Appearance: lemon yellow sun

Would you buy 2? We have

Would you buy 4? Yes

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

Location:East Borough,Wimborne Minster,United Kingdom

Castle Rock - XH558 Vulcan Bomber Beer 4%

Taste: wow. That's a tangy mild. Tastes like spilling some caramel on some top soil then eating the lot.

Appearance: dark. Not like me to go for a war based ale.

Would you buy 2? Yes

Would you buy 4? Could do

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

Location:Hanham Road,Wimborne Minster,United Kingdom

Bournemouth Brewing Co. - Wessex Wobble 4.4%

Taste: Malty. A little fruity. Quite tangy. But it's all good.

Appearance: brown depths

Would you buy 2? Not today.

Would you buy 4? It could happen.

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

Location:Priors Walk,Wimborne Minster,United Kingdom

Blue Monkey Brewery - Guerilla 4.9%

Taste: Stout! A light volcanic ash and a bitter burnt finish. A slightly cherry taste too!

Appearance: Blacker than socks

Would you buy 2? A challenge

Would you buy 4? Too challenging

Rating (out of 7): 4 * * * * Fine - but definitely not as revolutionary as it claims.

Pipes - American IPA 5.6%

Taste: Orange squash mangled with hops. Fruity, starchy and a touch rummy.

Appearance: Subsoil

Would you buy 2? Yes

Would you buy 4? Yes

Rating (out of 7): 5 * * * * *. It disappeared in an instant and was interesting - good stuff.

Pipes - Pale Ale 4.5%

Taste: Fruity. Umbongo. Tangy. Deliciously tropical.

Appearance: A handsomely packaged ale

Would you buy 2? Definitely

Would you buy 4? Could do

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

Chapel Down Group PLC - Curious Porter 5%

Taste: A deep, damp and smokey well. It has a tasty sweetness too it. Much better than the last one by this conglomerate.

Appearance: Inky black.

Would you buy 2? Yes!

Would you buy 4? No thanks.

Rating (out of 7): 5***** it's pretty good!

Badger - Hopeful Hop 4.6%

Taste: caramel sweetness with biscuity malts and some delicious hops. Badger on draught is still delicious, even if the bottled stuff seems to have gone down hill. This is a gateway ale. Give it to your sons and daughters.

Appearance: golden

Would you buy 2? Yes.

Would you buy 4? I could

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

Location:Long Lane,,United Kingdom

Itchen Valley Brewery - Pure Gold 4.8%

Taste: A nice caramelly gulp. A pretty smooth bitter, I bet the draft tastes heavenly. This bottle is slightly fizzed. I'd rather it was flat. I don't need the bubbles this evening.

Appearance: there's a lion on the bottle. Does that mean it's cat based? That aside. Beer is a pleasing amber.

Would you buy 2? I assume so.

Would you buy 4? I'd have to sample the draught version.

Rating (out of 7): 5***** it's all round good time beer