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 * * * * *

Lymestone Brewery - Ein Stein (5%)

Taste: A vinegary start, developing into a fruity delight (ish). But a bit tasteless, especially after curry.

Appearance: Brown through and through.

Would you buy 2?  Ummm, yes

Would you buy 4? No, probably not.

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

Ossett Brewery - Treacle Stout (5%)

Taste: (This is a multi person review) "I'm going to give this a miss as I'm unwell" ... "Errrrmmmmmm"... "Quite thick with an interesting aftertaste - gravy" .... "Bisto flavoured and gloopy" ... "Not sure where the treacle is but there's certainly some sort of ash."

Appearance: Quite tarry I'd say.

Would you buy 2? I would not.

Would you buy 4? I'd regret it.

Rating (out of 7): * * * It took a long time to consume this ale - not a good sign, but it was still consumed.

Thanks to Hanna and Martin who are making their ale review debuts.

Bristol United Brewery - Collaboration 2012 Smoked Porter (6%)

Taste: This is heavyweight. Perfect for a party by a log fire in a castle (which I'm not at). Strong, smokey, woody and edgey (it won't smooth away the edges of a tough day) and not for the faint hearted. A big bloody ham of a drink. Luckily I like a challenge.

Appearance:  a handsome super dark brown. I'm enjoying the label - it's to the point.

Would you buy 2? For a friend to try.

Would you buy 4? For myself? No. For three friends to try? Yes

Rating (out of 7): 5 * * * * * (It has whacked me around the head)

Breconshire Brewery - Ramblers Ruin (5%)

Taste: Satisfyingly uncomplicated. Tastes traditional and trustworthy - in fact I'm instantly relaxed and I'm being transported away from Cardiff to a rain soaked wooded valley. There's a  slight taste of burnt embers  which gives a happy bitterness. I could drink this all day...

Appearance: I'm hoping not to turn into the man on the label. The ale changes colour in photos mysteriously.

Would you buy 2? No doubt.

Would you buy 4? In the right place at the right time? For sure.

Rating (out of 7): 6 * * * * * * Some may not agree (too simple?!) but I've really enjoyed this ale.

Wye Valley Brewery - Greenman Growler 3.7%

Taste: There's a slight waxiness but also a lovely refreshing quality. Not too wild - just really pleasant. An excellent safety net ale for a festival.

Appearance: Corduroy sunshine

Would you buy 2? It has happened.

Would you buy 4? This is pretty likely

Rating (out of 7): 5 * * * * * Standard but a good standard.

Gower Brewery - Gower Gold 4.5%

Taste: This is good! Hoppy and summery. Hint of lemon zest and that pleasurable aftertaste that comes after chewing on a pencil. It tingles the tongue. This is a perfect beer garden ale -  there's nothing crazy going on, it's just really delicious.

Appearance:  A golden rust - similar to Xanthoria elegans.

Would you buy 2? I bought one from a gift shop in Laugharne. Now I wish I had bought two.

Would you buy 4? I would at the next possible opportunity.

Rating (out of 7): 6 * * * * * *    It's really lovely.

Tui Brewery - East India Pale Ale 4%

Taste: Classic oval creating freshness. Tried a wine style sip = foamy banana sweets with a sparkling metallic twang. Fizzy and then ..... well that's it, and that's just fine.

Appearance: Translucent brown. A hazy brown dream sequence.

Would you buy 2? Go on then, my arm is already twisted.

Would you buy 4? Six pack? yes! Four individuals? No.

Rating (out of 7): 5 * * * * * - Good stuff for a refreshing ale time!

Rhymney - Export 5%

Taste: Rhymney brewery hasn't got to best track record so far, so I approached this with trepidation. Then I noticed a silver sticker saying medal winner with a nice image of a cup. I relaxed a little. Then I relaxed even more after the first taste. Refreshing for sure, but in a wintry way. As the gulp goes in, a ham briefly licks my tongue, there's a fizz, then I have an imaginary cigar working my throat- but it's a cafe creme and it's all over so quick. This is easy to drink but I may need more action.

Appearance: A real satisfying mahogany. I would make furniture from it if I could.

Would you buy 2? In certain circumstances (see below), yes I would.

Would you buy 4? Never say never, but do say very unlikely.

Rating (out of 7): * * * * This is perfect if you need a quencher whilst climbing a snowey mountain or Rhymney Hill http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/large/item/GTJ01715/

Wychwood Brewery - King Goblin 6.6%

Taste: I approached this ale fearing the average. I'm happy to be proven wrong! Harsh biscuits, cherries and alcohol burn. Smokey wet pencils on the aftertaste. Not super delicious, but not tasteless.

Appearance: A comfortable ale brown. Pleasing to the eye. I'm not over keen on goblins - too sneaky to be ale brewers surely?

Would you buy 2? Depends on the competition really... Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Would you buy 4? It wouldn't be much of an adventure.

Rating (out of 7): * * * * a good 4 starrer.

Otter Brewery - Otter Head (5.8%)

Taste: Furry on the tongue, a big hit of iron. Like licking a rusty steam engine. Or maybe the taste of oxygen rich blood. You've cut your lip after licking a traction engine at the New Forest fair and your trying to rinse your mouth with ale and fermenting grass. That's the only way to describe the taste. Complex and good!

Appearance: Everyone likes otters. The ale is a solid reliable brown. Reassuring.

Would you buy 2? To feel rustic, yes I would.

Would you buy 4? With a friend, I'd buy four. Drinking more would be tough but rewarding.

Rating (out of 7): * * * * * Not to everyone's taste maybe, but it's an eventful ale

Westgate Brewery - Fireside 4.5%

Taste: Biscuits and the sensation of being too full (this may be conjuring Christmas day memories). A nice full ale. Probably best sloshed around whilst singing and Rosey cheeked.

Appearance: Like the knots in this wooden table. At a time of year like this, I can't resist a pump clip like that.

Would you buy 2? I've bought many on different days. And for friends.

Would you buy 4? See above answer. As to 'all at once'... I don't see why not.

Rating (out of 7): 5***** close to a seasonal six.

Location:Lavender Gardens,Wandsworth,United Kingdom

Wychwood Brewery - Bountiful 4.0%

Taste: a malty bitter pleasure gulp. It's all good.

Appearance: rude/sexy/sleazy label. Mahogany brown.

Would you buy 2? I would, usually.

Would you buy 4? I could see it happening.

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

Hunter's Brewery - Full Bore Strong Ale 8%

Taste: Smells strong and sweetly alcoholic. Worryingly, it has a ghostly glugg. Meaning, that I can't taste much. In the distance, I think someone's spilt sherry on the carpet. That taste is now filling my head and steam is emanating from my nostrils. It's getting better, that's the 8% working then. Tastes better with yoghurt than pasta for some reason.

Appearance: A smoking gun on the label really speaks to me.

Would you buy 2? I would share two with a friend to reset the clocks.

Would you buy 4? Four??? Hmmm, I doubt it, The strength says yes yes, but the taste is saying no no.

Rating (out of 7): 4**** It's warmed my cockles for sure, but I demand more taste.

Magic Rock Brewing - Rapture 4.6%

Taste: Nice! Smells of Cherry and Hops. Reminiscent of some sort of delicious pie. Very hoppy, it's a surprisingly strong taste for not that heavy a beer. It's like walking though a pine forest on a hot day, all the sap is dripping from the buds into your hair and mouth. Soon, the ants will be there...

Appearance: Artwork reminds me of Pete Fowler's work. Nice coloured brown too. I like that the bottle blurb has promised to "take me to heaven and back". And on the front, the odd saying from those T-Shirts from Thailand; 'Same Same but different' (kind of).

Would you buy 2? Yes! I think this has to be one of the tastiest ales in the ABV to flavour ratio!

Would you buy 4? Things are looking up for our livers. Hooray!

Rating (out of 7): 6****** A high accolade!

St Austell Brewery - Trelawny 3.8%

Taste: Smells like a toffee-peach, remember, from those fairgrounds from your childhood, but the taste is lighter, filled with less emotion, but just as much fun. This is basically an ale for boozers who need a drink of water but can't stand to bring their lips to the H2O. I dub thee 'Barley Water'.

Appearance: Quite orange. Orangutan.

Would you buy 2? Okay. It wouldn't be hard.

Would you buy 4? I'd have to be pretty thirsty. I'd otherwise get bored.

Rating (out of 7): 4**** A splash in the pond.

Victory - Hop Devil Ale 6.7%

Taste: Caramel hop party! Smells like creosote on first taste, but that dissipates very quickly. It tastes a little like vanilla yoghurt and grapefruit too. It's deep! It's taking me on a trip to Downington, Pennsylvania and I want to stay the whole week.

Appearance: I think a ghost escaped the bottle when I popped the lid. Aside from ruining the illusion by saying hop devils are mythical, the artwork is cool.

Would you buy 2? I really would. I'd also like to try Victory's other beers too.

Would you buy 4? Not in a row. But it's bound to happen.

Rating (out of 7): 6****** It's a taste explosion! U S A ! .... U S A !

Wye Valley Brewery - Butty Bach 4.3%

Taste: Having drunk this in Hay on Wye in draught form, I can confirm that it's the closes thing to a seven star ale we've had, in that it feels infinitely drinkable in it's deliciousness. I'm actually nervous to take a sip... Argh, it tastes almost nothing like its kegged twin. No rich, smooth sweetness. Instead, watery hop fizz that stings the tongue like nettle wine. I smells odd, not bad, but like a hedgerow in the rain. Can they give this the same name in bottle form? 

Appearance: Translucent copper silage.

Would you buy 2? Not of the bottled variety, I've been let down so badly, I'm going to cry.

Would you buy 4? I'm actually crying.

Rating (out of 7): 3*** Refreshing but bland ... If you want a six star ale, drink it draught. :'(

The Kernel Brewery - Imperial Brown Stout 10.1%

Taste: Rum Rasin Dream! Instantly drunk. It's so thick! Hints of christmas chocolates stolen from the tree by the family dog. I've been made to pine for a log fire in a pub, snow outside & christmas carols. Delicious stuff; it slips down the throat like unicorn blood.


Appearance: Crude Oil. Great parcel paper label as usual. (Also Christmassy).


Would you buy 2? I would love two of these. I think you'd be pretty hammered though, which, I guess you may be after.


Would you buy 4? Surely the ultimate luxury, but the price and strength might stop you. Or it might not...


Rating (out of 7): 6****** It feels like a six to me! Rum Rasin is the best ice cream flavour.

Thornbridge - Jaipur IPA 5.9%

Taste: This is nice. It's smooth, crisp and hoppy. Ice cold steel. Delicious. The perfect ale to compliment London Riots and Rainbows. Stupid kids. Chill out, grab an ale (buy an ale) and put some Neil Young on your stereo (which you acquired legitimately).


Appearance: Pleasingly psychedelic label. Passionate but not preachy. Ale is Yellow like straw.


Would you buy 2? Yes! Of course, It would be my pleasure.


Would you buy 4? With some spicy food, 4 of these would go down quickly, although, you may end up seeing the paisley patterns from the label at this strength.


Rating (out of 7): 6****** It's a fair cop!