The Ale Archive

    The brewery: "Purple Moose Brewery is based in the historic harbour town of Porthmadog, nestled in the beautiful foothills of Snowdonia, North Wales. Our multi award-winning beers are brewed with love and passion using entirely UK malted barley and water from the hills of Snowdonia." See more The beer: "Cwrw Glaslyn/Glaslyn Ale is a fine golden premium bitter brewed from Welsh mountain water and natural ingredients. 4.2% ABV. The name comes from the mighty Glaslyn river which begins among the upper slopes of 'Yr Wyddfa' (Snowdon) before cascading through the Aberglaslyn Pass until it reaches Porthmadog Harbour and the Irish Sea beyond." Another ale procured for me by a good friend on a recent trip to north Wales - and very much appreciated it was too, very tasty indeed, A nice balance of flavours.  April 2022. Related entries  

The brewery: "Peerless Brewing is an award winning microbrewery based in Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula.We specialise in creating modern cask conditioned ales and keg beers by combining traditional brewing techniques and fine ingredients with a modern approach. Dedicated to producing high quality beers in a variety of styles and strengths. From award winning stouts to modern hop forward IPA’s." The beer: "Our best seller! Three malts and three hops. Blond in style. Wheat, lager and pale malts combined with a wonderful fruity citrus finish from Admiral, First Gold  and Cascade hops." Regulars will know that these sort of beers are not usually my thing, however a friend had procured it for me and I happily tried it! Yes, a bit more fruity than I would like but bearable by my fussy palate. One to serve a bit colder on a hot summers night maybe - when we get one. April 2023. Related entries

The brewery: "Barmouth's first and only brewery & distillery. Myrddins Brewery & Distillery Ltd was established in 2014." The beer: "In tribute  to Harold  Lowe who lived in Barmouth, the only officer  to go  back to the stricken  ship. A copper coloured bitter, with forest fruit aromas and a bitter finish, with a white fluffy head." Another ale procured by a friend - and what an ale it was! Superb, pleased my awkward taste buds no end. Top stuff. April 2023. Related entries

The brewery: "Barmouth's first and only brewery & distillery. Myrddins Brewery & Distillery Ltd was established in 2014." The beer: Not listed on their website but a very powerful traditional IPA. Potent stuff and excellent quality though not one I would normally buy. A friend bought it though and I was happy to drink it! April 2023. Related entries.  

The brewery: "Rudgate Brewery was established in 1992. The brewery is situated at the heart of Yorkshire in the Vale of York.......The original brewery was situated in the former ammunition building of RAF Marston Moor Airfield which was home to the Halifax bombers that helped defend our country during World War 2. The name comes from the old Roman road of `Rudgate’ which runs through the airfield. This road led the Vikings along our vale defeating the Romans in their steps. This road and its history is what instigated the main theme of Vikings for the brewery." The beer: "A deep rich and satisfying premium stout with complex balanced flavours and a warm subtle chocolate finish." Very tasty indeed. Just the job  for what was a cold and wet week away in the caravan. 5.0% A.B.V April 2012. Related entries  

The brewery: "Titanic Brewery was founded in Burslem Stoke on Trent in 1985 with one goal, to produce great beer! Burslem was the Mother town of the Potteries and had many great names who had started their careers amongst the bottle kilns and smoke." The beer: "We’ve taken our traditional Stout and enhanced it with the silky smooth flavours of chocolate and mellow vanilla.TASTING NOTE: A true smooth and creamy stout with a sweet difference. The chocolate flavours are balanced by the addition of vanilla extract." After a trying day this went down a treat, very tasty indeed. 4.5% A.B.V. Rake Hall, Cheshire, April 2023. Related entries .  

The brewery: "Salopian Brewery first brewed in Shrewsbury in 1995. Founded by Martin Barry on the site of the old Onions Dairy and like many breweries the kit we first brewed on was small and rudimentary at only two barrels. The brew length gave us scope to innovate and brew some wonderfully different and eclectic styles of beers that laid the foundations of what would become our Black Range. Our chairman Wilf Nelson joined the brewery in 1998 – Wilf coming on board gave the brewery much needed stability and vision to move to forward." The beer: "First brewed in 2009 to celebrate the bicentennial of Charles Darwin’s birth in our home town of Shrewsbury. A copper coloured Bitter given an international twist with an eclectic mix of new and old world hops that give the beer its distinctive lemony aroma and dry finish." Delicious, very tasty indeed. My sort of beer and in a great setting too. 4.3% A.B.V. Rake Hall , Cheshire, April 2023. Related entries.  

The brewery: "Set in the historic Yorkshire Village of Cawood (10 miles south of York and 4 miles west of Selby), the Jolly Sailor Inn has been providing hospitality since 1840. The current owners have been brewing their own beer since 2012, this follows a tradition of brewer/landlords based at the pub. The pub serves 6 real ales brewed by the Jolly Sailor Brewery (now based at the Olympia Hotel Selby)" The beer: "This beautiful Amber ale, has a delicious smooth malty flavour from malts such as Amber, crystal and caramalt." Yep, enjoyed this one too, though just a tad more fruity than my awkward taste buds prefer. Very quaffable though. Sadly not in the core line up it seems. 4.5% A.B.V. Jolly Sailor , April 2023. Related entries.  

The brewery: "Set in the historic Yorkshire Village of Cawood (10 miles south of York and 4 miles west of Selby), the Jolly Sailor Inn has been providing hospitality since 1840. The current owners have been brewing their own beer since 2012, this follows a tradition of brewer/landlords based at the pub. The pub serves 6 real ales brewed by the Jolly Sailor Brewery (now based at the Olympia Hotel Selby)" The beer: "Beautiful golden ale, not too hoppy with a refreshing crispness." A beer that is described as not too hoppy will always pique my interest and this didn't disappoint. Another tasty good value beer from JS. 4.5% A.B.V. Jolly Sailor , April 2023. Related entries.  

The brewery: "Set in the historic Yorkshire Village of Cawood (10 miles south of York and 4 miles west of Selby), the Jolly Sailor Inn has been providing hospitality since 1840. The current owners have been brewing their own beer since 2012, this follows a tradition of brewer/landlords based at the pub. The pub serves 6 real ales brewed by the Jolly Sailor Brewery (now based at the Olympia Hotel Selby)" The beer: "Award winning Dark Ruby Mild. Beautifully mellow and palatable with a mesmerising ruby hue." Nice drop this, the taste belied it's strength. Brewed just a few miles from where it was supped and very reasonably priced too. The first of three from JS. Jolly Sailor, April 2023. Related entries .  

The brewery: "Baytown Beer is owned and run by Trevor & Louise Parker. Having run Baytown Stores & Post Office in beautiful Robin Hoods Bay, when Baytown Beers came up for sale they jumped at the chance to supply another local quality product in and around the local area." The beer: "Even in the 18th century, local gentry tried to avoid central government control.  They worked hand in glove with Baytown’s residents.  Celebrate the local free spirit.  Be independent!" Well, that doesn't tell you a lot but I can report that it was a good quality standard Porter. Decent strength and very tasty. Bought just a few yards from where it was brewed in Robin Hood's Bay, and consumed just a few miles away. April 2023. Related entries  

The brewery: "Baytown Beer is owned and run by Trevor & Louise Parker. Having run Baytown Stores & Post Office in beautiful Robin Hoods Bay, when Baytown Beers came up for sale they jumped at the chance to supply another local quality product in and around the local area." The beer: "Baytown was the 18th century locals’ name for Robin Hood’s Bay.  Times were tough but so were the people.  Celebrate Baytown’s past and present.  Be strong!" Again, thin on the ground description wise but a very enjoyable bog standard bitter. Simple - and good. April 2023. Related entries

 The brewery: "Three Brothers was started back in 2016 by brothers Kit and David Dodd and brother in law, Chris Wright. We took an old car showroom in our hometown of Stockton-on-Tees and built a modern 1800L microbrewery and taproom. After studying chemical engineering Kit worked at a 1000L microbrewery for 5 years learning the ropes and progressing to Head Brewer. We planned to run Three Brothers as a one man operation but quickly grew and have been growing and adapting ever since. David left his job designing engines and came on full time as Brewery Manager and Sales Coordinator. " The beer: "Our festive favourite is back! A layered Bready milk stout with a warming ginger flavour with a sweet finish." Ooh this was nice. Loved the hint of ginger, like a nice filling biscuit in a bottle! Superb. 4.2% A.B.V. April 2023. Related entries.

  The brewery: "Drink Hiver, save bees. Un[bee]lievable right?.....Well, the truth is we’ve been as committed to bees as we have been to beer since we started brewing our flagship fresh and natural blonde beer back in 2013......Everyone knows that without bees we’d all be in a very difficult place environmentally, so we made it our cause from the beginning to champion these essential little gems of nature......Every day we’re helping independent British beekeepers by buying their honey to nurture both urban and rural hives, creating healthy colonies that can do the heavy lifting of pollinating the food we eat. We then use the honey as an integral part of our brewing process, helping us to deliver this crisp, light-tasting beer with a subtle honey aroma......We don’t pasteurise our beer either, which means you always get the freshest, most natural beer in your glass. And, just like the bees as they go from flower to flower, we tread lightly in all areas of our daily business, so th...

The brewery: "A Badger beer is more than just a beer. It’s rich in history. Deep in character. Full of expertise. Crafted with the finest ingredients. And passionately made in our independent, family-owned brewery.....Each one is inspired by the beautiful county we call home - Dorset. Be it a mythical legend, a colourful tale or the stunning countryside that surrounds our riverside brewery.....And although a couple of our tales are mythical, you can always rely on every Badger beer to be distinctive, unique and packed with flavour.....Seven generations and nearly two-and-a-half centuries later, we’re still independent and brewing the finest, characterful beers" The beer: "The ferocious, blood sucking Blandford Fly would give Dracula a run for his money. It gets its name from our hometown, Blandford Forum, after 600 people visited their doctors here to be treated for the insect bite in a four-week period in 1972......A uniquely sweet and spicy golden ale with a refreshin...

The brewery: "A Badger beer is more than just a beer. It’s rich in history. Deep in character. Full of expertise. Crafted with the finest ingredients. And passionately made in our independent, family-owned brewery.....Each one is inspired by the beautiful county we call home - Dorset. Be it a mythical legend, a colourful tale or the stunning countryside that surrounds our riverside brewery.....And although a couple of our tales are mythical, you can always rely on every Badger beer to be distinctive, unique and packed with flavour.....Seven generations and nearly two-and-a-half centuries later, we’re still independent and brewing the finest, characterful beers" The beer: "An English Extra Special Ale fit for a King, brewed in the heart of Dorset. This easy drinking ale is brewed using only the finest ingredients - Crystal and Chocolate malts for a toasted biscuit taste and the British noble Sovereign and Endeavour hops. It is a well-balanced, deep rich ale and is best se...

The brewery: "Three Brothers was started back in 2016 by brothers Kit and David Dodd and brother in law, Chris Wright. We took an old car showroom in our hometown of Stockton-on-Tees and built a modern 1800L microbrewery and taproom. After studying chemical engineering Kit worked at a 1000L microbrewery for 5 years learning the ropes and progressing to Head Brewer. We planned to run Three Brothers as a one man operation but quickly grew and have been growing and adapting ever since. David left his job designing engines and came on full time as Brewery Manager and Sales Coordinator. " The beer: Not on their website but this from Untapped: "A Traditional  straw coloured blonde with a modern maple twist.....This unique beer delivers a beautiful straw colour with a sensational maple nose. The body of beer is slightly sweet, but there is also a slight floral taste that arrives a little late. The finish is smooth with a gentle bitterness that is surprisingly refreshing." ...

The brewery: "T&R Theakston Ltd is an independent, family brewing company founded in 1827 located in the Yorkshire Dales market town of Masham, North Yorkshire.....The company is controlled and run by direct descendants of the founder Robert Theakston." The beer: "XB is a rare delight, a real ale connoisseur’s masterpiece. A strong full-bodied ale with a subtle but superb blend of two types of bitter and three fruit hop varieties giving a most thirst quenching and satisfying ale....XB was first brewed in 1982 to celebrate the purchase of the Carlisle Brewery by Theakstons a few years before. Brewed always and ever in Masham, XB was designed as a tribute to the classic ‘border’ style of beer, strong in gravity, low but complex hop. It was an instant success and has remained so, winning over real ale devotees all over the UK. Always in the shadow of its more famous stable–mate, Old Peculier, XB has quietly established itself as favourite among serious cask ale enthusia...

The brewery: "Wold Top was founded in 2003 by farmers Tom and Gill, who were looking at different ways to sustain the family farm with diversification and hit on brewing as their solution!" The beer: "A wise old Owl once said: “Some nights the moon can surprise you, look out for the rings around it”. A bright crisp beer with an amber colour from the Pale Ale, Amber and Cara malts and a light citrusy bitterness from Cascade and Northdown Hops. A festive beer with a lingering finish." Not too citrusy for me, a tasty beer that should have been enjoyed on a sunny day outside the caravan, rather than a rainy day with the heating on in it! Another good find from the superb community shop in Lythe, North Yorkshire.  March 2023. Related entries .  

The brewery: “We’ve been brewing great quality beer for the local drinker since 2006, enjoyed by real characters in some of the best local pubs in the world. But no matter how far we travel, we always remember where our home is – Wirral.” The beer: "Multi-award winning Scarecrow continues to wow drinkers with its fruity aroma and full body to deliver a perfectly balanced amber bitter." I didn't find it overly fruity - thankfully. A very quaffable pint - well, 500ml - and another quality ale from Brimstage. 4.2% A.B.V. March 2023. Related entries

The brewery: “We’ve been brewing great quality beer for the local drinker since 2006, enjoyed by real characters in some of the best local pubs in the world. But no matter how far we travel, we always remember where our home is – Wirral.” The beer: "With a hint of spice from the rye and richness from the red crystal malt, Rhode Island Red is a deeply satisfying ale." Yes it was, a lovely combination of flavours. Most enjoyable. 4% A.B.V. March 2023. Related entries

" The brewery: "A story that's been brewing for some time. Immortalised in the name of one of our famous ales, 1845 is a year that will forever be Fuller's. It was then that the partnership papers of Fuller, Smith & Turner were officially signed, marking the start of something special for London's brewery scene." The beer: "This famous strong ale is deep red in colour, with a powerful malt base complemented by a full array of hop flavours in perfect balance" I was astonished to find that this wasn't in the archive, given I've put a few away over the years. It is, dare I say it, my favourite Fuller's ale, trumping even the delicious London Pride. At 5.9% A.B.V. its quite potent though and can creep up on you - and occasionally overtake! Top stuff. March 2023. Related entries.

The brewery: "Oakham Ales is a multi-award winning brewery with a worldwide reputation for its innovative approach and for the quality and consistency of its brews. Founded in Oakham (Rutland) back in 1993 and now based in Peterborough, Oakham Ales is the home of much loved and hugely respected beers including Oakham JHB and Oakham Bishops Farewell. Famous as the first UK brewery to brew a beer with 100% US sourced Citra hops, adding Oakham Citra and its big brother Green Devil IPA to our list of UK beer legends." The beer: "The Original UK Citra®! Light gold in colour, bursting with citrus and tropical hop flavours and sensationally refreshing. In 2009 on his annual hop sourcing visit to the USA, Oakham’s Brewing Director John Bryan discovered an exceptional new hop variety – Citra®. He rushed it to the UK, ensuring that Oakham Ales were the first UK brewery to brew a beer with 100% Citra® hops and maintaining Oakham’s reputation for pioneering innovation." As you...

The brewery: "Peerless Brewing is an award winning microbrewery based in Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula.We specialise in creating modern cask conditioned ales and keg beers by combining traditional brewing techniques and fine ingredients with a modern approach. Dedicated to producing high quality beers in a variety of styles and strengths. From award winning stouts to modern hop forward IPA’s." The beer: "Full bodied black stout.  We use lots of oats to give a good mouthfeel and dark malts provide lots of backbone with toffee and caramel tones.  Final gravity is 1013 giving an element of sweetness to balance the bitterness from the roast malts.  This is a very easy drinking stout." It was indeed very easy drinking, a wonderful melange of flavours. I really enjoyed this. April 2023. Related entries