The penultimate beer, No. 25 - Tmave on Toast by Utopian brewery.

 Utopian Brewery is situated in Devon (Probably my favourite county). By and large they brew lagers. Tmave is a dark lager and adds to the growing belief that the term "lager" itself has been much abused over the last few decades. Utopian Brewery has an environmental approach to everything they do. The ingredients for their beers are all locally sourced, they make their own nitrogen and rely on fermentation only to produce carbon dioxide. They are hot on not using plastics too.

This beer is lovely. It has a rich amber colour and on the nose it smells malty and rich with the tiniest hint of the hopiness of an English Best Bitter. In the mouth it is rich and feels nourishing on the swallow. The finish has a very English feel to it. It clocks in at a gentle 3.9% alcohol and, to be honest, I could spend a long evening into night, with good friends, drinking a grown up amount of this beer. 

Beer No. 24. Burnt by Beavertown Brewery.

When I was first teaching (a couple of centuries ago) I was given a really good piece of advice - "Take everything you do in the classroom seriously, but never take yourself too seriously" Beavertown brewery manage to do this beautifully. They state that "there's more to get from life if you open your mind to curiosity" They clearly live up to this as apparently the mastered interstellar travel - all on a Tuesday morning ( I think they may have made the last bit up). Their beers are branded with a very distinctive 60's sci fi vibe and I have been a fan for some time. (Hint, give Neck Oil a go)

Burnt is a Hoppy Porter and is really interesting. On the pour it looks like any other Porter and then it all changes. On the nose it has a raisin almost cassis smell, it offers a hint of smoke. Then, in the mouth it really challenges norms. Woody, piney, rich and full. Then it finishes with a hop burst that is both unexpected and fabulous. Like so many other beers in this companion box I really hope that they continue to brew this into the new year.  

  

Into the last four! Beer No 23. Atlantean Hegemony BY Wild Card Brewery

 Wild Card Brewery was set up in Walthamstow in 2012. The firm was set up by three home brewers and they produce beers with powerful flavours. They are very much part of the London Beers scene. Atlantean Hegemony is full of American style hops both in the late boil and as dry hops after after the biol is over.

On the nose it is full of Citra notes - lemon, line and even orange. A subtle malt lies underneath. In the mouth it is very very drinkable. Clean malty and citrus flavours fill the mouth followed by a really clean finish. The term Juicy IPA is often used these days to describe a style of beer. This is right in the Juicy zone! Lovely and thoroughly modern.

 

 

The 22nd Beer - Classic by Hepworth.

 The weather for the last 24 hours has been horrific we are quite a long way south in the country and the tiles on the roof of Corner Cottage rattled last night causing one or two scary moments overnight. However, all is well and no damage was done.The weather today has been properly wintry and that had me craving something Old fashioned and comforting. This is where Classic Old Ale comes in. This is not a madly strong winter ale or anything like that but it definitely hits the spot. Hepworth are based in Sussex and have great environmental credentials using the likes of heat pumps to cut down their carbon footprint.

So to the beer: It is a dark brown and invites the drinker in with dark caramel notes on the nose. Malty on the palate with clear sweetness, this is the beer to drink in front of the fire whilst telling stories about the last time you got snowed in. There is a lovely bitter finish (from the Admiral Hops). This beer is perfect for those of us who grew up drinking real ale (when we could find it) and have graduated to the modern beer scene. I really like this. There is a suggestion that it could be mulled - now there's an idea!

Beer No 21 - Ernest Special Bitter by Five Points Brewing co.

 Five Points was founded in 2013 since then it has become a bit of a London institution. If ever there was a brewery that took old classics and turned them into modern classics then Five Points is that brewery. Ernest Special Bitter is indeed very special. Ernest is a hop variety about which we hear very little; this is a shame as it makes a little magic in this beer. They are proud that their beer is always unfiltered and unpasteurised. As a guy who started his beer career drinking real ale in the late 1980's this is right in my sweet spot.

On the nose it has a sense of a strong premium bitter pulled from a fresh keg, it begs to be drunk. In the mouth it is malty and bready with a lovely dry finish. When beer writers say that a beer combines the best of tradition and modern brewing ideas, this is the beer that they mean. I hope they continue to brew this as they will certainly have a client on the Bucks Oxon border! 

Into the Twenties! Beer number 20, Turning Tide by Adnams

 Nobody could describe Adnams as a new brewer. They were founded in 1872! They have long been a favourite of mine I am a massive fan of Broadside and more recently Ghost Ship. They are a well established name in British brewing with massive national reach. In many ways this means that they are taking quite a risk in getting involved in a box full of beers made by "young thrusters" of the beer world. Turning Time is a Raspberry Scotch ale. Make no mistake, despite Adnams' heritage, this is a very modern beer. 

On the nose this beer gives a strong sense of the raspberry but this is not overwhelming. On the palate it is sweet, bready and the hops come in quickly at the finish. It is unfair to put this in a 330ml can - I want more! As I write I'm sitting in front of a fire with this lovely fruity beer, not sure I could be any happier!

Nineteenth Beer - Back off Warchild by Harbour Brewing

 Harbour brewing are from Cornwall. They wear there Cornishness with pride, and I really like that. Their beer is brewed on a farm using water from a spring and they use as many ingredients as they can from the most South West of counties. This is not just a twee detail or quirk of this business. If we are to really ride this wave of fabulous new breweries across the country then we have to celebrate the locality or what would be called "terroir" in the wine industry. This in no way diminishes the quality of this beer as it is delicious.

Back off Warchild is a West Coast IPA and comes in at 5%. It opens up on the nose with Citrus and pine and the smallest hint of caramel. IN the mouth it feels solid and full with grown up bitterness. It has a long citrus finish. This is my first taste of any beer from Harbour and I can say without any doubt it will be not be my last. This is nicely crafted and balanced beer, proper grown up drinking. The only criticism I have it that there wasn't a second one in the box.