Wild Gravity IPA (5.2%) - BAD Co, North Yorkshire, England

Another can into my oh-heck-I'm-one-year-older batch and what I pulled out of my special beer place struck me for two reasons. Firstly, the brewery's name on the can featuring so boldly beside a relaxed Britannia, trident in one hand, brew in the other, would prove to be either extremely self-deprecating or deeply ironic, and I fortunately discovered it to be the latter. Secondly, sitting on top of the can was no ordinary tab.  

For so long, 360° cans were something I only saw Americans drinking from on Instagram, but now thanks to BAD Co, who were one of the first breweries to introduce these to the UK, I was 
in for a whole new type of exbeerience.

Being so unversed in the working of these, the almighty hiss as I pulled the top off gave me a startle - but once the full force of its fruity and floral aroma smacked me round the nose I was well and truly put at ease. My can now completely topless, it felt almost as if I was peering into something forbidden.

North Yorkshire within England

Unlike traditional cans which conceal the beer's aroma, these make for decent drinking receptacles in their own right. But I wanted to see the full package, and after transferring it to the glass it was destined for, the bubbling hazy amber liquid was fully revealed, crowned with a cushion of white head. 

Going in for a proper whiff, sweet tropical aromas of mangoes and peaches with a few tangerine segments and their zesty peel - along with a bready backing as the brew warmed up - oozed up my nostrils.  

A smooth and juicy mouthful brought delicate, floral hops with a dash of herbs, rounded off with a dry, bitter lime finish.

Described as aggressive and bold on the can, for me in an era of tongue-shreddingly hop-heavy IPAs, it came across more as mercifully laid-back and easy-drinking. Although, as beer-swigging Britannia reminds us on the can, this is a British brew yielding a more understated character. But let's not get bogged down in labels and just enjoy this beer for the delightful experience it is, from a brewery that's anything but BAD. 

Rating ★★★★★★★★☆☆

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The brewery
Website here
Facebook page here

Where to buy
£1.75 from Morrisons

Pride & Joy (5.3%) - Vocation Brewery, West Yorkshire, England

My beer collection had been looking worryingly thin for a brief while until my turning of age brought with it a generous regaling of exciting new craft brews. The first one I picked out was this, and it's sure to have the other beers quivering in their cans. 

Kindly leaving the beer unpasteurised and unfiltered - just the way Mother Nature intended - with the noble aim of preserving the best of its flavours, what pours is a hazy pale golden colour with a white cushion of head sitting happily on top. 

Juicy tropical fruits along with some citrus hints erupt out of the can as soon as you pop the tab, sweet pine and mangoes and a handful of tangerine segments imparting an enticing aroma that's enjoyable in its own right but which is too irresistible to hold you off from diving in for too long.

West Yorkshire within England

A good swig brings with it a deep, full-bodied mouthful of tropical fruits along with a lively bitter citrus hit that gets your chops salivating if they weren't already.

A lengthy, toasted malt-backed palate is peppered with fresh herbal and grassy notes rounding off nicely into a crisp, dry finish.

Encompassing everything you could possibly want from an American-style pale ale - being easy-drinking yet jam-packed with New World flavours - I just can't fault this in any way. Enjoy it all year round, all day long, and let it bring the brewery pride, and the drinker much joy.

Rating 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

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The brewery
Website here
Facebook page here

Where to buy
£1.80 from Tesco

Old Empire IPA (5.7%) - Marston's Brewery, Staffordshire, England

After a spree of brews this year that have been either Californian or Spanish, I felt it was about time I reconnected with my beery roots - and it doesn't get much more traditional than an English IPA brewed in Burton-Upon-Trent, where once a quarter of all British beer was produced and the local water is known to enhance the flavour of the hops.

Wanting to see the full 500ml in the glass with its magnificent creamy head (and being without a pint glass, believe it or not) I went for a weizen glass that showed off every inch of the the golden amber liquid bubbling away inside. 

Anything with the letters IPA on it nowadays brings the expectation of being smacked round the nose by a hop overload that may or may not make your eyes water, but this traditional style IPA goes back to its 19th-century origins, producing the delicate but distinctive, earthy, herbal and sweet floral aromas created by Fuggles and Goldings hops - though Marston's have added a touch of American Cascade for an extra citrus freshness and, I suspect, a nod to the 21st century. 

Staffordshire within England

One swig of this beauty brings a rush of fruity woodland berries, spicy pepper and a touch of grapefruit bitterness, balanced perfectly with bready, toasted biscuit malts and the slightest hint of treacle. 

Thick and smooth with a crisp, dry finish, I enjoyed this brew at room temperature to make the most of its rich and full-bodied character, along with the gorgeous warming sensation from the 5.7% ABV.

A rebrand in 2016 saw the label (along with the rest of Marston's range) undergo a transformation from a much more understated design to the more contemporary look we see here, in a bid to attract younger drinkers in the face of new drinking trends. While it can't be denied that its appearance has been rejuvenated, I do wonder whether this will lead to misunderstandings about the nature of the IPA in the bottle, which the craft-drinking youth of today might not be so well-versed in.

After spending a long time being swept up by the lairier New World IPA's that have come to dominate the style, this was a delicious reminder that there's a whole other side to the IPA family that deserves to be visited every now and again. And again, and again, and again...

Rating ★★★★★★★★✰✩

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The brewery
Website here
Facebook page here

Where to buy
£1.65 from Morrisons

Peanut Butter Milk Stout (5.3%) - Belching Beaver Brewery, California, USA

With all the light beers I've been on recently it was time for a change, and to call this brew something a bit different would be a whopping understatement. 

It poured totally jet black with a substantial dark brown head that fizzled down by the time I could snap it, so awe-struck was I by the beauty of it.

The aroma was unlike anything I've known before from a beer. Rich chocolate and nutty aromas are belched out of the can in abundance with no room for ambiguity: chocolate fudge cake, brownie and peanut butter cups may as well be the indulgences lying at the bottom of your glass.

The flavour is everything the aromas promise to deliver: full-bodied, rich and packed with sweet, smooth, creamy chocolate and dark roasted peanuts which linger on for you to enjoy after every swig.

While it's not your typical stout (not that it aims to be), it's no less drinkable for its novel ingredients and character. In fact, despite its unabashedly in-your-face flavours, it's skilfully rounded and very easy-drinking. It must be, having won seven awards in the last four years. 

Thick and sweet, this is an indulgent dessert of a beer that will please those with a sweet tooth, fans of beavers, fans of dark beers, and fans of beer. It can easily be summed up in two words: dam good. 

Rating ★★★★★★★★✰✰

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The brewery
Website here

Facebook page here

Where to buy
£4.15 on The Beer Hawk

Something similar
Bateman's Hazelnut Brownie

Palpita (5.8%) - Cervezas Yakka, Murcia, Spain

In a country where the mention of beer normally calls to mind the mass-produced lager of that region, a quiet rebellion is taking place. As beer guzzlers nationwide develop a growing curiosity for brews with depth and flavour, craft brewers drawing their inspiration from further afield are springing up and catering for ever-inquisitive palates.

Palpita, a name which refers to the beat of a heart, pours an inviting, slightly hazy golden straw colour with an active carbonation that sees bubbles rising quickly to the surface.

Murcia within Spain

While the aroma was subtle on the nose at first, as my brew neared room temperature those classic blonde ale aromas of sweet bready malts and subtle light fruits came to the fore.

The flavour certainly didn't hold back though, gushing forth with a sweet, bready malt backing underpinning spicy clove, fruity hints and a touch of hop bitterness, creating a pleasantly intense and complex character that got my ticker fluttering like a Murcian flag in the breeze.

Full-bodied, thick and juicy, this is a brew that's easy to get your chops around, rounded off with a crisp, medium-dry toasted finish and a pleasing lingering warmth from the 5.8% ABV to warm the cockles of your heart. 

This Belgian-inspired Murcian blonde ale is modest yet packed with character, and can be enjoyed as a chilled, refreshing quencher or savoured as a slow-sipper to your palpitating heart's content. 

Appearance 4/5

Aroma 3/5

Flavour 4/5

Mouthfeel 4/5

Overall 7.5/10

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Palpita on TV:

Palpita online:
Website here
Facebook page here

Where to buy:
1,70€ on Cervezas Diferentes

Luponic Distortion 007 series (5.9%) - Firestone Walker Brewing Co, California, USA

When I first picked this brew out of my vast collection I didn't realise I wasn't dealing with any ordinary beer. Thankfully, a few sips in I looked into its background and was able to fully appreciate the concept behind it before my glass emptied. 

Luponic Distortion isn't just a beer, but a series of limited release beers that experiment with different hop varieties on each revolution. Revolution 007 is the one that had been bequeathed unto me, available between September 2017 and January this year.

Its slightly hazy, pale blonde body topped with a puffy bright white head, which left some trickles of lacing, makes for a very inviting appearance.

Big, fresh aromas of tropical fruits from the three Australian hops come out at you on the nose, with pineapple, citrus fruits, passion fruit and juicy pine all coming together in a mouthwatering combination. For such a powerfully hopped-up aroma, one sip gives way to a mind-blowingly mellow and clean taste. Distortion is the word!

Along with all its tropical notes, an added touch of zest, as well as perfumey and floral qualities, come through in every juicy gulp. Being lightly carbonated and smooth on the palate whilst so jam-packed full of flavour, this is a very drinkable and quenching brew. 

Rather than the punchy North American hop flavours I'd possibly been conditioned to expect from anything with the word "hop" on the can, this brew is all about the laid-back character from Down Under. 

While revolution 007 has run its course, the prospect of a different variation every 90 days is extremely exciting. Grab 009 while you can!

Appearance 5/5

Aroma 5/5

Flavour 4/5

Mouthfeel 4/5

Overall 9/10

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The brewery:
Website here
Facebook page here

Pale 31 (4.9%) - Firestone Walker Brewing Co, California, USA

A beer blogger sipping beer without a notepad can be compared to an off-duty police officer - in both of these noble roles, your sense of duty never leaves you. 

I had an acute sense of this when I picked out Pale 31 from my beer shelf with the sole intention of enjoying it for myself, only to find that after popping off the cap and being smacked in the nose by a bunch of blossoming flowers, I was utterly helpless in the face of such a seductive aroma. I had to share it with the beer-o-sphere.

From the Golden State itself (the 31st state to join the union, if you were wondering about the name) it pours a perfect golden colour with a creamy-coloured head. 

On the nose I got a waft of fresh and fragrant floral New World hop aromas along with juicy satsuma segments, complimented by the faintest hint of a herbal and earthy quality. 

A flurry of fruity flavours washed over my tongue, juicy pine perfectly balancing a grapefruit bitterness, ending with a clean, semi-dry and toasted biscuit finish. 

California within the USA

With this self-styled "bold but approachable" Californian pale ale, Firestone have produced something that represents everything a pale ale should be; easy to sip with bags of character. 

Very Californian it may be, but the five awards its won in the last eight years on both sides of the pond confirms one thing: this is a quality crowd-pleaser. 

Appearance 5/5

Aroma 5/5

Flavour 4/5

Mouthfeel 4/5

Overall 9/10 

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The brewery:
Website here

Facebook page here

Where to buy:
£2.99 on The Beer Hawk

Torpedo Extra IPA (7.2%) - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co, California, USA

Another week, another brew to hail from the Golden State picked from my very own beery treasure trove; the top shelf of my fridge. 

Torpedo Extra IPA pours a deep, rich amber colour with a frothing off-white head that produces some gorgeous lacing clinging to the glass on its way down.

California within the USA

Sticking the schnoz past the rim is like sticking it into a basket of fruit: A pungent sweet floral and tropical aroma of mangoes and lychees with some sticky pine comes through, and the faintest hint of a lime note that suggests a bitter twist is lurking within. Had the aroma not got me salivating so heavily I might've let my nose linger in there a while longer, but I could barely go another minute without getting my chops around it anyway.

A mighty bitter citrus kick blasts its way through on the first swig, with zesty and tart notes of limes and grapefruits riding the juicy tropical wave and pummelling your tongue, and what it leaves behind is a dry and delicately toasted finish. In amongst all the commotion you barely notice the strength of the 7.2% ABV, although once everything's calmed down there's a definite spirity hit still lingering around. 

While the effects of the huge American hop flavours are a tad extreme for my palate, Sierra Nevada have succeeded in creating something full-flavoured, crisp and refreshing that any IPA lover will gladly sip down, and at 7.2%, hopefully slower than I did. 

Appearance 5/5

Aroma 4/5

Flavour 3/5

Mouthfeel 2.5/5
Overall rating 7.5/10

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The brewery:
Sierra Nevada's website

Sierra Nevada on Facebook

Where to buy:
£3.19 on The Beer Hawk

Easy Jack IPA (4.5%) - Firestone Walker Brewing Co, California, USA

We've braved our way through the darkest months of winter and springtime is lurking somewhere around the corner, and yet I've hardly left so much as a dent in my batch of brews that was kindly topped up for me by Father Beermas himself. The festive binge came to an end quite some time ago, so it's about time I began to sample my beery offerings at a more reflective pace, starting with one from this Californian brewery.

My first cannie in a while, I happily popped the tab and filled my IPA glass with its hazy pale golden straw-colour liquid, just a tiny patch of sparkling head gathering to fizzle down to leave a clear fizz-free surface. 

A juicy combination of sweet resinous pine flavours and peaches, nectarines and apricots as well as some zesty mandarin segments from the diverse range of German, New Zealand and American hops wafted up in a mouthwateringly enticing, fruity aroma. 

Once I had my chops around it, a powerful hit of tropical flavours came rushing through with a stronger hit of the more citrusy hops, this time accompanied by a toasted malt backing that brought in some balance, all culminating in a dry finish. 

California within the USA

While a tad heavy on the carbonation and a smidgen light on depth it's certainly a highly quenching session beer that'll go down a treat in the summer months, and being such a crisp and refreshing brew, Easy Jack is easy to knock back.

Appearance 2,5/5

Aroma 4,5/5
Flavour 4/5
Mouthfeel 3/5
Overall rating: 7/10

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The brewery: 
Visit the website here

Check out the Facebook page here

Where to buy:
£2.99 on The Beer Hawk