Bell rates... Newcastle Summer Ale

type: Ale

origin: Newcastle, England

ABV: 4.4%

location: house

served: 355ml bottle to glass

I bought a couple of bottles of Newcastle 'Summer Ale' a few months ago. Today, a late-August afternoon, was truly representative of Scottish summer weather: periods of torrential rain, thunder and lightning and 11°C temperatures. Therefore, it seemed fitting to break out the 'Summer' Ale.

Fundamentally a blonde ale, the back label lists wheat among the ingredients, and I suspect a small portion of the grain bill was more heavily roasted than would be the average for a typical pale ale of this type. I didn't detect a great deal of maltiness, but there was a slight roasted element to what I did take from it.

The hop character is far more evident though, both in the aroma and the taste.

Smell - Very hoppy, with a slightly floral element. A slight alcohol smell is also evident, but overall pleasant. 3/4

Colour - A clean, clear copper, with a good, creamy, white head. 3/4

Taste - Bitterness is the main element here, with not a lot of maltiness, but the bitterness isn't overpowering, and the flavour is quite palatable. Good aftertaste. Light mouthfeel, sharp and refreshing. 4/4

Overall - It has to be said, if you're able to drink it in a time and place that than reasonably be classified as 'summer' then it's quite successful as a pleasant, refreshing tipple. Might make a good BBQ beer if you're able to get one lit befor the rain comes back on. 10/12

Bell rates... Lia Fail

type: Ale

origin: Scotland

ABV: 4.7%

location: house

served: pint bottle to glass

A dark ale from Inveralmond Brewery, Lia Fail conforms to the independent Scottish brewery template with the branding, with a highly-Scottish theme happening throughout. The name is Gaelic for 'Stone of Destiny', and the label features celtic knotwork and a scenic landscape scene.

This one was bought for me by famous film-maker and cage dancer Jaggy Jay. Well, not this bottle specifically, but I'm still grateful.

The ingredients are helpfully given on the reverse, and a portion of the malt seems to be wheat, and although it doesn't have much of a distinctive wheat character, clearly adds to the richness. The Hops are listed as Challenger, Fuggles and - American craft-brewer's favourite - Cascade. Three hop varieties, but they all seem to have been added early on in the mash, as they've not really imparted any aroma, but plenty of bitterness and flavour.

Smell - Somewhat lacking, both in hoppiness and maltiness.  2/4

Colour - A nice dark reddy-brown. Good clarity. Good off-white head. 3/4

Taste - Well balanced and rich, with a range of flavours developing. Dark chocolate coming through after the initial bitterness. Medium body. Loads of aftertaste, which is where the hops are most evident. 4/4

Overall - A good beer, only let down by the underwhelming aroma - especially given the hoppiness of the aftertaste. 9/12

Bell Rates... Fuller's London Pride

type: Ale

origin: England

ABV: 4.7%

location: house

served: 500ml bottle to glass

Cor blimey guvnah, A pint of bitter and a plate of jellied eels please.

Actually... forget the jellied eels, i'll just have the beer.

And quite a good beer it is too. A premium ale from one of Britain's biggest independent brewers, London Pride ticks all the boxes for presentation, and comes across as being a quality product.

'Bitter' is obviously meant to be just that, but there's a line that has to be drawn before the point when a beer becomes too bitter to drink comfortably. Thankfully, Fuller's have kept London Pride's bitterness at a level that provides a good balance between strong flavour and ease of drinking.

Smell: Malty, but not too strong. Fairly balanced. 2/4

Colour: honey, copper. Warm and inviting. 3/4

Taste: Malty, light, smooth bitter, with hops becoming more evident in the aftertaste. 3/4

overall: a smooth, drinkable beer, with a good bit of character. 8/12

more info: www.fullers.co.uk