Review: Hobgoblin

Name: Hobgoblin
Brewery: Wychwood, Oxfordshire
ABV: Cask: 4.5% Bottle 5.2%
Style: Ruby Ale
Season: Autumn/Winter

Availability: Widely available in most supermarkets

Traditionally crafted and legendary: this is how the beer describes itself. Regardless of the self-promotion, there's no denying the justified popularity of this one. Another heavily reliable pint, the flavour profile of Hobgoblin means you always go back for more. From the bottle, it packs a punch at 5.2% which is more than enough to warm your cockles on a winter's eve. From the pour, you are immediately struck with the dark, chestnut colour of the brew which yields a frothy, butterscotch coloured head. To taste, it is a delightful mix of bittersweet chocolate hoppiness: lingering coffee tinged notes with a malty dominance that could remind you of a stout. The fantastic thing about Hobgoblin is that it has a good level of carbonation to lift this to being mildly refreshing, which seems odd considering the chocolate malts kicking around. Again, this is another great reliable beer that never disappoints and for me, carries the essence of that descent into cold, slow Autumn. When served cold, the coffee flavour sits more in the background, as does the sweetness but as things warm up, the full body of mocha-esque morishness comes to dominate. A real corker of a pint and a beer that has been a firm favourite and nowhere near as heavy as you think it would be. A perfect draw for when the days get short and living rooms get cosy.

Review: Sharps Doombar

Name: Doombar
Brewery: Sharps, Cornwall
ABV: Cask: 4.0% Bottle 4.3%
Style: Amber Ale (according to the brewery)
Season: All-Year
Availability: Stocked in most supermarkets.

Try if you like: Gem, Broadside, toffee and caramel biscuity malt flavours - hopped enough to not be sickly mind!

An incredible achievement by the brewery that hails from Rock in Cornwall. It pours out at a copper brown rather than an amber and it tastes how it looks: malty, morish with a slight biscuity note coming from the roasted malts. However, this is by no means a heavy beer and what saves it from being too 'chewy' is the refreshing swell of understated bitterness brought out by the hops. This is a sweet pint but one that is nowhere near as demerera on the palate as beers near a similar shade (such as the now legendary Speckled Hen or Abbot Ale). This is a real session beer that doesn't give too much gas and doesn't pack too much of a punch. It's real charm is that it suits any time of year: cold and from the fridge, it can refresh on a summers day whilst still giving some malty scrumptiousness that makes it wonderful paired with Autumnal dishes and rich comfort foods. In many ways, this is the most competent all-rounder and a real go-to beer if in doubt. Dependable and delectable. One of my all time favourites: a forever beer.