7.8

Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 9.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7.5

On Tap at Tom’s Tap, Crewe. Pours a cloudy golden brown with minimal off-white head, good lacing and fairly high carbonation. The aroma has ginger, oranges and bubblegum. In the mouth both sweetness and bitterness compete strongly for attention. Plenty of yeast in the flavour alongside floral hops, banana and spice plus hints or oranges and marmalade. Finish is quite bitter and somewhat dry and sticky. This is rather nice – though more suited to a warm summers day than cold November !

6.9

Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Deadication beer to chemist Tom Price, a VP of the Chemical Society, died on this day in 1949. He"d appreciate the chemical mix here. Hazy golden in colour. A stated wheat beer, but more ale in design with a very hoppy nose, although not surprising when you peruse the ingredients. In terms of taste though the yeast and banana notes dominate. Sold at a very competitive price at Tom's.

7

Nice warming ginger, chocolate and smooth.

8

Very enjoyable. Nice banana & clove aroma, which make their way to the flavour before a citrus finish. Smooth and full-bodied.

8

Good stuff. Orangey aroma, citrus flavours and a little bitterness in the crisp finish.

6.5

Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 6.5 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

Tom Cruise controls most of what happens in his Mission Impossible series these days. Very hazy golden in colour and very hoppy with underlying fruity notes, as such it's dryish bland tasting.

6.9

Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 6.5

I've missed the first 19 examples of this session beer, but the Strata and Nelson Sauvin hops in here (I'm naming them so I can remember them if I need to get around to adding the beer) provide good tropical fruit and pine notes combined, both in aroma and taste.

7.1

Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

My German didn't fail me before this one so the expected honey was immediately evident in aroma, better in taste, and best in aftertaste - also hoppiest in the first instance. It does detract from the weizen style though, which becomes an afterthought with this brew. Pretty decent regardless, especially when you include the smooth texture.

7.3

Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 6.5 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 5 | Overall - 7.5

Cask at Tom’s Tap, Crewe. Pours a (very) dark reddish-brown with a small frothy off-white head and good lacing. There’s ginger, oats and bran in the aroma plus a hint of treacle. In the mouth it is quite sweet but with also some sharpness, and a rather watery texture. Flavour is strongly ginger, though this sometimes gives way to dark fruit. Roasted malts are also around and hints of black wine gums, plums and spice come later. Fruitiness lasts into the finish. This is nice but is let down by its thinness.

6.8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 6.5

On tap at Tom’s Tap, Crewe. Pours golden yellow with minimal off-white head, good lacing and medium carbonation. Not much of an aroma – just hints of floral hops and melon. In the mouth it starts off slightly sweet (in the cheeks) but quickly becomes quite bitter (on the tongue). Flavour is marmalade, oranges, floral hops and hints of citrus, with a little lemongrass coming through later, leading to a slightly fruity finish. This is quite decent.