Hop, Clip, & Pump

There’s something immediately inviting about a well-crafted session Indian pale ale (SIPA) that promises flavour without fatigue. Drift Theory , from Castle Rock Brewery , fits neatly into that space, delivering a contemporary hop profile with an easy-drinking edge. First Impressions In the glass, Drift Theory presents as a light golden ale , bright and inviting with a soft, delicate head. It looks exactly how a modern session pale should: clean, fresh, and ready to drink. From the first pour, there’s a noticeable lift of aroma, hinting at the hop-forward experience to come. Aroma: Subtle Complexity The nose is where things begin to get interesting. Thanks to the pairing of Citra and Vista hops , the aroma carries: A gentle mango sweetness Light strawberry notes A soft tropical lift It’s not overpowering, but it’s expressive enough to draw you in, suggesting a layered yet approachable pint. Flavour Profile: Citrus Meets Tropical On the palate, Citra takes the lead...

Some beers behave exactly as expected, and then there are beers like Pica Porter , which seem to delight in unsettling those expectations from the very first glance. Discovered in a local micropub and already causing a quiet stir at the bar, this is a porter that refuses to conform. Labelled as dark, yet pouring brown. Promising weight, yet delivering something lighter. Carrying the stylistic name of porter, but laced with an unexpectedly assertive hop character. It is, in every sense, a contradiction worth exploring. First Encounter: A Porter That Doesn’t Quite Look the Part Visually, Pica Porter challenges the drinker immediately. Rather than the deep, opaque blackness one might expect, it presents as a chestnut brown, clearer, lighter, and subtly at odds with porter tradition. The body follows suit. It is thinner than many modern porters, lacking the heavy viscosity often associated with the style. Yet this is not a weakness; it feels intentional, part of a broader rethinkin...

Going Coco Loco Down in Erm Barrow Hill… the title alone doesn’t quite behave like a sensible beer review. It reads more like a fever dream, or the name of a pub crawl that got slightly out of hand somewhere between a railway museum and a late-night decision. And in a way, that is exactly where this beer belongs. Set against the industrial nostalgia of Barrow Hill Roundhouse during Rail Ale trade night, this is not a controlled tasting environment. This is exhaustion, cask ale, railway heritage, and the quiet, slightly chaotic pursuit of 'something dark and comforting' after a long shift at work. Into this setting steps  Coco Loco . From Grafton Brewing . The Setting: Rail Ale and Worn-In Glassware Barrow Hill Roundhouse is the kind of place that already feels halfway between history and theatre. Trains, steel, echoing architecture, and then, suddenly, casks of ale lined up like competing narratives. After a long shift, the intention is simple, find 'dark oblivion...

There are moments in the pub when anticipation hangs in the air, that flicker of excitement when a new pump clip appears on the bar. You lean in, squint at the design, maybe exchange a hopeful glance with the regulars. This time, it was a paper-thin laminated effort, slightly rough around the edges. Not unusual. In fact, sometimes those modest, homemade-looking clips signal something special, a hidden gem from a small, passionate brewery. Sadly, this was not one of those times. First Impressions: Hope and Hesitation At first pour, there was curiosity. Maybe even optimism. The kind that makes you think, this could be a sleeper hit . But one sip in, and the mood shifted. The collective verdict, reached somewhere between raised eyebrows and puzzled frowns? Pernod. Not a subtle hint. Not a whisper of complexity. Just a full-on, unmistakable wave of aniseed crashing over the palate. The Taste Test: Aniseed Overload Now, aniseed has its place. In the right context, it can add intrig...

Tucked away in Stapleford, Nottingham , Full Mash Brewery is a small independent operation driven by a simple philosophy, a passion for real ale and a commitment to 'doing things right.' Founded by brewer Karl Waring , the story begins back in 1994 , when he first started brewing using an all-grain method known as the full mash process. When introduced as a brewer, Karl was often met with the question: ' What, full mash?'  and from that repeated exchange, the name was born. What started as The Full Mash Brewery eventually became simply Full Mash , but the ethos has remained unchanged. From Homebrew to Commercial Success The brewery’s journey from hobby to business is a classic example of grassroots British brewing. Commercial production began in 2003 , using the original homebrew kit and producing just one 9-gallon cask per brew . Demand quickly outgrew capacity, leading to a steady expansion: A 1-barrel kit to keep up with orders Growth into a 2-barrel b...