Fullers Past Master Ol Burton Extra

7.3% ABV

This is the third beer/recipe from this series, so far I have, like many other bloggers, enjoyed them a lot. Old Burton strangely is my favourite, I thought the stout (number 2) would have been my favourite but this one just pips the top spot.

It has the typical Fullers marmalade scent and notes in the beer itself but it is more about the caramel this time, it is a good strong bitter but totally different from ESB. It starts off with a real hit of christmas cake before climbing with this soft chewy caramel end, lovely beer to end a day with or maybe start a night? Despite its strength this is a very smooth beer, drinkable and enjoyable.

Like the others in the series I don't expect this one to be around long, so try a bottle if you see it and let me know what you think.

By The Horns Open Day

Chilly morning on Saturday but that wasn't going to put us off heading to this microbreweries open day.

Neither did the bruises from falling flat on my face just yards from the OH's front door, but I was in need of good beer to help me feel better.

And By The Horns provided that good beer, first off for me was the Coffee Raspberry Stout, the raspberries were very soft in this, just coming though as a soft aftertaste. It was the coffee providing the bigger kick with a strongful scent to the beer and amazing flavour although I did feel this was more a porter than a stout maybe because the mouthfeel was a bit thin.

My OH went for Wolfie Smith, being a Tooting boy he just had to. I was only surprised by the lack of Citizen Smith puns. It was a lovely bitter but my tastebuds were being ravished by the stout still so I can't remember much apart from it tasting good.

Hopslinger was pretty much my favourite of the afternoon, this could be remade into a stunning barleywine I feel but in its current form it is still a great beer.

By The Horns are slowly appearing all over London, if you see one of their beers then give it ago. For such a small brewery they have already done some amazing beers and look set to continue this!

Fullers Brewers Reserve No4

8.5% ABV

These beers are usually very popular hence, mainly due to my forgetting to order online, I haven't tried each one. I missed No1 by days, No2 was fantastic and again I missed No3, so back on form to get hold of a bottle of the latest in the Brewer's Reserve, No4, brought whilst waiting in the rather lovely Mad Bear & Bishop in Paddington Station.

This batch has been aged in oak VSOP Armagnac casks for a year, this you can smell as your pour the beer, it mixes well with the Fullers ESB type scent. As you can see from the photograph the beer is a rather attractive looking drink.

The beer tastes of the sweet vanilla of brandy instead of the cloying bourbon vanilla that many other beers of this type have, backed up with a chocolate and molasses dry sweetness. It is a beer which is good at the start of the glass and wonderful at the end as the flavour increases with each sip due to its long finish.

Highly recommended indeed.