Thwaites Double Century

Update (17/01/2010) : Tried this again and lovely it more than first time I tried it, upgraded to a [baron rating 5/5], a very nice all round pint with a lovely tangy chewy malt taste

Thwaites Double Century [baron rating 4/5] - this 5.2% amber ale has a wonder blend of malt & hops for it's taste with a nice bitter finish


Buy Thwaites ales here

Wychwood Goliath

Wychwood Goliath [baron rating 3/5] - this 4.2% amber ale has a subtle smell, a slightly crisp malty taste, with a smooth finish

Wyre Piddle Brewery Piddle in the Hole

Wyre Piddle Brewery Piddle in the Hole [baron rating 1/5] - this 4% amber ale is a bit bland really - has a crisp taste but not much else

Badger Golden Glory

Badger Golden Glory [baron rating 2/5] - this 4.5% golden ale has a too strong flowery & peachy smell and smooth & slightly fruity taste

Buy Badger ales here

Badger First Gold

Badger First Gold [baron rating 3/5] - this 4% amber ale has a floral smell (not too great) but a nice crisp (non-floral) hoppy taste

Brakspear Bitter for 99p/bottle in Netto

Starting on Monday (28th Sept) Netto are selling bottles of Brakspear Bitter [baron rating: 5/5] for just 99p a bottle (normally £1.54)

A good use of the Badger 50p off vouchers in Morrisons

Use your Badger 50p vouchers in Morrisons: buy 3 Badger ales and one other speciality beer priced at £1.67 & get all 4 for £4, usually £5.50

A good night of cask in the Eureka pub (Ormskirk)

Had an enjoyable time in the Eureka http://bit.ly/29MT2 last night, supped 3 fine pints of Black Sheep, Landlord & guest ale Pride of Pendle

Wychwood mix packs on offer at Costco (til 11th October)

Costco has Wychwood packs on offer, £11.49 for 12 til 11/10, CircleMaster[3/5],Fiddler's Elbow[3/5],Hobgoblin[4/5],Wychcraft[3/5] (96p each)

Cheap Cobra lager in Morrisons (til 27th September)

Morrisons has the 'big boy' (660ml) bottles of tasty Cobra lager for just £1 (usually £1.95!). Offer ends 27th Sept, limit of 4 per person

Innis & Gunn Oak-Aged Beer

Innis & Gunn Oak-Aged Beer [baron rating 1/5] - this 6.6% strong ale has a nasty spirity sweet vanilla taste, poured half down the sink!

Wychwood Black Wych

Wychwood Black Wych [baron rating 2/5] - this 5% stout has a coffee smell and a dark malty taste, just a bit too heavy for the baron!

Badger First Gold for 89p/bottle in Sainsbury's (with Badger 50p vouchers)

Used the Badger 50p vouchers today in Sainsbury's to get 2 bottles of Badger First Gold beer for just 89p/bottle, normally £1.39/bottle

Badger Fursty Ferret

Badger Fursty Ferret [baron rating 4/5] - this 4.4% pale amber ale has a spicy hoppy smell, a crisp taste & bitter hoppy finish: lovely!



Buy Badger ales here

Get 4 Badger ales for £3.50 in Morrisons (with 4x Badger 50p off vouchers)

Use the vouchers in Morrisons to get 4 Fursty Ferrets for 88p/bottle, just make sure you buy 4 bottles to get them for £3.50, normally £5.50

Golden Champion for 88p/bottle in Tesco (with Badger 50p vouchers)

Used the Badger 50p vouchers today in Tesco getting 2 bottles of Golden Champion for just 88p/bottle, and they had the vouchers on them too!

Badger Golden Champion

Badger Golden Champion [baron rating 3/5] - this flowery smelling 5% ale is golden(!) in colour & with a nice crisp taste & bitter finish

Buy Badger ales here

Wychwood White Wych

Wychwood White Wych [baron rating 2/5] - this 3.8% yellow ale has a slightly fruity smell, a taste like a lager but a very bitter finish

Morland Old Speckled Hen

Morland Old Speckled Hen [baron rating 4/5] - this 5.2% amber ale has a spicy smell & a crisp spicy taste - but not too heavy or spicy!

Badger Tanglefoot

Badger Tanglefoot [baron rating 4/5] - this 5% light amber ale has a fruity & hoppy smell, crisp sweet tangy malt taste & sweet dry finish


Buy Badger ales here

St. Peter's Organic Ale

St. Peter's Organic Ale [baron rating 3/5] - this 4.5% golden ale is crisp & refreshing but nothing out of the ordinary, cool bottle though!

More Booths offers from the Duke of Windemere

The Duke of W also reported that Booths have some others expensive ales reduced to £1.50: Brakspear Triple Drop & Marston's Owd Roger

Latest offers in Booths (expires 3rd October?)

The Duke of W has reported in that Booths have some ales for £1/bottle: Adnams Lighthouse, Marston's Oyster Stout[3/5] & Wychwood White Wych

Details of Asda's great premium ale discount

I popped into Asda (Aintree) today to find some excellent ale discounts (reading via Twitter? click this link for more: http://bit.ly/lWEZz)

They have a massive number of quality ales at £1/bottle and they had loads of stock (I bought 56 bottles for myself and a couple of friends), below is the full list included in the offer, all bottles are 500ml unless otherwise stated:
  • Guinness Original (330ml)
  • McEwans No.1 Champion
I picked up a load of Tanglefoot, Spitfire and OSH along with one sample bottle of Innis &Gun, Newcastle Brown Ale, St. Peter's and Bombardier. They will be sampled over the next few days to see if they are worth stocking up on - expect Baron Ratings soon.

I also noticed that the Tanglefoot bottles had a cardboard bottle collar indicating that if you play an online game you get 50p off a future Badger ale purchase.  I've played the game a few times & now have a number of vouchers so I'll see if I can use them against the already reduced Tanglefoot.  If it works then the Tanglefoot is going to end up at effectively 50p/bottle... Now that would make the Baron very very happy!

Reduced bottled ale in Asda

It appears (via their website) that Asda have quite a few ales reduced to £1/bottle, will be checking this out in person in the day or two

Aldi (Batemans) 'Specially Selected' IPA

Aldi (Batemans) 'Specially Selected' IPA [baron rating 3/5] - this 5.0% pale amber ale is crisp, refreshing & very easy to drink, nice!

Aldi (Batemans) 'Specially Selected' Treble XB English Bitter

Aldi (Batemans) 'Specially Selected' Treble XB English Bitter [baron rating 2/5] - this 4.7% amber ale is good but not good enough for 3/5

Aldi (Batemans) 'Specially Selected' Golden Pale Ale

Aldi (Batemans) 'Specially Selected' Golden Pale Ale [baron rating 2/5] - this 4.2% ale has a pleasant smell but the taste is too thin

Aldi's ale is going to be rated very soon

I bought 3 different Aldi own-brand ales (http://bit.ly/10K1Xi) today for £1.19/bottle (brewed by Batemans) so expect a Baron Rating soon

Morrisons latest offers (9th Sept) - nothing that great really!

Popped into Morrisons (Ormskirk) today to view this month's ale offers. The Baron was most disappointed, 20p-50p off some overpriced bottles

Wychwood mix packs on offer at Netto

Netto have 4-bottle Wychwood packs for £4.99, with CircleMaster[3/5], Fiddler's Elbow[3/5], Hobgoblin[4/5] & Wychcraft[3/5] (£1.25 each)

Marston's mix packs on offer at Costco (til 20th September)

Costco have 12-bottle Marston's packs on offer at £11.49, Burton Bitter[2/5], Old Empire[5/5], Oyster Stout[3/5], Pedigree[3/5] (96p each)

Wychwood mix packs available at Costco

Costco have 12-bottle Wychwood packs for £13.79, with CircleMaster[3/5], Fiddler's Elbow[3/5], Hobgoblin[4/5], Wychcraft[3/5] (£1.15 each)

Wychwood Fiddler's Elbow

Wychwood Fiddler's Elbow [baron rating: 3/5] - this 4.5% amber ale has a fruity taste & smell & a mild hoppy aftertaste (£1.15 Costco)

Wychwood Wychcraft

Wychwood Wychcraft [baron rating: 3/5] - this 4.5% blonde beer has a citrus smell & a heavily hoppy taste (£1.15 Costco)


Wychwood CircleMaster

Wychwood CircleMaster [baron rating: 3/5] - this 4.7% smooth pale ale is pale amber in colour with a bitter aftertaste (£1.15 Costco)

Major rearrange of The Baron Rating Ale Master List

I've changed the rating criteria & therefore dramatically rearranged the master rating list (http://bit.ly/pTJB6) there were too many 4/5s!

Greene King St Edmunds

Greene King St Edmunds [baron rating 2/5] - 4.2% amber ale, sweet orchard fruit smell,thin sweet caramel taste,sweet slightly cloying finish