Cerdos Voladores

When I took this review on I expected to sat at the laptop typing as Craig slurred his way through an appraisal of each beer, but it was actually me that got a bit squiffy and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it!

What is Beer52?

Well the poor guys at Beer52 HQ have the truly terrible job of sampling beers from the 12,000+ micro breweries dotted around the world. They then shortlist their favourites and send 8 beers per month to Beer52 club members.

Membership is just £24 per month* (with free delivery each month) and for that you are guaranteed the very finest real ales that aren’t in the supermarket. You’ll also receive a copy of Ferment Magazine which acts as a companion guide to each box, £2 worth of snacks and there are often free gifts with new subscriptions. As a member, you’ll join a strong social community of ale addicts and you can hone your beer-tasting credentials with thousands of other avid fans on Twitter and Facebook.

Where do I come in?

The idea is that I sample 8 specially selected beers from Beer 52′s collection and review them. Sounds easy right? Well given I’m more used to downing Carling in Wetherspoons, it’s actually a lot harder than it looks! Here goes nothing…

Ascendancy

They say… A Belgian double IPA-weizen hybrid, brewed with candy sugar. A head storm of tropical fruit, mango and banana with a hop-forward resiny finish. Born after a night of drinking very poor cask ale, the brewer suddenly announced to the lads that he could brew better beer himself, to which there was a chorus of “Well Gan on then!”

I say… It’s a heavyweight at 7.4% and tastes better chilled. It’s orangutan-like in appearance - by this I mean resiny (cloudy), with a tuft of off-white head and well… it’s orange - a real nod to its fruity composition. The hints of banana and mango were there, but there’s also an unexpected but welcome citrus base-line. It smells of stewed mango and is a smooth tipple with a belting bittersweet aftertaste 9/10

They say… Welcome to the world of the Cerdos Voladores, Barcelona Beer Co’s rowdiest and most-likeable craft beer. It’s a beer with which to enjoy life’s special moments: a good meal, a good football match on TV, a night out with the mates.

This is your most potent and brazen craft beer for your merriest moments, with loads of hops that give it that lusty bitter flavour that will get you hooked…

I say… Craig ended up comparing this one to an ex-girlfriend in some kind of beer-induced diatribe that almost earned him a night’s kip on the sofa. Needless to say he found it moreish! This vivacious hoppy little number has a slight carbonation so needs to be handled carefully. And at 6%, you’ll need to rein in those ‘special moments’ mentioned above.

It’s right on the edge of the pale ale border (one foot in Mexico territory) with a brassy appearance and head of yellowy off-white froth. It has a resinous aroma that smells of my daughter’s rusks. There are hints of caramel and citrus and a musky aftertaste that leaves you wanting more - not one to end the night on! 8/10

Wreckless

They say… This beer is a nicely balanced pale ale, hopped with Amarillo and Citra and was first brewed almost by mistake when the brewer and his friend missed the timer. The hop additions were not quite as planned but it worked out pretty well

I say… Well ‘they’ haven’t given me a lot to go on this time! Yet this was my favourite of the lot.

This is pale ale triumph, amber-like in colour and much clearer in the glass than some of its cousins. It’s millimetre-thick head was white, bubbly and inoffensive with no floating resin to give us newbies pause for thought. The carbonation was tight, sharp and long-lasting - perfect for those dipping their toes into the craft ale scene.

The taste was caramel-like with a kick of lemon, grapefruit and peach. It was the most easy-going, refreshing and accessible of the 8, and at 4.8% you could comfortably manage another without face-planting the carpet 10/10

Oppigards Golden Ale

They say… Oppigards take on the golden ale style is done with a twist. They’ve used the American hop Cascade late in the boil to give it a hint of flora and citrus in both aroma and taste. It’s medium bitter with a dry finish. Goes great with rich food

I say… Another great entry ale for the uninitiated. This is more like your everyday lager and I understand this one has made the rounds (making me suspect it’s bottled with less love). Carbonation was quick to leave the glass leaving a light bitter refreshing yet underwhelming taste. Fruit notes were low to emerge but hints of apricot, peach and tropical fruit eventually punched through (5.2%) 7/10

Belhaven Scottish Oat Stout

They say… Belhaven’s take on craft beer. Dark, rich and layered. Scottish Oat Stout is intense yet approachable. A complex mash including roasted barley and oats , along with three types of malt gives this beer its trademark depth and complexity. Deep, complex, stout with treacle, slow roast coffee and dark chocolate notes. Smooth, dense and intense, with a lingering sweetness and a deluxe silky texture, this is truly a beer to savour.

I say… Okay stout isn’t my thing but given it’s a review, I took one for the team.

Unsurprisingly this pours a dark brown body, it’s flavoursome with notes of treacle and coffee - I couldn’t taste the chocolate myself (If I had, I might have gone to the dark-side). The head diminished almost instantly and a port smell came through in abundance. My first thoughts were, “there’s not enough grit”, but it did grow on me. Very smooth and easy-to-drink with pinch of vanilla & herbs. Creamy on the palette. A surprisingly lethal 7% so go easy.

Less posh pub and more an afternoon in the British Legion 7/10

Freigeist Abraxxxas

They say… Abraxxxas is a modern interpretation of an old German beer style called “Lichtenhainer Weibe”, a smoked sour wheat beer.

Tasted Notes: A fresh and tart sour taste with some smokey hints. It’s incredibly refreshing

I say… Now we’re talking! This was heaven in a glass.

Poured a hazy orange body with a low head. Smelt of country walks; grass, foraging, peat and (weirdly) dust. Yet this bad boy packs a punch to taste with lemony tones peeking through its earthy base. Enough of this could transport you to straw-floored taverns with barrel tables. In fact, if you’re doing Movember I suspect this one will stop your mates ribbing your wispy upper lip - it’s a man’s drink and not to be taken lightly at 6% 9/10

Meduz Blonde

They say… A light beer which is refreshing while having a full body and a characteristic bitterness. Its fine and light foam will delight fans of beers with character. Notes of citrus and fresh fruit accentuate its freshness and complexity

I say… This was “cute” - definitely one for the girls. I got hints of peach, orange and old school hubba bubba soda.

Pours a deceptively light orange but tastes medium bodied with a light quick-to-wave-goodbye head. Carbonation stayed true throughout it’s short time in my glass. A complex, interesting and flirty little number that’s perfectly partnered with pretzels and a retro board-gaming night (5%) 9/10

Einstok Toasted Porter

They say… Clear notes of toffee and dark chocolate, this porter is roasty and rich, offering medium body that is robust yet smooth on the palate. Toasted and chocolate malts give it a sinister black colour, bit it’s easy-to-drink taste will have you believing there’s no need to be afraid of the dark. Smooth and roasty with some chocolate, toffee and liquorice notes

I say… If I’m honest, I have no clue what a porter is, and neither (it seems) does Google - at least it couldn’t offer me an explanation that made any sense.

I shouldn’t have liked this but I did, and it’s the closest I’ve come to a dark beer conversion. It reminded me of raiding my dads ale stash at 13 with a mate - one kept guard, the other sipped and grimaced. It’s not a smooth-ride at all and those roasty notes do linger long after the dark chocolate has left the building, but I could get onboard with the complex malt finish. It tasted like powdered granola and darker than dark chocolate - can imagine this being a comfort on a camping trip - not that you’re ever like to see me on one of those! (6%) 9/10

So…????

Loved it. Had two nights of laughter, giddiness and ear plugs as Craig snored his way through a drunken haze. We’re subscribing and planning more fireside craft ale sessions when the kids are asleep dreaming of Minions and Iggle Piggle (or whatever under 3s dream about nowadays). Next time I’ll be a little bolder and join the banter on Twitter to see if my nose and palette are up to scratch.