Black Sheep Brewery - Celebration Ale 6%

Taste: I'm expecting to taste the difference here... Sainsbury's have sold this to me, it sounds right up my street; with port and raisins mentioned.... Let's see. First sip is a woozy journey through about 10 tastes. I had a flashback to eating a lot of christmas cake and gorging on marzipan. The port and fruitiness is there, but it's been locked in the basement. This is halfway to tasting like a fine cigar and would probably be a fine pairing.

Appearance: Guinness and Port. Sainsbury bottle shifting units for black sheep.

Would you buy 2? I actually would. Not bad.

Would you buy 4? I don't know about four. Some of my friends don't like liquorice and probably wouldn't get such a big bang out of this.

Rating (out of 7): 5***** A generous score for some nice work. Huzzah!

The Kernel Brewery - Pale Ale, Bramling Cross 5.7%

Taste: A worrying yeast explosion on opening with a home brew smell. My fears were quashed once tasted. It goes tastily well paired with my F&C's (Fish and Chips) with enough sharpness to cut through the grease. the beer is hoppy, not without it's home brew charms.

Appearance: Cloudy murky depths. The water that the pickled ripleys are in, in Alien Resurrection.

Would you buy 2? I could enjoy two of these. The larger sized bottle's a treat too.

Would you buy 4? Four? There are too many ales in this world to stay still on this.

Rating (out of 7): 5***** ultimately enjoyable ale.

Fyne Ales - Vital Spark 4.4%

Taste: Smokey chocolate pencils. Mmmmmm. Mellow sharpness. Ice teas and cigarettes. A recently pregnant lady now has her first sip of ale in a year - Woooooaaahh! Metallic! Going down quite well actually. We're now worried the aforementioned lady may become an ale monster.

Appearance: Full strength coca cola,

Would you buy 2? 4 halves? Yes!

Would you buy 4? That's one to ponder....

Rating (out of 7): 5 * * * * *. Best ale of the day!

Angus Ales - Birdie 3 (4.1%)

Taste: Oh no! That's grim! Tastes like the worst home brew, gone wrong. Bad cheese. A slug filled carton of lager.

Appearance: Blood in a lager. Slugs dissolved in garden lager trap.

Would you buy 2? Not even if it was the last ale in Cardiff. Strong words!

Would you buy 4? No response

Rating (out of 7): 1 * Can it get a 0? It sits on the table with a just a few sips from it. Oh dear.

Inveralmond Brewery - Duncan's IPA 4.4%

Taste: A lot of teeth nashing. Coins! Tasteless coins! There's a metallic taste, but no real flavour. How odd.

Appearance: Apple juice.

Would you buy 2? Probably not.

Would you buy 4? 4 quarters to make a pint? Mmmmmm

Rating (out of 7): 2 * *

Mayfields - Tournament Tipple 4%

Taste: Tree bark. Smooth. Brown bread. The brown bread of the ale world. Wholesome but a little too smooth perhaps. I'm reminded of having a mouthful of wood chips, of the sort you have as a safety surface around swings. Wet slate.

Appearance: Rusty industrial metalwork.

Would you buy 2? I would.

Would you buy 4? I wouldn't if there was a long queue or if it was a school night.

Rating (out of 7): 4 * * * *. Give it a try!

Brasserie De Cateau - Vivat Triple 8.3%

Taste: Belgium in style. It's tastes blonde. Mellow for such a strong triple. It's really nice.

Appearance: Blown away by / Suckered in by the heavy clay bottle. I want all of my beers to come this way. The caged cork is also awesome. The beer is straw yellow.

Would you buy 2? I don't know if my budget would stretch to too many of these. But, like a nice wine, it'll be nice to have one in the house.

Would you buy 4? If you're paying.

Rating (out of 7): 5***** Very nice. Paired with North African Chachouka.

The Smart Brewing Company - Wild Thing 4%

Taste: Unfortunately the first thing that hits me is blandness. There's is a bit of a volcanic sulphur vibe, but this for some reason takes the form of a sweaty egg taste.

Appearance: Standard amber ale.

Would you buy 2? No thank you.

Would you buy 4? If I was given four, then I would turn three of them down.

Rating (out of 7): 2 * *. Not so good

Emersons - Bookbinder 3.7%

Taste: Squashed citrus fruits, soapy and yet a little bit of bacon rasher too. A clean pig with a lemon in it's mouth is a good mental image. The watery aftertaste is refreshing not disappointing. A good beer garden afternoon ale taste going on.

Appearance: Table wood from 1976.

Would you buy 2? As an afteroon treat? Yes please

Would you buy 4? As evening delicacy? Perhaps I'll try something else.

Rating (out of 7): 4 * * * * (there's a time and place for this ale - outdoors in the sunshine)

DB - Draught 4%

Taste: Not unpleasant. Slight hint of sherbet space ships and a massive hint of plain old water. Quite boring actually - all a bit of a non event, unlike a rodeo.

Appearance: Standard.

Would you buy 2? I'd probably forget that I had bought one, then buy another, then forget again and so on.

Would you buy 4? Hopefully I would remember not to buy any more before getting to four.

Rating (out of 7): 3 * * * - OK but dull.

Tui Brewery - East India Pale Ale 4%

Taste: Classic oval creating freshness. Tried a wine style sip = foamy banana sweets with a sparkling metallic twang. Fizzy and then ..... well that's it, and that's just fine.

Appearance: Translucent brown. A hazy brown dream sequence.

Would you buy 2? Go on then, my arm is already twisted.

Would you buy 4? Six pack? yes! Four individuals? No.

Rating (out of 7): 5 * * * * * - Good stuff for a refreshing ale time!

Moorhouse's - Black Cat 3.4%

Taste: lump of coal. Smokey. It's tasty. Perfect with a salmon en croute. A Wet slate classic.

Appearance: it's of the only cat based ales I like. Meoww! But the thought of a cat anywhere near the brewing process is just vile!

Would you buy 2? I think I would! What a world!

Would you buy 4? What!? Cat based!?!

Rating (out of 7): 4**** great stuff with food.

The Brooklyn Brewery - East India Pale Ale 6.9%

Taste: Tastes like an exotic ship sailing from East India directly into my ale box. Oranges jettisoned into the salty ocean.

Appearance: Golden bubble bots fill the receptacle. Fine looking bottle.

Would you buy 2? 2 have been bought. Splendid.

Would you buy 4? I wouldn't buy 4. I'm sorry, that's just how I feel and I'll say no more on the subject. Let's put this matter behind us.

Rating (out of 7): 4**** the strength makes you give it extra stars.

The Kernel Brewery - IPA Galaxy 6.9%

Taste: Intensely hoppy! These galaxy hops are crazy little guys. It's so flowery! Flower power. This ale actually kisses you! It stings/kisses your lips; no bad thing.

Appearance: cloudy! I poured it wrong. Still tastes fine.

Would you buy 2? We bought 2.

Would you buy 4? I'd buy some more. It's great.

Rating (out of 7): 5***** split the vote!

Shepherd Neame - Golden Ale 4.9%

Taste: Oh no. Fizzy, and not in a fantastic way. Not the best thing I've ever put in my mouth. It's not entirely unpleasant, it's just quite plain.

Appearance: Sinister fizz. Brewed especially for Mr. Asda :/

Would you buy 2? Never. I only bought one due to my "responsibilities".

Would you buy 4? That question's a joke.

Rating (out of 7): 2** no.