Five best beers this week

Dip into this eclectic global selection from Ireland, United States, Belgium, and Berkshire.

Devil’s Canyon / Full Boar / 7.4%

Darkness, deep, fresh, malty darkness. This beer looks more like a Guinness than a Scotch ale. It is nearly black with a red brown hue when held to the light. Straight away the nose gives off suuuuuuuuper fresh malt. It smells like fresh grain that just went into mash when you are home brewing. There are hints of caramel and dark biscuits. The finish is slightly sweet but dry and short. Seriously stellar beer!

Siren / Alarm Red Chilli Beer / 7.4%


Pours dark brown but looks red, maybe even angry. Straight away on the nose, the beer smells of hot chilli peppers. There is a tiny bit of smokiness in there that is reminiscent of a chipotle pepper. It tastes very strongly of peppers, I could bang on about how the malt provides a backbone for the peppers but it’s barely noticeable with the spiciness of this beer. I am almost certain that chipotle peppers were used to make this. There is a spicy smoky flavour that is quite wonderful. An excellent complement to taco Tuesday (if you do that sort of thing).

Leffe / Blonde / 6.6%

A storied brewery from Belgium, there have been beers brewed on the premises of this Abby since 1240. It has a crystal clear liquid gold with a beautiful foamy white head. This beer smells very strongly of the aroma and flavour associated with Belgian Ale yeast. It has a banana, clove, and pepper aroma that mixes with the malt to smell a bit like freshly baked spice bread. Bubbly and effervescent, Leffe Blonde is a benchmark for Belgian blonde flavour. The finish is short and sweet, which makes this beer a dangerously easy drinker.

Blacks of Kinsale / High Viz / 8.5%

A relative newcomer to the craft beer world, this couple started their brewery in Ireland in 2013. This Double IPA pours nearly amber with a big frothy head. When you dig your nose in, you get passionfruit and juicy fruit gum. Big caramel malt character is the most prominent flavour to start and this beer is surprisingly sweet for its high ABV. It has a sweet finish that lingers with a hoppy bitterness.

Black Market / Aftermath / 5.8%

Fresh fruity hops fly out of the can as soon as you crack it open. This golden, amber beer smells incredible. After a stir, the hops give off a nice spicy character mixed in with grapefruit and orange. The flavour has a good malt foundation on which it builds a heavy hop flavour that is citrusy, resinous, and nectary. The finish is surprisingly mild for the amount of hops they claim to add (five varieties). There is a lingering bitter fruit flavour in a relatively long finish. This American brewery just north of San Diego has come a long way since they started with their single barrel brewing system to having beers  on the shelves internationally.

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