Finding the beer for you!

Are you traditionally a wine drinker, spirits or cocktail drinker and not sure what beer you will like?

Red Wine Drinkers

Flemish red beers share several flavour characteristics with red wine: Woody and Tannic flavours from ageing in barrels, Dark and red berry flavours, dryness and tartness. This makes them the perfect beer for the red wine drinker. Alternatively, look for a dark beer that’s been aged in red wine barrels.

Try – Rodenbach or Rodenbach Grand Cru or a dark beer aged in red wine casks, Such as Wild Beer Co, Wineybeast.

White Wine Drinkers

White wine – If you like a white wine, try a sour beer such as a Gueuze. Gueuze’s are often similar to Sauvignon Blancs: Tart, tannic and dry with green fruit flavours. A single hopped Nelson Sauvin Pale Ale would also hit the spot.

Try – Buxton’s Trolltunga Gooseberry sour IPA or Hanssen’s Oude Gueuze.

Fizz Dinkers

Fizz – Are you partial to a glass of Champagne or Prosecco? Brut IPAs have a dry, Champagne-like quality that might just hit the spot. Alternatively, an effervescent Gueuze could be the best bet, dry, tart and fruity.

Try – Boons ‘Mariage Parfait’ if you like Champagne or ‘Pecheresse’ if you enjoy a Bellini.

Brandy, Whisky & Rum Drinkers

Brandy, Whisky & Rum – Many breweries are experimenting with barrel ageing, allowing the rich and woody flavours of barrels, which previously contained Brandy, Whisky, Wine or Sherry, to enrich the beer within. Look out for barrel-aged Stouts, Barley wines which can be stored in the cellar and age beautifully.

Try – A barrel aged Imperial Stout or Barley wine for example Marble Decadence – Ruby Port Barrel Aged Imperial Stout. These are seasonal and will change throughout the year.

Gin Drinkers

Gin – For those who drink a Gin and Tonic, drier beers with botanicals are great. Summery Saison’s tend to have a spicy and botanical note, Cucumber sours emulate the tartness and savoury cucumber notes of a G&T, while West coast IPAs are dry, bitter and fruity.

Try – A Saison from Burning Sky if you enjoy botanical gins.

Cocktail Drinkers

Cocktails – If you love fruity and tropical cocktail – Pina Colada, Mai Tai or Sex on the Beach – Then consider trying a tropical Pale or a New England IPA. Hops often give flavours of Pineapple, Mago, Citrus & Peachy stone fruits. If you prefer a Mojito or Margarita, try a salty and slightly & slightly sour Gose. Coffee milk Stouts are great if espresso martinis are your poison.

Try – Track’s ‘Sonoma’. For Tropical fruity flavours. Try Lervig’s Sour Suzy if you enjoy a Margarita.