Cross my can with silver

Three from London brewer Gipsy Hill today, all under the broad pale ale umbrella.

First out is Bandit, gluten-free and a classically English 3.8% ABV. It doesn't look like a cask bitter, mind, or at least not a good one, being an unhealthy hazy shade of medium yellow. The aroma is fun: a spritzy lemon zest. There's plenty of substance given the modest strength, not thick by any means but certainly not watery. The fresh citrus I got from the aroma is even more prominent on tasting: a lovely zesty kick with plenty of background sweetness; lemon drizzle cake and fizzy vitamin tablet. The bitter side goes a little overboard towards the end, turning to a slightly harsh metallic tang, but that's mercifully brief. A surprise oily dankness provides the unexpected twist ending. This is cheery, sunny fun -- mouth watering and thirst quenching -- but there's a depth and complexity too. My three-can session was off to an auspicious start.

Ranger is altogether more traditional, though stronger at 4.2% ABV. It's completely clear, for one thing: a pale yellow shade, like a northern bitter. It tastes along those lines too -- quite a harsh and dry rasp. Lemon is again the dominant feature but nowhere near as cuddly as the Bandit, lacking the malt backing. There's no doubting the freshness and boldness of the flavour, however it's quite severe, the pith and rind fading to celery salt and crepe paper: not your classic IPA flavours. This has a certain sharp charm, and is not a million miles from English classics like Landlord. Still, I wanted something cheerier from the little can.

We finish up on the cockily-named Baller IPA, though the ABV goes no higher than 5.4%. There is, in fairness, some swagger to the aroma: a waft of mango and satsuma that put a smile on my face. It gets more complex on tasting: that juiciness is present but mostly arrives late on; before it there's a weedy oiliness, a pinch of lime and a thoroughly modern New Englandish vanilla. It all adds up to something very tasty: the good bits of modern IPA flavour with a nod to the old school as well, and not too strong either.

Two very decent beers out of three here. I would happily spend a summer's afternoon alternating between Bandit and Baller. There's a lot to enjoy in that pair.