Are we the baddies?

There's no shortage of Star Wars theme beers out there. I guess that's just the age that people who run microbreweries are. Few are as explicit as the Original Stormtrooper set, though the licensed nod here is to the costume designer at Shepperton Studios rather than any of the work of Mr Lucas. Something must be keeping the Disney lawyers at bay. Yorkshire brewery Vocation is the source, and we have a pale ale and an IPA.

The relative strengths are the converse of the usual order, with Situation Normal IPA the lighter of the pair at 4.4% ABV. Tropical fruit courtesy of US hops is promised on the can, and it's a bright clear golden colour. The aroma is quite citrus, suggesting zesty lemon and grapefruit rather than juice or flesh -- that's fine with me. I expected something basic and a bit old-fashioned, flavourwise, but it delivered more than than just bitterness. Gooseberry and blueberry were first, then damp grass and fresh spinach. More than anything American, the hop character reminds me of some of the newer German varieties. Either way, it's very tasty stuff. The carbonation is maybe a little high and spiky, but it's not thin. Plenty of good clean hop fun here.

Pale ale Galactic brings the ABV up to 4.8%. You get a slightly deeper shade of gold for that, though the aroma is plainer too: meadow flowers laced with harder lime. An earthy, funky dank flavour is the opening gambit on the palate, suggesting Cascade to me. There are overtones of Sierra Nevada's iconic pale ale here, albeit a little lighter of texture. To balance the slightly rough hopping there's a smoother honey and peach sweetness on the very end. The aftertaste is back to waxy and bitter, however. This is classically styled in the American pale ale way, and very enjoyable, though not as interesting as the previous one.

Solid work here by the Empire and its minions in Hebden Bridge. These can be got locally for as little as €2.50 a pop, so even if the branding puts you off, you can let the pricetag bring you back onside. Both are excellent unfussy value, Yorkshire style.