Fresh solace

The craft beer goldrush is long over but nobody seems to have told the supermarkets. You can still get a reasonable selection of small-batch beers in most of them, and they keep on commissioning specials and own-label beers from local producers -- see Monday's post for an extreme example. In 2014, Tesco initiated the Solas range, with Rye River winning that particular tender. By 2016, six different Solas beers had been launched, and they were still there until a couple of months ago when the brand was given a refresh. Solas is now IBU and, for now, there are just three in the range. Still brewed at Rye River and in styles that were in the Solas range too, so presumably the recipes haven't changed. Nevertheless, a change of branding is sufficient to prompt a re-appraisal.

The codological labels present IBU as if it's a real brewery, standing for "International Brewers United", although Rye River is named as the place of production. The small print also says the bottles are unpasteurised, which is impressive for a supermarket own-brand.

IBU Czech Pils is quite misty in the glass, another thing warned of on the label. That does take the shine off what would otherwise be a handsome glass of gold. One thing the label doesn't tell us is what the hops are. From the crêpe paper and dry straw aroma, there's something other than just Saaz here, and it smells a little off-puttingly musty, hitting the bit of my senses that finds some noble hopping to be difficult to take. 5% ABV gives it a decent body, and there's a light touch on the carbonation: it doesn't taste or feel like cheap yellow fizz. There's quite a heritage quality to the malt side of the flavour: that rich and wholesome honey and treacle sweetness, though not overdone or any way cloying, finishing neatly and without fuss. Could it be the mash was decocted? I wouldn't be surprised. The hops... are not to my taste. It's that dry and musty quality that I've never got along with. That spoiled the party a little for me, but I can't say this is anything other than a well-made and flavourful beer, and definitely a cut or three above the mass-market dreck that gets sold as lager in these parts. I humbly request a switch to all-Saaz and will say no more on it.

A little surprisingly, the witbier survived the Solas purge, so it's out with the Hoegaarden bucket to receive IBU Belgian White. This isn't much hazier than the pilsner, which doesn't reflect especially well on either of them. As under the old brand, we're left to whistle for the coriander, and orange peel is the only added ingredient. My records show that Solas wit was 5.2% ABV, but we're down to an even 5% here. It's still sufficiently fluffy, although the mouthfeel is probably the best thing about it. I get phantom herbs from somewhere, maybe the yeast, but there's a savoury green tint to both the aroma and flavour. Its flavour has a solid dose of citrus too, although it's a sharper lemon buzz rather than orange, and that's no harm, offering a pleasant contrast to the softly wheaty side. This gets the job done, and I really don't miss the coriander. We're not really in witbier season at the moment, but come the brighter days, this will be an acceptable option. Fair play to Tesco for sticking to a beer style that's unfairly overlooked by the cool kids.

Lightest of the three, IBU Session IPA is 4% ABV. It's brightly golden and only very slightly hazed, with a handsomely tall and fluffy head. We're not told what the hops are, but to expect flavours of "tangerine passion fruit and citrus". The latter comes across strongest in the aroma, which has the almost peppery note of real grapefruit peel, along with some softer orange. The taste doesn't diverge significantly from this, so don't expect a whole lot of tropicals. The citric element more than makes up for it, however, providing jolly bursts of mandarin, lemon candy and jaffa zest: nothing too bitter, but flavoursome and enjoyable. The carbonation is a little on the high side, but it doesn't detract from the overall quality, and there's none of the thinness that a light supermarket session IPA could easily suffer from. But we know Rye River doesn't play that way.

I won't be back for the lager, but the other two mean Tesco has the beginnings of a house beer range to rival Lidl's. It needs a dark beer, though, of course.