I'm not sure these even are beers. They don't claim to be. Beekon Batches self-describes its products as "honey refresher" and doesn't list ingredients. It is made in a brewery, however: the Pearse Lyons in Drogheda, and I detect a bit of malt involvement, so close enough.Classic makes it very clear that they're not going for the beer market. It pours a clear autumnal golden with a busy sparkle and no head, making me immediately think the creators have a champagne substitute in mind. The aroma is no more intense than champagne and has a similar note of light oak and white toast. The honey is past this, in the centre of the flavour, giving quite an intense sweetness, like honeycomb candy. It's a bit sticky but does sterling work shoring up the mouthfeel and preventing it seeming watery. Is there a hint of apple in there? Could it be a cider? It got stickier as it warms, and I suspect it's really designed to be served on ice and doesn't work well without it. This is fine as it is, but a bit too far from actual beer for me to make up my mind about it either way.
I did think it might be improved by some spicing so was optimistic about the companion piece, Ginger & Lime. This one is hazy, the colour of a wheat beer. The additional flavouring all seems to have been in syrup form, so adds to the sweetness instead of countering it. There's a faint twang of sour-candy lime, like the corner-cuttingest Long Island Ice Tea, while the ginger is no higher than ginger-biscuit levels. The appley/honeyish centre is muted, but definitely still detectable. Again, pitched more at the Crabbie's drinker than the beer over-thinker, but this one seems even more artificial than the previous.Stick with the Classic, if you absolutely must.
