Not-so-new year beer

Is that the time? 10th of January already and not a peep out of me all year. No, I'm not doing one of those principled January detoxes, I've just been away for a while and have been putting my life back together since I returned. A report on where I was and the beer I found will follow after I've tried the two bottles I brought back with me. It's all about completeness and coherency, see?

So, just to mark the start of a new year of beer, and to demonstrate that I'm still alive and drinking, a review of a random untried beer from my stash: St. Peter's Organic Best Bitter.

It pours a lovely cloudy amber colour with only the lightest skim of a head. The aroma is citrus and candy in equal proportions. The caramel candy hits the palate first, followed close behind by a quite sharp and acidic bitterness. Neither flavour lingers on very long, however, and soon it's time for another sip.

This is a well-balanced session bitter, and with its toned-down flavours is much more to my hop-wuss liking than Landlord or any of the other bitterer bitters. It also ticks the boxes I found wanting with the brewery's Organic Ale. A criticism? Well, just at the end there's a faint hint of that metallic tang that I find in a number of English ales. I reckon I can live with it though.

All in all a decent and unfussy pint... er, half-litre.

Right posh booze

The St. Peter's brewery in Suffolk presents two opening gimmicks to the punter: an 18th century-style high-shouldered bottle and a hefty (€4 here) price tag.

Their Old-Style Porter is a blend of new and old ale, quite light in colour. With most craft-brewed porters one expects a significant sharpness, but this is totally smooth. Not that it's creamy or in any way bland -- far from it. This is rich and flavoursome with a distinct chocolate kick to it. More than anything it reminds me of the chocolate ale made by Speight's in New Zealand (review here). Textbook delicious.

St. Peter's also make an Organic Ale, though with this one it's harder to see where your €4 goes. In general, I've been a bit disappointed with organic beer: brewers seem content with their Soil Association certificate as a selling point rather than putting the graft into the flavour. The St. Peter's organic is a light amber colour and tastes tangy and mildly bitter. It's decent, and stands up as a good English light ale, but it lacks the depth, richness and warmth required for promotion to the premier league.

Dark beer, it seems, is where St. Peter's excels. They also make a Cream Stout, which I haven't been able to find on sale, but you'll be the first to know when I do.