Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 10%

Brooklyn 's Black Chocolate Stout was a definite eureka moment for me, as soon as I poured it I knew I was about to have my mind blown. While I have gone on to have bigger and better imperial stouts, there is few that can match this offering from Brooklyn, New York for value or availability. It weighs in at a hefty 10% ABV, so definitely not a session beer. It pours out inky black, with maybe a very slight hint of red towards the edge of the glass. On the nose, as expected, there's a big dark chocolate character, with warming alcohol. The taste again is all dark chocolate and bitter black coffee, which all comes from various varieties of malt, no chocolate or coffee is added to the brew. The alcohol is definitely present in the taste, but not in an obnoxious way.If you're looking to try your first imperial stout, i can't recommend this one highly enough.

Brewdog Hardcore IPA 9.2%

Lots of beer drinkers will get bitten by the craft beer bug after trying various Brewdog beers, such as their Punk IPA or their 5 A.M Saint, I know i was. But they do a lot more than session beers, such as this big boy. Its their take on an American Double/Imperial IPA, and hits the nail on the head. Depending on how fresh your bottle is, that is. A fresh bottle is a lovely floral, piney fruity beer, with the alcohol staying well hidden. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with a nice off-white head. These tend to sit on shelves however, so be wary of buying older bottles, because as with all hoppy beers, the hop character disappears over time, and what you can be left with is a sickly sweet, boozy mess. Not the most complex double IPA out there, but definitely worth picking up

Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye 6.6%

Ruthless Rye is a welcome addition the the excellent portfolio of beers from California's Sierra Nevada. Many people will have had their Pale Ale, which remains a classic example of the American Pale Ale style. Luckily for us, the ever growing size of Sierra Nevada has made their seasonal releases much easier to find, and can now be found in many mainstream off-licences, not just specialty beer retailers.
This is another IPA from Sierra Nevada, but the main difference with this one is, you guessed it, a hefty rye addition to the recipe. The rye serves to give the beer a spicy earthy backbone, which sits nicely alongside the dank whole-cone hop presence Sierra Nevada are famous for. Get it while you can, because once it's gone, you'll have to wait until next year. Cheers!

How to Drink Beer

I know what you're thinking, 'I already know how to drink beer.' If you're a beginner to craft beer, you might just be wrong. There are a few simple steps you can take to make your enjoyment of beer, and even good quality wine or spirits, so much better!
Step One:
Glassware
ALWAYS pour your beer into a glass. Even if it's not the correct style of glass for the style of beer, never drink it from the bottle or can. I prefer a tulip style glass, more specifically a Duvel glass, which is perfect for almost any style, because it's wide at the bottom but narrows towards the rim, to force aromas into your nose, where their supposed to go. No need to be pedantic about glassware though, just pour it into something.
Step Two:
Appearance
Put simply, does the beer look good to you. What colour is it? What kind of head does it produce? Can you see the carbonation streaming from the bottom of the glass. Is it clear or cloudy We drink with our eyes first.
Step Three:
Aroma
Stick your nose right into the glass. As I mentioned before, the correct glassware will help with this, but it's not essential, good beer will still smell good in the wrong glass. Start thinking about what aromas you can pick out, is it more malty or hoppy, is there an alcohol presence in the nose? This should give you a rough idea of what it should taste like.
Step Four:
Taste
Finally you get to taste the beer. No need for huge gulps like you would with a Heineken. Take your time, craft beer is to be savoured. Take a sip and let it coat the inside of your mouth. How does the taste match up to the aroma? What's the mouthfeel like? The mouthfeel of a beer can range from light bodied, such as a pilsner or hefeweizen, all the way to full bodied, such as an imperial stout or barleywine.

Follow these simple steps and you will soon find that you'll no longer simply like or not like the beer, but be able to explain your opinion either way, and perhaps appreciate styles you didn't before.
Cheers!