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!

Brewdog Libertine Black Ale 7.2%

How long will it be until the term 'Black I.P.A' dies out? A black pale ale is surely a contradiction in terms. Name difficulties aside, it has become a very popular style as of late, with numerous breweries bringing out their take on this beer. One such offering is a newer Brewdog release, their Libertine Black Ale. Weighing in at 7.2% ABV it's a robust ale, not quite pitch-black as it's name would suggest, but rather a very dark brown, although it has the appearance in the glass of a traditional porter. My favourite aspect of this beer is how it confuses the brain. You expect big stout roastiness, but the aroma gives piney grapefruit notes, with some tropical fruit sweetness, with background notes of roasted malt and coffee. The style 'Black I.P.A' makes perfect sense as soon as you taste the beer, it sits right in the middle of a dry fruity I.P.A and a big roasty sweet stout, this is a very balanced beer. The medium to light mouthfeel makes it a very refreshing beer, and the alcohol is well hidden, dangerously so maybe. With Brewdog's recent expansion, this should become more readily available, although you should be able to find it in specialty off-licences and online. Highly Recommended.