BEER connoisseur and passionate pub campaigner, Mark gives us his decision on the tastiest beer he has sampled in the last seven days.
Mark has been highlighting the values of Britain’s favourite drink for many years. He is a member of the British Guild of Beer Writers. Follow @realaleupnorth on Twitter.
This week’s beery highlight came courtesy of Rochdale brewer Pictish Brewing Company, a brewery that has earned an excellent reputation for rolling out what I would describe as session ales - beers of moderate strength, under 4.5% ABV.
Their Alchemists Ale is one of the brewery’s core and most popular beers. A light golden-coloured pale ale, at 4.3% ABV, it was a joy to witness the beer on dispense and in exceptional condition when I visited Boyce’s Barrel microbar in Padiham.
The beer boasts an aroma of tangy citrus fruit, gooseberry and subtle toasted malt. Juicy gooseberry and lemons are initially identified in the flavours. This, in addition to some passion fruit, light, earthy hops and sappy malt. They all balanced perfectly.
More citrus fruit, juicy malt and moderate, tangy hop bitterness in the lingering, dry finish. A truly sublime, lip-smacking thirst quencher from a very talented brewing team
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