This is another beer I picked up from Cotteridge Wines.
I was intrigued by the label wrapped around the neck.
It can often be a very dangerous game to label oneself as wonderful or brilliant or, as Brodies do, fabulous.
“Brodie’s Fabulous Beers,” says the label.
As I say, dangerous.
In this case however, and certainly in terms of this little bottle of lager, they are absolutely right.
This is a fabulous beer.
It smells of English summer gardens, all cut grass, delicate border flowers and a fresh breeze.
The colour is pale straw and the head is a fluffy cloud.
That’s all very good, but fabulous?
Fabulous comes when you take a mouthful.
This is one hop heavy, tangy lemon smack in the face of a lager.
The malting is a soft, creamy caramel with a super light wafer biscuit for support, and there’s a dash of honey in there for good measure too.
But it’s the hops that are the star here.
They are big and boisterous, full to bursting with cracking pepper, mace, spices and herbal leaves.
And there’s mandarin peel and cloves in here, along with a spoonful of breakfast grapefruit, lemon pip pithiness and the driest most satisfyingly long finish.
As the bottle proclaims, fabulous beer.