The Ormskirk Baron: 2015

Mad Hatter Mandarin Amber

Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation but quite yeasty

Mad Hatter Mandarin Amber [baron rating 4/5] - 8.1% amber ale,sweet resin smell,sweet resin choc orange brown sugar taste,choc bitter finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Chris for bringing this round for a baron rating!

Buy Mad Hatter ales from Source Deli

De Molen Op & Top

Not bottle conditioned

De Molen Op & Top [baron rating 4/5] - 4.5% amber ale,seville oranges smell,balanced frothy bittersweet taste,mild pithy finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Paul Kruzycki from Ales By Mail for sending me their Craft Beer Advent Calendar 2015.

Buy De Molen ales from Ales By Mail

Tiny Rebel Cwtch

Not bottle conditioned

Tiny Rebel Cwtch [baron rating 5/5] - 4.6% amber ale,sweet boiled fruits smell,chewy balanced sweet fruity taste,clean bitter finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Paul Kruzycki from Ales By Mail for sending me their Craft Beer Advent Calendar 2015.

Buy Tiny Rebel ales from Ales By Mail

Beavertown Quelle

Not can conditioned

Beavertown Quelle [baron rating 4/5] - 4.1% hazy pale gold ale,lemon pungent fresh hops smell,crisp lemony peachy taste,dusty bitter finish

Buy Beavertown ales from Holborn Ales

Salopian Catatonic

Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Salopian Catatonic [baron rating 5/5] - 5.7% gold ale,pithy tropical smell,zingy fruity juicy citrus tropical taste,dry pithy finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Jake (@SalopianBrewery) from Salopian Brewery for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Salopian ales from Holborn Ales

Atlantic Earl Grey PA

Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Atlantic Earl Grey PA [baron rating 3/5] - 4.5% copper ale,cold tea smell,perfumed tangarine bit thin taste,slight peppery finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Paul Kruzycki from Ales By Mail for sending me their Craft Beer Advent Calendar 2015.

Buy Atlantic ales from Ales By Mail

Looking forward to baron rating Salopian Brewery ales soon!

December brings two new Salopian beers to Baron Towers (what a lovely Christmas present!).

Nice classy labels

Salopian Brewery

Catatonic - 5.7% collaboration with Tiny Rebel brewery - "A lush aroma of apricots and mango ripples across a vibrant and spicy fruit filled basket of lychee, pineapple, & subtle passion fruit. The mouth feel is clean and crisp and finished with pine and citrus." - taken from their website as the bottle says nothing
Midnight Express - 5.2% "Pitch black with a complex tapestry of dark malts that are rich and laden with mocha, bitter cocoa and oats. The hop aroma is fresh, balanced and spicy and drives a tantalisingly clean finish" - taken from their website as the bottle says nothing

Look out for a 'baron rating' for these Salopian Brewery beers soon, and a big thank you to Jake (@SalopianBrewery) for sending them through to me!

Buy Salopian ales from Holborn Ales

Hogs Back Chocolate Lager

Not bottle conditioned

Hogs Back Chocolate Lager [baron rating 2/5] - 4.5% gold beer,mild hot choc smell,crisp weak choc odd taste,slight choc mild herbal finish

Thank you to Paul Kruzycki from Ales By Mail for sending me their Craft Beer Advent Calendar 2015.

Buy Hogs Back ales from Ales By Mail

Discworld Bledlow's Silence

Not bottle conditioned

Discworld Bledlow's Silence [baron rating 4/5] - 5.5% copper ale,slight candied smell,spicy chewy resinous bitter taste,long peppery finish

Thank you to Paul Kruzycki from Ales By Mail for sending me their Craft Beer Advent Calendar 2015.

Buy Discworld ales from Ales By Mail

Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA can

Not can conditioned

Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA can [baron rating 5/5] - 7.1% amber ale,orange tropical resinous smell,pine tropical bitter taste,long spicy finish

Hardknott Figgy Pudding

Not bottle conditioned

Hardknott Figgy Pudding [baron rating 5/5] - 7% ruby ale,rich fruitcake smell,boozy choc malty charred fruits taste,long burnt raisin finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Paul Kruzycki from Ales By Mail for sending me their Craft Beer Advent Calendar 2015.

Buy Hardknott ales from Ales By Mail

Dark Star APA can

Not can conditioned

Dark Star APA can [baron rating 5/5] - 4.7% copper ale,sweet caramel mild apricot smell,biscuity peppery bitter taste,long dry spicy finish

Buy Dark Star ales from Holborn Ales

Moor Fusion 2012

Bottle conditioned with cask-level carbonation

Moor Fusion 2012 [baron rating 4/5] - 8% black ale,caramel choc smell,milky smooth vanilla choc taste,rich malty cola finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Wild Beer Modus Operandi

Not bottle conditioned

Wild Beer Modus Operandi [baron rating 3/5] - 7% dark brown ale,choc berries smell,sour berries burnt taste,very sour finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Paul Kruzycki from Ales By Mail for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Wild Beer ales from Ales By Mail

Wychwood Hobgoblin Gold

Not bottle conditioned

Wychwood Hobgoblin Gold [baron rating 4/5] - 4.5% gold ale,orange peach apricot smell,light citrus wheaty peppery taste,spicy minty finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Saltaire Imperial IPA

Not bottle conditioned

Saltaire Imperial IPA [baron rating 4/5] - 9.5% amber ale,candied mild orange smell,bready juicy bittersweet taste,boozy juicy orange finish

Buy Saltaire ales from Holborn Ales

Neptune Triton

Bottle conditioned with plenty of yeasty sludge

Neptune Triton [baron rating 2/5] - 4.4% gold ale,satsuma smell,spicy orange squash (with lava lamp of sediment) taste,spicy herbal finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to @neptunebrewery for handing this over for a baron rating!

Buy Neptune ales from Source Deli

Robinsons Trooper 666

Not bottle conditioned

Robinsons Trooper 666 [baron rating 2/5] - 6.6% amber ale,sweet boiled fruit smell,spicy sweet butterscotch taste,bland sweetish finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Robinsons Trooper

Not bottle conditioned

Robinsons Trooper [baron rating 3/5] - 4.7% amber ale,raisin slight sulphur smell,raisin English bitter taste,malty clean finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Wild Beer Somerset Wild

Not bottle conditioned

Wild Beer Somerset Wild [baron rating 5/5] - 5% pale gold ale,lemon smell,crisp zingy fresh sour lemon taste,sour lemon dry finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Same by name, not by nature

Buy Wild Beer ales in Booths

Hardknott Infra Red

Not bottle conditioned

Hardknott Infra Red [baron rating 5/5] - 6.2% ruby ale,candied fruit smell,burnt rye sweet fruity bitter taste,bitter mild medicinal finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Dave (@hardknottdave) for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Hardknott ales from Source Deli

Ballast Point Big Eye

Not bottle conditioned

Ballast Point Big Eye [baron rating 5/5] - 7% amber ale,peachy tropical smell,balanced caramel fruity taste,long fruity pithy bitter finish

Neptune Jack May

Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation but loads of sludge had to be left in the bottle

Neptune Jack May [baron rating 3/5] - 6.3% amber ale,sweet tropical smell,burnt toffee rich candied taste,bitter kick in the finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to @neptunebrewery for handing this over for a baron rating!

Buy Neptune ales from Source Deli

Barley Forge The Orange Curtain

Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Barley Forge The Orange Curtain [baron rating 5/5] - 6.2% gold ale,fresh piney orange smell,big bitter grapefruit taste,biscuit pithy finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Casey Onufrey from Ales By Mail for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Barley Forge ales from Ales By Mail

Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale

Not bottle conditioned

Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale [baron rating 2/5] - 5% amber ale,sweet ground spices smell,fleshy pumpkin metallic taste,nutmeg metal finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Casey Onufrey from Ales By Mail for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Brooklyn ales from Ales By Mail

Left Coast Una Mas

Not bottle conditioned

Left Coast Una Mas [baron rating 4/5] - 5.8% amber beer,caramel fruity smell,balanced bready sweetish nutmeg taste,grassy fruity finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Casey Onufrey from Ales By Mail for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Left Coast ales from Ales By Mail

Eden 66

Not bottle conditioned

Eden 66 [baron rating 2/5] - 5.1% gold beer,acetone smell,mild carbonation thin cereal taste,dry slight lemon finish

Thank you to Chris for handing this over for a baron rating!

Neptune Riptide

Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Neptune Riptide [baron rating 3/5] - 3.6% gold ale,biscuity lemon smell,thin earthy slight lemon taste,drying bitter finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to @neptunebrewery for handing this over for a baron rating!

Buy Neptune ales from Source Deli

Coronado Islander IPA

Not bottle conditioned

Coronado Islander IPA [baron rating 2/5] - 7% gold ale,very slight sweet smell,resin sweet apricot dull taste,fruity bittersweet finish

Hardknott Azimuth IPA

Not bottle conditioned

Hardknott Azimuth IPA [baron rating 5/5] - 5.8% gold ale,citrus biscuity smell,fruity pithy bitter but balanced taste,pithy bitter finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Dave (@hardknottdave) for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Hardknott ales from Source Deli

Looking forward to hosting the next Ales By Mail #BeeryBits twitter tasting on 28th October

Next Wednesday (28th October 2015) I'll be hosting the next Ales By Mail #BeeryBits twitter tasting evening. Between 8pm and 9pm I'll be leading anyone who has ordered the special pack (for only £6.50!) from Ales By Mail through the following three American beers:

I love the hop peeping out!

Barley Forge The Orange Curtain - 6.2% India Pale Ale. Dry and crisp, with some Maris Otter malt for a bit of sweetness and a mix of West Coast hops
Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale - 5% rich & spicy flavoured ale (brewed with pumpkin & spices)
Left Coast Una Mas Amber Lager - 5.8% dark copper lager, light in body and bursting with flavour. Small amounts of dark roasted malts add rich colour without making it thick or chewy. Munich malt adds a rich, toasty finish to the beer

Look out for 'baron ratings' of these beers soon, and a big thank you to Casey Onufrey from Ales By Mail for sending these through to me!

Buy all these beers from Ales By Mail. Go on, place an order and join me next Wednesday evening for beer and fun!

Neptune Erik The Red

Bottle conditioned with perfect carbonation

Neptune Erik The Red [baron rating 3/5] - 4.5% copper ale,sweet fresh citrus smell,clementine smoky tobacco taste,thin dry finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to @neptunebrewery for handing this over for a baron rating!

Buy Neptune ales from Source Deli

Hardknott Elixir Of Invincibility

Not bottle conditioned

Hardknott Elixir Of Invincibility [baron rating 5/5] - 7.3% gold ale,tropical resin smell,boozy fruity bitter taste,very pithy bitter finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Dave (@hardknottdave) for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Hardknott ales from Source Deli

Cismontane Black's Dawn

Bottle conditioned with excellent carbonation

Cismontane Black's Dawn [baron rating 3/5] - 8.5% black ale,berry coffee smell,vineous cherry liquorice taste,vineous burnt rubber finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Paul Kruzycki from Ales By Mail for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Cismontane ales from Ales By Mail

Freedom Organic Dark Lager

Not bottle conditioned

Freedom Organic Dark Lager [baron rating 3/5] - 4.7% ruby beer,earthy raisin candied smoky smell,peppery treacle taste,burnt very dry finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Casey Onufrey from Ales By Mail for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Freedom ales from Ales By Mail

Hardknott Nuclear Sunset

Not bottle conditioned

Hardknott Nuclear Sunset [baron rating 5/5] - 4.7% gold ale,pithy citrus coriander smell,fragrant orange minty taste,cold minty sour finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Dave (@hardknottdave) for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Hardknott ales from Source Deli

Grand Canyon White Water Wheat

Not can conditioned

Grand Canyon White Water Wheat [baron rating 2/5] - 4.9% pale gold ale,lime ground spices smell,banana lemon thin taste,peppery lemon finish

Freedom Organic Lager

Not bottle conditioned

Freedom Organic Lager [baron rating 4/5] - 4.8% pale gold beer,grassy corn smell,crisp sweet bready juicy taste,clean dry mild herbal finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Casey Onufrey from Ales By Mail for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Freedom ales from Ales By Mail

Grand Canyon American Pilsner

Not can conditioned

Grand Canyon American Pilsner [baron rating 3/5] - 5% gold beer,slight sweet cereal smell,cereal mild honey taste,mild bittersweet finish

Lluna De Blat

Bottle conditioned with lively carbonation

Lluna De Blat [baron rating 1/5] - 4.8% cloudy gold ale,mild sugary fruity smell,acidic sticky sweet taste,sweet & sour finish

Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it

Subscribe in iTunes

Thank you to Paul Kruzycki from Ales By Mail for sending this through for a baron rating!

Buy Lluna ales from Ales By Mail

Grand Canyon Sunset Amber Ale

Not can conditioned

Grand Canyon Sunset Amber Ale [baron rating 3/5] - 5.4% amber ale,sweet caramel smell,toast brown sugar bittersweet taste,long dry finish

New Belgium Somersault

Not bottle conditioned

New Belgium Somersault [baron rating 2/5] - 5.2% gold ale,tart fruit wheat,tart apricot with ground spices taste,long mild tart finish

Looking forward to baron rating Neptune ales

Breweries have been popping up all over the UK for a few years now, but here around Ormskirk it's not been quite like that. Times seem to be changing though as a number of bottles from new breweries have appeared recently, one of which is Neptune Brewery. Based in Maghull, Merseyside (around five miles from Ormskirk, Lancashire).

They are a 1 barrel brewery, which started up in July this year and they are already in a number of pubs and bottle shops around the area. The bottles below were dropped off for me by Neptune Brewery at Source Deli in Ormskirk, a great deli with a superb range of bottled beers.