I spotted this beer at a pound a bottle in Sainsbury’s so grabbed a couple as it sounded really different. It describes itself as being made with wheat and barley malts (rather than just barley as is normal), fermented with honey then conditioned for six months with spices – though it doesn’t say which spices!

I thought it might be similar to a continental wheat beer – cloudy white with hints of spice – but it’s definitely its own style of beer. It’s a very rich amber and almost entirely clear. The flavour is quite deep, bitter and smoky with a slightly burnt malt flavour reminiscent of a stout. The spice just leaves a subtle, lingering flavour in the mouth.

At 6% ABV and with a real depth of colour and flavour it’s not a ‘light’ beer in any sense. It’s almost a winter warmer, but I hadn’t twigged that until I’d poured it to accompany the grand prix qualifying mid-afternoon. Still, I quite like it and it was well priced, even for a 330ml bottle, so cheers!