No matter if you are a beer connoisseur or love a night out at the bar. These top 5 British beers are something you should try next time you are at the pub in London or hanging out at home with your favorite Netflix show. You owe it to yourself to test out England’s finest craft beers. With top ingredients, new and exciting flavors, and homemade brews, some of these craft beers have a history behind them that ranges from historical heritage to Martian fighting spacemen. So, settle in and savor the delectable flavor of these hoppy, citrusy, malty, British beers.
Harviestoun Schiehallion: A mountain of a beer
Named after the famous mountain pronounced (“She-hal-i-on,”) this award-winning beer is commonly known as the champagne of beer. With its golden color–semi-sweet bread flavoring, a twist of grapefruit and hints of honey perfectly pairs the wheat malt and lager malt is a combination that is known as their secret sauce. The craft lager was brewed to be a refreshing lager that could be enjoyed while on the side of a mountain top or in the comfort of your own home watching rugby or football.
The Harviestoun company started in 1983 by founder Ken Brooker where he continues to brew beers in his shed today for friends and family. From their first brewery on Dollar Glen farms in1986 to growing the business through the ‘90’s. Adding team members, new equipment and flavors that kept the British people flocking to their lagers with tours and championed brews that people loved.
4.8% ABV 24x330ml £36.00
Light and Clean: Partizan Lemongrass Saison
The Partizan Brewing company is based out of South Bermondsey where they have been creating high quality micro-brews since 2012. Birthed from the end of a career in fine dining, and the love for home brewing—owner Andy Smith wanted to bring a new exciting beer that couldn’t be found in the U.K.
The idea behind Partizan is to bring back the styles and traditions and established in wonderfully small communities and allow the new generation of beer enthusiasts experience rich diversity, quality ingredients and flavors that people don’t get with larger beer establishments.
Light in color with a citrus scent and lemongrass nose, this beer has a very clean taste that is delicately dry which resembles a similar mouthfeel to a Pilsner.
4% ABV at 330 ml £2.69 a bottle.
Bishop Nick’s Heresy: A Holy Golden Tradition
The Golden ale that takes home the gold. The Champion of Golden Ales of East Anglia 2018 has made no compromises just like the Bishop this brewery was named after.
The holy Bishop Nicholas Ridley was tried for heresy and executed by burning at the stake for not denouncing his religious beliefs under Queen Mary in 1555, also known as ‘Bloody Mary.’ He died a Martyr in Oxford and almost 300 years later, Thomas Dixon Ridley built a brewery along the banks of the River Chelmer in 1842.
Today Nelion Ridley devotes himself to the sacred ales of Essex.
Praised as the holy grail of golden ales, this supreme pale ale malt and Challenger hops bind the spicy bitterness with citrus florals delivering a golden refreshment worth every pound in that coin pouch.
4% ABV 500 ml Bottles. £30.00 for 12 Bottles.
Beavertown Gamma Ray: Radioactively Delicious
Grab your lazer guns and space helmets, prepare to get your senses zapped by Beavertown’s Gamma Ray American Pale Ale.
The brew was designed to drink all day whether hanging out by the pool or fighting aliens on mars with photon blasters.
American hops mixed with tropical juicy malts of mango and grapefruit aromas—dry hopped for days at a time make this beer a nuclear explosion of flavor.
The history of this beer company starts from home in 2011. Beavertown then ventured to combine a BBQ joint and the brewery under one roof, ‘Dukes Brew and Que’ was born. Multiple experimentations and 7 years later, Beavertown has become a staple in the craft beer community of London.
5.4% ABV and available in a keg or cans. This delicious radioactive APA is also vegan and vegetarian for all those animal loving friends out there.
Fuller Imperial Stout: Infused Bed of Roses
The Imperial Stout boasts a 10.7% ABV in this delicious rose bud infused UK beer from the Fuller’s-London Based family brewery. The Imperial Stout dates back to the 18th century but Fuller’s does something a little different than the traditional way to make a stout. They add centennial hops to convey the distinctive floral character with dried rose buds infused during the maturation process. This gives the stout a unique flavor with features of a Turkish delight.
The dark stout has notes of dark chocolate with a fruity acidity and high bitterness that reflects this premium beer’s quality to appeal to connoisseurs and collectors alike. The shelf life of this beer is 10 years and makes a great gift for that special somebody in your life.
10.7% ABV 500 ml £8.00 a bottle.
