Blonde (4% ABV, bottle)
Deep golden, with a lovely white foaming head, this has grainy malt on its aroma. On the palate there’s biscuit malt, not too sweet, with lemon and graefruit flavours from the hops. Lovely flavours, beautiful balance, and good bitterness.
Buy it: It’s available on the brewery website.
(19th February, 2021)
Joshua Jane (3.7% ABV, bottle)
A lovely amber colour with a slight off-white head, this is crystal clear, with a nutty, light caramel, and hedgerow hop aroma. Now, this is a good bitter. Plenty of bite! On that palate there’s caramel, lightly breaded malt, and it’s slightly herbal, with notes of red berry fruit and some nuttiness. A slight suplury note is nice. Very tasty and nicely sessionable.
Buy it: It’s available on the brewery website.
(16th February, 2021)
Mary Jane (3.5% ABV, bottle)
Crisp and fresh tasting, this is a golden session bitter done extremely well. Very light straw, it comes in a lovely, polished condition, with gentle carbonation and a white head. There’s lemon citrus and light malt on the nose. Lovely citrus juiciness on the palate, thanks to US hops, good bitterness, and a great mouthfeel for its ABV.
Buy it: It’s available on the brewery website.
(14th February, 2021)
Winter of Discontent (11.1% ABV, bottle)
Perfect for a rainy winter evening in lockdown. ‘A Beer to Remember, A Year to Forget’, reads the label. Spot on. Brewed in lockdown one, it was bottled in lockdown two, having been aged in wood. It pours jet black, but what head there is dissipates very quickly. Not to worry — it’s a deep, dark delight. I get rum ‘n’ raison on the aroma. That and some woodiness from the barrel ageing. On the palate, it’s rich, it’s boozy, it’s delightful. There’s dark, dried fruit, a little candied sweetness, rum, molasses, andhints of bitter chocolate and black cherry. Wonderful and warming.
(14th February, 2021)
Ilkey Brewery | Yorkshire
