Today, 5th August, is International Beer Day. Our Senior Copywriter, John, couldn’t be hoppier about this. He has a breakfast bar at home, which he pretends is an actual bar, so you know he means business. As a little treat on this fine celebratory day, here are his top 5 beers that you don’t have to be an obsessive beer snob to track down. He’s also been kind enough to let you know where in your house you should drink them.
Beer is one of my favourite topics on earth – I’ve even got a home-brew kit that my brother gave me 4 years ago for Christmas and have never used… but I promise you all that one day I will. Until then, you’ll have to get your craft beer fix elsewhere – and I’ve got just the list you might be looking for.
Craft beer is a trend that’s here to stay, but some of them are hard to track down without a specialist shop on your doorstep. Never fear though, you’ll be able to get hold of these no problem.
1. Beavertown – Gamma Ray – 5.4%
Tropical, passionfruit flavours, without a morsel of fruit in the brew. It’s Beavertown’s careful curation of hops that gives this pale ale its strong fruity flavour. This is the brew you give to the person in your life who claims not to like beer.
Drink it: on the balcony, in the garden, in the sunshine.
Find it: Amazon.co.uk, Oddbins.
2. Brewdog – 5am Saint – 5%
A warm, deep, fruity red beer, with hints of chocolate and caramel. One for a cool winter’s night.
Drink it: on the sofa, under a blanket.
Find it: any big supermarket.
3. Five Points – Pils – 4.8%
Crisp, refreshing, tasty, pils. Full of flavour without any obvious overtones. The best lager-style beer you’ve never had.
Drink it: when you’ve been grafting all day long.
Find it: Amazon.co.uk
4. Vocation – Divide & Conquer, black IPA – 4.4%
A gorgeous stout combined with the fruity, bitter kick of IPA.
Drink it: in a man-cave, when you’re after something just that little bit different.
Find it: Tesco stock the Vocation range, you might need a big one for this particular beer.
5. Lagunitas – IPA – 6.6%
From our pals over the pond, Lagunitas is one of the biggest craft brewers in the US. Big, bold, hoppy and strong. Fruity with a refreshing bitterness to follow up.
Drink it: in the kitchen, at the breakfast bar, while you’re whipping up some dinner.
Find it: Most good supermarkets, Marks & Spencers.
Honourable mentions:
Guinness – honour runs in its venerable soul. Best served thick, with extra thickness, and not too cold. Find it pretty much anywhere on earth – it’s that popular.
The Kernel Table Beer – it’s difficult to pack flavour into a low alcohol beer but this is the beer that does it best (you’d never guess it was only 3%). Pick it up in Oddbins.
Nanny State – Brewdog’s zero-alcohol beer, a light pale ale taste. Not much aftertaste but you can’t have it all, friend.
Missing a man-cave, breakfast bar, or bespoke drinks cabinet? You’re just a job post away from changing that for the better – find a tradesperson to help you out. There are over 30 different trades to choose from.
For our tradespeople
Remember you can take advantage of a couple of craft beer offers with member benefits premium.
- 50% off craft beer with Beer 52.
- The Great British Pub Card – get 8% off at 3,000 pubs in the UK.
Happy International Beer Day!
