There’s a chill in the air: not quite winter thankfully, but enough to send me indoors and to justify an afternoon hunkered down somewhere warm and inviting. With this change in the weather comes a shift in what I want – away from your spritely saisons and juicy fruity bombs and onto somewhat darker, more brooding fodder and this week’s beers reflect that. An ever so slightly more autumnal session IPA and a decidedly deciduous stout for the lengthening nights. Enjoy.

The Taming of the Brew: Staple Beer

Staple Beer: Curious Session IPA, Curious Brewery, 4.4% ABV

Where to Drink it: In my experience it’s available on your local recycling bin, but I gather you can also buy it at Majestic…

What is it: A session IPA so plenty of hops but less of the booze. This is a re-imagining of their regular IPA brewed with cascade and chinook hops which give not just fruity, citrusy flavours but spicy and resinous ones too.

My Thoughts: “A savvy move I think to drop down the ABV to give something you can genuinely spend an afternoon drinking. They strived for balance when making this and have achieved it nicely, no one component outshines the other. A touch more malty than many pales I think this is something your dad might like with just enough of a hint of cask beer to avoid him harping on about “real beer” (this is clearly just my dad but you get the idea).”

The Taming of the Brew: Blindside Beer

Blindside Beer: Comfort of Strangers, Manual brewing co, 6% ABV

Where to Drink it: Utobeer, Borough Market

What is it: An old school dry English stout overlaid with Peruvian cold brew coffee.

My Thoughts: “Unlike a lot of other stouts with coffee this one is dry and not sweet; think Guiness rather than coffee cake. That makes it very grown up and probably not to everyone’s taste (yes this is me being aloof) but if you like black cold brew then you will definitely like this guy.”