It's like one of those selection packs of chocolate bars you used to get at Christmas, except for beer
Any time the normal rules of life get turned upside down there are winners and losers — and booze delivery companies have had a bumper 2020. One such is Beer Hawk, a Yorkshire-based firm which sells beers of the world from a warehouse in Leeds. They go slightly Oktoberfest crazy even in a normal year, as you might imagine, but this year they've got a series of packs which include specially-brewed festival beers, and they'll even throw in one of those giant beer steins to add to the authenticity. They even have one set with a couple of steins and some t-shirts — though, sadly, no lederhosen. Perhaps that's an idea for next year chaps?
The beers themselves are very decent German beers covering a range of Teutonic brewing styles, all of which are (thankfully) a world away from the terrible lager you'll find in most English pubs. All are good, the stand-out is probably the Ayinger Festmarzen. Or maybe the ABK... but then again, the Hofbrau was excellent too...
The closest you'll ever get to drinking a Black Forest gateau
Okay, so that headline isn't quite accurate. You could put an entire Black Forest gateau in a blender or smoothie maker and drink the results. But I don't think it'd taste as good as this effort from the London Beer Factory. They have actually described this beer, 'Zia', as 'Tiramisu Pastry Stout' — an eye-catching name, with an even more eye-catching ABV of 9.2%.
Yet it is sweeter and more substantial than a tiramisu, and (for our money) rather more delicious. Plus the whole Black Forest thing links in to this week's Oktoberfest theme rather well. And just like a real Black Forest gateau, you can pick one up at the supermarket — they're selling this outlandish stuff in Tesco at the moment.
If bees drank beer, this is what they'd go for
I'm not sure there's a product on the planet that doesn't have a honey-flavoured variation these days — I blame Burt for putting it in his shampoo. Anyway, if you're a lover of honey notes in everything, be prepared for a real whack of the flavour in these Hiver beers — far more so than in, say, Fuller's Honey Dew — and that makes it a bit of a love-it-or-hate-it beer. Well worth a try.
£1.80 for 330ml from Sainsbury's
Work Ethic finishes at 5pm on Friday
There was a time when seeing that beer came in a can was enough to suggest that it probably wasn't much cop. Those days are long gone — even in great little breweries such as Firebird in West Sussex, cans are now taking over. But grab a glass, pour it out and any lingering resistance you might have will probably disappear when you sip this staggeringly fruity IPA, which is something like a cross between beer and lightly sparkling grapefruit juice.
Credit: Aqua Vitae
A drink for all seasons: Five drinks for any given mood this Friday
Not sure what tipple tips your fancy tonight? Read our guide.
A Drink for All Seasons: One man's mission to create a better non-alcoholic wine, by a self-confessed 'liquid Willy Wonka'
-
Game, set, match: 12 of the world’s most beautiful tennis courtsFrom Italy to Indonesia, when it comes to hotel amenities, a picturesque tennis court will always trump a 24-hour gym. So, before you book your next holiday, take a look at our pick of the 12 best.
-
Five frankly enormous mansions, including one with its own private swimming lake, as seen in Country LifeSometimes bigger really is better.
-
The iconic American bars in London perfect for lifting a Thanksgiving cocktailGlamorous American bars were once a familiar sight in London, catering to US and British citizens alike, but only two of the historic ones remain. On the eve of Thanksgiving, Robert Crossan goes in search of both.
-
Curious Questions: Why was absinthe banned?Absinthe is almost unique among alcoholic spirits for having been outlawed in even some of the world's most liberal countries — but how did that happen? Martin Fone traces back the story to find the tales of debauchery, hallucination and even murder that once gave the drink its bad name — and looks at how it's returned to prominence.
-
Perry: The pear cider dubbed 'the English champagne' that's been an English passion for centuriesNot to be confused with cider, the art of perry-making is more than a craft — it’s an English passion. Ben Lerwill meets some of our best producers of fermented pear juice.
-
Seven of the best non-alcoholic spirits to help get you through Dry JanuaryWhether you’re doing it for health reasons or simply for a New Year’s challenge, giving up alcohol isn’t necessarily all that easy. To help you on your way, the Country Life office put a variety of non-alcoholic spirits to the test. Here’s what we found.
-
Hangover cures from some of Britain's greatest writersFrom Hemingway to Wodehouse, we reveal the hangover remedies of literary greats.
-
Christmas drinks gift guide: Best gin, best whisky, beer and more for the festive seasonWhether you're keen to pour your own draft beer, drink Cotswolds whisky or enjoy a raft of different gins, we've got you covered.
-
How to decant wine — and whyIs your decanter gathering dust at the back of a cupboard? If so, says Harry Eyres, it’s high time you started using it to breathe more life into your wine.
-
Curious Questions: What is it REALLY like giving up alcohol for a lifelong lover of fine wine?Sobriety is easier and more interesting than it used to be, finds Giles Kime, who has spent the past year exploring the unanticipated delights of alcohol-free beer.
