We’ve all heard of craft beers, but where to actually start? With such a flourishing scene for over a decade now, it can be intimidating to get involved, but you’re missing out if not. We’ve gathered a diverse range of excellent craft beers from across the UK, from citric refreshers to chocolatey stouts.
Trust us, beer has come a long way from medieval ‘liquid bread’, and there’s so much more to it than pub lager. Have a scroll and see which of these takes your fancy and begin your craft beer journey today.
Fyne Ales Jarl
The current CAMRA Champion Beer of Scotland, Jarl is seriously well put together, easy-drinking golden ale. It’s light, full of grapefruit and lemon, with a clean, crisp feel and a little biscuity malt and subtle grassiness to round it off. This farm brewery was one of the first in the UK to use citra hops, and Jarl was their flagship trailblazer for the successful outcome of those experiments.
Size: 500ml
ABV: 3.8%
Price: £31.20 12 x 500ml
Lost and Grounded Keller Pils
An ever-popular beer in Bristol, this is a class above your run of the mill lager. Taking inspiration from German brewing, it’s Lost and Grounded’’s top seller, with drinkers returning to its precision balance. It’s dry, crisp, clean, and fresh with hoppy depths for refreshing bitterness.
Size: 440ml
ABV: 4.8%
Price: £2.80 1 x 440ml
Beavertown Neck Oil London
One of the better-known craft beers, this is a lovely hoppy one that you’ll be able to pick up in many supermarkets and probably hear being praised a lot. It has picked up some prestigious gongs in its time, with its light, zingy brightness, and is a fantastic first stop on your craft beer journey. Think tropical fruits like passionfruit and grapefruit before an utterly refreshing finale.
Size: 330ml
ABV: 4.3%
Price: £2.50 1 x 330ml
Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout
Drinkers rave about this English Stout and we can see why. Organic chocolate malt is gently roasted, joining organic cocoa for a full, luscious, creamy feel. The flavours are so satisfying and luxurious, with soft caramel, lingering malt, and incredible chocolate. It’s not as heavy as you might expect either, with a little carbonation for edge.
Size: 550ml
ABV: 5%
Price: £3.70 for 1
Traquair House Brewery Jacobite
This Scotch ale uses an ingredient always, until modern times, used in beer making and that’s coriander. The brewery itself is in Scotland’s oldest inhabited house and uses a 1738 copper kettle and oak fermenters for this fine ale. The colour is similar to cola, and the first whiff brings gentle spice and molasses. After the first sip, the sweet malts and dried fruits come through with complexity, before a malty wash finish.
Size: 330ml
ABV: 8%
Price: £3.75 for 1
Old Engine Oil Craft Stout - Harviestoun
Staying in Scotland, this old favourite has been around for years, providing an exceptionally engineered, velvety, dark, and rich stout. Premium roasted malt coats the mouth so smoothly as the mocha aroma continues into the palate, joined by cream and vanilla. It’s bulky and bold, and oh so satisfying.
Size: 330ml
ABV: 6%
Price: £44.24 24 x 330ml
Full Circle Brew Co. Looper IPA
Up in Newcastle, this is Full Circle’s flagship IPA and it’s building quite the reputation. It’s all about citrus refreshment, with juicy, zesty grapefruit and a surprising sweetness to the lemon. The pillowy feel is dreamy too, carrying the classic IPA bitterness with a trio of citra, mosaic and cashmere hops.
Size: 440ml
ABV: 6.4%
Price: £3.77 for 1
Cloudwater Fuzzy Hazy Pale
With a cult following in Manchester, Cloudwater are one craft brewery well worth keeping an eye on. They’ve only been around for about a decade but have already developed a rock solid portfolio of industry acclaimed, super popular top-quality beers. Fuzzy is part of their core range, bringing loveable brightness and stone fruits. Peach and apricot intertwine with vibrant citrus, grassy notes and well carbonated softness. Clean refreshment.
Size: 440ml
ABV: 4.2%
Price: £12 x 440ml
JW Lees Harvest Ale
This is a very prestigious ale that uses only the finest malts and earliest hops of the year. This particular ale has gained a cult following amongst enthusiasts, with robust and characterful vintages with each release. In the barleywine style (complexity and higher ABV%), it ages well and delivers a caramel nose, with rich and full figs, dried fruits, oak, and leather. It’s heavy but smooth, with zero cloying whatsoever. Legendary.
Size: 275mll
ABV: 11.5%
Price: £14.85 3 x 275ml
Buxton Brewery Yellow Belly
We’ve included this as an example of premium beer, more precisely American Imperial Stout. The whole concept of this beer is to ridicule the cowardly nature of racist groups, particularly anonymous ones, which explains the paper packaging (reminiscent of the KKK) and its controversy in America. The beer inside celebrates open mindedness and difference with interesting flavours. It’s a peanut butter biscuit stout, but with no biscuits, butter, or nuts! It’s velvety and chocolatey with roasted malt and restrained sweetness, perfectly executed for bold and big flavours. One of the most celebrated stouts on the planet.
Size: 330ml
ABV: 11%
Price: £9 1 x 330ml
If you’re looking into craft beer as part of a wider drink’s exploration, then how about discovering mead? You might surprise yourself! Take a look here.