St Austell Brewery // Tribute Cornish Pale Ale

Tribute is brewed by St Austell Brewery in the Cornish town of the same name. No, there isn't a town in Cornwall called Tribute.

St Austell Brewery's 4.2% pale ale is sold in a brown 500ml bottle with gold and purple labelling which tells us that Tribute is "a moreishly drinkable beer". As with all beers I haven't tasted before, I like to let the first one dictate whether or not it is moreishly drinkable. Luckily for St Austell, Tribute is very moreish. Excellent presentation, although perhaps the colour scheme is a tad regal considering Cornwall's long-running quest for self-rule.

Tribute complements poultry dishes well - try it with spicier chicken dishes. Its citrus component is not overwhelming and gives the odd subtle surprise. A very enjoyable beer, one of the better pale ales brewed in England. Sorry, Cornwall.

CJ09/10 A moreish pale ale with subtle hints of orange zest. Strikes a good bitter/sweet balance.

Badger // Fursty Ferret

Brewed in Blandford, Dorset by Hall & Woodhouse, Fursty Ferret is an amber ale. One of that brewer's 9 Badger Ales, it is a malty ale incorporating oranges.

Given its sweet taste - derived from the use of oranges in its recipe - Fursty Ferret offers good accompaniment to pork dishes.

Available on cask, Fursty Ferret is also sold in bottles by retailers throughout the UK. Offered in a clear 500ml bottle the ale's golden brown colouring and citrus ingredients makes it very tempting for warm summer evenings.

The spiel from Hall & Woodhouse is that ferrets would sneak into a local inn to sample the ale. Who would blame them when it's this good.

CJ08/10 One of the best amber ales out there. Malt and zest combined to perfection.