h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I hereby declare this beerfest open, and place you in the hands of Master of Ceremonies, Mr Mu Beta, who will introduce our first ale.

God, I'm starving all of a sudden.

Are we going for a 9pm start, or do you want to pull it forward to 8:30?

B

Oh, I thought we said 8. I put 8 on the page, too. 8.30 is fine if you're not ready, no problem

Oh, OK. We'll get on with it, shall we?

I propose the following schedule, working the normal H&G method from light to dark:

* Crabbie's Alcoholic Ginger Beer
* Brakspear's Oxford Gold
* Brains SA Gold
* Adnams East Green Carbon Neutral
* Natural Brewing Co's Irresistable
* Brakspear's Triple
* Ringwood Old Thumper
* Badger Poacher's Choice
* Guinness Foreign Extra

B

Looks good to me. On with the ginger beer, then...

Crabbie's Alcoholic Ginger Beer

Quite possibly the fizziest thing I've ever seen. Bottom of the glass still looks like an Atlantic Hurricane 20 seconds after pouring. A surprisingly convincing beery colour given that I've seen other ginger beers in shades ranging from green to black. A little watery at first, but with a pleasing ginger warmth coming through later. Thankfully, not overly sweet, despite being laden with sugar. Pleasant, but not worth £2 a bottle.

/5

B

Drinking this with ice andf lemon as suggested...

Pours with quite a nice yeasty head which soon settles down; though this probably isn't by design it's a shame it goes so quickly. It's very rich and fairly strongly flavoured, but is sweetened just a tad too much for my liking. The taste just lingers and lingers. Thoroughly enjoyed it, and will be looking out for this when the cricket season starts. I can see myself lapping this up after a hard-earned 10.

That's astonishing. Both stone cold sober, and it's too sweet for one but not the other...

I have just had a takeaway laden with flavour enhancers, and I'm a bit bunged up with a cold. But compared with the Swedish cider I had last week, this is positively dry. Ginger beer is SUPPOSED to be sweet, after all.

B

I get that pleasant ginger glow rising, then for a brief moment all I can taste is sugar. Then the ginger afterburn starts. It's that bit in the middle that makes it overly sweet for me.

Perhaps it's the contrast with the lemon. I haven't got any in mine.

B

Yeah, perhaps. Anyway, I'm done with that one. Oxford Gold next - looking forward to this, I've barely had a beer all week.

Nearly there...

B

Lively, innit?

I don't get on so well with the lighter beers, but this one froths so enthusiastically out of the bottle I'm actually rather looking forward to it. I can excuse the fact that it's cloudy; where I usually find these beers watery, this one has a slightly hoppy aroma, an almost limey tang and the flavour fills out the back of the palate nicely. The further down the glass I get, the more I'm enjoying it

Did you chill it right down as recommended?

B

Sorry, I'm racing ahead. We've picked a good night - Lainey is round at her friends with the girls having a practice hair makeover for the wedding, and I'm at home with loads to do but very much in the mood for getting happily sozzled.

I certainly did - there's condensation pooling around the bottom of the glass.

I'm halfway down the glass now, and I'm adding an on to that review. It's really, really growing on me.

It's at its best outside in the sun. At a more apposite time of year, obviously.

I'd better go and get stuck into this one.

B

I've got two bottles of it left. I'm going to drink one at the party tomorrow and when I (invevitably) get asked by some heathen lager-drinker what I'm drinking, I'm going to pour them a shot glass full. It really is very, very good.

Brakspear Oxford Gold

A beautiful, balanced pour - produces a gorgeous head that tops off the glass perfectly. A tangy, exciting ginger colour and a faint whiff of hops on the nose. Lots of citrus flavour and an almost creamy feeling in the mouth. Beautiful.

/5

B