The first instalment of my top beers of 2024 runs from number 11 through to number 20, some tricky choices this year as the standard of craft beers in the country at the moment is still up there with the best in the world. A mixture of breweries and styles in the list which is good news for the health of the industry, anyway here’s the list.
11. Mucha Mora Mocha (Siren) - Brewed by Siren for their Barista project this year, MMM is an imperial stout weighing in at 9% ABV. Rich, dark, smooth and layered with chocolate and coffee in spades, wonderful viscous mouthfeel too.
12. Death by CCC (Siren) - Part of the Caribbean Chocolate series this year an amped up DbCCC is as good as it was last year, but more so!
13. Monchsbier (Northern Monk) - Picked up fairly randomly at the Siren tapyard this Oktoberfest lager was brewed by Leeds craft superpower Northern Monk. Lovely crisp and dry Pilsner, with a delicious lime vibe, very good indeed.
14. Soundwave Nectaron (Siren) - A classic around these parts, probably one of Siren's most popular beers this one deviated from the normal recipe through the addition of a different hop, Nectaron. I love the original but this one was even better IMO
15. Leffe Negre (Leffe) - Sampled at a Belgian bar in Seville, Spain this little beauty was new to me but tasted like a combination of dry Irish stout and trappist beer, an unlikely but winning combination, great balance and perfect weight.
16. First Light (Baron, Duration) - Nelson Sauvin, Waimea, Mosaic & Citra come together to create a layered symphony of flavour and aromas white wine, gooseberry, passion fruit, exotic citrus & spruce, with a satisfying dankness, excellent stuff from newcommer Baron.
17. Pale Fire (Pressure Drop) - Bog standard house pale ale but a real banger from Pressure Drop, if this is their default beer then I really must try more!
18. Firebreak (Fell Brewery) - Sampled on the way to picking up my Son from university in Scotland, I dropped into Penrith for a night and visited the Fell Brewery tap room. This pale ale with Nelson hops was the standout beer for me, a real gooseberry bomb!
19. Prism (Wiper and True, Siren) - Blends the full, balanced malt flavours of a great pilsner with crisp, satisfying hop bitterness that adds notes of pine needle and citrus. The beer is moreish, smooth, and very rewarding, a great collaboration, long may they continue!
20. Dream Sensations (Heart of Darkness) - A standout beer from our holiday to Vietnam and Cambodia this year. HoD is based in Saigon that was founded in 2016, we visited their tap room in the city and sampled a couple of beers, this IPA was world-class.
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