Anyone picked up any of the latest Tesco craft beers?

[Gulpitdarn]

The cans look so attractive, the contents probably not always so. Dunno if I'm tempted... guess I'm old fashioned and like choosing bottled beer with boring labels.

 

[Alex.mc]

Vocation is pretty much my favourite brewery in terms of a go-to, solid, reliable, always consitently excellent beers. I've enjoyed pretty much all of Magic Rock's stuff too so will have to check that one out for sure.

 

[phildo79]

I have gone right off any 'craft' beer that is available in supermarkets. IMO the likes of Beavertown, Wild Beer and Thornbridge beers have taken a noticeable nosedive in quality and taste since appearing on their shelves. Once these beers start being mass produced, they just aren't the same. The one that convinced me was a can of Lupiloid (Beavertown). An IPA which is over 7% and the word 'bland' springs instantly to mind if you asked me to describe it. And I know this hasn't always been the case as I have drank many pints of it over the last few years.

 

[JebKerman]

The Vanilla stout is pretty good.
Not sure it's really an imperial at 7.5% but it's a decent beer

 

[dan125]

Have to agree with @phildo79 - the quality of the last lot of Tesco craft beer releases tailed off over time until there was only one or two I'd buy.
Some of the new lot have been very good though. Fingers crossed they can keep the quality up this time. My top 3 of the new ones I've found so far are:

1. Brewdog/Cloudwater NEIPA
2. Vocation Hang Loose West Coast IPA
3. Four Pure Star CIty DIPA

 

[Brew_DD2]

Have to agree with @phildo79 - the quality of the last lot of Tesco craft beer releases tailed off over time until there was only one or two I'd buy.
Some of the new lot have been very good though. Fingers crossed they can keep the quality up this time. My top 3 of the new ones I've found so far are:

1. Brewdog/Cloudwater NEIPA
2. Vocation Hang Loose West Coast IPA
3. Four Pure Star CIty DIPA

Agree with those, although I felt slitghly underwhelmed by the Hang Loose.

 

[dan125]

Agree with those, although I felt slitghly underwhelmed by the Hang Loose.

Yeah it lacked the punch I was expecting for a West Coast IPA, but I thought its very clean and quaffable for its strength.

 

[JebKerman]

View attachment 20174 So with the official release day today I managed to pick up the cloudwater/Brwdog collab. The large Hazy Jane Can. The Magic rock west coast IPA. The magic roach surreal stout and the mothership IPA and the Brut IPA.

first up is this by cloudwater and Brew dog.

Initial impressions are good. It’s not a cloudwater beer. You can tell it’s got a certain mass produced nature about it. Nicely soft but with a slight crisp edge. Very hoppy and maybe slightly vegatle. But not to much to put you off. You could never tell it’s 7% and at £3 a can it’s pretty darn good.

The Brewdog / Cloudwater NEIPA was lovely. The smell as soon as you open the can was amazing

 

[Hengoedbrewer]

I had a Pineapple Express on Friday; (Tiny Rebel and Polly's Brew Co collab) and the Cloudwater / Brewdog NEIPA. The Cloudwater was probably better. The Pineapple Express was disappointing as everything I have had by Polly's has been oustanding; that one was just a bit meh. Artificial tasting. Tiny Rebel is usually a fave too so a bit of a double let down.

As other's have said there's too much Brewdog in the NEIPA; not the punch you used to get from Cloudwater's solo brews, but it's not bad for the money compared to usual 440ml craft cans I suppose.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Totally agree with all said here, as soon as they get in the supermarkets it's over for us, same with sell by dates on fresh produce, I have noticed lately in Tesco how short they are, this is to reduce waste but all it does is drive me to aldi and lidl, I will not shop anywere were the only motive is max profit and low wages

 

[Brew_DD2]

I had a Pineapple Express on Friday; (Tiny Rebel and Polly's Brew Co collab) and the Cloudwater / Brewdog NEIPA. The Cloudwater was probably better. The Pineapple Express was disappointing as everything I have had by Polly's has been oustanding; that one was just a bit meh. Artificial tasting. Tiny Rebel is usually a fave too so a bit of a double let down.

Word for word my thoughts. Tesco's beer, wines and spirits buyers are usually very switched on, so I do not know what they were thinking with the Pineapple Express beer. Same goes for Loka Polly. Tiny Rebel has previous for gimmicky, overly sweet beers, despite producing some stunners like Cwtch.

 

[Llamaman]

Miffed that Stone IPA and Anchor Steam, amongst others, have been reduced to clear though.

I’d be delighted, and filling my basket!

 

[Brew_DD2]

I’d be delighted, and filling my basket!

It's good that they are cheap. It's sad that they are being discontinued.

 

[dad_of_jon]

I have gone right off any 'craft' beer that is available in supermarkets. IMO the likes of Beavertown, Wild Beer and Thornbridge beers have taken a noticeable nosedive in quality and taste since appearing on their shelves. Once these beers start being mass produced, they just aren't the same. The one that convinced me was a can of Lupiloid (Beavertown). An IPA which is over 7% and the word 'bland' springs instantly to mind if you asked me to describe it. And I know this hasn't always been the case as I have drank many pints of it over the last few years.

I've been wondering this , or could it be lupulin threshold shift?
I'm trying to reset that counter......

 

[bikesandbeer]

Yeah, thanks a bunch @Hoddy
I read your post and then nipped out from work for a meal deal.....and came back £24 lighter!!

 

[Brew_DD2]

View attachment 20466 Yeah, thanks a bunch @Hoddy
I read your post and then nipped out from work for a meal deal.....and came back £24 lighter!!

You're going to have a cracking afternoon.

 

[phildo79]

I've been wondering this , or could it be lupulin threshold shift?

I hear ya and I have certainly noticed that happening with other beers. But those beers hadn't just got into bed with big Beer. Most noticeable for me was Sierra Nevada PA. It stopped doing it for me and I had to buy the Torpedo instead (I know they aren't strictly the same style of beer). But having said that, I picked up a couple of SNPA today and am currently enjoying one of them. It's these beers that I know I have enjoyed on draft and in bottles / cans before they 'sold out'. Once you start brewing beers under different conditions, it simply won't taste the same. No matter how much you stick to the recipe.

 

[Brew_DD2]

When did Sierra Nevada "sell out". I was under the impression that they were still independent.

 

[phildo79]

I think you misread my post.

 

[Ajhutch]

But having said that, I picked up a couple of SNPA today and am currently enjoying one of them. It's these beers that I know I have enjoyed on draft and in bottles / cans before they 'sold out'. Once you start brewing beers under different conditions, it simply won't taste the same. No matter how much you stick to the recipe.

I know what you mean. I drank SNPA by the bucketload on holiday in Northern California a few years ago and it was an almost other worldly experience. It’s goooood in the UK, but not the same. But anyway, I’m off topic!