Ok, let's say your partner is like the two of us, an insufferable beer snob, but you're doing the big shop and you want to pick up a few cans of something they might enjoy but you have no idea where to start. Have no fear, One for the Road is here!
This series of posts is going to be all about the beers that are readily available in British supermarkets. We are talking Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury, Lidl, Aldi and Waitrose. If you walk into the beer aisle and don't know where to start, we are here for you. These reviews will let you know what is out there, the occasions they are suited to and how good they are in terms of value for money.
Eternal Haze
Style - Double Dry Hopped DIPA
Brewer - Northern Monk x Stigbergets
Hops - Mosaic, Citra, Centennial
ABV - 8%
Where to buy it - Tesco
Price - £4.00
What to expect
Wow, ok, this one appeared on the shelves of my local Tesco without fanfare or forewarning, and what a welcome surprise it was! A big punchy DIPA (Double India Pale Ale - think an IPA with the volume turned all the way up) readily available and at a price that is totally unbelievable. Eternal Haze pours nice and thick with a deep, rich amber colour. While on the nose, Eternal Haze is super rich with musty notes and, a hint of orange.
On the tongue you can expect plenty of zest, hints of papaya and pine, lots of pine. If your kid plays violin and they've run out of resin for their bow, you could probably just boil down one of these and end up with enough resin to last until they discover sex and give up the violin for the guitar. Aside from the resin, papaya and zestiness, Eternal Haze has a very slight hint of pineapple sharpness which works really well at cutting through all the bitterness. Despite all of the sharp notes this beer seems to be harbouring, it drinks incredibly smooth, making this a pleasing and complex little number, that you really wouldn't expect to find in your local supermarket.
When to drink it?
Look, this is a big, heavy hitting DIPA with an ABV to match its flavour. With that in mind, it probably isn't one for any occasion where you're going to need to keep hold of all your faculties, think night in front of the TV with a takeaway rather than dinner at your in laws and you'll be fine.
Value for money?
Eternal Haze drinks so far above its price point that Tesco could easily tack another £1 onto the price and I'd still be popping it into my basket when I do my shop. Eternal Haze has all of the mouthfeel and flavour notes that you'd expect from a DIPA you'd pay £6-7 in any bottle shop. Do yourself a favour and buy as many of these as you can before the jig is up! So yeah, this is extremely good value for money and a real contender for the title of best supermarket beer available in the UK at the moment.
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