I'm currently drinking "Tolly Cobold" Tolly English Ale. A closer inspection reveals that it is in fact Greene King in disguise.
This is the second of the two experimental 2.8% real ales I have (the new regulations mean that beers below 2.9% get a 50% reduction in duty payable, and as if by magic, these appear). The other was Fuller's Mighty Atom (also 2.8%). We spotted them in the supermarket when Charlotte was getting her beer-free beer. In theory they should be a good one to drink on a work night, or to have a few of with a film, without finishing the film and suddenly standing up and realising you're accidentally wankered again.
The Mighty Atom was okay. Fullers' website promise that it has a "rich, light caramel character, while a heady dose of five different hops brings in floral grapefruit and plum notes, with a spicy overtone" - although it looks the part, any taste it may have had was overpowered by the slightly too-sweet, metallic tang that an alcohol-free beer has. Barely any hops to speak of, no overtones, spicy or otherwise. It wasn't unpleasant but it didn't have the depth of flavour that a decent beer should.
I was hoping that I'd prefer the Fullers, but the Tolly is actually rather good. It's by no means going to work its way into my top ten, but it's on the "would drink again" list. It's a fairly decent pale ale. Someone has reviewed it
here and said
a good looking beer, amber with brownish hues nice white head that sticks.
Distinct aroma deep hops and that old GK yeasty note
quite a deep rich flavour for such a low grav beer
Malts start the proceedings hops follow warming the palate nicely then the GK yeast taste rushes in with some peppery bitterness.
Nice mouthfeel and low carbonation brings together a better than expected beer.
Alright, I give it six thumbs up.
Apart from the 'nice white head' part - there's barely any head at all - that's pretty accurate. I have no idea whether the person who wrote it had an interest in the product or not, but I'd broadly agree with it. Definitely better than expected (mind you, my expectations were low, and hadn't risen after the Mighty Atom.)
It sounds as though the new tax regulations are going to see the onset of more 2.8% beers, in which case I think I would be inclined to make these a more regular tipple and have a stronger one every now and then. Anybody else tried them?