Sainsbury's "Taste The Difference" Pale Ales - reviewed

A few years ago, when I was just getting into craft beer and living in Newcastle I had all kinds of great beer right on my doorstep. Big Lamp Brewery's Prince Bishop, Tyne Bank's Southern Star and Brew Star's (as it used to be known) Anarchy Lager to name a few.

Despite this, I'd still make regular trips to Tesco at 1am to bag a few beers on the cheap. Punk IPA was a favourite but one I really loved was Tesco finest Double IPA. I hadn't twigged on to the Brewdog Hardcore Double IPA connection at this point - not that I cared who brewed it especially. It was a great Beer, at a good price and free of condescending marketing schtick on the label ("condescending" of course means: to talk down to someone). It remains a favourite.

Fast forward four years and I'm walking though the Putney branch of Sainsbury and wondering what to drink when I thought I'd gamble on a couple of "Taste the Difference" beers - brewed for Jamie's favouritist supermaket by Genesse Brewing Company in Rochester New York - hoping optimistically that they'd be along the same lines as Tesco's little hidden Gem.

Sainsbury's American Pale Ale 355ml 5.3% 

Looks: A fairly dirty orange colour. That's not a bad thing. Head is kinda rocky but lasts all the way down to the bottom.

Smells: ....of nothing in particular. The commercial description tells us to look out for citrus hops but I'm not really getting any to speak of. Light pine aroma but mostly malt-led. Not a great start. 

Tastes: Lots of lager notes coming though and a sort of bitter caramel flavour. There's a lazy hoppy bitterness in the finish - again not a strong one - so we can just about call it a Pale Ale. Its very malty and the lager notes really dominate. Not what I was hoping for from an APA but earlier I had drank Beavertown's excellent Gamma Ray so maybe I'm setting the bar a little high.  

Pairings: BBQ fodder, Footage of people falling over, Nachos. 

Marks out of Beer: Not unpleasant to drink but very forgettable. Not nearly enough flavour to be mad at but what is there isn't too bad. Seems like it doesn't really know what it wants to be - in the middle of a Lager and Pale Ale so as to appeal to anyone. Meh. I'll give it 4.5/10.

Sainsbury's Tap Room IPA 355ml 6.3%

Looks: A nice deep Amber. Head is decent and much creamier than the APA. 

Smells: There is a slight citrus hit and some maltiness but not nearly enough of either. I want tropical fruits and hoppy resin. Doing a grumpy face now. 

Tastes: One dimensionally hoppy. There's a blend of three hops in there apparently so really we should be getting more than one but at least its punchy enough and pleasantly floral. The bitterness becomes more pronounced as it heats up in the sunshine too and there's also a slightly spicy characteristic. Not at all bad actually. Enjoyable. 

Pairings: The hops are enough for something spicy like Indian or Fajitas. Would be decent with a good burger though too. 

Marks out of Beer: The aroma is disappointing. I opened a bottle of Punk IPA afterwards and as soon as the top came off I was reminded what a good IPA has in the aroma before I'd even poured any. A definite improvement on the APA and actually not at all bad once you start drinking. 6.5/10