10 Best Craft Beers in the UK (Brewdog Cloudwater and More)
You may have noticed beers with cool and colourful pop-art style packaging and names you've never heard of suddenly appearing on the shelves of supermarkets, off licences, or the fridge in your local pub. No longer a hobby reserved for bearded hipsters, craft beers are taking the country by storm. But with your curiosity piqued, where do you begin?
While the world of craft beer may seem like the Wild West, the barrier to entry has never been lower. So whether you've already fallen in love with craft beer and are searching the web for a new favourite, or you're not even sure what exactly a BrewDog is, this article is here to help. We've compared IPAs, Stouts, Sours and more from UK-based microbreweries as well as European, which are all available to buy online from Tesco, Amazon, and Waitrose.
Quick List - Top Craft Beers
Brewdog vs Cloudwater
The Best of England, The Best of Scotland: A Fruity IPA
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How to Choose a Craft Beer in the UK ― Buying Guide
If you're new to the world of craft beers it can feel almost impossible to know which one to go for. In this guide, we go over the basics of what you need to know to get started.
Consider Which Type of Craft Beer You Want to Try
Do you already have a favourite, or are you looking to try something new? There are various different brew styles to choose from. Here are some of the most popular ones to familiarise yourself with.
Not Sure Where to Start? Try a Pale Ale or an IPA
Pale ale is a type of top-fermented beer that’s brewed predominantly using pale malts. These beers are light in colour and have a fairly balanced flavour, making them incredibly versatile.
IPAs (or India pale ales) are a type of pale ale that has gained huge popularity in the craft brewing scene. They allegedly get their name from sailors in the 18th century, who used hops as a preservative when transporting barrels of beer to trade in India. The addition of extra hops lends these beers a more complex flavour with floral and sometimes bitter notes.
IPAs tend to have a higher ABV, which may well contribute to their popularity! If you’d prefer something a little less potent, we suggest trying a session IPA. These beers share a similar flavour profile to your standard IPA, only with lower alcohol content.
Craft Lagers Are Deliciously Crisp and Easygoing
Those of us in the UK are certainly familiar with a lager or two. A firm pub favourite, these beers range from light to dark amber, depending on the particular grain bill used. Unlike pale ales, lagers are bottom-fermented, giving them a clean and crisp taste that goes down very easily.
Lager is best enjoyed chilled in a long glass to allow for a full, fluffy head. If you opt for a lager, make sure to stick it in the fridge for a couple of hours prior to drinking. Avoid the temptation to put it in the freezer, as if left too long the carbonation may cause your beer to explode!
Choose a Porter or Stout for a Hearty and Robust Taste
Porters and stouts are made from barley, and are deep brown or black in colour. What differentiates the two is that porters use malted barley, whereas stouts use unmalted, roasted barley instead.
Porters are hearty and robust with flavours of chocolate, coffee and dark fruits, and are said to have been the favoured brew of 19th century street and river porters, which is where the name originates.
Stouts generally aren’t as malty or fruity as porters, but are just as rich. Expect to encounter more citrusy notes with bitter undertones. Milk stout is a sweeter variety of stout to consider that uses lactose, a sugar derived from milk. As the yeast remains intact, it lends a slight syrupy flavour that’s reminiscent of molasses - but be careful giving this to anyone with allergens or dietary restrictions.
Sours Are Tart, Dry and Refreshing
Sour beers (or just sours), as you may have guessed by the name, are a particularly tart variety of beer that have soared in popularity recently. They get their acidic flavour through the addition of wild yeast and bacteria, or sometimes by adding fruit.
As some of the most unique beers out there, they’re certainly worth a try if you’re feeling adventurous. Expect a dry and refreshing mouthfeel, similar to that of a cider or Sauvignon Blanc.
Pick a Saison for a Light Beer With Spicy and Floral Notes
Saisons are a variety of ales that originated in Belgium and France. They tend to have a low ABV of around 3%, although these days there are many with moderate and even high alcohol content, ranging from 5-8%.
While there is a huge variety of flavours dependant on the particular brewer, these beers are generally light, floral and spicy with a dry finish.
Wheat Beers Are Mellow and Aromatic
Wheat beer is top-fermented using a large amount of wheat. The most common varieties you’ll come across will likely be based on German weißbier (white beer), which is fermented using a minimum of 50% malted wheat, or the Belgian whitbier, which is made with made with raw unmalted barley.
Surprisingly, these beers don’t taste particularly wheaty at all! The purpose of the wheat is to provide a silky mouthfeel. Flavour-wise, they are mellow and aromatic with hints of banana and clove.
Find Out Where Your Beer Comes From
When deciding on a craft beer, take a moment to see where it's from. Different breweries use their own signature techniques to achieve a particular flavour profile and texture. Half the fun of enjoying craft beer is sampling beverages from various craft breweries to see what each has to offer!
Geography plays a notable part in the beer-making process – not just grains and hops, but the water and climate of a particular country or region influence the overall taste. While we’ve kept things fairly domestic for this article (as there's something to be said for supporting those close to home!), we've included a few from abroad that are sure to tantalise your tastebuds.
10 Best Craft Beers in the UK
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Beavertown Neck Oil Session IPA | | An Easy American-Style Session IPA | |
2 | Brewdog vs Cloudwater Brewdog Vs Cloudwater - New England IPA | | The Best of England, The Best of Scotland: A Fruity IPA | |
3 | Vocation Brewery Love & Hate IPA | | A Tropical New England IPA You're Sure to Love | |
4 | Einstök Icelandic White Ale | | Icelandic Crispness With a Gentle Finish | |
5 | Buxton Brewery Storm Shadow | | Dark, Stormy, Tasty - A Triple Threat Stout | |
6 | St Feuillien Saison｜Case of 6 | | A Traditional Farmhouse Ale With an Orange Tang and Black Peppercorn | |
7 | Fruli Strawberry Beer | | Traditional Belgian Whitbier Blended With Fresh Strawberry Juice | |
8 | Siren Craftbrew Soundwave IPA | | An Effortlessly Smooth IPA | |
9 | Magic Rock Dark Arts Surreal Stout｜Pack of 12 | | A Unique Stout With Notes of Liquorice, Blackberries and Fig | |
10 | Pistonhead Mixed Lager Beer｜Pack of 4 | | A Great Alternative to Your Usual Pub Lager |
An Easy American-Style Session IPA
Beavertown’s bold designs are certainly striking, but how do they taste? In their words, Neck Oil is an ‘easy’ IPA to kick back and relax with, and we couldn’t agree more. The perfect sidekick to any party, journey (none for the driver!), or night watching the stars.
It’s a refreshingly light and citrusy American-style session IPA that gets its punchy flavour from the addition of a whole load of hops – eight varieties to be exact! The intriguing yet inoffensive palette makes this one a great craft beer for beginners, too.
Brewdog vs CloudwaterBrewdog Vs Cloudwater - New England IPA
The Best of England, The Best of Scotland: A Fruity IPA
A great addition for any Brewdog fan looking for a new edge on a classic flavour, or vice versa - Manchester-based Cloudwater Brewery and Brewdog, based in Ellen, Scotland, have teamed up to create this hard-hitting, yet wondrously calm tag-team craft beer.
This superpower of a beer is quote-unquote packing more fruit than the state of Florida with hints of luscious peach, melon and lime. Truthfully, it is a surefire way to create a conversation about why you are the beer connoisseur.
A Tropical New England IPA You're Sure to Love
Vocation brewery have seemingly set about devising a craft brew designed to be as divisive as possible. As the name suggests, you’ll either love it or hate it!
It’s cloudy, it’s hoppy and it’s simply bursting with tropical passion fruit and mango aromas. This New England IPA from West Yorkshire combines authentic Vermont yeast with oats, for a silky mouthfeel and a remarkably juicy taste. We think it's definitely a love!
Icelandic Crispness With a Gentle Finish
Unlike most white ales, this can be enjoyed on a crisp winter's day or during the warm summer months. Carefully curated with orange, oats and coriander, the fragrant tone of the brew is sure to wow.
Using pure Icelandic water, the finish of this white ale is impeccably smooth and a favourite for those looking to enjoy craft beer made for relaxing. Drink this with your friends and family, and keep it exceptionally chilled.
Dark, Stormy, Tasty - A Triple Threat Stout
When you're looking for that extra kick, Storm Shadow by Buxton Brewery from the name alone really helps to establish itself as something special. At 8.5%, this imperial stout is great for those looking for a deep and heavy brew.
'Crammed with intense, deep-roast speciality malts', Storm Shadow is sure to leave an impact. A great stout ale for conoisseurs and fans of limited edition craft beer.
A Traditional Farmhouse Ale With an Orange Tang and Black Peppercorn
St Feuillien Saison is a traditional farmhouse ale from Le Roeulx, Belgium. It’s a hoppy, unfiltered beer that’s undergone double fermentation to produce its signature tang.
It has a pleasant taste of marmalade-like orange citrus, offset by black peppercorn with some delightfully complex aromas. At 6.5 % ABV it’s certainly a departure from the low alcohol saison ales of old, so you may want to pace yourself when knocking a few back.
Traditional Belgian Whitbier Blended With Fresh Strawberry Juice
Fruli is a traditional Belgian whitbier with a twist. It’s brewed using orange peel and coriander, then blended with fresh strawberry juice, to give it a sweet and spicy taste.
The result is a similar vibe to a fruit cider, but much less cloying. A fantastic craft beer for people who don't like beer, or for those who want to try something fun and unusual, drink chilled or try it as part of a beer cocktail!
An Effortlessly Smooth IPA
Siren Craftbrew's Siren IPA is an easy to drink, slightly sweet and hoppy, makes this a great addition to any fridge. The fascinating design of the can is flashy and original, making it great for craft beer collectors.
With fruity hints and the brewery's trademark 'resinous finish', this will go down well at a party... or twelve. Like a siren, people will surely be attracted to you (no promises, though).
A Unique Stout With Notes of Liquorice, Blackberries and Fig
Dark Arts Surreal stout is a hypnotising blend of four malts and whole hops, producing a spicy stout with notes of liquorice, blackberries and fig.
If the somewhat old-timey medicinal flavours of dandelion and burdock and Jakeman’s throat lozenges appeal to you, then Dark Arts will be right up your alley. If not, you may want to give this one a miss.
A Great Alternative to Your Usual Pub Lager
Pistonhead’s Kustom lager is a Swedish take on the classic German Pilsner. If you’re looking for something a little different to your usual lager of choice, Kustom is a fine option. It’s malty and smooth, with a slightly bitter aftertaste and a light head.
Additionally, two beers are alcohol-free making it great for designated drivers. Craft beer purists may note that Brutal Brewing is a subsidiary of Spendrups, making it somewhat hazy as to whether Pistonhead should be considered ‘craft’ or not.
What Exactly Is a Craft Beer?
Secondly, the brewery should be independent. This means they are not owned by large brewing companies. Although large companies may be small stakeholders, around 75% or more of the brewery should be independently owned.
Finally, many people look to craft beer for creativity and authenticity. Craft beers often boast high quality, curated ingredients and some may even be produced using innovative or unusual methods.
For When You Can't Decide On One...
More Buying Guides for Beer Lovers
Stocking up for a party, or just fancy trying something new? We've got a few other expertly-curated buying guides for all your beer-related needs – find them below and don't forget to send us an invite!
Summary
Once you get started, you'll find there are almost endless varieties of craft beer for you to try. Why not pick a selection brews that take your fancy, get a few friends round and have a sampling night? Make sure to drink responsibly, have fun and enjoy the unique flavours of craft beer!
Author: Wren Mann
Top 5 Craft Beers
No. 1: Beavertown ｜Neck Oil Session IPA
No. 2: Brewdog vs Cloudwater｜Brewdog Vs Cloudwater - New England IPA
No. 3: Vocation Brewery｜Love & Hate IPA
No. 4: Einstök｜Icelandic White Ale
No. 5: Buxton Brewery｜Storm Shadow
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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