The final bottle. Wow. What a great selection of beer it has been. And the final one from a brewer I tend to like. The brewery says, "From the original brewing books this complex, powerful beer was first brewed in 1995 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Fuller, Smith & Turner. It has since proven a modern classic winning numerous awards including two gold medals at the CAMRA Great British Beer Festival. Bottle conditioning, where a small amount of yeast is allowed to ferment gently in the bottle, gives 1845 the fresh, natural flavour of real ale. A blend of amber malt and Goldings hops results in a delicious, fruit cake aroma, full bodied malt character and a dry hoppy finish making 1845 a fantastic accompaniment to rich dishes such as game."

The Independent says, "They say you can't get a decent pint in London. Well, here's a good, straightforward, strong bitter from the banks of the River Thames in Chiswick. The Prince of Wales, no less, turned out at Fuller's in 1995 to cast the first shovel of hops into the first brew of this beer, which celebrated their 150th anniversary. Our judges enjoyed its walnuty aroma, and working man's club honesty."

I say; Well, it's definitely a rich beer, lots of flavour going on in there. Very malty, and alot of strength comes through too. It does remind me, to be honest, of an old mans beer, someting my Dad would have drunk, rather than me. Probably not one I'd come back to, it's not a style I tend to go for.

The 50 is up! Only one more to go! What a journey it's been. Not excited about tonights beer, to be honest, if you've read the blog you'll know that black beer doesn't do it for me (although to be fair, I have been pleasantly surprised by them). The brewery says, "Black Cullin is a distinctive dark ale brewed with roast barley and rolled roast Scottish oatmeal, giving an almost stout like bitterness, smoothed by the addition of pure Scottish heather honey. Like the mountains it takes its name from, Black Cullin is both majestic and unique."

The Independent says, "A cherry coloured beer from a small microbrewery in the Outer Hebrides that's just right for a cold day on the hill. Ful bodied with undertones of treacle and molasses, it is named after the famous mountain range on Skye, and won a Champion Beer of Scotland award in 2005."

I say; Don't know about cherry coloured, it looks black to me! This beer is surprisingly subtle, delicate smokiness, soft bitterness and a sweetness from the honey. I am genuinely surprised by this. Also, half way through I nibbled a piece of cheese, and it goes very well with that, too!

Mmmm, Badger. I think Oxfordshire rules when it comes to beer brewing, but Dorset ain't bad at all. The Brewery says, "An award winning premium ale, well balanced with distinctive bitterness and a delicate floral peach and melon aroma. Legend states that the gift of peach blossom brings good fortune to the recipient. It seems to hold true today, as the subtle addition of extract of peach blossom to enhance the floral blend of aromatic and bitter hops has created an outright award winning ale that is refreshing, and charasmatic and absolutely glorious."

The Independent says, "The Dorset family brewer Hall and Woodhouse is a favourite of the South West's real ale community, where they own a chain of well regarded pubs. This lively picnic beer, from its Badger range, contains more fruit flavours than your average summer pudding. Our judges identified peach, melon and apple, and aromas of lavender, violet and honeysuckle."

I say; This beer is very, very fruity, and peach certainly dominates. It makes a refreshing change, and I have drunk this many times in the past. Not too sure if I could drink more than 1 in a session, the taste could make it a little too galling. However, yet another example, to me, of how a brewery can make 'out there' beers and get away with it, simply because they really are high quality.

Another beer I know from long ago. The brewery says, "Abbot Ale is brewed longer to a unique recipe, which makes it the full flavoured, smooth and ripe beer it is today. This irresistible beer has masses of fruit character, a malty richness and a superb hop balance making it an exceptional drink. It is brewed with pale crystal and amber malts which give it its attractive colour and rich malty taste. Abbot Ale is exceptional on its own or as a perfect partner to full flavoured food such as mature cheese and rich pasta dishes. Brewed longer for a distinctive full flavour."

The Independent says, " Despite its ongoing corporate efforts to take over the world; Greene King can still knock out a decent pint. Abbot Ale is one of its most popular beers. Brewed with light crystal and amber malts it is a wonderful gleaming walnut colour. It enchants the nose with spices and a fruity gusto."

I say; Well, to my memory similar to Old Speckled Hen, in as much as I have drunk it a long time ago, and it used to make me drunk! Now, it's still a very tasty pint. To me it's a pint that shows how good malt tastes, wheras I think some beer can have too much malt. Spicy on the tongue, a good winter warmer!

A very well known beer, one which has given me many hangovers years ago. The brewery says,"First brewed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the MG car factory and affectionately named after an old MG car used as a factory runaround. A finely balanced ale. With a smooth, rich malty taste. Perfect for every occassion. Great with friends and food. Why not try with your sunday roast or cured meats and cheese."

The Independent says, "This lovely winter beer, with overtones of tea and autumnal leaves, is so popular it boasts its own fan club. Historically brewed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, it is now sadly owned by the Greene King conglomerate, which has successfully turned it into one of the best selling beers at Britains checkouts. While real aficionados say it isn't as good as it used to be, Old Speckled Hen's still one of the most reliable beers on the supermarket shelves."

I say; As I mentioned before, I've got a (good) history with this beer. However, my memory must be palying tricks on me. I remember the beer being a winter beer, as The Independent says. When I'm drinking this (on a warm night!) it is really refreshing, more like a summer ale. It smells malty, and initially that's the taste. This gives way to a classic hoppy bitterness. Lots of people moan about the Greene King connection, but if the beer tastes good, why not drink it. I'm really enjoying this!