“Beechwood smoked barley, oak smoked wheat. Great autumn/winter beer. The smoke is entirely on the nose with sweet bacon & BBQ coming through. A malt forward, clean lager with a finish of cinnamon & caramel.”

Glassware: Half Stein.

Appearance: Bold amber colour, good clarity and a short white head which gradually forms a collar. It deposits wet spotty lace which drags legs down the glass.

Aroma: These lightly smoked malty numbers are our jam right now. Well, for one of us at least. It’s offering up a hearty fusion of ham hock, cured meats, smoked malt and umami but it’s wonderfully balanced by a sweet red malt, toffee apple, cinnamon and earthy hops. We’re getting dizzy from taking this aroma in too much.

Flavour: Mirrors the aroma really well. The smoky notes are subtle and offset the naturally sweet and syrupy qualities of what we personally think is a Vienna-style Lager. Dark caramel, toffee, prunes, cinnamon and cumin provide a rich and emphatic impression while a soft bitterness that clings on contributes to a dry yet well balanced finish.

Mouthfeel: Quite smooth initially but ultimately dry post swallow. Medium body and a nicely positioned 6.5% ABV.

Overall: Once again Principle nails a European classic. We’re starting to think these guys should just do away with the American/new world stuff and focus on old world beers as everyone we’ve had from them so far has been remarkable.