“Keep this beer close to hand. Our Fursty Ferret amber ale takes its name from a real ferret with a taste for full-bodied, biscuity beer and a mischievous reputation. ‘Little thief’ by (Latin) name and opportunistic by nature, his memory lives on in the Gribble Inn. And who can blame him? With lemony, floral aromas of Celia, Cascade and Centennial hops, and the moreish-ly malty backbone of Premium Ale malt.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: We gaze over a gorgeous bold amber pour with full transparency. Two fingers of beige head on top with good retention and lacing as we go.

Aroma: We may have just entered amber ale heaven. The malt bill displays an amazing depth with brawny notes of maple syrup, toffee and caramelised sugars, bush honey, dark fruits such as golden raisin, dates and fig. We haven’t even touched on the hops yet…a superb balancing act of pine, blood orange, tangerine and orange blossom finishes off this magnificent aroma.

Flavour: Excellent progression, it just keeps intensifying as it rolls forward. Delicate malt sweetness and ripe orange citrus on entry. It’s not until the mid-palate that the malt flavours really take off. Caramelised sugars, toffee and honey integrate with the delicate pine and floral citrus. This delicious fusion leads into the semi-dry, rich and caramelised finish which draws out nicely on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, silky, gelatinous and chewy. Medium body with fine Co2. The 4.4% ABV goes hard for its size.

Overall: Without a doubt the best amber ale we’ve tried all year. Perfect time of the year to be drinking one too – a cool breeze but the Autumn sun is still shining bright. Top shelf stuff.