Brewery: Purity Brewing
Location: Gt Alne, Warwickshire, England
ABV: 4.8%
Version: Bottled
Source: Tesco

The Purity Brewing Co have produced Farmer’s Harvest ale to mark the centenary of the National Farmer’s Union and it’s still on sale via branches of Tesco (it’s in stock in our local branch, anyhow). It’s only available in bottles and is the first beverage in the UK to be awarded the red tractor quality mark.

Taste-wise, Farmers’ Harvest is similar to Purity’s Pure Ubu Amber Ale but with a slightly more noticeable caramel / toffee sweetness to it. There’s a nuttier character in there, too – almond or pecan – but all in all it’s a similarly drinkable and agreeably tasty brown ale. Not a huge amount to separate the two, but I think Farmers’ Harvest might just edge it. I’ll have to give the two a go in one session and see if I can separate them (I know, I know… any excuse).

Well worth checking your nearest Tesco to see if they’ve got any in stock.

The BBC website reported yesterday that UK beer sales are on the way down again – in pubs and off-licenses alike – to the tune of 7.2% year-on-year for July-September, according to figures from the British Beer and Pub Association.

The BBPA (or the BBC interpretation of the BBPA press release) was quick to blame the combined effects of the worsening economy and a 9% hike in duty on beer. I was surprised, though, that they didn’t make the rather obvious connection to the generally lousy weather we’ve had this “summer”. Surely that, coupled with the inability of any of the home nations’ football teams to qualify for the European Championship, would have had a fairly significant impact as well, no?

Anyhow, economic collapse and footballing ignominy aside, I’m happy to report that I’m still doing my bit, with a trip at the weekend to the (usually lamentably under-stocked) real ale section of the local Tesco which, to my surprise, resulted in the acquisition of no fewer than seven new (to me) interesting-looking bottled beers:

• Brewdog Punk IPA – recently reviewed and highly-rated over at The Beer Diary, so I’ve been keeping an eye out for this one.
• Morrissey Fox Blonde Ale – I actually had no idea when I picked this one up that it’s the subject of the new Channel 4 TV series Neil Morrissey’s Risky Business, which starts tonight. I’ll be watching that one via Sky+ later in the week.
• Williams Bros Midnight Sun – a rather interesting-looking porter from one of Ed & Joe’s favourite breweries (judging by the growing volume of their combined tasting notes to-date…)
• Farmer’s Harvest – a benefit ale for the NFU, but I’m not sure which brewery this is from as I couldn’t spot it anywhere on the bottle (or the NFU website).
• Jennings Golden Host – A premium ale from Cumbria.
• Orval – Belgian trappist ale; should be a good Autumn warmer.
• Pivovar Herold – Czech dark lager. One for the fridge.

There you go. Can’t say I’m not doing the best I can to help reverse that trend, eh?