The year of flavoured beer

It seems that flavoured beers are a happy middle ground between beer and cider as an SAB spokesperson said of the Flying Fish flavoured beer brand,  “SAB saw the opportunity to create a Flavoured Beer category to take on cider, and we wanted to cement ourselves in both the cider and beer space. Flying Fish reframes beer and creates a new point of entry for non-beer drinkers and a fresh interest for current beer drinkers. It’s an alternative to cider and premium beer.”

These were some of our favourite flavoured beers this year:

Boston Black River Coffee Stout 

Notes of citrus, roasted malts and black coffee on the nose and the palate, ending with a light bitterness. Click here to see where it’s available. (You can sort by region for restaurants, bars, supermarkets, bottle stores or markets.)

Boston Wild Honey Brew 

Notes of Fynbos honey. Click here to see where to buy it. (You can sort by region for restaurants, bars, supermarkets, bottle stores or markets.)

Flying Fish (in Pressed Lemon and Crushed Orange flavours)

Enjoy its golden, bright clarity with fresh, tantalising smells of citrus fruits. Because it’s distributed by SAB, it’s available at most liquor stores.

Van Hunks Pumpkin Ale 

Notes of butternut and pumpkin, both on the nose and the palate, with a gently spicy blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and coriander. Buy it at Spar Tops stores, onlinewww.yuppiechef.com or visit the Boston Breweries site to see the long list of where else it’s available. (You can sort by region for restaurants, bars, supermarkets, bottle stores or markets.)

Castle Lite

The new Castle Lite Lime offers the original Castle Lite beer taste, with a hint of lime citrus flavour.