News of the brews

November 2, 2006: Archers Away Days (4.2%) celebrates the great British tradition of travelling to weekend football matches and following your team around the UK. The is another of Archer's excellent pale beers with a malty, zesty finish.

Enville Ales has launched Simply Simpkiss (4%), previously brewed by the Simpkiss Brewery as Simpkiss Ale. The brewery closed in 1985 but is much remembered by older drinkers in the West Midlands.

Everards' autumn ale is Equinox. Despite being 4.8%, this is a smooth, easy-drinking beer, harvest gold in colour, with sweetness and flavour of mature fruit.

Robin Bitter (4.5%) is Robinson's final seasonal ale of the year and will be available throughout November and December.

Hook Norton is brewing a new pale ale, Beefy Bitter (4.5%), as a tribute to Ian Botham and his mammoth fund-raising efforts. Ten pence from every pint sold will go to the Leaukaemia Research charity, of which Beefy is president.

Brains is testing a new continental-style chilled beer, Brains 45, through some of its managed houses. The 4.5% brew has its own trendy tall chrome font and will be served extra cold.

Ruddles County, now part of the Greene King empire, has a new pump clip in the shape of a horseshoe, traditionally the symbol of the county of Rutland where the brewery originated.

And finally, the 2006 vintage of the Alaskan Brewing Co's Alaskan Porter is now available. The most award winning beer in the history of the Great American Beer Festival, this is a beer than can be aged like a fine wine.