Young's Waggle Dance

There is a very pleasing trend with Sainsburys, to stock decent beer rather than just the huge branded names. As a consequence, you can pick up all sorts of interesting things, including Waggledance (also available from Threshers amongst other places.)

Waggledance is easy to spot - brown bottle, orange label, and the word 'waggledance' on the front gives it away. The beer itself is a deep amber colour, and can come out with a bit of a head on it if you aren't a careful pourer. (Ok, I confess, I drank the last one straight from the bottle).

How to describe it? The smell isn't that distinctive, but the taste is very unusual. If you've ever supped mead (and if you haven't, more fool you, remedy this at once!) there is something decidedly familiar about the taste. There's more than a hint of mead about it, no doubt from the honey they use to sweeten it - this is more traditional than using cane sugar, and a fine idea if you ask me.

Generally speaking, when you move into the realms of real ale, you don't get many crowd pleasers. The ales are distinctive, they have characters, flavour and consequntly might not be to everyone's taste. I usually go for really hoppy ales - Waggledance is an unusual choice for me, because there's not much hop at all, just malt and honey. Before you worry, it isn't sickly sweet at all, it's quite subtle and very drinkable. If you drink decent beer, you'll know that really it comes down to personal taste, it's not a one-beeer-fits-all kind of market. I'd say give this one a go, because I really like it, knowing full well that while it tickles my taste buds, not everyone is going to make a beeline for a second bottle. I might get a buzz out of it and fancy a bit of the old waggledance myself, but others may feel they've been stung for their one pound sixtyish and might not enjoy it at all.

Ok, ok, enough with the bee puns.

Best consumed on its own - not a food accompaniment sort of beer, and don't you dare pollute it with lemonade or anything else! For best effect, find somewhere scenic, and, in the early gloom, light a bonfire (obviously only if you are allowed) gather some good friends together, crack open the Waggledance and be mellow.

If you are unable to finish your bottle (A weird notion if you ask me, but it happens) then it's not bad for cooking with. I never throw away stale alcohol, because it does make excellent sauces and casseroles.