The Sunday Telegraph - 01.09.2019

The Sunday Telegraph Sunday 1 September 2019 *** 7

DRINK UP!

Enjoy these beers with no fear of

a sore head, says Susy Atkins

T

he recent huge

increase in no or

ultra-low alcohol

beers is something

to welcome with open arms.

Firstly, because more of

us than ever want to cut

back on our units (or stop

drinking alcohol altogether,

temporarily or permanently),

and secondly because so

many of these new brews,

weighing in at just 0-2.5%

ABV, taste surprisingly good.

Author and beer writer

Melissa Cole puts this success

down to “the combination of

an increase in love for craft

beer and advances in

knowledge about yeast and

technical brewing”.

Brewers are simply more

able to get rid of alcohol

without affecting flavour

these days.

They can halt the

fermentation process early,

or heat the beer to steam off

the alcohol, or do something

niftier like Adnams does for

its Ghost Ship ale: ferment as

normal to produce a full

flavour, then remove the

alcohol by reverse osmosis

until the beer gets down to

just 0.5%.

The Original Small Beer

Company delivers one of the

best ranges around. Set up for

the sole purpose of brewing

0.5-2.8% beers, it claims to be

reigniting the old tradition of

“small beer”.

The weak stuff was once a

staple of British life – but I bet

it rarely tasted this satisfying,

fresh and properly moreish.

As well as the three to the

right, check out M&S’s wide

range of no/low-ABV beers,

which has expanded from

seven to 13 in one year.

I especially tip its

refreshing, slightly grassy,

Infinite Session IPA (0.5%,

£1.50 for 330ml) for the rest of

the warmer weeks.

ADNAMS GHOST SHIP

CITRUS PALE ALE

Southwold, Suffolk

(0.5%, Waitrose, £1.30 for 500ml;

Tesco, £1.70)

Citra hops give a

tangerine tang

here and there is

a subtle,

well-balanced

bitterness on the

finish. A decent

drop with a classic

ploughman’s of

cheddar and

crusty bread.

THE ORIGINAL SMALL

BEER DARK LAGER

London (1.0%, thewhisky

exchange.com, £2.25 for 350ml;

mastersofmalt.com, £3.38)

Aromas and flavours

of freshly roasted

coffee beans,

toasted

hazelnuts and

high cacoa dark

chocolate here

• whoever said
  extra-low-
  alcohol beer
  was bland?

30 for 500 ml;

c

nd flavours

roasted

ans,

and

a dark

here

r said

• eer
  d?

THE FORAGING FOX
SMOKED BEETROOT
KETCHUP
£2 FOR 255G,
SAINSBURY’S
It looks fibrous, though the
smell of barbecue smokiness
and beetroot appeals. Rather
than including liquid smoke
like many products, this uses
oak smoked rapeseed oil. The
closest to real ketchup. 8/10

TOM KERRIDGE

GHERKIN KETCHUP

£5.75 FOR 240G,

TOMKERRIDGE.COM

The perfect balance of sour,

sweet and herbaceous, this

sauce is reminiscent of the

Swedish dill mustard often

paired with gravlax. Though is

is perhaps a little runny, and

not suitable for chip dipping.

8/10

TRUFFLEHUNTER

BLACK TRUFFLE

KETCHUP

£10.95 FOR 200G,

TRUFFLEHUNTER.

CO.UK

The most ketchup-like in

consistency and colour, with

small specs of black truffle

dotted throughout. The truffle

scent is earthy, but the flavour

is subtle and delicious. 10/10

HALEN MON BLACK

GARLIC KETCHUP

£5.95 FOR 250G,

HARVEY NICHOLS

Don’t be put off by the

Marmite hue, this is rounded

and sensationally garlicky. It

also has the best viscosity of

the lot. This would do well in

burgers, on chips, with steak

• even smeared on toast with
  avocado and bacon. 9/10

MAKES ENOUGH FOR

TWO LARGE BOWLS

INGREDIENTS

600ml chicken stock

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 small tsp thinly sliced root

ginger

Pinch of dried chilli flakes

300g cooked chicken

100g dried fine egg noodles

2 spears Tenderstem broccoli,

sliced

1 head of pak choi, leaves

separated and loosely torn

2 spring onions, sliced

Sesame oil, to taste

4 tsp soy sauce

Handful of chopped mint and

coriander

METHOD

…Heat the chicken stock

in a large pan and add the

garlic, ginger and chilli

flakes, and gently simmer

for five minutes to infuse.

…Shred the cooked

chicken into strips and

this, along with the

noodles, to the stock.

…Simmer for four

minutes then add the

broccoli, pak choi and

spring onions, and

simmer for a further four

minutes.

…Finish with the sesame

oil, adding it to taste, and

soy sauce, and throw in

the fresh herbs. Check

the seasoning and serve

immediately.

Chicken

noodle soup

SERVES THREE TO FOUR

INGREDIENTS

2 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp finely grated ginger

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

600g raw chicken, cut into

large chunks

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tsp finely chopped garlic

2 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp tomato purée

200ml chicken stock

150ml natural yogurt

Handful of chopped coriander

Handful of chopped mint

METHOD

…Mix the turmeric,

ginger, lemon zest and

juice together and toss

the chicken into this to

coat.

…Heat the oil in a large

pan and cook the onion

and garlic until soft and

starting to colour to a

golden brown – about five

minutes.

…Add the curry powder

and tomato purée and

cook for three minutes,

then add the chicken and

cover with the chicken

stock. Cook for 15-20

minutes until a knife goes

easily through the

chicken.

…To finish, stir through

the yogurt and finish with

the fresh herbs.

…Serve with naan bread

or basmati rice.

Chicken curry

LOWLANDER WIT BEER

Amsterdam, Holland (0.0%,

boozefree.uk, £1.99 for 330ml;

31dover.com, £2.02)

A brisk citrus

freshness meets

softer, mildly creamy

notes. Produced

using leftover

oranges and lemons

from bars and

restaurants, so

gets eco marks

too as well, as

being totally

alcohol-free.

RELEASED BY "What's News" vk.com/wsnws TELEGRAM: t.me/whatsnws