Cain's, Fine Raisin Beer, 5% ABV
Liverpool should be proud to host the brewer of this fine beer. Cain's brew varying styles of quality beer, but this one takes the cake! The taste is dominated by sweet raisins, reminiscent of candy, though complemented by a little sharpness and bitterness, leaving a touch of malt in the finish. This mid-golden beer sports a creamy head with moderate retainment. The aroma is reminiscent of black cherries and caramel. Quite easy to go down, the mouthfeel is truly scintillating, with hops showing through there. The best addition yet to the Cain's family of beers.
Cain's, Dragon Heart, 5% ABV
A mysterious dark beer from Liverpool's own brewery. Flavoury, tangy, fruity, malty – these are all words that can aptly describe Dragon Heart, not to mention the hint of chocolate. A nutty flavour preceeds the woody, caramel finish. The aftertaste is fizzy, and perhaps contains hints of oranges.
A buttery, caramel aroma, reminiscent of toasted bread, emanates through the bubbly head of froth. Its texture is hoppy, also chocolaty, and tingly on the tongue. A sweet, full bodied beer with high carbonation. This is Cain’s at full throttle.
Cain's, Formidable Ale (or FA), 5% ABV
Formidable Ale is one of Cain's staple beers. All in all, it's a nice, wholesome beer, but lacks the marked flavours of its more interesting counterparts, such as Dragon Heart. It is medium-bodied, and dry, but not overly so. It's flavour is malty, also bitter. The bitterness evaporates in the finish, leaving hops and malt. The scent is of yeast, malt and fruity hops. It also has a sharp texture. The head dissipates rather too quickly.
A few years ago it was rebranded with the title "FA", with beer mats and the such containing slogans like "sweet FA", and so on, but it seems to have dropped that now, returning to the more traditional image.
As well as England's Cain's Fine Raisin Beer, Cain's Dragon Heart and Cain's Formidable Ale, check out the other English beers, or browse the world beers section.