Beer of the Day: Palmers Dorset Gold

Beer expertise, meet liquid sunshine. Day Four’s Beer of the Day has been picked by the fabulous Ryan Perry – AKA Crafty Beer Boy and, as of this summer, an accredited Beer Sommelier. And yes, Beer Sommelier really is a thing – think wine sommelier, but with considerably more hops. Ryan has trained in everything from beer styles and brewing to tasting, food pairing and spotting faults, so when he gets excited about a pint, we’re listening.

His choice is Palmers Dorset Gold, a 4.5% golden ale brewed just a mile from Dorset’s Jurassic Coast. Pale, zesty, lightly hopped and packed with freshness, it blends malted barley and wheat to make the sort of gloriously refreshing pint that seems made for a sunny pub garden. In fact, Dorset Gold began life as a summer ale – but drinkers liked it so much that Palmers decided summer simply wasn’t long enough. It’s now brewed all year round. Sensible people.

And perhaps that’s the joy of Ryan’s choice. You can know an enormous amount about beer – train your palate, study brewing, learn your styles and become a fully fledged Beer Sommelier – and still come back to something wonderfully simple: a cracking, thirst-quenching pint that makes you smile. So follow Ryan’s lead this Cask Ale Week and look out for Dorset Gold on the handpull. Sunshine is, unfortunately, not guaranteed. A little taste of Dorset very much is.