A premium beer from a brewery set in the heart of the Warwickshire countryside. Said to be full of flavour and body, a beer of real character. Sounds good, but what is Pure UBU Amber Ale like?
I am thinking it could be more of a traditional style beer, rather than a craft style beer. A beer that delivers a rich drinking experience with a chilled out vibe. So I have high hopes for this beer.
What Is Pure UBU Amber Ale Like?
It feels just like a traditional real ale, rich and malty. However a sweetness builds that might just trip it up. On the nose it delivers caramel toffee malt notes with a berry fruit aroma floating on top. The taste leads with smooth toffee malts. A velvety almost nutty chocolate like flavour creeps in carrying sweet fruits on its back. The finish lacks bitterness. A rate my beer score of 4.2 – 5.0.
You can tell this is a quality beer using the best ingredients. However for me it is a little too sweet and lacking any real bitterness to balance it out.
Purity Brewing Company
Upper Spernall Farm is the home to Purity Brewing Co set in the Warwickshire countryside in the West Midlands of England.
Founded by Friends Paul Halsey and Jim Minkin back in 2005, their ethos has always been pure quality. A desire to produce flavoursome quality beers with a mind on sustainability.
The brewery has gone from strength to strength and growth has been steady. Many awards have been picked up along the way and not just for the beer. Purity was awarded SIBA Green Business of the year for their wetland project which naturally filters the brewery waste liquids before they find there way to the River Arrow.
Sadly Jim Minkin passed away in 2020 of Pancreatic Cancer which I am sure has left a huge hole in the Purity brewing company.
A best bitter named Jimbo has been released in honour of Jim Minkin who will be sadly missed.
Pure UBU Amber Ale
Back to the beer in hand Pure UBU. A beer that is named after Tess the brewery dog who’s nickname was UBU. I won’t say what UBU stands for, you can find that information on the bottle, but its quite funny.
UBU pours a deep amber with a substantial creamy off white head. Although the head fades a little it does stick around and produces a nice lacing around the glass.
The nose has plenty of rich toffee malt notes with teasing aromas of dark berry fruits. A little nutty bread lurks in the background.
The taste hits with caramel and toffee maltiness served on toast. It is smooth with a velvet mouthfeel and hints of nutty chocolate. Then a fruitiness kicks in carrying a loaded sweetness that overwhelms any bitter presence.
There is no doubt that this is a decent beer, rich and full of flavour. However it falls down for me, but that is personal taste. I like a bitter beer, and this one is way too sweet without much bitterness to balance it.
Rate My Beer
It gets a rate my beer score of 4.2 – 5.0 which is pretty good considering I couldn’t drink more than one. For me it is a session beer that is not a session beer, at 4.5% Vol fill your boots, but I can’t because its too sweet.
My description is A rich velvet smooth deep malty sweet beer with the lightest bitter finish.
M’Lady likes it, but also said it is too sweet, and she has a sweet tooth. Lou said “An Extremely smooth beer with a sweet finish, I like it but its a one drink beer.”
Lou scores it a slightly higher 4.4 – 5.0.
If you like your beer sweet then Pure UBU will definitely hit the spot.
More Rated Beers
Purity Beers
Although I have trouble with the sweetness of Pure UBU it doesn’t put me off trying more of what Purity have to offer. And there is plenty to choose from with lager, cider, IPA’s, bitter and a few stouts.
It looks like an interesting range and one I am keen to get stuck into. Here are a few that have caught my eye and I will be looking out for in the future.
Lawless Lager
Inspired by Bruno the goat who’s past time is breaking all the farm and brewery rules it’s a lager that is lawless.
A crisp lager with a sharp citrus kick, it follows the Bavarian Beer Purity Law which is ironic. At 4.5% Vol it has a decent kick for a session lager.
Bunny Hop
Another beer inspired by a furry friend, this time it is rabbits that almost took founder Paul Halsey off his bike.
I do like a hazy pale ale and this one uses pale malts and a combination of powerful hops. It is said to be a bold beer, however at 3.5% Vol it doesn’t pack a punch on strength.
Fixie
Fixie is a Nitro Stout loaded with coffee. Inspired by the single gear cycle of the same name. A dark coffee beer with a blend of oak and dark chocolate with an enhanced bitterness.
At 5% Vol it sits on the fence of session, however it sounds a little rich, so I guess just the one will suffice.
Final Thoughts
Purity it seems then are about quality, flavour and sustainability. It is clear with Pure UBU that the quality and flavour are there. Even though it was too sweet for me, I do look forward to trying more of their beers.
If you have sampled any of the Purity range then do share your thoughts below. Especially the Pure UBU, it will be interesting to see if anyone else finds it as sweet as I do.
Rob is a passionate home bar and pub shed enthusiast with a passion for craft beer. With hands-on experience in designing and building his own home bar, Rob shares his knowledge, tips, and inspiration to help fellow enthusiasts create their own perfect space. Alongside the world of home bars and pub sheds, Rob also explores the diverse and exciting realm of craft beer, providing honest reviews to help you discover your next favorite brew. Join Rob on a journey of flavor, design, and craftsmanship right here on Home Bar Kit.