Yardbird (Greene King)

Name: Yardbird
Label: "Crafted Ale - American Style IPA"
Brewery: Greene King
ABV: 4.0%

Rating: "Full of hops and with a lasting fruity flavour, this beer is inspired by bold American IPAs"

Game: With next-gen gaming looming over us like a huge money-absorbing death blob, here's my top five best and worst games / IPs for the Xbox 360:

Games that amazed and astonished (great):

1. Dark Souls
2. Assassin's Creed
3. Dead Space
4. Mass Effect
5. Bioshock

Games that disgusted and dismayed (shit):

1. Duke Nukem Forever
2. Aliens: Colonial Marines
3. Ironman 2
4. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
5. Terminator Salvation

Bishops Farewell (Oakham Ales)

Name: Bishops Farewell
Label: "2004 - 2005 Silver award winner, Class 3 International Cask Conditioned Ale Competition. The Brewing Industry International Awards"
Brewery: Oakham Ales
ABV: 5.0%

Rating: "A hand crafted bottled ale based on the cask conditioned favourite brewed to commemorate "Bishop Bill" William John Westwood's retirement as Bishop of Peterborough (1984 - 1996). A strong premium beer of structured quality dominated by elaborate fruity hop notes, with a grainy background and dry finish."  I don't think I'm ever going to be able to retire... let alone have a beer named to commemorate the occasion. Well played Bill, you made it!

Game: Just a few words about the new Xbox reveal that happened in the week. It's all about the telly by the looks of things. You talk at the Xbox and change channel, "TV"... "Game"... "TV"... "Game"... "Xbox off". Because there are so many occasions where I want to swap between my game and live TV aren't there? No. There aren't. I have an Xbox because I don't watch or like telly. Surely you realise this Microsoft.

Frederic's Great British Alcoholic Ginger Beer (Frederic Robinson)

Name: Frederic's Great British Alcoholic Ginger Beer
Label: "GB - Hoppy and refreshing with a fiery ginger kick and fruity lemon notes"
Brewery: Frederic Robinson
ABV: 3.8%

Rating: "Distinctive and unique in that it has been created especially for beer drinkers who like traditionally crafted ales and those who love the taste of ginger. Tasting note: A wonderful blend of traditional malty ale combined with natural ginger extract gives rise to a rich ruby red, warming beer. This hoppy and refreshing beer comes to life with a fiery ginger kick and in harmony with fruity lemon notes."

Game: So Dark Souls eh? What a bitch. Recently saw a video preview of Dark Souls 2 and it has spurred me on like a deranged horse to try and finish the original. Over the past week or so I've beaten Queelag, Havel, a Hydra, the Iron Golem, giant felines (or something, they were definitely big cats) and conquered Sen's Fortress, almost sorted New Londo Ruins and reached Anor Londo! Phew! I've also run through Firelink Shrine about a billion times due to lots of dying (some swine has extinguished the bonfire). But I think we're getting there, slowly but surely.