Old Spooky Hen (Morland)

Name: Old Spooky Hen
Label: "Crafted Fine Ale - Limited Edition Bottle"
Brewery: Morland
ABV: 5.0%

Tasting notes: It's exactly like the normal Old Speckled Hen but way way way way scarier.

Game: The GamingAles Assassin's Creed addiction continues this week with Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD.  This is an Xbox 360 port of the PS Vita game Assassin's Creed III: Liberation. Unsurprisingly it really shows too with the ropey graphics and at times dodgy free-running. However, that doesn't make it a bad game by any means... au contraire! (that's French for, "so shut up criticising").  It's an interesting aside to the "main" AC games and well worth a look. Plus you get to stab alligators in the eyes and steal their eggs. Just cos.

Rating: 6.5 alligator eyes out of 10

Scarlet Macaw (Oakham)

Name: Scarlet Macaw
Brewery: Oakham Ales
ABV: 4.8%

Tasting notes: "This beer gets its great flavour from a skillful blend of two hops from the Yakima Valley. Amarillo for it's spicy fruity character & Summit which is the most pugnacious of all American hops! Tart gooseberry and soft peach on the nose. Gooseberries and fruit to taste, before an intense bitterness that's as sharp as a macaw's screech!"

Game: Time to revisit Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China this week. We reviewed it back in April 2015 but *whispers* never actually finished it! Well now, consider it finished and it's good for that 8/10 rating it originally received. For a 2.5D side-scroller it looks absolutely stunning. In fact, there're now loads of lipstick kisses all over the telly.

Rating: still 8 kick-stabs out of 10 x x x

Farmhouse Ale (Cwrw Cwm Gwaun)

Name: Farmhouse Ale
Label: "Brewed in Pembrokeshire"
Brewery: Cwrw Cwm Gwaun
ABV: 4.0%

Tasting notes: "Made with the best British hops, this ale has a moderate bitterness with a rich malty flavour and a delightfully crisp finish made with pure spring water."

Game: It's November, forget about all the new releases, it's Assassin's Creed time! Missed out on Assassin's Creed Rogue first time around because the Xbox One had just come out (why play an Xbox 360 game when we have something new and shiny)?  So with Ubisoft's heinous decision to take a break from releasing a new AC game in 2016, what better time to play Rogue to fill that gaping Assassin's Creed shaped hole this winter?  There's even snow and ice in the game. Perfect.
Rating: 8.5 stabs out of 10

Old Contemptible (Caledonian)

Name: Old Contemptible
Label: "British Ale - Brewed by hand in Edinburgh"
Brewery: Caledonian Brewery
ABV: 4.8%

Tasting notes: "The First World War changed the world forever. Millions went off to fight and many never came home. Among them were almost 30,000 men of the British Expeditionary Force. The German Kaiser reportedly referred to these troops as a 'contemptible little army'. Veterans of the British Expeditionary Force of 1914 took the name as a badge pride becoming known as 'Old Contemptibles'. Old Contemptible is brewed in partnership with Imperial War Museums, in a style of the period to mark the First World War centenary commemorations.  This deep mahogany beer has a superb creamy head, a distinctive flavour of caramel and vanilla and a slight hop tang. The robustness of the interwoven malt and hop flavours linger well after the last swallow."

Game: Ever been at work and just wanted to hide under the desk until the day finished? That's pretty much how the first XCOM 2 play-through went. Got to a point where there were no available soldiers, no available resources and therefore no way to halt the alien takeover. So just started hitting the 'advance time' button - which is basically the Commander hiding under his desk whilst aliens massacre the entire civilisation. So when the real alien invasion happens, lets hope we have plenty of saves to revert back to.

A difficult yet fabulous game, rating: 8 men in black out of 10