International Beer Day 2019: Beer Hawk ‘World Beer’ case review

Written By:Christie Day01.8.19

We all love beer right? Even the classic Greek philosopher Plato himself famously said “He was a wise man, who invented beer” and we couldn’t agree more. On the first Friday of August every year, beer lovers around the world raise a glass to their favourite beery tipples. Happy International Beer Day!

To mark this momentous day in style, we teamed up with beer aficionados over at Beer Hawk to try out their exclusive World Beer mixed beer case. The box features an eclectic mix of 15 popular beers from around the world, including IPAs, pale ales, wheat beers and lagers.

With flavours from Germany, Belgium, USA and Great Britain itself, Savoo’s finest beer connoisseurs couldn’t wait to get stuck in. Each beer was rated on appearance, head retention, aroma, taste, aftertaste and overall drinkability.

Read on to find out which beer was crowned our favourite, a brief overview of each beer in the case, and how to be in with a chance of winning a World Beers case. Plus, find out what went down when we finished our tasting session off in the Beer Hawk craft beer and bottle shop.

Hitachino Nest White Ale

This white ale hails all the way from Japan and promises a spicy zing of orange peel and smooth wheat flavour. It’s bright and hazy, and the aroma offers caramel notes with a touch of coriander and citrus. It’s a complex flavour perfect for more experienced beer drinkers.

Great for: Complex people who love complex flavours

“It tastes better than it smells!” – Usman S
“Very sweet” – John C
“Caramel/sweet taste. I can see why this would appeal to a more experienced pallet” – Joel H

Birra Del Borgo Reale

The Italian IPA taking inspiration from American flavours, Birra del Borgo’s Reale beer has prominent hop aromas with ‘a firm bitterness to cut through the malty sweetness’. While the bitterness may be too intense for craft beer newbies, it’s an interesting beer that ends with an intense hoppy aftertaste.

Great for: Washing down a cheeseboard

“Very bitter and heavy” – Corinna A
“Bitter” – Nina S
“Stronger taste and darker colour” – Amelie T

Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat Ale

Chicago’s own Goose Island are known for their infamous award-winning Goose IPA, but how did their attempt at wheat beer fare? Hailed as a great introduction to wheat beer, the Urban Wheat Beer releases a frothy head when poured. The overall consensus was that the taste was somewhat muted compared to some of the other fuller flavours – perhaps a winner for those that prefer lighter, more neutral flavours.

Great for: wheat beer lovers.

“First wheat beer I like – it has a nice aftertaste” – John C
“Neutral taste” – Francesco F
“Pleasant, although unremarkable flavour” – Luke C

Hint: Goose Island fans will also love the Goose Island Classic mixed case!

Tiny Rebel Dutty

Tiny Rebel is the new kid on the IPA block, and have already made their Welsh mark – winning multiple awards and opening Cardiff’s first craft beer bar in just a few months. With a foamy head and fruity tones, this Welsh wonder is no doubt refreshing, fruity and sessionable.

“Very foamy head and flat body” Yasmeen L
“This is lovely” – Amelie T
“Hoppy taste” – Corinna A

Great for: Session IPA

Yeastie Boys Digital

This hazy yellow beer with light, frothy head is a Kiwi favourite, brewed in Wellington, New Zealand. The smell was fruity with hints of lemon and citrus, balanced with a bitter finish, making it an easy one to come back to again and again and perhaps a good option for craft beer newbies. This is a good, no frills IPA.

Great for: Craft beer newbies

“Very smooth, fresh” – Izzy G
“Nutty” – John C
“Triggers a wave of curiosity on the tongue” – Joel H

De Molen Vuur & Vlam

This Dutch IPA is one of the stronger beers in the case, at 6.2 ABV. With a clear, amber body and a tiny head that didn’t stick around, the flavour was sweet with quite a strong, bitter aftertaste. Perhaps not the best option to drink one after the other, the complexity of this flavour is apparent in the name itself – vuur and vlam (fire and flames).

Great for: Those who love strong flavours

“Flavourful, vibrant and punchy. Would buy again.” – Joel H
“My favourite one from the whole case” – Yasmeen L
“Smooth and bitter” – Izzy G

Gaffel Kolsch

With a clear, pale yellow body and good foamy head retention, this German beer is the go-to for lager lovers. This one got quite a few high scores for the ‘aroma’ category – perhaps due to the faint fruity scents and slight savoury smell too. With lots of carbonation and a crisp finish, this is a sure crowd pleaser for a hot summer’s day.

Great for: Those that love traditional lager

“Tastes a lot better than it smells” – Christie D
“Sweet smell” – Nina S
“Very bready smell, but good taste” – Luke C

Hint: Love German beers? The Beer Hawk German Beer mixed case could be a winner!

Hoegaarden Wit

Let’s see how one of the world’s most popular witbiers (wheat beer) went down at Savoo HQ. The coriander notes were clearly picked up, with plenty of ‘herby’ and ‘hoppy’ comments making the feedback sheet. The citrus aroma was a hit, while the crisp flavour and cloudy appearance makes it a refreshing wheat beer. Why not add a slice of orange for that extra citrus kick?

Great for: pairing with a curry.

“Hoppy” – Yasmeen L
“Hoppy, citrus fruit aroma” – Nina S
“It’s a grower” – John C

Hint: If you love Belgian beers, why not try out Beer Hawk’s Belgian mixed case?

The White Hag Little Fawn Session IPA

And we’re into the top half of the tables. This Irish number has a balanced flavour, with strong pineapple and citrus punches accompanied by a dry malt aftertaste. The fruity notes went down a hit, with some tasters comparing it to a fairly light sour beer. It was extremely easy to drink, and would definitely be a good thirst quencher for those warm summer nights.

Great for: Sour beer fans

“Sour, tangy and sweet. I like it.” – Christie D
“Dare I say it… a whiff of pineapple?” – Joel H
“Refreshing, nice tang.” Izzy G

Stiegl Goldbrau

Otherwise known as Salzburg’s liquid gold, this Austrian beer is brewed with indigenous sweet honey and malt, which go a long way in making it unique to its German or Dutch companions. After getting a strong introduction from our only Austrian employee, the Stiegl held its own when it was time to taste. With a light, hoppy flavour throughout and a strong aftertaste, this was a favourite for Austrian, German and British tasters alike.

Great for: Summer BBQs

“Nice golden colour, crisp, fresh taste” – Nina S
“Unique taste, better aftertaste” – Joel H
“Quite strong, but easy to drink” – Corinna A

ToØl Gose to Hollywood

This Danish creation has one of the lower ABVs from the case, but that’s not to say it compromises on flavour. Picking up citrus, apricot and orange notes, our tasters liked this beer for its fragrant and fresh taste and slight aftertaste. Easy to drink and sublimely refreshing, this one was hailed as the perfect hangover beer.

Great for: Hangovers

“Grapefruit, citrus fresh taste” = Anne-Sophie L
“Refreshing citrus flavour with a lovely aftertaste” – Joel H
“Cloudy appearance and a sweet bitter taste” – Nina S

Harvestoun Schiehallion

Perhaps not so apparent from the name, this popular lager is actually brewed in Scotland. Better known for their darker porters and stouts, Harviestoun didn’t let the lager fans down with this award-winning brew which is light, airy and fresh. The subtle smell, unique flavour and foamy head were a hit with our taste testers.

Great for: Adventurous lager fans

“Slightly better than Camden Hells for me” – Amelie T
“Citrusy – good head retention” – Anne-Sophie L
“Interesting taste, quite unique and fruity. Nice!” – John C

Pirate Life Throwback IPA

This little Australian number is a light, citrusy explosion of flavour. The fruity tastes really come through from beginning to end, making it soft and easy on the palate. Full of that classic IPA flavour, it goes above and beyond to deliver a great balance between malt and hop flavours, finished with a crisp aftertaste.

Great for: Long days of drinking in the sun

“Great taste – I don’t usually like IPAs” – Christie D
“I really enjoyed the grapefruit flavours” – Luke C
“Consistently refreshing” – Izzy G

Camden Hells

Arguably the most recognisable name for even the most novice of beer drinkers, Camden Hells lager was the signature brew that started everything for the now booming Camden Town Brewery. And besides the fact it’s brewed right here in our home city, it certainly didn’t disappoint. The light carbonation, golden glow and subtle aftertaste were just some of the standout features of this iconic brew.

Great for: Unadventurous lager fans

“Very light, nice aftertaste, and nice golden colour” – Corinna A
“Light and crisp taste” – Ella L
“Refreshing, light and sweet” – Christie D

Bellerose Blonde

This smooth blonde pale ale is a remarkable creation from one of France’s finest breweries – Brasserie des Sources. This sweet, honey-flavoured nectar clinched the title by a country mile, proving top dog amongst not just the Frenchies, but the whole office. While some remarked it was almost a little too sweet, the majority of the tasters scored this 7 or higher in the ‘overall drinkability’ category, making it our winner.

Great for: Those with a sweet tooth

“Nice banana flavour, although too sweet to have more than one” – Luke C
“Lovely and smooth” – Izzy G
“Sweet, fruity taste” – Ella L

Beer Hawk’s craft beer and bottle shop, London

With bellies full of beer, we headed to the Beer Hawk experience bar in Charterhouse, London for a final round. Home to over 150 of the world’s best beers available to buy, a good selection of craft beers and ciders on tap and a pour-your-own-beer wall it’s the perfect spot to chill out and catch up with friends after work.

With regular beer tasting events held upstairs, cheese toasties available to order and retro tabletop arcade games, it’s well worth a visit. There’s also a Beer Hawk experience bar in South Bank, London.

Celebrate International Beer Day for less with these exclusive Beer Hawk offers, and WIN your own World Beers Case

Regardless of ratings, one thing that’s certain is this mixed case is as varied as it gets. With a diverse collection of world beers originating from New Zealand, Japan and various other beer-loving nations from around the globe, this exciting case is a must for both experienced and novice beer fans.

Try it out and get the party started for less this International Beer Day thanks to this exclusive Beer Hawk offer for 15% off your World Beers case. Fancy something different? You can still save if you’re a new customer thanks to our exclusive 15% off for new customers voucher.

Fancy your chances of winning this Beer Hawk exclusive World Beer case? Let us know in the comments below which beer from this case you like the sound of best. Is it the tangy Little Fawn from White Hag? Or perhaps the iconic Camden Hells is more what floats your boat?

Drop a comment in the comments section below to secure your entry! The winner will be announced on Friday 9th August at 2pm.

Extra ways to save money at Beer Hawk

Simply can’t wait to start discovering some of the world’s most delicious beers? Here are some nifty ways to help you save money on your next Beer Hawk order. Don’t say we don’t treat you!

Collect Beer Tokens with every order

Create a Beer Hawk account before ordering to take advantage of the awesome Beer Tokens loyalty scheme. Earn tokens with every order and redeem them for cash savings on your next order. The more you spend, the more you save, with 5% earnt back for every £1 you spend. Collect more when you refer a friend and rate your beers.

Save 10% when you sign up to the newsletter

An easy way to save 10% is by registering for the Beer Hawk mailing list. Sign up with your email address and you’ll receive an exclusive voucher for 10% off straight to your inbox to redeem on any order. Plus, you’ll be the first to hear about upcoming sales too.

Check out the offers page

Explore a huge range of global beers for less over in the offers section. From discounts on mixed cases to multibuy savings and seasonal offers, this is the place to go for your beer fix on a budget.

Save on delivery when you spend £50 or more

Enjoy standard delivery thrown in for free when you spend over £50 (usually £4.99). Your order will be with you the next day if you get your order in before 4pm too, so you won’t have to hang around long to get stuck in.

This post was written by Savoo in exchange for a Beer Hawk World Beers mixed case to giveaway.