Taproom Perch Rock Pale Beer Review

This will be the second, and if the first one is anything to go by thankfully last review of dirt cheap Taproom beers from Home Bargains. Like the previously reviewed Dovestone IPA Perch Rock Pale cost less than one pound. I'm now hoping that unlike Dovestone it doesn't taste like a dirt cheap beer. I'm afraid I know very little about the brewery, but this one says it's brewed on the Mersey, so it's a scouse beer. It also says it's brewed exclusively for TJ Morris, which is the owner of Home Bargains so I guess that's the only place you'll be able to pick these up from, but should you make the effort?

Perch Rock Pale comes in a very pretty can with a nice beach scene, so if nothing else it looks good. There's a 4.8% alcohol content which seems a little high given that this is meant to be a session ale, and they usually clock in around 3.8-4.3% ish. Don't get me wrong I like a beer to have a decent level of alcohol so it's not a problem, it just seems a little odd. The beer pours a very clear yellow with lots of fizz, but surprisingly little head. The colour actually matches the can really well, so that's nice.

The scent is overwhelmingly peachy and hoppy. It's quite a strong smell so if you don't like peaches I have a bad feeling this beer wont be for you. Personally I have no huge feelings for peach either way so I'm pretty ambivalent about the aroma in all honesty. Perch Rock Pale certainly has a better smell than the other Home Bargains random cheap beer I tried so hopefully this will be a step up. I think there might be some other citrus scents hiding away in here too, but very much about the peach.

The texture is smooth enough and the taste very much matches the smell. I found the beer a little sour, which I know some people really like, but I don't. The taste of peach is pleasant enough, but there's another taste in there which would be best described as orange peel, and that's much less pleasant. I really don't like this beer very much, and I think I'm trying to like it more because it's so cheap and I like spending as little as possible. I'm going to give Perch Rock Pale Session Ale 3 out of 10 and I think I'm been generous. It's a shame as I'd love to find a good ale below £1, but alas the search goes on.