A new beer has arrived in Sainsbury's and immediately caused controversy. What and where is the Natural Brewing Company? It has an address in Westgate, Chichester, but no phone number. The company website says the beer is brewed in a "tower brewery" and correspondents to several websites, including ratebeer, suggest the Chichester address is just an office and the beer is possibly brewed at Hook Norton in Oxfordshire. I can confirm that Irresistible Premium Ale (IPA for short!) is indeed brewed at Hook Norton, so why not say so? There is nothing wrong or illegal about having a beer brewed by an existing company. Truman's Runner, launched last year, is brewed by Nethergate in Essex while the founders of the new Truman's look for a suitable site in East London.

Natural Brewing Co, Irresistible Premium Ale (England) The beer is a trifle over-carbonated for my taste but has a fine pale bronze colour and a good collar of foam. There�s a pronounced butterscotch note on the aroma, which suggests Brakspear rather than Hook Norton, but Brakspear is not a tower brewery. There�s fresh bread maltiness on the nose and tart citrus fruit from First Gold hedgerow hops. Bitter hops burst across the tongue, balancing chewy malt and the continuing rich butterscotch. There�s rich malt sweetness in the finish but this is balanced by bitter and fruity hops and the butterscotch note. It�s a refreshing and full-tasting beer. Malt: high. Fruit: high. Bitterness: high. 4.3% ABV, 50cl, �1.89, Sainsbury's.