This beer celebrates 30 years of brewing at the company near Aylesbury founded by Richard Jenkinson and now in the hands of his sons Tom and George. With so many interpretations of IPA around on both sides of the Atlantic, I popped the cap on this one with a degree of nervousness. I�ve known the family for many years and didn�t want to be disappointed but I was rocked back on my heels by the amazing aroma and palate.

Chiltern Brewery, Anniversary Ale (England) The bottle-conditioned beer, which comes tissue-wrapped in a 375ml bottle, has a sub-title: Triple Hopped India Pale Ale. This is sensational stuff, an amazing blend of hops, malt and fruit. It's brewed with Maris Otter pale malt only. It's "triple hopped" because three varieties � Bramling Cross, Challenger and Goldings � are used three times during the copper boil and while the beer is conditioning following fermentation. Brewer Tom Jenkinson tells me he uses "a huge amount of hops" and they create a redoubtable 50 units of bitterness. The beer has a pale bronze colour and has massive attack of spicy hop resins on the nose, with juicy malt and tart citrus fruit. Bitter hops build in the mouth, balanced by tangy fruit � oranges, lemons and peaches, to name but three � and rich creamy malt. The finish is bittersweet but becomes dry with continuing contributions from bitter and spicy hops, tart fruit and biscuit malt. Malt: high. Hops: high. Fruit: high. The beer has just been launched and can be bought from the online brewery shop or from the brewery�s pub, the King�s Head in Market Square, Aylesbury. �4.95 a bottle; �55 a case. The beer can be part of a mixed case. 6.1% ABV, �4.95, brewery website.