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I believe there are "happy beers", and this is one of them. Like liquid sunshine in a glass it has a lot of flowery and zesty notes, balanced out with a cream-cracker richness and long dry finish.

5. Wychwood, Hobgoblin, 4.5 per cent

A proper British beer made contemporary by some irreverent styling, look out for CAMRA volunteers wearing the brewery’s now iconic "What’s the Matter Lager Boy, Afraid You Might Taste Something?" t-shirts. But the proof, as they say, is in the pudding and, because this is a proper British bitter, you do get a bit of fruitcake to go with the mouthwateringly astringent finish that makes it, oh, so drinkable.

6. Cain’s, Raisin Beer, 5 per cent

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An incredible beer, brewed with the addition of Californian raisins. It has some similarities to Pedro Ximinez sherry, with its rich caramel, prune and, of course, raisin flavours. Another reason to get your hands on this beer is that the brewery’s future is currently very uncertain, so sup it while you can.

7. Fuller’s, ESB, 5.5 per cent

I’m a firm believer in trying the local beer wherever you go. Fuller’s is London’s last remaining family brewer, and produces startlingly good beers on a consistent basis. ESB stands for Extra Special/Strong Bitter and this is the benchmark. Strong brown sugar and soft cinnamon come through on the nose, followed by sweet orange and caramel on the tongue, rounded off with a cleansing – but gentle – bitterness.

8. Thornbridge, Jaipur IPA, 5.9 per cent

This is a real world-beating beer in my opinion. The IPA stands for India Pale Ale, a style of beer brewed to ship to the colonies, which was preserved for the journey by a high alcohol content and the inclusion of stack loads of hops. The result is a multi-layered beer that entices you with strong lime and caramelised orange on the nose, an almost chewy texture in the mouth and a rich honeyed finish.

9. Hebridean, Beserker Export Pale Ale, 7.5 per cent

Another historic brew, made to a 150-year-old recipe, it may look like a bitter in colour but a little swirl around your glass will see it cling to the sides like a limpet. Rich caramel and warm spices assault the senses and the warming alcohol sensation makes it a very satisfying brew all round.

10. Hog’s Back, A Over T, 9 per cent ABV

A barley wine, which is actually a style of beer, the A Over T stands for Aromas Over Tongham, which is where this Surrey brewery is based. This beer, and the rest of the portfolio, is created by a brewster – also known as a female brewer – which almost single-handedly debunks the myth that women don’t like dark beers. Rich, Christmas pud aromas and chocolate flavours are finished off with an almost dry, sour cherry bitterness that makes the mouth water.

Read Melissa Cole's blog: Taking the beard out of beer! A girl's guide to beer

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