Pokémon Krispy Kreme Doughnuts - Sainsbury's UK [@NLi10]

 Attention fellow trainers - Krispy Kreme's Pokemon range has now landed in the UK!  There are 6 flavours to choose from in America, but two of the colours are banned on the rest of the planet so we have one Starter, and two wild Pokemons and a regular ball.

And this is what they look like.

My store only had one of the boxes in stock - and I only got that because we happen to go to the store at the same time as the Krispy Kreme van every week to pick up Nanna's shopping.  I was tempted to take a picture of the guys stocking up - but I'm already struggling to beat the Team Rocket allegations by depriving kids of the lovely box...

Realistically though - the doughnuts themselves are available freely - for some reason the boxes are reselling on eBay already so it looks like people are swiping them. Madness. Mine is covered in grease and goo because we are humans so I think we shall keep it.

First up - Pikachu!  The most recognisable of all the Pokemans and only a starter in a few games after kids decided he was the best.

Lemon Sherbet Kreme is a good choice, sizzling electric flavours and lemony goodness to balance out the sheer sugar. 

Overall this is a hit.  They could keep this in the range and it'd sell. Not perfect, but pretty darn good.  Maybe a bit too gooey to cut open and share - just like a real Pikachu!

Next up - Jigglypuff! A pain of a wild Pokemon due to it's tendency to sing and put your team to sleep, but once caught great with Rollout & Pound

This is the Pink offering - and while it's just a basic glazed ring I thought that the pink bits were fun and I enjoyed them.  My partner detected an artificalness to them which she didn't like, but I was fine with it.

Solid but very much a special edition not a keeper.

The Pokeball is the same doughnut but with a white glaze and red sprinkles.

Oddly that little line of chocolate is the star, it just adds an extra dimension to it which would make me happy to have these as a change.

Next up we have my original 1998 starter - Charmander!  I had Pokemon Blue but chose this lad because I assumed you'd get them all eventually.  Oh how naive I was!

Inside it's the most interesting of all the flavours, both dolce de late and caramel, with the outside being a flavour of caramel and sparkle sugar - goodness!

A braver company would have put cinnamon on top and had this in first place, but as it stands it's a sophisticated little doughnut that doesn't earn it's fire-type and comes in 2nd to the Pikachu.

Over all - for £9 (with an odd 4p discount with the nectar card) it's not a bad offering - especially with the cute box that once cleaned and lined could hold pokemon cards or be sent to be graded.  A good treat and hopefully one that doesn't create too many family arguments over who gets the best one.

Love Lane Pale Ale (Morrisons) By @SpectreUK

I have fish and chips tonight. Not takeaway fish and chips from the local Chippy, but it’s Friday, so I’ll settle for the oven kind. I fancy a nice Pale Ale with my dinner. Something citrusy with a little sweetness.

I found this Love Lane Pale Ale in my cavernous beer fridge. At 4.3% in volume, it’s mix of Citra and Falconer’s Flight hops should give it a citrus, fruity and floral taste, with biscuit flavours and further fruitiness from the Golden Promise, Caramalt, Amber Malt, and Malted Wheat.

On opening the can there was a citrus herbal hop aroma, followed by sweet malts. On tasting this Pale Ale there was a crisp herbal and floral flavour, followed by a citrus bitterness, and then sweet caramel biscuit malts into the aftertaste. Very nice indeed with my oven fish and chips. Cheers.

MOMA Oat - Raspberry and Blonde Chocolate Drink (Ocado) By @Cinabar

I bought the MOMA Oat Raspberry and Blonde Chocolate Drink because I liked the sound of the flavour, rather than because I needed an oat-based alternative to regular milk. Basically, I'm all for a new milkshake flavour, and I don't mind what dairy or alternative milk it uses, as long as it sounds interesting. This is a summer limited edition.

I chilled the drink before pouring some into a glass. It isn't the pretty pink colour shown on the carton, but more of a beige colour, which made me check the use-by date (it was fine). The drink smelled okay too, but when the colour and smell don't quite match what you're expecting, you do start to worry.

I gave the drink a sip and found the flavour was good. It isn't too sweet, but there is a nice combination of berry and caramel, and mixed with the oat flavour, it tasted a bit like pink wafer biscuits, which is really nice.

I found it very easy to drink, and most of my tasting sips seemed to almost finish the glass, so I almost immediately needed a top-up, which is always a good sign. Definitely one I would buy again.

Schofferhofer - hefeweizen Bier - juicy pineapple [@NLi10]

 We got back from watching the eclipse, and I was a bit too hot and needed replenishing.  Behold! This can of Schofferhofer juicy pineapple - which is basically fruit juice and beer.

This is one of my cider style but beer outside drinking choices, but I'd never picked one up for home.  I got this because I've not seen the Pineapple one in bars.

It's interesting that they call it a drink and not a beer in the English blurb

My partner tried it though and said it was too beer-like.

For me - it's a light and fruity drink with beer-like flavours, and pineapple juice flavours, and it's a little fizzy and a little boozy but very refreshing.  It's totally a big can drink too, a small one of these would not suffice, 500ml is good.  

And while beer purists did not return my calls when I posted this in our chat I'm a big fan and will continue to drink these funny little German hybrid drinks 

Yew Sparkling Water - Pickle flavour (Ocado) By @SpectreUK

Yes, you read the title correctly. This is Yew Sparkling Water - Pickle flavour. For my sins I have been hand picked to try this “Sparkling water with a splash of briny dill pickle, notes of fresh cucumber and a bright tangy finish.” Perhaps I didn’t step back quick enough in the line up.

Apparently this Yew Sparkling Water - Pickle flavour is all natural in its ingredients, has zero calories and zero sweetener. I mean, come on. I like pickled gherkins, but I wouldn’t drink the rest of the jar. Who does that? Who thinks of Sparkling Water - Pickle flavour anyway? Well, Yew did.

On opening the can, asides the fizz, it smells reminiscent of an empty jar of pickled gherkins. Apart from the super strong aroma of pickled dill and cucumber, you could probably fool someone into thinking that this is a glass of lemonade. Well, at least until they come within twelves metres of you and smell it.

On taste this Sparkling Water - Pickle flavour made my toes curl. There is an instant flavour of strong sour pickled dill and cucumber, with further sourness from the brine. Unfortunately this drink is not for me. With each sip it seemed to get stronger in flavour and sourness. I mean, I have to say it does what it says on the can. Well, replacing “bright tangy finish,” with “face twisting toe curling sourness,” anyway.