After weeks of seeing the digits of our bank accounts tumbling toward zero during the festive period, most of us are tightening our belts during January.
But being a little more savvy with the cash does not mean quality beers are off the menu.
And that's the spirit of the new Tryanuary project – which aims to get people trying different beers made with love in small quantities.
The spirit of curiosity and trying something new will be best satisfied at local bottle shops like Hopology, Brew Cavern or Junkyard, where artisan ales and craft beers from across the world are available in their hundreds.
But there is another solution for those on an even tighter budget. Some supermarkets now have reasonably-priced quality craft beers on offer.
Marks and Spencer has commissioned a few breweries to produce single-hopped beers exclusively for them.
Adnams has brewed a pale ale with mosaic hops which produce a crisp beer with light flavours of mango and lime.
Of local interest is Castle Rock's Cascade, made with cascade hops. It's a well-balanced golden number with lovely grapefruit notes.
Then there's Citra, from the Oakham brewery in Peterborough. It's an absolutely stunning assault on the tastebuds.
Packed with hops, this IPA is a wonderful match for spicy food and absolutely sings with zesty flavours and powerful grapefruit, gooseberry and lychee flavours.
Another plus is that they're all on offer at a very reasonable three for £6.
Also at M&S you can find a number of brews from Meantime Brewery, based in Greenwich. A brewery which straddles a gap between traditional British beers and the creative madness of contemporary beer-making, Meantime has produced Greenwich Red Ale in a celebratory 750ml bottle for £5. It is a fantastic match for a roast dinner or even a cheese board with its malty, earthy base, fruity hoppy edge and red berry sweetness. The brewery has also produced a black IPA. Brimming with American and British hops, the punchy fruity flavours and alcoholic twang of the IPA are brought back down to earth with roasted dark malts. Try it with a delicious homemade burger – cooked medium rare.
M&S also sells a number of decent beers from across the pond. Try Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale and excellent Torpedo Extra Pale Ale, as well as other American classics like Brooklyn Lager and Anchor Steam Ale. All of which are more than worth being the latest subject of your thirsty curiosity.
