Our beer columnist Ed Barnes of Hopsters shares his top picks for this month.

The craft beer market has really taken off in the last few years. The UK now has hundreds of micro-breweries creating amazing beers on a weekly basis that are pushing boundaries and brewing up products to excite the drinking public.

But it's not just the micro-breweries that are getting on board the craft ale train, the more canny of the larger breweries are expanding their portfolios and creating new 'craftier' brews to keep up with the trend. Our local powerhouse, Adnams, is included and I'm glad to say they're making a really good job of it too!

One of my favourites of their latest batch of beers is Sprucy Banger. It's brewed in collaboration with Northern Monk Brewery in Leeds ( 'Collab' brewing is a BIG thing in the craft ale industry right now) and at 4.3% it's a sessionable pale ale. It uses American hops and locally picked spruce to give it a citrus hit with a pine finish which is absolutely perfect for the spring sunshine.

Speaking of beers for the sunshine, Adnams have now launched Wild Wave, their own English cider. Since Aspalls 'sold out' to a big beer company, we've not had much to shout about for locally-based independent ciders but this is a real treat. It's the perfect blend of sweet and dessert apples that create an incredibly fresh and crisp cider that leaves you with a slightly tropical taste which I love.

And finally, Adnams are now making their own NEIPA. New England IPAs are a slightly more exotic version of a regular IPA but with the strength of a real IPA. This clacks in at 6% but with the underlying stone fruit flavour created by the hops, it makes this rather drinkable! There's a reason why NEIPA's are the fastest growing style of beer in the UK and this is one is a great place to start. If you enjoyed Adnams Explorer, you'll love this.