The Celt Brewing Experience Seven Flowers

The Celt Brewing Experience Seven Flowers

Style: Double IPA

Alcohol Content: 5.4%

From: Caerphilly, Wales

Purchased from: Real Ale Shop, Richmond upon Thames
http://celtexperience.com/

The Celt Brewing experience was founded 10 years ago by Tom Newman in the town of Caerphilly, Wales. In 2012 Tom developed the on-going Shapeshifter series of collaboration brews, with such names as Boxing Cat Brewery from Shanghai, Brasserie St Germain from France, beer blogger Simon Martin and beer writer & sommelier Melissa Cole to create exciting and innovative American, Belgian and German beers with a twist.

This is the first collaboration beer that I have reviewed. They seem to be very in-vogue at the moment so I'm certainly jumping on the bandwagon. This one is a true transatlantic collaboration bringing together three breweries from either side of the pond. Representing Wales we have the Celt Brewing experience and from the states we have Ale Syndicate and the Atlas brewing respectively. Both these fine breweries hail from from Chicago. Go Cubs! So before you post any jokes about the Cubs never winning the World Series, let's get on and review this beer.

Shall We Burn the Witch?

Colour: Pours a light copper brown with a slight reddish hue. A small layer of foam is present for you to play around with during the duration of the drink. This beer is also bottle conditioned and I accidentally poured some of the yeast into my glass. Pour it slowly people!

Aroma: Notes of freshly cut grass and newly fallen pine needles dominate the nose. This is swiftly followed by hints of sweet mango wrapped in toffee. Odd I know, but that's what you get when you hop a beer with seven hop flowers (hence the name). This little gem uses a blend of Citra, Simcoe, Hallertauer, Tomahawk, Cascade, Warrior and the old English faithful, Goldings hops.

Body: Quite dense for an IPA. The mouth feel is rather creamy and is actually more reminiscent of a stout. A beautiful drink to linger over on a cold winters night.

Taste: Just like the nose, you can pick up notes of grass and pine. After a big mouthful, you will receive a slight caramel and biscuit aftertaste in your mouth. This beer is amazingly fresh and the rather high ABV is extremely well hidden. The finish is dry, crisp and mildly bitter leaving you wanting more. Simply beautiful.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/beavertown-8-ball-rye-ipa.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/shepherds-neame-bishops-finger.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

Tiny Rebel The Full Nelson

Tiny Rebel The Full Nelson
Style: Maori Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 4.8%

From: Newport, Wales, United Kingdom

Purchased From: Real Ale Shop, Richmond-Upon-Thames

http://www.tinyrebel.co.uk/

If you watch Game of Throne, you will be familiar with the phase, “Winter is Coming”. Whilst, the bitter winter has yet to reach Westeros (in the TV show at least), cold polar air is currently lashing the UK.  It’s times like these that I turn my thoughts to next year and holidays in warmer climates. It seems only fitting that I look in the beer cupboard and try to locate something fruity and bright, just so I can bring some sunshine to my life. After a couple of minutes I stumbled across Tiny Rebel's, The Full Nelson. A Maori Pale Ale named after a wrestling move (although I'm not sure that they meant this). So let’s crack it open and get tropical.

The Tiny Rebel Brewing Company is based in Newport, South Wales. It is currently the only microbrewery in the area employing six people and produces the equivalent of 640 casks of beer per calendar year. Set up in 2010, the brewery has gone from strength to strength exporting bottles and kegs to Denmark, Norway, Italy and Australia. However, the company fell fowl of Swedish consumer guidelines on alcohol when they tried to launch their Fubar beer in the country. The label consist of a grenade and several bullet holes (guess that’s not allowed in the land of Abba and Sanuas). Oh well their loss is our gain.

Colour: Pours a light hazy copper with a bubbly white head which lingers in the glass for the duration. As the drink warms, it gets slightly darker.

Aroma: This drink has an almost wine like aroma profile. Heady hints of grape and apricot cut with fresh limes present themselves instantly. These aroma’s come from the use of Nelson Sauvin hops, which indecently is named after the Sauvignon grape.  The aromas unfortunately disappear after a couple of minutes in the glass (or it could be my Man Flu blocking them out).

Body: A light spritzy body ensures a pleasurable drinking experience. The soft carbonation will tickle you tongue and throat with every sip. 

Taste: Big bold notes of sour grapefruit, tangerines and passion fruit present themselves on the tongue. The Nelson Sauvin hop imparts a very smooth bitterness due to its low cohumulone content. The use of Munich malt helps to create a crisp but slight metallic after-taste which actually helps to add to the flavour of the beer. So far, this is one of the best Pacific pale ales I have tried. Much taster than the Bad Seed's attempt I reviewed late last month and I certainly will be coming back for more.    

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/bad-seed-brewery-south-pacific-pale-ale.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/meantime-raspberry-wheat.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery