Tempestuous

Tempest brewery have been quietly impressing since they came onto the scene four years ago. The Scots have being trying to keep the secret for themselves, but I've managed to get three beers from Alesela to share with you now.

Unforgiven ale is a take on the traditional Finnish beer, sahti, brewed with rye and juniper to 5.4% ABV. I've not tried an authentic sahti, but was keen to try this Scots interpretation.
Hazy mid amber on the pour, and lighter than expected perhaps. The slightly metallic smoky aroma which dissipates on warming to give some spicey notes. Full bodied with high carbonation, smoke hit at first, spicey juniper and an underlying sticky citrus rye and some sweet oakiness in the finish. Really accomplished beer, but perhaps I should have drunk it sooner to get the full smoke hit. Looks like they're currently brewing another batch though; so look out for it in good beer retailers near you soon.

Marmalade on toast (6%) was brewed as a collaboration with the Edinburgh Brewdog bar staff. It pours a hazy dark orange with lots of spicey Seville marmalade but also that odd silage note I associate with sorachi ace. Forms a pillowy beige head. Really full bodied, sweet dusty caramalt at first then plenty of orange pith. Definitely toasty but don’t get much of the ginger. It actually reminds me of Fullers ESB, which is of course no bad thing.

Finally we have Saison du pomme - an 8% gooseberry saison. Not sure why its gooseberries when pomme is French for apple! At first cereally becoming weizen like bananas and a hint of tart lactic in behind...not as expected. Fairly sprightly carbonation then something definitely Belgian in the yeast esters and a tart gooseberry note. Saison yeast most definitely dominates here. Quite light in body for its strength but it actually reminds of Dupont Avec le Bons Veux - unsurprising given its the same yeast at a similar ABV but not quite enough fruit to make it truly sing.

Bonus Review! I picked up a bottle of this years "2 Craigs" collab with Cromarty- Cone Heads from The Dalry Rd Branch of Appellation Wines. An interesting experiment using pine cones in the hop back and "dry-coning" for additional flavour alongside a beefed up grain bill, nutmeg and of course a big dose of hops. Experimentation is all well and good but how did it taste? On the nose there's loads of fresh pithy tangerine, cocoa, Zingy ginger, Belgian esters. Its full bodied, medium carbonation, sweet and zesty citrus hops, sweet milk chocolate, dry cocoa toasty finish.Seek it out for something different!

Tempest Brew Co
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