Beer of the Week

Tiny Rebel - Full Nelson: £2.55; 330ml; 4.8%
bottle-conditioned pale ale

A recent addition to the Welsh brewing scene is Newport’s Tiny Rebel, a microbrewery whose skill in creating flavourful, well-crafted ales resulted in them winning first, second, and third places in this year’s Champion Beer of Wales competition – an unprecedented achievement.

Producing keg, cask, and bottled beers, Tiny Rebel’s range takes its cues from the best of American and continental brewing traditions, before adding a characteristic spin.

This week’s offering is branded as Tiny Rebel’s ‘Maori Pale Ale’ – not a style as such, but a reference to the extensive use of New Zealand hops.

Pouring a rich copper, beneath a loose head of quickly dissipating foam, the initial aroma is the trademark white grape of Nelson Sauvin hops.

A delicate nose with elements of cider, freshly cut grass, and a hint of coconut, suggest this may be an overwhelmingly intense pale ale, but in actuality Full Nelson is deceptively drinkable.

The body is incredibly light, with a prickly carbonation akin to a continental pilsner, backed up by the rich maltiness of a Vienna lager.

The finish is clean, elegantly so, with only the slightest cloying sweetness – a perfect stage for the moderate hop bitterness to reveal itself.

Aromatic and flavourful, with Parma Violets, apples, and white grapes developing into light sherry notes, this is an expertly crafted, drinkable ale.

Not only is it delightfully refreshing, it may well be the ideal gateway beer for those used to mass-market lagers, resembling the best of German brewing styles, coupled with the seductive aromatics and beguiling complexity of new-world hops.

Recommended by Michael Bates, Trembling Madness, 48 Stonegate, York, YO1 8AS
Twitter: @tremblingmad

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