Bottle from Hippo Beers. It pours deep orange with a medium off-white head. The nose is juicy, stewed orange, tangerine, brown bread, light spice, cereal and marmalade. The taste is crisp, bitter, earthy, spicy, rye bread, grapefruit rind, orange, light soap, toast and cereal with lingering dry finish. Medium body and moderate carbonation. Good deal of bitterness. Balance works rather well.

15th June 2014
4.8% version. Very hazy amber beer, tidy pale tan head. Palate is airy and minerally crisp. Light dry malt, some rye spice if you look for it. Light marmalade hops. Crisp dry finish brings a carbonated sting and a trace of ester. Drinkable despite a bit dry.

Aroma: Biscuit, pepper and toffee. Just a hint of green hops.

Appearance: Bright copper body with a medium off-white head that holds well. Light carbonation. Nice lacing.

Taste: Ryvita biscuits, sweet caramel, tea and vegetal hops. Peppery finish

Palate: Medium body with a sticky mouthfeel. Average carbonation fizz.

Overall: A lovely Amber Ale. I’d prefer a bolder hop character to it, but the flavours are well defined.

Bottle from Beer Hive, Edinburgh [280513]
Copper amber, thin white head, some lacing
Aroma of caramel malts, toffee malts, cereals, slight vegetal note
Taste of toffee malts, sweet caramel, soft cereal, lots of caramel malt, soft bitter fruity hop in background, hint of orange, alcohol quite well hidden
Palate - Medium carb and body, smooth texture. Finish as main flavour, quite sweet toffee malt cereal finish, slight vegetal linger
Overall - First beer from this brewery - quite pleasant, easy going for the abv.