Tiny Rebel: The Full Nelson (Wales: American Pale Ale: 4.8% ABV)
Visual: Hazy apricot skin. Slight white rim of bubbles. Some carbonation.
Nose: Peach. Sour tayberry and grapefruit. Gooseberry. Very tart.
Body: Vanilla. Big pineapple. Lime. Toffee and malt. Grapefruit. Very tart raspberry. Light acidic feel.
Finish: Sour lime. Very fresh. Pink grapefruit. Very tart and tangy. Lime Kelly. Slight dry granite.
Conclusion: A tiny half from the Tiny Rebel, but this packs an anything but tiny citrus punch. Ok, that is a bit of a cliché opener, but it is also true so please forgive me it. The various grapefruit elements are the most obvious expression of its tart citrus style, and with little malt working against it, is full bore, acidic fresh and tingling. What really shoots the tangy levels up though is the sharp lime, pretty much like a real lime has been squeezed straight into the beer. Very much a wake up call to the tastebuds.
There is some malt working against it, light though it may be, and also there is subtle vanilla and toffee flavours, It is always sliding around behind the main flavours, accentuation them by way of contrast.
It is a lovely summer beer, very easy to drink even though it is so tart, and it both refreshes and shakes you awake with its tart citrus punch. A beer to take it easy with in the sun, or just to enjoy for the beer it is. It is higher abv than the perfect session beer, but you get such a long lasting finish, especially the lingering pink grapefruit elements, that you don’t have to rush the beer, so with a little effort you could make a few last for a moderate session.
Any which way a lovely, taste bud jangling, tart joy of a beer.
Background: Tiny Rebel! Love these guys so far, their Hadouken is bloody excellent and a reference to Street Fighter 2. Why have I never reviewed them until now? Happenstance. I’ve never had my book to hand, or I’d had a few and didn’t consider my senses up to scratch. Then I found this at the Bath Brew House one Saturday lunch. Game on as they say.
