Going down a storm ...

Being an underpaid, overworked, boring old fart, it is very rare that I let my hair down. Although I enjoy a pint at least as much as the next man, work & family commitments mean I have to plan my occasional nights out with great precision: I'm buggered if I'm going to waste my limited free time drinking second rate beer in an average pub.

As luck would have it my one free night for months coincided with a launch night /showcase for the Tempest Brewery at The Bow Bar on Victoria Street. The combination of one of Edinburgh's finest pubs and the most sought after new beer in Scotland proved irresistible to myself and Edinburgh's growing community of beer geeks, which meant standing room only in a normally laid back boozer.

The Tempest Brewery is a tiny two man operation based in Kelso, whose beers have been bubbling under since the back of 2010. Concentrating on craftsmanship over out-there experimentation, they have refined and many would say, perfected a small selection of classic brews.

Their flagship beer and the first to make it into bottles is the Brave New World IPA, which must be among the top tier of British Pale Ales. Brewed in the fashionable American, hop-centric style with a solid 7% abv, this doesn’t mess with a winning formula. It is however, considerably more rounded and mellow than its counterparts. Nicely textured, with a light head, some slight carbonation and a vibrant orange hue. The beer is punchy and very aromatic with a vibrant, ripe, fruit salad perfume. The palate has a mild sweetness a bit akin to peaches and cream, a lovely mouth filling, resinous texture and a long finish of gentle, toasted bitterness. Unfortunately, being a very small batch, it sold out at the moment of its release. Hopefully by the time your reading this they will have brewed more.

Other beers to keep an eye out for are the oak aged Canyonero; a sweeter, fuller bodied, oak aged beer with a rich palate of vanilla & roast butternut squash and the Elemental Porter; a medium weight, creamy stout of mild bitterness and extreme quaffability. But frankly, their entire range is very impressive and if you’re fortunate enough to spot them at your local you would do well to give them a go.

James Wrobel is the proprietor of Cornelius Beer and Wine, 18-20 Easter Road, and can be contacted on 0131 652 2405.