Cali Pale (5%) - Tiny Rebel Brewing Co, Newport, Wales

Brew number two of what I'm now spontaneously dubbing the self-isolation series of Easter 2021, we have a little gem from Tiny Rebel brewery.

Tiny Rebel are a brewery I've had the pleasure of sampling the delights of many times in the past, one of which you can join me in reminiscence here once you've finished with this post and not a moment sooner.

Topped with a nice white fluffy head, Cali Pale pours a pale (the clue's in the name) straw colour with a bit of a haze to it - like the sort you might observe engulfing the Golden Gate Bridge or Newport Transporter Bridge of a morning.

It's abundantly fruity on the nose with tropical notes of mango, passion fruit and pineapples all coming through. I could have poked my nose about in it all day, but there comes a point where you just have to get on with it and take a swig.

Newport within Wales

In the mouth it was gloriously refreshing and fruity, bursting with flavour even after coming straight out of the fridge (I tend to approach cold beers with caution as it normally weakens the flavours too much for my liking, but not so with this one), all capped off with some sweet pine notes and a dry finish.

All in all this juicy pale ale is highly drinkable and thirst-quenching, perfect for the warm spring and summer days that are just around the corner, as well as the disappointingly cold and cloudy ones.

Rating ★★★★★★★★★☆

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Tiny Rebel Brewing Co.

Website here 

Facebook page here

Where to buy

£2.00 at Sainsburys

Cwtch (4.6%) - Tiny Rebel Brewing Co, Newport, Wales

Tiny Rebel, founded in 2012, is among the newer breweries that have shown their gusto for the recent craft beer revolution by sporting outlandish and original label designs like the dark-humoured, psychedelic one on Cwtch (which is pronounced /kʊtʃ/ and is a Welsh word that means "cuddle", something the neglected teddy bear that seems to have lost his way in life pictured on the bottle is in severe need of).

Described as a "Welsh red ale" on the bottle, Cwtch pours more of a brown-amber colour, but held up to the light it can be seen glowing in all its ruby-red glory. A small, off-white head fizzles gently until it settles to a thin layer, but grows a good finger-width high once the glass is swirled around in preparation for some whiffing action.

The aroma is a pungent one packed full of bold New World hops, with citrusy and tropical characteristics of pine and mango. If you sniff around for long enough, which I tend to do to my beers like a deranged dog hoping to find one last treat, some crystal malts start to ooze through as well.

Monmouthshire within Wales

The juicy pine and mango hop flavours are just as bold on the tongue, met with an equally bold caramel malt backing, both working together like two different coloured cans of spray paint let loose to create a harmonious work of art on an unsuspecting urban wall. 

Despite the flavour frenzy that takes place in your mouth, Cwtch manages to stay extremely drinkable, dare I say moreish, with a thick, juicy mouthfeel leading to a long, dry finish tipping in favour of bitterness and an aftertaste just a fraction too stale for my palate. This is a rebellious brew indeed, reminiscent of an IPA but calling itself a WRA (Welsh red ale) and gives a whole new, even more exciting meaning to the sentence "Gimme a cwtch". 

Iechyd da!*

Appearance 3.5/5

Aroma 4.5/5

Flavour 4/5

Mouthfeel 3.5/5

Overall 7.5/10

*Cheers