Fyne Ales are a brewery based in Cairndow, Argyll. It’s a beautiful part of the world. How small is the village? Well, Cairndow’s school closed in 1988 after the roll fell to just 3 pupils. Thanks for that gem, wikipedia.
The Fyne Ales website lures you to their beers by saying “if you like fresh, full flavoured IPAs, bursting with new world hop flavours while retaining a great balance, then these are the beers for you”. I was sent an assortment of their lighter ales to find out for myself.
Reviews
Sanda Blonde (5.5%)
They say:
Light golden IPA with aromas of grapefruit and passion fruit. Flavours of gooseberry and citrus fruits are prevalent with a good citrus and hop bitterness to make a deliciously easy drinking IPA.
What a fine start to proceedings. A noseful of one of my favourite hops, New Zealand’s Nelson Sauvin, is enough to put a stupid grin on my face. A lot of beers claim that they’ll give you passion fruit flavours, but this truly does.
And yet there’s far more than a fruit fizz here. It’s a progressive IPA, which to my mind means that there’s a body here that brings a depth to the taste buds.
This is a lovely find, which I will stock up in bucketfuls when I next have a BBQ.
Hurricane Jack (4.4%)
They say:
A pale golden beer with an aroma of sweet malt and light fruity hops. Citrus flavours are prominent with tangerine notes with a subtle lemon kick on the end. Great thirst quencher and a delicious session beer.
Another blonde ale, this time with Amarillo and Cascade hops. More citrusy flavours but this tastes more like a session ale.
This started off as being an experiment from the brewery but the results were so well appreciated that it has made the cut and is now a firm favourite.
It’s lighter than the Sanda Blonde but every bit as lovely.
Delicious, fruity and with a lip-smacking hoppy bitterness to finish. I’m picturing myself drinking this in a deck chair, on a warm summer evening with the loch lapping at the shore and the kids being looked after by someone else. Aaaah. So relaxing.
Ragnarok (7.4%)
They say:
How do you surpass an icon? Can you create an instant classic? At Fyne Ales we love a challenge, so we rolled up our sleeves, grabbed Jarl by the scruff of its neck, and hauled it up to a whole new lacel: an Imperial IPA, with sweet hoppy aromas followed by citrus and toffee to finish. This is Imperial-Jarl, This is Ragnarök.
If Fyne Ale’s Jarl is mild-mannered Dr Bruce Banner then Ragnarök is The Hulk.
I’ve got a thing about how I drink an IPA. When I’m cooking, I can easily grab a Jarl or Avalance and keep on going. An IPA is different. It’s for sitting down, relaxing, enjoying and savouring. And that’s exactly what I did, even though I was cooking dinner for six people. Not my fault, I explained. And this is a Double IPA.
It’s got everything and in huge amounts. A sweet malty body, tonnes of citrusy hops and it packs a punch at 7.4%. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I didn’t have hungry people shouting at me to get on with the dinner.
Highlander (4.8%)
They say:
A dark amber coloured bittersweet ale with an aroma of caramel malt and a hint of lemon. Taste of rich caramel malts with a touch of toffee and soft citrus flavours leading to a good bitter hoppy finish.
This is old-school ale. It’s the most traditional ale here but, being a Fyne Ale, it’s still got those citrusy hops.
It was Fyne Ale’s first beer back in 2001 and you can see the path they’ve taken since then. This has less of the Fyne stamp on it than subsequent, newer beers but still ticks the strong ale boxes.
The body delivers a sweety malt rounded flavour and the bitterness of the aftertaste makes it an even taste. Isn’t that what ale is all about?
Avalanche (4.5%)
They say:
This true golden ale starts with stunning citrus on the nose. Well- balanced with good body and fruit balancing with a refreshing hoppy taste, it finishes with a long bittersweet aftertaste.
Now, this is right up my street. Cascade and Liberty hops give us beautiful citrusy hops and the right kind of grapefruit flavour.
What’s the right kind of grapefruit flavour? I’ll tell you. I went on a brewery tour once (not with Fyne Ales) and every beer was overloaded with Willamette hops. This made everything stink of grapefruit, and I don’t like grapefruit.
This, however, is how you do the grapefruit thing right. It gives just the right amount of bitterness to the flavour – any more would be too much. They’ve found the perfect balance. Beautiful.
Jarl (3.8%)
They say:
Light and golden colour with a strong citrus and hop aroma. Citrus and grassy hop flavours dominate the palate with a light and refreshing dry finish. A superbly drinkable beer.
So here we are. Jarl. In my eyes, this is Fyne Ales pièce de résistance. This is summer in a bottle.
Close your eyes. You’re in the warm sun. You pick up a beautiful smell of fruit. The local lemon/citrus farmer has crashed his truck at the bottom of your garden. It’s a tragedy, naturally, but the aroma is nonetheless magical. Your neighbour has just cut his grass and the smells all intermingle to create a thing of wonder.
Fyne Ales have taken that moment and bottled it. It’s simply perfect. It has the new world hoppy bitterness and fruity freshness off to a tee.
It’s a perfect introduction to ales for the common or garden lager drinker too. The body is sufficient to balance out the hoppiness without being too sweet or overbearing.
You’d be hard pressed to find anything more hoppy and summery to top a glass of Jarl.
Fyne Fest
Fyne Fest is Fyne Ales annual festival celebrating beer, food, music and life. Fyne Fest 2016 is on the weekend, June 10th to 12th 2016.
There’s a site campsite, music stage, bar with acoustic stage, loads of food for all tastes and tours of the brewery. The website has some awesome photos of the weekend on the gallery page.
The festival is at the Fyne Ales Brewery in Cairndow, Argyll. It’s about an hour north-west of Glasgow through some amazing scenery and beautiful landscapes. There will also be return bus services running from Glasgow to Fynefest 2016. What’s not to love?
Website : Fyne Fest
Fabulous, love Pimms and lemonade or a nice beer
The drink that makes me think of summer is Mojito. Can even be non-alcoholic but the mint and sparkling water make it so refreshing.
Cider and lemon flovoured beer 😀
Got to be pimms with a load of fruit added.
Bottles of water! I am always stuffing them in my handbag or in the back of a challenger trimaran in the summer.
A cold glass of rose wine makes me think of summer
Iced tea makes me think of summer.
a light beer in an iced glass
both homemade lemonade and cider make me think of summer
Cider or a drop of Pimms are my fav summer drinks!
I don’t think you can beat a really crisp cider on a hot summers day, in a beer garden without a care in the world. (Totally reminiscing about life before kids!!!!!!!)
Pimms & Lemonade always reminds me of summer
freshly made lemonade xx
A nice fruity cider with lots of ice 🙂
Anything peachy or strawberry flavoured
I love rose wine
Pimms makes me think of summer
a cold cider
sangria 🙂
sparkling water and elderflower cordial
a ice cold cider x
A nice fruity cider with lots of ice.
Pimms with all the trimmings
Smirnoff ice
A nice cool Carlsberg lager
When the weather warms up and I’ve been out gardening, I enjoy a long cold cider, so I would say that reminds me of summer!
Rekorderlig Mixed Berry Cider on ice
pimms
lemonade
Cocktails of any kind.
pimms
Lemonade.
Pimms and Lemonade
Cider makes me think of summer….long walk, stop off at pub garden, pint of cider! Perfect!
Cold cider
white wine
ice cold cider
White wine spritzer
Cider with ice or a shandy
Sangria
The best summer drink is an ice cold cider or I’m quite partial to a bottle of corona!
cider
Pimms and lemonade
Pimms and lemonade
Cider
Pimms & Lemonade
A mish-mash 🙂 (a.k.a red wine and fresh orange juice)
Pimms
Light ginger ale
Rose wine.
Sangria
A nice wine spritzer x
A glass of cold cider makes me think of summer.
Iced tea actually 🙂
cider
Pimms or rose wine x
Pimm’s or sangria
Lager Shandy
Cocktails especially pina colada
Pimms – always reminds me of weddings too!
Pimms, although I don’t really like it!
Love elderflower cordial
Pimms & Lemonade always makes me think of summer!
Pimms
Cider
Any blond ale
Barbecues with the family!
Oakham Citra
Cider with loads of ice!
A fruity cider
A jug of Pimms.
Prosecco
Pimms or sangria
Ice cold lager
Has to be Pimms
Ice cold lemonade…preferably the homemade kind reminds me most of summer – either that or fridge chilled Cider. x
A cider with loads of ice
Cold pint of Thatchers Gold
A jug of Pimms
Mojitas
Cider
CHAMPAGNE
jug of pimms even though i dont like it
Malibu!
cold cider over ice 🙂
gin & tonic
archers and lemonade
Pimms.
Pimms and lemonade
Pimms, lemonade and loads of fruit in it
Ice cold Budweiser makes me think of summer
Cider out of a plastic tub!
Pimms reminds me of summer
Definitely a Pimms,, nice refreshing summer drink.
Cider, or failing that, any light beers.
Cold lager out of the bottle.
sangria xx
Cold refreshing ginger beer
A cold Stella Artois in the beer garden.
Pimms
Mmm … a lovely German wheat beer …
a nice cold lager
Archers & Lemonade
Homemade Lemonade
A cool crisp lager
Homemade cider punch for me! I’m not a massive Pimms fan…
Pimms and lemonade
A nice cold light beer…
Pimms
Barbecues…pools..evening fires…and a nice cold beverage..
Pimms
Pimms always makes me feel it’s summer
Chilled Corona with a wedge of lime, preferably in a beer garden!
beer or cider because i need a long cool drink in summer x
Love an alcoholic ginger beer in the summer. Although it’s been able to sit outside in a beer garden that really makes it amazing!
Cider in the garden.
Chilled cider makes me think of summer.
Cloudy lemonade on ice. Reminds me of childhood seaside summer holidays!
Pimms
The drink that makes me think of summer is a cold lager.
It is my favourite drink, good old Pimm’s
A ice cold beer makes me think of summer
Pimms
Shandy!
I love smoothies as they are a way of art,
With so many colours,
But the best for me
It’s got to be,
Grapes and pineapple with it
Pimms – very summery
An ice cold pint of shandy!
Pink lemonade with loads of ice
Pear Cider
Elderflower cordial (homemade) with sparkling wine.
homemade lemonade
Gin & tonic, ice & a slice!
pimms makes me think of summer
Crisp, ice cold apple cider.
Pink lemonade makes me think of summer. Thank you.
chilled cider
Cider makes me think of summer, and silly cocktails if I’m on holiday!
a nice cold beer x
A nice pimms and lemonade
Pineapple juice and lemonade
An ice cold lager makes me think of summer.
Cider is the drink I associate with summer
Pimms and lemonade
San Miguel!
Pimms 😉
Mojitos
Ehderflower cordial always makes me think of balmy summer evenings.
Cream soda over ice.
Pimms
cider or pimms
Lemonade
Larger and Lime
Pimm’s
lemonade and ice
Ice cold lager in an iced glass
Strawberry Kopparberg makes me think of Summer ????
Bulmers pear cider
Pimms & Lemonade (Hic Hic)
Ice cold glass of fruity cider
Adnams Mosaic! 🙂 light, golden and great cold
Pimms & Lemonade with real fruit and cucumber 🙂
Ice-cold cider
Summer fruit ciders
Elderflower cordial
Ice cream soda
Pimms or rose wine. I love a good cocktail on holiday too!
pineapple juice
Ice cold sweet cider
Pimms and lemonade x
Ice cream cones!
a nice cold glass of lemonade makes me think of summer
A Jug of Pimms makes me think of Summer
Dubonett.
A chilled strawberry frambozen (or maybe two 🙂 )
Cider
Ice Cream Vans and Longer Evenings.
Love a glass Of Pimms or an ice cold cider
cider especially the fruity ones
malibu and pineapple
Carling – ice cold on a hot day 🙂
Strawberry Daiquiri…
Sangria -I make this as it reminds me of spanish holidays!
Has to be pimms with cucumber
shandy
the smell of BBQ food
Pimms
Lemonade and Lime
Pimms
cider 🙂 its what I have when I am camping
A nice cold iced cider :p
iced fiery ginger beer or homemade lemonade deliciously refreshing
Pimms or Sangaria – both with fresh fruit of course
Cider with ice
Pimms and lemonade
A nice cold cider
a nice cold beer!
I love pims, especially the strawberry variety.
Pimms
Cider
Very cold beer!
A summer berries fruit cider!
fruit cider
Pimms or fruit cider x
Pimms!
🙂
Shandy 😀
An ice cold glass of lemonade, thanks for the lovely giveaway.
Pimms or cider
Pimms
Iced tea makes me think of summer.
Summer is Cider !!
A lovely glass of Pimms and Lemonade
A strawberry beer or sangria!
Pimms with a load of strawberries and oranges thrown in and loads of ice – perfect summer drink!
pimms with lots of fressh fruit
Shandy
Pimms No 1 or a cold beer – great summertime drinks
I love a fruity summer ale!
Homemade lemonade
Strawberry and lime cider does it for me!
Cider or white wine and soda make me think of summer 🙂
Pimms always makes me think of summer – only ever drink it in a pub garden or at a BBQ
Pimms – its a true summer drink!!
Red wine mixed with lemonade and ice. Very refreshing 😀
Pimms
Mojitos!
Pimms!
pimms and lemonade
Chilled lemonade or a No 16 Bulmers! 😛
A cold beer with friends in a nice garden,and a BBQ on the go!