Brewery – Southport
Beer – Cyclone
Alcohol – 3.8%
Origin – Southport, England
Style – Brown Ale
Season – Autumn
Picked up this lovely ale from the Bargain bin at Chester Beer & Wine as it was pretty much past its sell by date (not that it really matters). Thought I’d give it a go as it’s not my usual cup of tea, but at £1.50 for the bottle who can resist!
At 3.8% I wasn’t expecting such a flavoursome, and complex ale. Not just decent for a lower ABV beer, I mean thoroughly decent all round!
This ale is dark amber brown in colour, with a slight appealing cloudiness and a clean white head.
This beer is named after a rollercoaster at Southport Pleasureland and to be fair it fits the bill as the flavours in this ale are up, down, and all over the place!
Beautifully sweet and malty on the nose, develops into a biscuity sweetness at first taste. Then the fun starts as the flavours mix, twist and turn in the mouth. Hints of lemon sweetness, and woodland blackcurrant contrast each other all held in place by a good hoppy backbone, and again more malty notes playing on the tongue.
There is a developing bitterness in the finish, with more hoppiness and hints of treacle giving it yet more sweetness.
Smooth, Sweet, Complex and all in all a really enjoyable ale.
Greg Beresford
Beer Brain 