Speyside Beers (Part 1)

A blog that has been a long time in the works this one, on a visit to Speyside I picked up a broad selection of the offerings from the picturesque Speyside region and a little further afield. Well known for it’s tremendous whisky, lets see how it fares when it comes to beer!

Tropical Forres – Speyside Brewery – New England IPA – 4.9%

From Speyside Brewery nestled just down the A96 from the river Spey in a town called Forres is the aptly named, Tropical Forres. Though how apt that is depends on whether you think Northern Scotland is particularly tropical.

Quite a clear pour with very little on the nose. First taste wasn’t very fruity but instead quite malty with a lingering bitterness. Really crisp and light and went down a treat in the sun. Lovely bottle design as well!

Andy’s Untappd Score : 3.50

Andy’s Take – I struggle to place it as a NEIPA, more towards the traditional definition of an IPA for me, but a very nice beer nonetheless

Frank – Raspberry Beer – 4.0% – Keith Brewery

In the small town of Keith, surrounded by their many distilleries, is Keith Brewery. I’ll be trying two of their beers, with this first one being the intriguing prospect of a raspberry beer.

I was expecting it to be much hazier I must admit, and the huge raspberry scent is very much at odds with the appearance. Initially quite tart but that slowly subsides to give a malty biscuity and slightly bitter taste.

Andy’s Untappd Score : 3.75

Andy’s Take – Straddles the line between sour and lager for me which is very interesting. The finish got a lot softer as it went on, giving it an extra 0.25 marks!

Typhoon – Amarillo IPA – Windswept, 6.2%

Just up the coast from Spey Bay is a place called Lossiemouth, home to an RAF base and the delightful Windswept brewery (and obviously much more than that as well!)

Nicely hazy on the pour with a decent head generated, the nose doesn’t quite do the beer justice though. The initial taste really hits you with a hoppy blast and leaves a long boozy aftertaste.

Andy’s Untappd Score : 3.75

Andy’s Take – You really get the taste of the Amarillo hops coming through with  a great lasting bitterness. Juuust a tad too carbonated for me but still a strong entry!

Next Time

Three beers down, four to go. As of writing, I’ve got two left to try, and I’m particularly excited about the Scotch Hope IPA! Make sure to check back soon for the rest of the reviews!

Cheers!