The Newport-based brewery is one of the big success stories to come out Wales’ third city in recent years. When they started production, almost out of nowhere they won a full-podium finish of gold, silver and bronze at the Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival in 2013, before scooping Supreme Champion Beer of Britain in 2015.

This success hasn’t come without good reason. The best Tiny Rebel beers work because they’re well-balanced brews. It’s hard to nail a house style, particularly for a brewery which has so many beers on offer, but the closest description might be a particularly fruity, hoppy, light style that’s partly carried over from the American craft ale scene. Their most successful beer, Cwtch, might be a red ale, but sidesteps the earthy tones of most reds – rather a hoppier, less dry style. It’s easily drinkable and excellently balanced, which is why it’s one of their best, and other regulars like Clwb Tropicana and Cali are notable for their fruitiness.

But even something like Hadouken, a double IPA sitting at a ‘careful now!’ ABV of 7.4%, doesn’t go overboard with the fruity, hoppy flavours, whilst still allowing those notes to be central. Stronger percentage beers are a risky game, as they can too quickly go overboard flavour-wise, becoming a chore to drink; I once made the mistake of getting through three pints of Hadouken very quickly before spotting the ABV percentage, which is both a huge thumbs-up and a warning.

With the massive increase in demand for Tiny Rebel of late, some of their beers haven’t been quite as consistently good as before: Dirty Stop Out, a smoked oat stout, was a regular personal choice but my last go with it was a bit flat. The root of Tiny Rebel’s quality, though, unquestionably remains.

Info: www.tinyrebel.co.uk

words FEDOR TOT

photo RICHARD P WALTON