Emsworth Brewhouse Flotilla

Emsworth Brewhouse Flotilla (500ml, 4.4% ABV)

Very new, very local and very green. That would be a good way to describe the Emsworth Brewhouse, a new, award-winning business which features a solar powered brewery and zero emission delivery of its products.

It’s the brainchild of Grant Thomas, who works at IBM and has graduated from a homebrew setup to a garage full of equipment and a portfolio of four beers.

The others in the range are:

• Mainsail (3.8%) a light, hoppy ale
• Wodehouse (4.8%) a rich, dark English Ale
• SkIPA (5.4%) an American style IPA

Flotilla sits in the middle of the range, a moderate strength amber ale brewed with three malts, plus Target and Bobek hops.

It’s a lively pour, but the sediment sticks conveniently to the bottom of the glass, leaving an ever-replenishing head atop a glass of bronze beer.

The aroma is subtle, and I think I can detect a fresh hint of Sherbert Lemons (remember those?).

On the palate there’s clean malt, reminiscent of crackers*, plus toffee and a hint of red berries and liquorice. A dry finish with a hint of cedar – like fresh pencil shavings – leads you to another sip. In classic English ale tradition, it’s a flavour that builds over time. You could drink it with food, but I think the flavours develop best if you enjoy it on its own.

* I mean, of course, the biscuits you put cheese on, not people who break into computer systems.

Written by Richard Salsbury