Us Brits… all we do is talk about the (Wild) weather….

Come rain or shine, there’s only one weather I want to talk about… hold on to your hats as it’s gonna get wild!!

Based in Silchester, just outside Reading, Wild Weather ales is now in its fifth year producing excellent beer. Named as such by owner Mike Tempest, as a play on his surname, Wild Weather ales draws its inspiration from new world hops, German malts and all manner of styles from all over the globe.

A quick look at their current line-up will show just how many different influences there are in their brewing. From their Earl grey IPA, ‘Storm in a teacup’, to two awesome sours, ‘Damn Dead Strawberry’ and ‘Peach of a Weekend’, and to the frankly absurd yet equally brilliant collaboration with Weird Beard brew co., ‘Such a Bohr’, a kaffir lime saison/coconut stout blend.

The first thing you will notice about a Wild weather beer is the eye-catching label on the can. All the work of a local artist and punk musician known to the brewery called Mark Bell. His artwork really makes the cans stand out on the shelf and adds a touch of irreverence and fun.

Not content with producing their own stand out brews, they have branched out and collaborated with some of the UK’s other fine breweries, including the aforementioned Weird Beard Brew Co, Elusive Brewing and Bad SeedBrewery. Such collaborations have only helped Wild Weather to grow as a brewery, expand their knowledge and allowed them to experiment with new techniques and flavour combinations that might not seem so obvious.

For Wild Weather, the future is certainly bright. Expanding their brewing capacity as and when it’s needed and putting plans in place to hit the export market can only mean more great beer being available to more people… and that’s really the end game of every brewery.

Now, on to some reviews… As I’ve had the fortune to sample a good number of the current line up I’ll stick to the brews that have really stood out for me.

Such a Bohr is a kaffir lime saison coconut stout blend brewed in collaboration with Weird Beard Brew Co. and is as awesome as it sounds. This pours a thick, gooey black with a fair bit of carbonation and has so much aroma it's ridiculous, big hits of lime and coconut on the nose with some dark chocolate. The taste is incredibly complex, it starts with a citrusy bite from the lime and follows to a smooth chocolate-coconut blend with some bready malt at the back. If this had been a little less carbonated it would have been almost perfect. Even so, for a weird concept this is incredibly good!

The great beer dad rating - 8.5/10

When you need some funk in your life I can't recommend this Kwantum State kaffir lime saison enough. Another collaboration with Weird Beard Brew Co., this pours a clear golden colour with a good amount of sweetness floral notes and funk on the nose. Taste is medium sweet, quite bitter at the back with a little zestiness. Finishes with a doughy malt taste and more floral notes. I was expecting more of a citrusy vibe but the balance here is pretty spot on 

The great beer dad rating - 8/10

Damn Dead Strawberry, their strawberry lactose sour was the first of Wild Weather’s sours I had (Followed shortly by Peach of a weekend, their peach sour) and it was damn dead delicious!! First off, and the Brits among us will know, it has the aroma of a strawberry mivvi ice lolly, so much strawberry going on! Taste is as you'd expect.... strawberry but it's the very soon following sourness that really makes this. After that initial sweetness the gentle sourness just takes over and really lingers! Fantastic!!

The great beer dad rating - 8/10

Storm in a teacup earl grey IPA. This was the genesis for me, the first Wild Weather ale I had and the one that made me stand up and take notice. This Pours a deliciously hazy golden colour, aroma is full of tropical fruits and citrus. Taste is orange and lemon with just a hint of the earl grey which isn't overpowering as it can, and has been. Very nice indeed

The great beer dad rating – 9/10