Tasting notes: A Fyne old romance

Having once lived in Arrochar for 7 or 8 years, just around the corner from Loch Fyne, I have a long-standing soft spot for the fine brews concocted by Jonny and Tuggy Delap. Countless pints of Maverick and Piper's Gold in the Village Inn and even a wee guided tour or two of the brewery mean there is very little chance of an unbiased appraisal here. And that's one of the many lovely things I like about beer: the colourful tales that lie behind the brews. [If you ever do find yourself in Arrochar, do drop into the Village Inn - www.villageinnarrochar.co.uk/ - and if you need some company, nip next door (literally) to my mate Tom's pottery and studio - www.tombutcherceramics.co.uk/ - and if he's around, you couldn't find a better beer-loving guy to prop the bar up with. As a conversational starter for 10, ask him about his theory on why men's urinals in pubs are shaped the way they are...]
So, founded in 1991 in what used to be a milking parlour, the very first Fyne Ales commercial brew to see the light of day did so on St Andrews day that year. The core range now runs to 8 beers. The two I'm test driving here are Vital Spark, a 4.4% mild, and Holly Daze, a really rather dreadfully named 5% premium bitter. Both are new to me in (filtered) bottled format though I know Vital Spark well in its cask guise.

TASTING NOTES, AFTER A FASHION:
Holly Daze, Fyne Ales, premium bitter, 4.4% abv, Oddbins, £2.50
Trying my very best to ignore the punny name, the beer looks lovely in the glass, a nice dark amber just as it says on the label with enough fizz in it to keep it lively. The nose is all hops and citrus with the zestiness balanced nicely by the underlying malt. Sweetish, toasty malts arrive first in the mouth with caramel and then loads of hops, something you see in quite a few of Fyne Ales' beers. The finish is a big, crisp hoppy one with good length, well balanced throughout. Not the most complex beer I've ever tasted but a really refreshing, hoppy drop with nice straightforward likeable flavours and cracking balance start to finish.
Score: 4 / 5

Vital Spark, Fyne Ales, mild, 4.4% abv, Oddbins, £2.50
Having really looked forward to renewing my acquaintance with this ale, I was a little underwhelmed - though I'm unsure whether that was because I remember it in cask from the Village Inn, or whether it was following Holly Daze that really worked for me. A very dark brown with a red tinge in the glass, it poured well with a nice clean head. Rich, roasted malt on the nose with hints of what struck me unmistakably time and again as diesel. Yes, the stuff you run tractors and sales reps' Vauxhall Vectras on. In the mouth it was full of fruity malt with a lovely positive bitterness and maybe just a hint of coffee. Hops are in there but not in your face and the finish was likewise not overly hoppy with the hops coming and going. Good strong bitterness and wee citrus notes made the finish a highlight though. So all in all a tasty mild with pronounced bitterness and restrained hops - my gob remained unsmacked but Vital Spark on tap will always be spot on for a couple of pints after coming down off the hill. (And if you want to try that theory out, don't do The Cobbler like everyone else, try Beinn Narnain.)
Score: 3.5 / 5

http://www.fyneales.com/