Brewery: Windswept Brewing Co.
Style: Single Hop Citra IPA
ABV: 6.7%
Windswept Brewing Co. was set up by two former RAF pilots, Al Read and Nigel Tiddy, more than two years ago. Since 2012, the Lossiemouth-based brewer has expanded slowly but steadily, employing eight people (including Read and Tiddy) and currently making seven types of beer. The firm’s name is meant to evoke a sense of the Scottish outdoors, though only some of Windswept’s range follows through on this idea (a dark ale is given the name “Wolf”; another beer settles for the less dramatic “APA”).
Tornado, a beer that nods to Read and Tiddy’s previous careers, is a punchy brew made with Citra hop that is dominated by its key ingredient while also carrying a host of secondary flavours that leave an impression at various stages of each sip. There’s a strong pine flavour that attaches itself to the hop, and there’s a lot of malt to wrap your gums around as well. It’s a potent combination that, for some, might be a little too robust. In that sense, Tornado is best approached as a beer to enjoy with rich dishes. On the bottle, Windswept suggests curry, brie, smoked salmon and cheesecake - and when paired with something spicy and warming, Tornado shows the best of itself.