Timothy Taylor’s Hopical Storm: a triple-hopped pale ale bursting with flavour

Beer is old. Very old. Thanks to the discovery of some ancient pottery jars unearthed in Iran, we know that beer was produced as far back as 7000 years ago — that’s a good few thousand years before the very first pyramids were built. In fact, beer was essential for the labourers who built the pyramids themselves, with daily rations of beer provided to all workers.

Along with the production of bread, brewing beer is credited as one of the key steps leading to the formation of modern civilisation — something to think about next time you’re sipping a tasty brew.

Of course, after 7000 years of experimentation, the choice on offer can be a little overwhelming. And that’s okay. Half the fun in life is trying new things, after all, which brings us nicely on to Hopical Storm — a striking triple-hopped pale ale brewed by Timothy Taylor’s. But before we dive into its notes and flavours, a quick bit of background is in order:

Spring in your step

Founded in West Yorkshire in 1858 by, you guessed it, Timothy Taylor, the brewery moved from its original premises on Cook Lane to the Knowle Spring, their present site, in 1863. The new location, as the name suggests, sits above the Knowle Spring in Keighley, a natural artesian well. And it’s this spring water, in fact, which lends its soul not only to Hopical Storm, but to all of the brewery’s award-winning beers.

The Knowle Spring provides a constant supply of pure Pennine spring water that’s coveted for its natural purity and softness. Said to taste like melted snow, it’s the secret sauce, so to speak, behind wondrous creations like Hopical Storm. Speaking of which…

There’s a storm brewing

A 4% triple-hopped, sessionable pale ale, Hopical Storm is a golden nectar bursting with flavour — namely, mandarin, mango, and passion fruit. The end result? A tropical cyclone of delightful, delicious refreshment.

With the mythical spring water as its base, brewers call upon the flavourful goodness of an assortment of whole leaf hops to lend the ale its flavour. These include Cascade and Whitbread Goldings hops in the copper, with Cascade and Chinook at the hop back stage, followed by Jester and Ernest in the dry hopping stage of the brewing process.

You don’t need to be au fait with the ins and outs of brewing methodology to recognise the care and attention that goes into each barrel, either. As one of the last brewers in the UK to exclusively use whole leaf hops (despite their expense and handling difficulty), Timothy Taylor’s brewers masterfully take advantage of their unique depth of flavour to create tantalising taste sensations.

Combined with Timothy Taylor’s own unique 2000-generation-old yeast strain (appropriately dubbed Taylor’s Taste), each sip of Hopical Storm is imbued with refreshingly complex flavours and aromas. 

So next time you fancy sitting down with a refreshing pale ale (it’s worth noting that it pairs nicely with roast pork, Asian cuisine, white fish, and shellfish), give Hopical Storm a try, and lose yourself in the flavours of a tropical paradise.