There aren’t many beers around below 3 percent ABV (that aren’t in the “non-alcoholic” category). I could count the ones I’ve tried on one hand. And understandably, they’re often fairly light on in aroma, flavour, and body. It’s the nature of the beast.
But if you put Nimbus in front of me and told me it was a 4 percent hazy pale ale, I’d say: “That’s quite impressive aroma for a 4 percent hazy pale.”
For a 2 percent session ale? It’s unreal.
This beer started life as Cumulonimbus Hazy Session Ale (it was cloudy – get it?) at the more common strength of 3.5 percent ABV. But over the years it’s evolved: BBCo have dropped the Cumulo, dropped the “hazy” moniker (though you can still expect some natural haze), and dropped almost half of its alcohol content.
But this was far just an exercise in subtraction; the changes in Nimbus’ recipe have included lifting the drinking experience to the sky. There’s an impactful hop expression that you just don’t expect from such a light beer, and it’s laid on a bed of wheat, naked rolled oats and malted oats to keep the body full.
In the glass, Nimbus is the golden blush of sunrise on a misty morning, and the hop combo of Azacca, Sabro and El Dorado is to credit for the essence of pungent tropical fruits and juice-dripping-down-your-chin peach, as well as a soft floral note hiding in there.
And for all that, you’re looking at approximately one standard drink per pint. What a time to be alive.
Mick Wüst
