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Kelpie Seaweed Ale

Williams Bros. Brewing Co.
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🌍 United Kingdom · Spiced / Herbed Beer · One of 2 Spiced / Herbed Beers in hopIQ

Brewed with bladderwrack seaweed and chocolate malt — a dark, full-flavoured ale with a distinctively roasted malty character and a subtle saltiness from the seaweed. Named after the mythological Scottish water horse. A unique terroir beer that could only come from Scotland.

ABV
4.4%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
amber12
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Very crisp mouthfeel.

The texture leads here, with everything else held in gentle reserve.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Spiced / Herbed Beer.
Malt character
malty
roasted
chocolate
toasty
Distinctive notes
dark fruit
salty
mineral
Hop character
earthyherbal
Compare with another beer →

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Kelpie Seaweed Ale

Appearance

Deep amber to dark brown with a translucent body and modest carbonation. A thick, creamy head forms and clings to the glass with good persistence, leaving fine Schaumkleiden down the sides. The color speaks to the presence of chocolate malt and roasted grain.

deep amber-browncreamy head retentiontranslucent body

Aroma

The nose opens with pronounced roasted malt and dark chocolate notes, underscored by earthy and mineral minerality from the seaweed. A subtle herbal quality emerges alongside hints of dark fruit—dried plum and raisin. The overall impression is grounded and maritime, with no sharp edges or aggressive hop character.

roasted malt, chocolateearthy, mineral, herbaldark fruit notes

Taste

Entry is full and malty with a clear roasted character that builds through the mid-palate. Chocolate and toasted grain flavors sit front and center, while a delicate saltiness—the signature of the bladderwrack—arrives as a gentle textural note rather than a briny punch. Bitterness is restrained at 28 IBU, allowing the malt sweetness and herbal complexity to persist without becoming cloying.

roasted malt, chocolatesubtle seaweed salinitybalanced, smooth

Finish

The finish is clean and lingering, with roasted notes and a faint maritime minerality fading gradually. A light dryness emerges without harshness, leaving behind a memory of toasted grain and herbal earth.

dry, roasted fademineral aftertaste
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
83
Appearance
80
Finish
79
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Kelpie Seaweed Ale

Serve at 6–9°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 6–9°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Kelpie Seaweed Ale

About Spiced / Herbed Beer

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Spiced / Herbed Beer?

Spiced / Herbed Beer is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Spiced / Herbed Beer

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same roasted, malty, earthy character as Kelpie Seaweed Ale will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Spiced / Herbed Beers in hopIQ