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Puffin

Orkney Brewery
Scotland·Best Bitter
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Puffin is a burnished bronze ale, nutty, flavoursome and spicy: nutmeg, cinnamon, sweet nutty malt and dark fruit in the nose, then rich malt with fruit, caramel, coffee, herbs and spicy fruitiness, ending on bitter dark chocolate and a long, smoky bitterness. Bramling Cross and Target are the hops. Orcadians call the puffin the tammie norrie, the clown of the sea. Gold at SIBA Scotland 2026.

ABV
4.5%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter43 IBU
Roasted bitterness
SRM
amber12
PaceA Few

AWARDS

Gold · 2026
SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Scotland)
Bottle & Can British Best Bitters (4.5% to 6.4%)
★Gold — SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Scotland) (Bottle & Can British Best Bitters (4.5% to 6.4%))
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
nuttymaltychocolate
nutty
malty
chocolate
spicy
smoky
dark fruit
Aroma
The nose opens with warm spice—nutmeg and cinnamon—layered over a substantial nutty maltiness and dark stone fruit.
also:coffee,caramel,herbal
not found:hoppy,roasted,fruity,vanilla

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Puffin

◎ Appearance

Puffin presents a burnished bronze hue, clear and bright with excellent clarity. The head is dense and persistent, clinging to the glass in a fine lacework that speaks to proper carbonation and malt presence.

burnished bronzebright and clearpersistent head

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with warm spice—nutmeg and cinnamon—layered over a substantial nutty maltiness and dark stone fruit. A subtle herbal undertone from Bramling Cross and Target hops completes the aromatic profile, inviting without aggression.

nutmeg, cinnamonnutty maltdark fruitherbal spice

◐ Taste

Entry is rich and malt-forward, with caramel and coffee notes developing through the mid-palate alongside spiced fruitiness and a gentle herbaceous thread. The finish transitions into dark chocolate and a measured, lingering bitterness with a whisper of smoke that does not overwhelm.

rich malt charactercaramel and coffeespiced fruitdark chocolate, smoky finish

◑ Finish

The aftertaste is long and complex, with the bitter dark chocolate note persisting alongside a restrained smokiness. Bitterness fades gradually rather than sharply, leaving the palate satisfied and balanced.

long finishsmoky bitterness
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
84
Appearance
85
Finish
78
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

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

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Puffin

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About Best Bitter

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Best Bitter?

Best Bitter 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 Best Bitter

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

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