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Tidal Bay Summer Ale

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Tidal Bay Summer Ale is bright and golden, with citrus aromas and tropical flavours that lead to a spicy, hoppy and creamy finish; at 3.9% it stays light. Waulkmill Bay in the south west of mainland Orkney, between Kirkwall and Orphir, lends the name: when the tide is out it opens one of the biggest beaches on the islands, stretching to Scapa Flow, and later the sea takes its secret bay back.

ABV
3.9%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
tropicalhoppycitrusy
tropical
hoppy
citrusy
spicy
clean
malty
Aroma
The nose leads with fresh citrus notes—lime and grapefruit zest—layered over a delicate floral hop character.
not found:juicy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Tidal Bay Summer Ale

◎ Appearance

Tidal Bay presents a bright golden hue with excellent clarity and a fine, persistent white head that clings to the glass with good retention. The carbonation is lively and well-integrated, creating a steady stream of tiny bubbles that sustains the foam structure throughout the pour.

bright goldenclearpersistent headlively carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with fresh citrus notes—lime and grapefruit zest—layered over a delicate floral hop character. Underneath lies a soft, biscuited malt base that provides gentle sweetness without heaviness, while a touch of herbal spice rounds out the composition.

citrus zestfloral hopsbiscuit maltherbal spice

◐ Taste

The palate opens with bright citrus and tropical fruit flavours—pineapple and passionfruit—delivering immediate refreshment. A moderate hop bitterness emerges mid-palate, crisp and clean, followed by a creamy mouthfeel that belies the beer's light 3.9% strength and adds unexpected body.

tropical fruitcitrus-forwardmoderate bitternesscreamy texture

◑ Finish

The finish is dry and lingering, with the spicy hop character extending into a pleasant aftertaste. The creamy note persists subtly, leaving the palate refreshed rather than stripped.

dry finishspicy hop aftertastelingering
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
79
Taste
78
Appearance
82
Finish
76
Serve at 7–10°C

Serve at 7–10°C. Light and refreshing — serve cold to keep the delicate hop and malt balance intact.

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 Tidal Bay Summer Ale

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About Golden Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Golden Ale?

Golden Ale 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 Golden Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same tropical, hoppy, citrusy character as Tidal Bay Summer Ale will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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