Is Tall Tales Pale Ale A Nice Beer

Tall Tales pale ale comes from Butcombe Brewery located in Wrington, Bristol, England. The beer is inspired by the Bristol story of a crocodile that lives in the River Avon known as the Bristol Croc. Could it be true or just a myth? So is Tall Tales Pale Ale a nice beer?

Tall Tales pale ale is a decent beer with a citrus body and a nice bitter finish. It pours a light gold with a thin white head. On the nose it is hoppy with plenty of tropical citrus notes of grapefruit, pineapple and lemon. The taste reflects the nose with a hop forward taste and plenty of tropical fruits like grapefruit, pineapple, mango and a lemon twist. It’s a pleasant session pale which gets a score of 4.0 – 5.0.

If you like a light refreshing pale ale without too much power, then Tall Tales will hit the spot.

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Tall Tales Pale Ale Review

I had a couple of pints of Tall Tales pale ale on tap at The Inn at Yanleigh, a bar restaurant with accommodation on the outskirts of Bristol.

A decent pub serving good beer and good food, the rooms are basic, but clean and tidy. A perfect place to stay overnight for an early flight out of Bristol Airport.

So a beer inspired by the Bristol story of a crocodile that has been spotted several times by locals lurking in the River Avon. The Bristol Croc was first spotted in 2014 by a bus driver, but other sightings over the years have kept the story alive.

Whether or not the croc does exist is a mystery, but what is the beer that was inspired by it like?

Drinking Tall Tales Pale Ale

Being in a pub I didn’t pour this one myself, neither did Lou. It is poured by a professional, and the friendly bartender let me video her while she poured my beer.

A big thank you to the staff at Inn at Yanleigh.

Once poured and placed on the bar, it stood filled to the rim a light gold with a thin white head and lots of tiny bubbles on the rise.

I did take a little sip at the bar before taking it to my table, nobody wants a spillage. Back at my table and in for a sniff, the nose is hoppy and tropical. Notes of grapefruit, pineapple and lemon buzz around the nose.

The taste reflects the nose with plenty of hop flavour up front and tropical fruits swirling around the mouth. I get pineapple, mango, grapefruit and the zest of lemon all tingling on the tongue.

It is fruity and fresh with a smoothness in the mouth, the finish has just the right balance of bitterness. At 4.5% ABV it is a decent little session pale ale with its tropical citrus body and slight bitter finish.

I like it and it gets a straight 4.0 out of 5.0, a good session pale ale.

M’Lady likes it too, saying “It’s crisp and fresh with a slight bitter aftertaste, tropical and fruity”. Lou scores it a slightly higher 4.2 out of 5.0.

It is not often Lou scores a beer higher than me, but with Tall Tales pale ale, it’s a different story.

Overall a great little beer with plenty of tropical flavours.

Butcombe Brewing Co

Butcombe Brewing Co was founded by Simon Whitmore back in 1978, so has been around a while. Although there have been many changes and several owners over the years.

However it started from humble beginnings in simon’s family farm buildings and some small brewing kit acquired from Allied Breweries of Burton on Trent.

One of the first beers produced was Bitter Butcombe Original and is still produced to this day. A true favourite of the Butcombe range.

The brewery expanded in the early 1980’s increasing capacity. And another expansion saw a further increase in capacity in the early 1990’s.

However in 2003 Simon the brewery to Guy Newell, Paul Horsley and some family friends.

2005 saw the brewery relocate to Wrington a little outside Bristol where they bored deep into the ground to access the Mendip Spring for brewing.

In 2015 the Liberation Group acquire the Butcombe Brewery merging two independent breweries. They now have a bottling and distribution plant in Bridgewater in Somerset, England.

As well as many pubs across the South West of England.

Butcombe Beer Range

The Butcombe range of beers is not vast, but it is solid and includes some traditional beers, as well as some modern craft style beers.

From their Original bitter and Butcombe Gold, to craft lagers like Bohemia and Underfall. As well as a few craft pale ales and IPA’s, and even a cider, Ashton Press.

I have tried their Stateside Session IPA which I will add to the site soon. However I am looking forward to trying more of their range.

Here are a few that are on my beer hit list.

Bohemia Craft Lager

I like the sound of this lager, a bold, crisp and refreshing beer that is said to have a style of its own. Apparently it has earthy and floral notes with a little spice thrown in and a smooth bitter finish.

Sounds just the ticket, and at 4.7% ABV, although still a session beer has a bit of a bite too. Bohemia Craft Lager has won two golds at the Taste of The West awards in 2020 and 2021.

I’m in, and look forward to trying this craft lager.

Butcombe Gold

As you might expect Butcombe Gold is a golden ale which joined the range in 1999, so has been around for a while. However it is now a gluten free beer and is named as a ‘true Bristol sunset in a bottle.’

Penned as a well balanced but full bodied ale with notes of floral and herbs. It weighs in at just 4.4% ABV, so more than one is okay.

I like a decent golden ale, so this one is on my beer hit list.

Butcombe Original

Butcombe Original has to make my beer hit list, the original best bitter to come out of the brewery, and still around today. Said to be a distinctive bitter with a clean and refreshing flavour, a Bristol staple beer for many years.

At 4.5% ABV in the bottle and 4.0% ABV in cask or keg it is a session bitter to be enjoyed for any occasion. I do like a pint of good old best bitter, so am looking forward to trying this one out.

Final Thoughts

Now in its 46th year, Butcombe Brewery have stood the test of time. Brewing some traditional ales alongside modern craft beers, they offer something for everyone.

I have tried two of their more modern craft beers and enjoyed both of them. I am looking forward to working my way through the rest of their beer range.

Tall Tales pale ale for me is a go to beer, light and refreshing while being easy to drink.

If you have tried Tall Tales pale ale, then do share your thoughts below, let me know what you think of it. Or any other beers in the Butcombe range.