Brewdog was set up in 2007 in Fraserburgh on Scotland’s east coast. From the outset it was apparent that these were brewers with “attitude”.

They describe themselves as “bold, irreverent and uncompromising, producing beers with a soul and a purpose”.

Some of their products have certainly raised a few eyebrows, and the descriptive blurb on their labels could have been written by Jack Kerouac.

The health lobby in particular has taken them to task for the promotion of one-off brews of phenomenal strength (think 50 per cent-plus!), produced presumably by the simple expedient of adding spirit to the finished beer.

But at a more sensible level they brew some very good beers indeed. Such is this week’s offering, 5am Saint.

The colour is a vibrant orange, and the head is deep and foamy. There is a big, very hoppy aroma, full of green pepper, nettles and citrus fruit.

There are some tropical fruit notes, too, mango and pineapple maybe, but these are pretty subdued compared with the dominant hops.

In the mouth it is quite light bodied but intensely bitter and very dry, with a mouth-cleansing, almost antiseptic hoppiness.

There is more citrus fruit in the aftertaste, lemon and grapefruit, leading to an intense, zesty finish with a little twist of herbal coriander.

Bold and uncompromising beer indeed, and with a soul and a purpose too.