North East Beer Review

Today’s review on the brilliant Newcastle-based brewery, Full Circle’s collaboration with Birmingham-based Attic Brew Co called Embrace the Teeter-Totter. In terms of familiarity, I am quite familiar with Full Circle’s brews but I am not as familiar with Attic having only sampled them once on cask with their pale ale called Figment. So this brew will be an interesting review for me and hopefully for you reading too. So enjoy as I cover the history of both brewers and beer, the pour, the taste and aroma and to finish, my verdict.

North East and the Midlands collab

Full Circle Brew Co was founded in 2019 by Ben Cleary. Ben came from the family that is responsible for Lanchester Wines and the family has a history in beer industry by running numerous pubs. Before Full Circle, Ben ran the Pip Stop in Maiden Law, Co Durham which was an alcohol retailer. Interestingly enough I had visited this place numerous times as I went to pick up continental beer options such as Quilmes, Alhambra and Hofbräu Dunkel. As a former resident of Stanley, I certainly knew the influence that the family had on the local area in terms of employment and the community. The name Full Circle is meant to represent the idea of the family returning to its roots.

The brewery itself is located in Hoults Yard, Newcastle and currently use then old railway building to house a 3,000l brewing kit. Full Circle has a major focus on sustainability such as using a Nitrogen generator to reduce C02 usage by 83% and aim to reuse spent grain and yeast in many ways such as feed or briquettes. As of 2025, they now produce 10,000hl of beer per year and employ 22 staff.

The head brewer of Full Circle is Alex Redpath, who was educated at the Sunderland based Brewlabs which famous worldwide for its teachings in the art of brewing. I have visited their taproom before and I definitely recommend. Their philosophy centres on ‘full bodied, full-flavoured beers’. Over the years, they have invested in quality control, yeast management and efficiency whilst also engaging in community projects such as charitable and sustainability- focused campaigns.

Attic Brew Co was founded in 2018 by university friends Oli and Sam in Birmingham. The first beer by Attic was brewed in Sam’s house in Kings Heath, giving the brewery its distinctive name. What started as a hobby quickly grew into a commercial venture after local demand for their beers increased. Remaining independently owned and self-funded, Attic has a strong community driven focus and is currently located in Stirchley, Birmingham. The brewery has developed a reputation for producing modern hop-forward beers alongside accessible styles, becoming the largest independent brewery in the West Midlands. Its taproom and Barrel Store have helped establish Attic as one of Birmingham’s most respected craft breweries.

Embrace The Teeter-Totter is the collaboration brew and it is a 5.2% Hazy Pale Ale. The beer was brewed in Newcastle when Attic brewer Catherine visited Full Circle for a collaborative brew day, reflecting the craft beer industry’s tradition of sharing ideas, techniques and ingredients. The beer utilises a variety of hops such as Dolcita, Citra, Comet and Idaho 7, to create an extremely juicy pale ale which highlights both brewers strengths.

A bright and modern hazy pale

Embrace the Teeter-Totter pours a yellow to golden to orange colour along with the expected hazy nature. This almost glows when you pour it. A foamy white head forms which lingers well into the drinking experience, leaving a slight ring of lacing down the glass. A steady stream of fine carbonation rises through the glass. Overall, a bright and rather inviting hazy pale pour which suggests a juicy flavour

A juicy pour with a distinct yet confusing note

Aroma

Embrace the Teeter-Totter opens with a bright hop aroma, with bursts of mango, pineapple and peach. This is followed by hints of orange and grapefruit zests. As it unlocks, an almost floral aroma rises alongside a note of pine. The malt backbone gives this a sweetness. Overall, fresh and fruity character presented through the aromatics.

Taste

From the first sip, this collaboration brew delivers with an immense burst of tropical fruits such as mango, pineapple and apricot. A note of something quite strong is detected and despite trying the full can, I couldn’t make out the flavour. This is followed by citrus fruits such as grapefruit and orange which adds a balancing bitterness. A light malty sweetness provides balance as well as a soft and smooth body. Although, this is relatively sharp, the finish is clean, juicy and gently dry. Overall, a juicy and somewhat complex pour, it offers a tropical forward approach but I can’t quite get my head around the mystery note.

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Time for my verdict

Overall, this was a smooth and refreshing collaboration brew which certainly allowed both brewers to shine. I felt this was sufficiently balanced and even more juicy enough to allow for an enjoyable experience. It just had a strange flavour that I can’t put my finger on but either way it wasn’t bad and made the beer quite refreshing. To conclude, I rate Embrace the Teeter-Totter a solid 4 out of 5.

Where did I purchase this beer?

I bought this beer from The Rare Drop located in Low Fell. I highly recommend checking the store out.

Thanks for reading my review. If you enjoyed my review, you will love my review of the Full Circle Brew Co Inner Circle Multi Pack.