Beer Today’s regular round-up of news in brief: new releases, venue openings, event announcements.
Black Iris have collaborated with Swedish band Domkraft on The Big Chill (4.6% ABV). The brewer approached the band while they were in the UK for the Masters of the Riff festival, and were surprised when they learnt they wanted to brew a traditional best bitter.
“So we went with a super traditional recipe, which focused on a mix of malts to create a nut brown colour and flavour profile. Pioneer and Progress hops in the boil added a traditional spicy, citrus-tinged bitterness, with US hop Amarillo at flame out bringing an orange peel/marmalade vibe.”
Black Iris have also collaborated with Cloudwater on Gentlemen’s Agreement, a 5.8% ABV Victorian ruby mild. A proportion of Chevallier malt, a traditional barley variety that would have been used in many Victorian ales, was used. However, the most interesting aspect of this brew is the yeast. The brewers co-pitched J W Lees yeast and Hardy and Hanson yeast.
“J W Lees yeast has been used on various occasions by Cloudwater and we wanted to encapsulate a traditional Manchester element into this beer,” said Black Iris. “And Hardy and Hanson yeast has been used extensively by our head brewer, Danny, who used it many times while working for Castle Rock, who still use this strain to this day.”
DEYA’s Picnic Beer is a mixed fermentation brew, aged in barrels for two years and refermented with apple pomace donated by Little Pomona. This year’s vintage makes use of the Blenheim Orange apple variety, known for its sweetness and delicate nutty character.
“This beer shows lots of soft floral character, with zingy green apple skin on the nose,” says the brewer. “The acidity is quite tight, with bright apple, under-ripe nectarine, and a bone-dry finish.”
Oakham have collaborated with Hook Norton on Hooked Up, an ale created with new US hop variety Karma, along with Jester and Harlequin, from the UK.
Light copper in colour, it offers vibrant orange and soft lemon citrus flavours, with intense berry, tropical, and stonefruit notes, resinous spice, and minty herbal hints. It’s all finished off with a clean grapefruit bitterness.
Karma is the result of a collaboration project between UK hop merchant Charles Faram and renowned US hop grower Puterbaugh Farms. They began working together in 1998, cross trading American, UK, and European hops, planting a first seedling of Karma from the Charles Faram breeding programme at Puterbaugh Farms in 2015.
A daughter of Mystic coupled with a disease resistant UK male, Karma’s grandmother is Jester and great grandmother is Cascade.
A 4% ABV Cornish amber ale. No, not that! Drift is a new brew from St Ives Brewery. It’s described as “an easy-drinking ale that is made in a classic style with modern brewing techniques. Malt driven, subtle bitterness, and a light note of fruity hop character.”
Neptune’s West Coast IPA, Venice Queen (5.8% ABV), is in can for the first time. “Bright, refreshing, and packed with classic West Coast character, this pale ale delivers a crisp malt base layered with vibrant citrus and a satisfyingly firm bitterness that keeps you coming back for more,” says the brewer.
