Innis & Gunn 1875 Arctic Ale (9.5% ABV) has been released by Innis & Gunn, brewed in partnership with historic English brewer Allsopp’s.
The beer was unveiled at an event held to mark the 150th anniversary of Sir George Nares’ Arctic voyage, in Edinburgh’s Polar Ice Bar.
The new beer is a faithful recreation of Allsopp’s original 1875 Arctic Ale — a strong, nourishing beer brewed in Burton-upon-Trent to sustain British sailors battling temperatures as low as -40°C.
A surviving 150-year-old bottle of the original ale, bought by Innis & Gunn founder Dougal Gunn Sharp for £3,000 in 2015 and opened at his Perth brewery earlier this year, was used to seed the new brew. This was to give the modern recreation a direct connection to the Victorian expedition, with every glass containing a drop of the original ale.
At the launch, the first bottles of 1875 Arctic Ale were revealed from within a specially commissioned block of crystal-clear ice. Guests were invited to taste the beer at -10°C — drawn from the first cask to be tapped.
“This beer has been 150 years in the making, and I have to say it’s an absolute knockout,” said Sharp. “We’ve recreated Allsopp’s legendary Arctic Ale in celebration of the original brew, and the extraordinary people it was made for — the explorers who carried it towards the North Pole.
“Opening that original bottle and using it to seed our new brew was one of the most nerve-racking but exciting moments of my brewing career. You never quite know how an experiment like this will turn out, but I genuinely believe we’ve done the skill that went into it justice.
“Innis & Gunn 1875 Arctic Ale is absolutely worth opening the bottle for — it’s one of the best beers we’ve ever made — and for those lucky enough to try it, it’s as close as you’ll ever get to tasting a piece of history.”
Only a limited quantity has been produced, with thousands entering a ballot for the chance to buy one of just 250 bottles at £25. For those who missed out, the beer has been available on draught at Innis & Gunn Taprooms in Edinburgh and Glasgow last weekend, and will be at The Blue Stoops in London, an Allsopp’s pub, in January.
Sharp paid tribute to brewing partner Jamie Allsopp, founder of the revived Allsopp’s Brewery and a direct descendant of the original Arctic Ale’s creators.
“Working with the family behind the original Arctic Ale has added real depth and authenticity to the project. Together we’ve created a fitting tribute to a beer that has fascinated brewers and collectors for generations.”
