New! Beer Today’s rundown of new brews, brewing projects, and collaborations, now in a regular digest form…
Jessica Martinez (pictured above), from Malteza Brewery, in Mexico, is one of five international brewers who have made beers for J D Wetherspoon’s forthcoming Spring Beer Festival (4th-15th March).
She visited Oakham Ales to brew her beer, Malteza Session IPA (4.8% ABV), a golden hoppy beer with an addition of hibiscus flowers, which add a delicate red colour. The hops are Cascade, Amarillo, and Citra.
• Abyss love a collaboration, and they currently have three available. Hay! Hay! (5% ABV) has been made with Rivington and is a DDH hazy. It’s hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Idaho 7, and Simcoe. With Burnt Mill they have created Zero Shadow, a 5.5% ABV New England Pale hopped with Citra, Nectaron, Nelson Sauvin, and Vista. And with nearby Titch Hill winery, they have come up with Halugalu Wine Ale (4.8% ABV), a deep magenta ale infused with Divico grape skins, and hopped with Nelson Sauvin.
• The brewery line-up has been completed for Hop City, Northern Monk’s annual spring festival taking place this year on 15th and 16th May. (Tickets are available here.)
British breweries added to the previously-announced line-up comprise Baron, Beak, Cloudwater, Makemake, Newbarns, Saint Mars of the Desert, Two Flints, and Wylam.
Coming from overseas are Finback (USA), Messorem (Canada), Garage (Spain), and Salama (Finland).
• There’s a new release in Orbit Beers’ White Label series of experimental brews, and it’s a Czech-inspired dark lager, coming in at 4.9% ABV.
Built on a base of Bohemian Pilsner malt, the beer pours chestnut brown with a stable, creamy head, say the brewer’s notes. The aroma is reminiscent of filter coffee, dark chocolate, biscuit malts, and hazelnuts. On the palate, smooth layers of biscuits, chocolate spread, and lightly toasted hazelnuts are balanced by an earthy hop character from Saaz. A subtle tiramisu-like aftertaste — coffee-led, and gently creamy, rather than sweet.
“Cool fermentation and extended cold lagering deliver a clean finish,” says Orbit. “Rich without being heavy, this is a dark lager that offers depth of flavour while remaining classic and sessionable at 4.9% ABV.”
• Tickets have gone on sale for Beak Brewery’s These Hills festival, in August, taking place at Glynde Place, East Sussex.
“The full line-up will be revealed over the coming months, but you can expect a magical mix of world-class breweries, wineries and cider-makers, plus outstanding street food, live music, DJ sets and beautifully strange Sussex folk rituals,” says the brewer.
• J D Wetherspoon pubs have achieved Guinness accreditation, having worked with the Irish brewer on the project for nine years.
For the first time since being introduced, the accreditation has been achieved by all Wetherspoon pubs in England, Scotland, and Wales.
An assessor from Guinness parent company Diageo visited each pub, unannounced, to ensure pints of the ‘black stuff’ were being poured correctly, following a strict six-stage pour.
“Before the annual accreditation, Wetherspoon issues all bar employees with training, including a video on how to pour the perfect pint,” said Wetherspoon’s head of retail audit, Mark Latham.
“This is followed by a knowledge quiz, where staff need to gain 100% to pass this annual (as well as new-starter) training. The training is not just to get the accreditation. It helps to ensure that customers are served a perfect pint of Guinness, in a branded glass, every time.”
• The first anniversary of the re-opening of The Red Lion, in Leytonstone, London, will be celebrated with a party on 12th March.
Reopened in February last year by owner Urban Pubs & Bars, the team at the pub have spent the past 12 months reconnecting with the local community. It has welcomed new guests, too, for drinking, dining, dancing and celebrations of all kinds.
Free tickets to the birthday party are available here.
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