Beer Today’s regular round-up of news in brief: new releases, venue openings, event announcements.
The closure of Rochdale’s Serious Brewing has been announced. The Whitewell, Waterfoot, a micropub opened by Serious Brewing in 2023, will remain open, operating as an independent business. Brid’s Cross Brewing, which had been using the Serious kit, has found a new home at Hideaway Brewing, in Salford.
Kodiak, a collaboration with Two Flints, has launched at Clapton Craft this weekend. The 6% ABV West Coast IPA features a clean, classic malt bill of German Pilsner, Maris Otter, and Munich, with an all-US hop combo of Simcoe, Chinook, and Cascade. “Think piney resin, fruity spice, pithy grapefruit, oily citrus, and roasted pineapple, with a zingy, mouth-watering bitterness to keep you coming back for more,” says Clapton Craft.
Beer Hut Brewing Co has collaborated with Two Stacks Whiskey on Community Vibing, “a 13.5% barrel-aged barley wine that’s been resting patiently for 11 months”. The brewer adds: “The result is a beautifully rich and complex beer with layers of sticky toffee, caramelised sugars, dark fruit, and warming whiskey notes, all rounded off with smooth oak character from the barrel.”
• Tickets have gone on sale for Vibrant Forest’s Vibrant Spring Gathering, which will be held at the brewery on 2nd May. The event is now in its seventh year. Find out more and buy tickets.
Lunar Light, an 8% ABV hazy DIPA from Left Handed Giant, is a richly textured Australian and New Zealand blend, featuring Nelson Sauvin, Galaxy, and Eclipse hops. It has a balanced drinkability that’s pillow-soft and cream-forward. “Early Nelson shows off classic grape and gooseberry, while its late-harvested counterpart comes through more tropical and grapefruity,” says the brewer. “The mandarin juice of Eclipse and ripe passionfruit of Galaxy fill the palate to the brim.”
Verdant have collaborated with Weird Walk on Leyline, a 5.2% ABV pale ale. Weird Walk is a zine dedicated to the histories and mysteries of the British landscape, exploring the magic and lore of rambling through publishing, music, and events. The beer uses three of Verdant’s favourite experimental New Zealand hops – NZH-101, 106, and 109. Easy drinking, it’s soft and hazy.
Northern Monk’s annual Hop City beer is here, and this year it’s a collaboration with Glasshouse (UK), Garage (Spain) and Messorem (Canada). All three will be pouring at Hop City, which takes place on 15th and 16th May, in Leeds.
The beer is a very juicy, drinkable DDH IPA, coming in at 6.5% ABV, with orange, sweet peach, mango, sharp passionfruit, and bright lime. On a rich, hazy base, made with oats and wheat, it’s got a long lingering texture.
Oakham has two cask seasonals available this month. Ernest (4% ABV) is named after the English hop of the same name, developed by Prof Ernest Salmon. Expect complex flavours and predominantly fruity notes of apricot, citrus, and spice.
Thunderhawk (4.3% ABV) utilises three bold New Zealand-sourced hops — Pacifica, Motueka, and Superdelic — combined with US Chinook. The pale has powerful tropical fruit, grape, and wet stonefruit aromas and flavours, and a smooth mouthfeel.
Bluestone’s latest beer, West Point, a 4% ABV American light lager, is now available in can. Very pale in colour with a light, clean bitterness, it’s very easy drinking and refreshing, says the brewer.
• Attic Brew Co has been announced as official drinks partner for two of Birmingham’s biggest 2026 music events — Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival, and Moseley Folk and Arts Festival. Stirchley-based Attic will be supplying their beers across all three bars at both festivals, including their popular flagship Intuition pale ale, along with Pilsner and Helles lagers.
Devon-based Sandford Orchards has secured a listing for its award-winning Devon Red Cider in Sainsbury’s stores across the South West. “We are delighted to have this opportunity to introduce Devon Red to new consumers and to make it easier for our loyal customers to add their favourite drink to their weekly shop,” said Michael Troy, sales director at Sandford Orchards.
• Modelo Especial, the fourth most valuable beer brand in the world, is launching into the UK on-trade in draught format, via Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I. The lager was first brewed just over 100 years ago in Mexico.
• Punch Pubs has acquired The Brown Cow, in Clitheroe. It will join Punch’s Management Partnership division and will be run by Mark Tilston and Helena Griffiths.
