Posted on 23/02/22
Oli Meade
This week, there’s been there’s some huuuge dark releases (King Of The Woodland, anyone?) and some crazy sour stuff, but I’m going to have to start with hoppy beers – because Azvex are back with a new round of goodness!
I have to start with the brewery of the moment Azvex, whose entrance into the beer world has just been outstanding!
They’re back with three new hoppy beauties, and you cannot fail to enjoy any of them, but my tip this week is Torus Earth.
This is a swampy, gloopy, murky, juice-fest whose strata-and-vic-secret hop combo mean it’s properly tropical, properly dank and properly dangerous… so, so good – get involved!
Then over in the left corner, we have reigning champions Verdant, who are back with two new IPAs that are surely at least as good as Putty – especially Your Limitation, It’s Only Your Imagination DIPA.
Think crushed grapefruit and fresh orange juice with lingering sweetness and, of course, the trademark Verdant cream.
This week also saw our good friends Northern Monk unleash new Double Heathen Imperial IPA, their magnificent signature NEIPA, only bigger, bolder, and (probably) uncut!
A mega fruit punchbowl of a beer that’s so resinous you could dig in with a spoon. Take care on this – it’s 10%!
Yonder don’t get as many headlines as they should, but the murmurs this week that their stuff might actually be better than Vault City basically says it all.
I can’t say why they’re overlooked, but what I can say is Blueberry Cheesecake Pastry Sour (and the new Apple Blackberry Toasted Oat Crumble Pastry Sour) are the UK’s answer the fruit smoothie sours we’re now seeing in the USA.
This particular monster is a thick, creamy, decadent fruit smoothie, expertly balanced with a gorgeous sweet edge – the lingering vanilla goes on and on.
Elsewhere, Neon Raptor’s The Endless Blackness Of Space Forest Fruit Sour isn’t as thickas the smoothie sour above, but it’s no less worth adding to your shopping list.
As a black forest gateaux-inspired beer, it’s packed to the rafters with dark, tart and juicy cherries, and rich cocoa notes to top things off. Immense!
Next up, Northern Monk & Mash Gang’s Turbo Rave Love Love Hearts Sour Ale.
A love hearts sour?!
Yep. With juicy strawberries. And candied orange. And sweet sherbet. And also a zingy sour edge!
It’s a bit of a shame it’s low-alc, but I think that can be forgiven, cause to be fair we all need more low-alc beers in our roster, and this is one that also reminds you craft beer is fuuuuuun!
Lager lover? Do yourself a favour and get in on Northern Monk’s OFS066 Ceylon Rice Lager.
Lager hater? Good. Do yourself a favour and get in on Northern Monk’s OFS066 Ceylon Rice Lager – it’s just £3.15 a can, it’s delicate and smooth, and it will make you question why you’ve been so quick to write off lagers in the past.
Be warned though, this is a red pill – it will kickstart a love affair with craft lager that you’ll never be able to shake.
On the face of it, Azvex’s Irregular Crop Circles Coffee & Cacao Imperial Stout isn’t particularly exciting… but from the first pour of this thick, creamy and alluring 10% impy stout you know you’re in for a treat!
Rich, warming coffee. Liquidy chocolate. And a velvet soft body. It’s what an imperial stout should be.
Left Handed Giant’s King Of The Woodland Imperial Stout is back for 2022!
Now this is a stout that just keeps getting better and better!
A rich chocolate base is enhanced by a generous helping of cinder toffee, and a truckload of nutty, salted pistachios bring things home. (12.5%!)
Now this is just chocolate, chocolate and even more chocolate!
Decadent, rich and (somehow!) vegan, Neon Raptor have achieved next-level chocolate goodness in this by adding cacao shells, chocolate powder and chocolate essence to the already chocolate-rich malt bill. Bring on the chocolate!!
Starting with Verdant, there’s more People Money Space Time, more Neal, more Lightbulb, more Marylou, more Headband and more Sharks just in. I’m calling it: Verdant make the best core hoppy beers anywhere in the UK.
Beak! The Beak stuff always sells out, so if you want to try new Willo IPAor Fables Pale Ale, it’d be best not to hang about. Boxcar’s Storm Bird IPA, meanwhile, is so good Charlie convinced me to get a keg in.
Rounding off Northern Monk’s OFS exploration of Hong Kong you’ve got the sweet OFS065 WC DIPA and the experimental OFS064 Black Sesame & Miso Black IPA. Do you dare?
S43’s Maris The Dank Engine Dank IPA is a beautiful beer with beautiful can art. Neon Raptor treated us to the dependable Singles In Your Area DDH IPA and the magnificent ode to Darkplace One Track Lover IPA… a collectors edition!
Polly’s Brew Co’s A Passion for Fashion Lime Gose is a refreshing delight, Overtone’s sexy Paradise Crush is selling fast, and there’s a dark lager from Verdant that’s worth checking out.
Drop Project’s Choppy is a down the line stout, Overtone’s Praline Stout takes things up a notch, Phantom’s Strawberry, Coconut & Cocoa Just Desserts is even more outlandish, and Northern Monk’s The Lovers Soft Centre is of the same ilk.
And then there’s S43, whose Cinnamon & Vanilla Sugar Milk Stout is brewed with no fewer than 10 different malts, plus vanilla, cinnamon and Muscovado sugar. A cracking little brewery that just does not hold back.
As always, I hope you get to try some great new beer this week.
Cheers & happy drinking!
Oli, Olly & Charlie
(The three people behind Craft Metropolis)
Step 1
We trawl the globe tasting great beer
