Oli Meade
Between the new Emperor’s collabs and the To Ol/Omnipollo stouts, this week was probably one of the best week’s for dark releases the beer world has ever seen!
So let’s get straight into it.
Here are the beers we’ve loved this week.
This week, somehow, we snagged some of the latest mega limited Low Key & Emperor’s impy collabs!
This stuff is rocking horse SH!T!
Unwax Toss A Coin To Your Witcher: Speyside BA Stout for layers of chocolate, indulgent tonka, raspberry, and linger Speyside whisky.
Try the big, boozy and norty PB&J Jack Daniels BA Stout next to a fire, taking in the chocolate as it warms.
Mega limited & limited to just one of each per order please. These are guaranteed to sell out!
Update: As predicted, this sold out in hours! If you want to receive emails when we get beers like the above in, just sign up to our mailing list below.
If you miss out on the Emperor’s (and you’re expecting a Christmas bonus) then you have to consider getting in on To Øl x Omnipollo collab Brewtrance Bourbon BA Marshmallow, Coconut, Vanilla & Hazelnut Salted Caramel Coffee Stout.
It’s seriously pricey – but then it is seriously, seriously good.
Those who picked up the rum version of To Øl’s Yule will know it’s a serious contender for stout of the year.
After I tried it I couldn’t get it out of my head. So I ordered To Øl’s Yule Bourbon Edition this week – which will no doubt be just as epic.
This week also saw the arrival of Neon Raptor’s Marshmallow & Chocolate Impy Stout.
Think of Stay Puft but bigger, sexier, fluffier and actually good.
Oh, and 12%. This is the nuts!
I don’t normally namecheck this many dark beers in one week, but I honestly cannot move on without mentioning Burnt Mill’s Other World’s extra Sepcial Japanese Bitter.
Full of jammy spice, hops meets bitter meets rice lager – it’s a gem, and I’m gutted we never got hold of a keg of the stuff for our taproom down in Penge.
Get it while you can!
Breaking: not one but TWO new Holy Goat sours have just landed!
In the intricate Blood Incantation BA Flanders Red, juicy redcurrants fight with tart blackcurrants in a fruity dual, while bourbon and rye whiskies oversee proceedings.
Meanwhile Gnosis Tart Farmhouse Ale is Holy Goat’s take on a Belgian saison, and it’s full of zingy orange, funky lemon, and chewy apricot goodness. Oh yeah.
And Staggeringly Good are back with Un-bongo Wrecker!
This pours like bright and pulpy, thick and murky, freshly squeezed mango juice blitzed with passionfruit and peach.
A generous swirl of lactose makes this creamy and smooth, and delicate spice caps things off. Mega!
Pastore. One of the most underated breweries going, if you ask me.
Their stuff rarely gets the attention it deserves, but if you’re a sour fan do yourself a favour and scoop up their latest treble drop.
Carlotta Di Mele Pastry Sour might be my favourite, packed with tart apples then finished with warm cinnamon and sweet vanilla, it’s like a waming apple pie.
The Watermelon and Black Cherry Sour is a little more sophisticated, while Blueberry Waterbeach Weisse is the cheeky 3.8% session – all are great.
Hop stuff more your thing?
Well, you’re in luck, cause Beak have brewed their second version of Trumbo DIPA!
As if Trumbo wasn’t good enough first time around, Beak have increased the hop quantity and loaded Trumbo mark 2 with oats and wheat for more juice, more cream, and a magnificent amalgamation of blueberry melon & mango.
Whoop whoop!
DEYA are so damn good that when they release another soft and fruity, zingy IPA it’s almost expected, so we all need to appreciate Stop Making Sense IPA for how good it really is.
This is a tropical fruit medley in which you’ve got pineapple, lemon and lime all wrapped up in cotton wool with low bitterness and lovely sweetness.
Classic DEYA, by which we mean ace!
In all the excitement over the darks this week, there wasn’t even space to mention Beak’s Pencil Porter – despite it being layered with six varieties of roasted, crystal and chocolate malts!
DEYA’s Closing Time Export Stout also deserves more attention than I can give it – so, so dark, it pours like bleedin’ tar.
Hammerton’s new Made In The Dark. Just listen: they made this by blending a mega imperial stout with their 2019 vintage that had been ageing in 24 year old bourbon barrels for over 18 months. This is all chocolate, bourbon and dark winter fruits, with a smooth, luxurious body to it. Waffle Sauce Blueberry & Maple Stout is far less suave, but much more fun.
When Maltgarden start playing with coconut it’s always magic, and that’s exactly what they’ve done with new dessert stout All That Decisions. I’m going to recommend you buy this but don’t care if you don’t – the longer this sticks around, the more I get.
Completing what might be the best week of darks EVER is Boxcar’s Dark Harvest Robust Porter. With toasted chocolate and dark fruits, tobacco is what makes this unique.
Boxcar also sent us over a neat little IPA this week in Austral. Fruity and tropical, it’s a lovely hop drop.
Polly’s new Yellow Blaze DDH Pale is of the same ilk: classic hop bill, classic Polly’s.
Brew York made a rare venture into hoppy places this week with Juice Campbell NEIPA and The DIPA’rted East Coast DIPA. I like the latter. DIPA, to be fair, is where it’s at.
That leads me nicely on to DEYA’s Gently Down DIPA. Fluffy thanks to wheat, and tropical thanks to Ekuanot CRYO and Simcoe.
Verdant’s Loud Charge NE Double IPA might even be the pick of this week’s DIPAs, laced as it is with bright citrus, dank pine and candied fruits, while Brick & Neon Raptor’s Black Light Black IPA takes things further, blending tropical hops with roasted malts.
Finally, in a bumper week we finish things with Brick & Wiper and True’s out-of-season It’s Summer Somewhere Weisse.
Too cold for that? Staggeringly Good’s I Didn’t Ask For A Monster Fruit Sour will warm you up.
As always, I really hope you get to enjoy some of these wicked new beers this week.
Happy drinking!
Oli, Olly & Charlie
(The three people behind Craft Metropolis)
Oli Meade
Unbelievably, in the week we brewed our first ever collab beer, Polly’s decided to release their first ever core range!
Talk about stealing the limelight!
Luckily, as excited as I am about our new collab, I kinda find the new Polly’s core range even more exciting.
So how did the range turn out? Read on, my friend, and all will be revealed.
Here are the 9 best new beers to try this week.
The juicy hoppy specialists we all know and love have been threatening to do it for a while, and this week, they actually went and did!
Polly’s released their first ever core range – three exquisite hoppy beers that really showcase the Polly’s brewing philosophy.
Rosebud IPA is the flagship and it’s a bundle of New England style tropical brilliance.
Little Petal West Cost Pale is pure resinous deliciousness for those that remember a time before the NEIPA.
And Floret Pale Ale is a lower strength peach, mango and pineapple cocktail.
All are very reasonably priced too – so treat yourself and congratulate Polly’s – here’s to a craft brewery on the up!
More big news on the hop front this week comes hot in from Leeds… because Northern Monk’s 8th Anniversary NE DIPA is here!
As is the brewery’s outstanding tradition, they’ve brewed this to celebrate where beer is at the moment. So this is a massive DIPA that’s heavy on the jooose with an underlying dank edge balancing the beer out – which is spot on if you ask me!
Oh, and the new Fresh from the North DIPA is just in too – as always, get this while it’s fresh!
My final hoppy hat-tip this week goes to Track, but not necessarily for the beer you’d expect.
The new Gold Top DIPA Saving Grace is as creamy and immense as ever, but given that’s about to sell out definitely take a look into the loveliness on offer from Floating Moment DIPA too.
I mean, peach, mango and cantaloupe melon with an orange sherbet sprinkle. How can any beer fan say no?!
My must-try sour recommendation this week is hands-down Neon Raptor’s Vampyre Disco Imperial PB&J Sour.
It’s a dripping sour fruit concoction, with Blackcurrant, Strawberry, Cherry and Redcurrant all fighting for your attention, while a huge dollop of salty Peanut Butter slowly slinks into the frame and, like a Dark Side Star Wars Ship, overshadows all.
If you only go for one sour this week, this is the one.
Hardly a week goes by without me recommending something from Brew York and this week is no different, cause Granny Smith’s Brambling Habit Blackberry & Apple Pie Pastry Sour is a right treat.
Sours were once only for summer, but in this collab with Unbarred, Brew York call on seasonal fruits and warming spices to make this perfect when the cold fronts come in: it’s a blackberry and apple crumble with warming cinnamon, and just a hint of tartness.
You’ve got to love Howling Hops too, first for being mischievous enough to brew a coffee sour, and then for absolutely nailing it in Jairo And The Juice Coffee Sour.
My mind can never understand how these work but to be honest I’m happy enough to not even bother trying, preferring instead to let the pale straw appearance, espresso aromas and funky, juicy berry notes take my appreciation of craft beer into unchartered waters.
It’s a beaut.
On the other hand, if you are looking for a thick and hard-hitting impy badboy then Northern Monk’s 11% Shaun of the Dead Strawberry Cornetto Imperial Stout is ready and waiting.
This is Death taken to another level: thick vanilla cream and ripe strawberries all slathered on a rich and roasty chocolate base.
It’s a dessert stout but a sophisticated one, like the kind you’d see posh people eat in tiny bites really slowly after their roasted partridge main.
Completing our glorious (if a little pared down) stout stock-up this week is Brew York’s Blueberry Muffin Pastry Stout, which I haven’t yet tried, but which I’ve got my eye on.
Lager fans, we’ve just taken in a new Pils from Boundary, and we’ll do our best to keep you stocked up with the best lagers coming out over the colder months too.
The only milkshake pale we took in this week was Neon Raptor’s Millscherrn Milkshake Pale – but rest assured, it’s a lovely, smooth and sweet breakfast-esque gem.
Track’s last WCIPA sold out quick-sharp, but the brewery has just released a belting update in the form of Up On The Moon WCIPA, a collaboration with California-based Green Cheek Beer. Truly Likely So Pale Ale is also just-in, for those who prefer Track’s East Coast offering.
Finishing things off this week is a steady hoppy ensemble from Howling Hops, including the new and fruity Company Shakes DDH Pale, the crushable Swing Time DDH Pale, the resinous Lonely Town Session IPA and the thirst-quenching Wolves At The Door Pale, which is actually a collab with the cycling company Rapha.
As always, I really hope you get to enjoy some of these wicked new beers this week.
Happy drinking!
Oli
(The founder)
Oli Meade
To Øl aren’t exactly headline stealers.
To be honest, that’s a crime.
Because this little Danish brewery has been producing some outstanding stuff for years now, and it just keeps getting better and better and better and better.
Not heard of em yet? Or not tried their stuff?
Well, you’re in luck. Their customary Christmas drops have just landed.
So let’s discuss one or two, shall we?
I’ve featured one or two of To Øl’s beautiful brews in this newsletter before but, after a new mega-drop just in this week, it’s crystal clear none of us are giving this brewery the attention it deserves.
Santa Gose F&#%! It All Pastry Edition, in particular, is a real punch in the face (in a good way!).
It’s packed with so much juicy-fruity flavourfulness it’s hard to fathom how the hell it’s just 4%.
For me, this is a must try this week… this month… and maybe even this year.
Jule Malt Imperial Milk Stout, meanwhile, is a Christmas treat that the brewery bring out to rave reviews every year.
This particular incarnation is sweet, sticky creamy and boozy – a slightly alarming 13%. Enjoy it over a long period of time. It gets better as it warms. And you’ll need a fair window to drink it: this is so thick you could eat it with a spoon.
Don’t get me wrong – there’s still a ton of good stuff going on closer to home, starting with a fresh round of hoppy drops from Cheltenham juicemongers DEYA.
At 8%, Toot Toot Kapoot DIPA has to be the stand-out, brewed as it is for intense tropical goodness which, apparently, DEYA know a thing or two about… but bear in mind cheeky Crocodiles Don’t Play Cricket Pale Ale is an interesting brew too. Melding DEYA’s signature process with that of Brisbane’s Range Brewing, here you’ve got something fruity and juicy but that remains crushable.
It is almost summer in Australia, after all…
While Verdant & AllKin’s new Road To Unruin NEIPA is the fresh hop drop for all those into all things grapefruit, for my money, Swift Or Swallows DIPA is arguably even better.
Soft and fluffy, and with tropical notes, pine and dank, there’s a lot going on.
Pressure Drop’s first TIPA sold out fast back in summer, so Breakfast Candles NE TIPA is a second chance for all those who missed out.
This bowls in with a classic hazy New England base, but it’s then triple hopped with a truckload of the stalwarts Citra & Azacca. Expect an incredible aroma and a full on fruit bowl on the palate.
At £5.95, this is as wallet friendly as hop-forward TIPAs come.
Flavour fiends will want to check out Vault City’s new Blueberry Pumpkin Spice Latte, which has so much going on it’s hard to know where to start.
Tart blueberries provide the backbone, but you’ve also got warming pumpkin spices and subtle, sweet vanilla, all intermingling in a smooth and creamy nectar.
(If that’s too much for you, there’s always the (£3.95!) Strawberry & Lime Session Sour.)
Those other sour specialists, Pastore, came out with a tasty tart trio that I couldn’t resist this week, which included a cheeky 3.8% Del Mare Guava Kalamansi Gose and the suave port-barrel-infused and raspberry conditioned Gatto Superstar Wild Ale.
Pastore & Brick collab L’Altro Modo Sour IPA, however, is the one I’m really recommending: the juicy, tangy, tangerine-filled troubadour proves that two sour specialists are better than one!
Over on the dark side, Tartarus surely take top spot this week with their new Witch Gingerbread Porter.
This just so happens to be perfect as the seasons switch; filled as it is with warming ginger spices that let you now they’re there without blowing you away.
FYI there are only 6 of these left in stock at the time of writing – Tartarus are popular!
Finally, Brew York’s The Dude Abides White Russian Imperial White Stout deserves some attention for drumming up something a little bit different and, to be fair, delicious.
Just as Brew York say, this is nutty, it’s creamy, it’s spicy and it’s coffee-y.
Still, would it be a little creamier if it wasn’t ‘white’?
Left Handed Giant don’t just do darks, y’know? Nope. There’s a hazy palehere and a hazy IPA that aren’t to be sniffed at (unless of course you’re taking in the aroma before trying them… in which case, yeah, sniff away).
For those who reckon the Pressure Drop TIPA is too much, check out the brewery’s Vice Champion NEIPA.
Drop Project! Still not getting as much love as they deserve. For those in on the secret, Rider Pale Ale eschews the in vouge soft mouthfeel for something ‘oily’ and silky too.
Finishing off the new hop drops is not just one but TWO West Coast DIPAs! Fans of the West Coast will def want to check these beers out. Left Handed Giant’s In Search Of Brightness WC DIPA is honey-sweet with late bitterness; Brew York’s Imperial Eagle WC DIPA is similar, but a little more fruity. These don’t come around often – collect the two!
Completing the darks this week is Pressure Drop, with two at opposite ends of the spectrum. Fashion London Porter is simple, roasty and warming. Good Chat Coffee Hazelnut & Vanilla Stout is a complex, coffee-laden, sweet-nutty-and-fudgey dessert stout that’s sprinkled with salt!
Happy drinking!
Oli
(The founder)
Oli Meade
It was all set to be relatively quiet on the new beer front this week. But, apparently, neither Track nor Overtone got the memo.
Both weighed in with belters, including a big juicy Overtone TIPA brewed with unusual hops, and a WCIPA from Track that’s as good as they come.
However, when Track release a new Gold Top, it’s always hard to beat. So that’s exactly where this list starts this week.
First up, Track’s Beautiful Escape Gold Top DIPA!
Extra pale malts make the base of Track’s latest gold top sticky-sweet, then oats two ways (rolled and malted), wheat AND lactose take the creaminess into unchartered territories.
Guava, mango and soft coconut bring things home – a velvety fruit salad with a raspberry sherbet finish.
Oh yes!
More into your West Coast stuff?
Well, Track have got you there too!
Track’s Dream Of The Gentle Flood WCIPA is as good as the West Coast IPA comes, with a German malt base introducing a warm, bready sweetness and caramel wafer goodness.
Citra, Strata and Idaho 7 add fuzzy peach, juicy nectarine and herbal bitterness. Sticky resin on the finish.
This is top drawer.
I’m not sure Overtone have released a bad beer yet, and Overtone’s Dancin’ Fool TIPA is an 11% monster that continues the trend.
Unusual zappa hops add something new – mountains of passion fruit with fresh mint and gentle spicy undertones – for a wicked autumnal Triple IPA.
Meanwhile, of all the THREE new monster DIPAs Overtone came out with this week, Pure Magic DIPA, is probably my DIPA of choice.
On the fruity side, I’m getting the peachy mango goodness the tasting notes promise, then there’s a citrus sprinkle to keep things fresh, but the arc de triumph is the huge hit of dank that lords over everything.
A triple-dry-hopped thick hop-cake. Why can’t all Double IPAs be as good as this?!
Honesty, I really did try to avoid ordering a pumpkin spiced beer this year! But when I saw Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Imperial Pumpkin Spice Latte Stout had S43 AND Brew York behind it I couldn’t resist!
And you know what? It’s actually lovely.
A big old ABV at 9.5%, with warming seasonal pumpkin pie spices, plus a double dose of roasty coffee.
Genuine USA pumpkin adds a nice, thick, natural sweetness.
If you try just one pumpkin spiced beer this year, let this be it!
Phantom & Tartarus collab Reaper Sticky Toffee Pudding Stout is also a nice autumnal warmer.
With Tartarus involved you can expect top drawer quality, and this 10%, dark, rich and chocolatey sweet, sticky caramel stout is just £6.60.
A steal for the quality. Be sure to check it out.
Finally, Hammerton are back!
Fan favourite Crunch Peanut Butter Milk Stout is back, as is City of Cake Chocolate Fudge Cake Stout, and Sundae Sauce is the new kid in town.
For those yet to try this, think of a soft scoop vanilla ice cream with a thick, crunchy, biscuit wafer.
Top that with oozy hot chocolate sauce. Then sprinkle the lot with warm crushed hazelnuts.
Yep, that’s Sundae Sauce… except it’s a beer!
The two new Overtone sours just in are both, quite frankly, immense.
Cherry Berry Magic Pastry Sour is your more down-the-line fruited sour, crammed full of sour berries for acidity, all balanced by sweet milk sugar, creamy white chocolate and Madagascan vanilla. Can you resist?!
Well, do your best, cause Spice Jam Spiced Plum & Blackberry Sour is even more interesting. Juicy plums and sour raspberries and blackberries in this one all combine with warming cinnamon for something special.
Pours a thick and vibrant purple too, which makes everything all the more outrageous, then a final sprinkle of vanilla wraps everything up. This is what sour brewing should be!
Finally, if you want to get in on Drop Project’s J-Tear Triple Fruited Sour you’ll need to be quick – after unexpectedly flying off the shelves there are only 3 left in stock at the time of writing!
Over 250 kilos of apricot, peach & mango fruit puree go into this big, bold and fruity sour, which is also packed with plenty of zesty crispness. It’s been mega popular – and I can see why.
The hop front this week has been dominated by Track and Overtone, and I’d encourage you to just have a lucky dip – especially if you’re new to either brewery.
Track receives more hype… but not if you’re me! I love Overtone, more and more people do, they’re a brewery on the up, so fill your boots.
Elsewhere, two fresh Neon Raptor hop drops await which you know are gonna be good. .WAV NEIPA is sweet and juicy with a trusty combo of Citra Cryo, Amarillo and Azacca hops, then Neon Raptor / Overtone collab Stuck on Shuffle in a NEIPA is a four-hop showcase of Cryo Pop, Idaho 7 Cryo, Ekuanot and Columbus (and, somehow, only £4.95!).
There’s more good Monk awaiting too, including The Enlightenment TIPA (just 2 left in stock), a 3.0% Session IPA and OFS052, which is an exploration of contemporary German brewing.
Phantom are also at the top of the hop-ensemble this week, with creamy Ball Pit NEIPA and hazy A Meal For Two NEIPA. A brewery that don’t get enough love. Both of these are solid.
With sours starting to give way to winter warmers, now’s a good time to stock up. How about this box of 12 epic sours for £59.95 delivered? This is limited!
Finally, remember, if you want to get £20 off either of our Craft Beer Advent Calendars this year, you’ll need to order before the end of the month (quick warning though – I’m expecting them to sell out)!
Happy drinking!
Oli
(The founder)
Oli Meade
This week, we look at some mammoth darks (that reach as much as 18% ABV!) and sours as good as I’ve ever, ever seen from the likes of Vault City, Pastore and the upcoming brewery Tartarus.
Kicking things off though, with the seasons changing, there are some great value hoppy beers to grab right now. A 500ml DEYA pale for under a fiver? Say hello to MUD, the new DEYA pale…
DEYA beers are, obviously, outstanding, which is why they usually cost a bit.
But MUD, the new collab with the band Do Nothing, weighs in at just £4.95!
DEYA quality too – clean, soft and drinkable with all the hoppy goodness you’d expect. A great value beer.
Next up, ever had a craft beer from Belfast? Cause if not, say hello to Boundary.
New to our shelves, Boundary have piled in with some lovely hoppy stuff this week, and I reckon Imbongo IPA will be a big hit.
The IPA’s extra pale malts let the sweet, juicy and tropical hops take centre stage, creating a full-on tropical fruit extravaganza!
Howling Hops are one of those breweries who fall into the ‘underrated’ category given the quality of their brewing.
Take Heavy Operator DDH Pale as an example.
It’s double dry hopped with the mighty Sabro, which could easily morph it into coconut milk.
But the brewers trump the sabro with fruit-forward Citra and Amarillo to make this a juicy fruit salad topped with coconut sprinkles – it’s immense.
Equally tropical Parlour Games NEIPA is even more fruity, swerving the coconut altogether. Great brewing.
Although we’re moving into dark season, sour sorcery shows no signs of stopping.
Pastore & Neon Raptor’s Breakfast Sour claws at the top of the sour stack this week – two heavyweights uniting for something seriously special.
Rice, maize and breakfast cereal as the base! Oat milk in the boil, conditioned on blueberries, cherries, raspberries, hazelnut, almond and vanilla.
How much flavour can you pack into one beer?! This is nuts.
Over in Gipsy Hill’s corner, the question is ‘how much flavour can you pack into a 1.2% beer?’. For the answer, get your lips round Soft Scoop Screwball Sour.
Inspired by beloved childhood screwball ice-creams, this ours vibrant purple, with huge doses of raspberry and a bubblegum finish.
Low-alc doesn’t get much better.
Finally, Tartarus are back! And this time, as well as some epic dark stuff, they’ve released a new, massive, Blueberry Pancake Fruited IPA.
Blueberries, maple and lactose are the backbone, all hopped up to something special with Ella and Mosaic.
Cutting edge brewing. And that artwork (the flamingo) is wicked!
Dark season is well and truly upon us, and Brew York have planned ahead!
With BA HYG Imperial Milk Stout, they’ve taken their already excellent Peanut, Caramel and Marshmallow Milk Stout… then aged it in bourbon barrels for 18 months.
Expect a complex, indulgent and warming chocolate and caramel swirl with a boozy vanilla-bourbon edge – only 5 left in stock at the time of writing!
Talking of boozy, Left Handed Giant’s We Are Floating In Space Imperial Stout is 15%!
Their biggest imperial stout to date oozes marzipan and sweet banana drenched in rich cacao.
As Left Handed Giant put it, this is a sharer, and would be well suited to some kind of dreamy autumn fireplace situation.
De Struiss Brouwers’ Tora Tora ups the ante even further – with an 18% Barrel Aged Triple IPA, which has been resting peacefully for a full two years now!
This one’s been aged in barrels that once housed Jenever, a juniper-flavored traditional liquor of the Netherlands.
Response to this so far has been mixed – some say it’s like nectar, others ask where they’ve hidden all the booze. ‘Specialist’ is probably the best description – you’ll know if this one is for you.
Then there’s Vault CIty’s Double Maple Triple Chocolate Blueberry S’more Sour. This is a big one.
Three layers of chocolate sit atop rich marshmallow and sweet maple.
Fresh Scottish blueberries cut through the chocolatey sweetness.
In fact, to achieve the cut through, Vault had to add more blueberries to this than they’ve ever added to a beer.
Is it a dark? Is it a sour? Both?! Try one – then write to me with your answer.
Gipsy Hill’s Twitcher is back for 2021! The popular DIPA is as fruity as ever. The same brewery’s latest Squashed: Blueberry and Banana is fruitier still… with 20% of the can being pure fruit. Then there’s Glimmer Tropical Stout – a sweet and easy drinking dark that you do not need to share.
Kees fans will be pleased to see a new Kees drop, with each as good as the last. Eclair is the vanilla pastry stout. Swedish Vaccuum Cleaner is a thick, 13% pastry stout with chocolate and marzipan. The Export Porter is black, sticky and velvety with deep chocolate and coffee notes. Collect the whole set!
Hoppy by Nature DIPA, meanwhile, is Kees’ hoppy offering. Kees aren’t known for their hops, which is a shame, cause this is a decent drop.
Whenever Vault release anything you take it as given that it’s gonna be top drawer, and the latest batch holds no exceptions. SDIPA Strata is a sour DIPA, while Vault City’s Mango is a nice little session sour.
Boundary call on blueberries in You’re Not Getting Any Imperial Stout. DEYA have teamed up with SMOD for Golden Boy English Bitter, Pastore’s Tropical Sour DIPA straddles boundaries, and their Port Barrel Aged Peach Wild Ale is a demonstration of what a wild ale should be.
And finally, if you want to get hold of Gipsy Hill’s latest Bogan NEPA, there are just 3 left in stock right now – be quick!
Cheers & happy drinking!
Hope you get to try some of these wicked beers this week. As always, stay safe out there.
Oli
(The founder)
Oli Meade
It was as I tucked into a new beer from Boxcar earlier this week (see below) that I started thinking one thing:
Boxcar are surely one of the most – if not the most – underrated breweries in the UK.
So before I move on to new epic import sours and big barrel aged darks, I’m going to start this week’s list with Dreamlets DIPA by Boxcar. It really is a special beer.
Boxcar’s Dreamlets DIPA is soft fruit punch from the very first sip, and it just gets better as you work your way through.
Up there with DEYA, Polly’s and Beak – and Boxcar do not get the credit for it.
Boxcar reckon it’s soft, soft water that makes Dreamlets and their other beers so good.
Whatever it is, it’s epic. If you want top quality beer for mid-range prices, this is your brewery – get involved!
Northern Monk’s Fresh From The North is also a gem (even if it is a bit more obvious!). Have you ever even heard of a quintuple IPA?!
This is the latest in their series showcasing fresh monthly hops. It’s hopped to the high heavens, and it’s 15.0% – take care!
At least it’s only 330ml…
And of course when it comes to hops, you can never go wrong with a bit of Beak, whose Supp Citra IPA is as good as we’ve now come to expect from the new Lewes brewery.
Three different types of Citra showcase what the hop can do – a clementine-grapefruit-marmalade-yuzu cocktail. Beautiful stuff.
This is probably the section I’m most excited about this week, cause I managed to get two new mega import breweries in, and Drekker’s gloopy and bonkers sours are out of this world!
Mega, mega limited quantities on Braaaaaaaains: Passionfruit Sour, on CHONK Tropical Berry Blast Sundae Sour and on Slang Du Jour: Black Currant Plum Cobbler.
My pick is probably the passionfruit. With only 3 left in stock right now – you’ll need to be really quick!
Mountains Walking’s Sweets: Caramel Apple Sour is also next-level.
This has been described as ‘liquid apple pie’ and ‘mulled cider but better’.
Somehow it’s also a smoothie sour, and it basically pushes the boundaries of sour brewing forward.
This is just as limited as the Drekker stuff! Only 4 left at the time of writing!
Finally, the UK kings of craft lager have released two new lagers, underlining their already distinguished reputation!
Lost + Grounded’s Marzenbier was initially brewed for Oktoberfest, so is all amber on the eye and biscuit on the malt. It’s only £3.20 per can, and it’s also perfect for the season – a right autumnal treat.
(Sunshine State Of Mind Czech Pils, by the way, is the quencher of the two!)
I hope you’re getting as excited as I am about the imminent uprising of the darks, but if you need any encouragement then look no further than three new bottles from Dig.
These are all big imperial stouts from Dig’s ‘Eddie’ series. I have no idea who Eddie is or what he’s done, but I haven’t let that stop me from tucking into Eddie Toasts Judge Doom, Eddie Finds Judge Doom and Eddie Crosses Judge Doom.
My favourite is Toasts – Dig brewed an Imperial Coffee Porter back in 2020, barrel aged it in Bourbon barrels for a year, then recently blended it with a fresh imperial stout and conditioned the thick, suave concotion on toasted coconut.
Serious stuff.
Mountains Walking’s Dessert Cart: S’mores Impy Stout might not sound as serious on the face of it, but it very much is.
A rich, decadent, chocolatey and marshmallowy smooth imperial milk stout… best enjoyed around campfires or, in this country, cosy living rooms on dark and chilly nights.
Finally, how about Northern Monk’s PB&J Cornflake Tart Stout?!
Here the brewers are paying homage to the Shipley bakehouse’s fabled PB&J Cornflake Tart in beer form – so they’ve taken a stout, pimped it to Snickersville with peanut butter, added jammy strawberry puree, plus a dollop of golden syrup for honied cornflak-iness.
The curious can expect a rich & chewy, sticky, biscuity, slightly fruity treat.
Lager fans can go nuts this week with lots to choose from, including an Oat Lager from Newbarns to compliment the same brewery’s Pilsner, SMOD’s Laska Pils and their spicy Festbier. Meanwhile new US brewery UFO offer up White Witbier while CM favourites Drop Project have gone with this Crispy West Coast Pilsner. Lager is in!
There’s lots of new stuff in from Left Handed Giant, who are always great… the German IPA is novel, Time Moves Slow NEIPA uses a novel hop and Feel At Home NEIPA is the comforting sweet, juicy and fruity usual we all already love. Oh, and if you want in on their popular gose… there are just three left in stock!
We first introduced Loch Lomond to our shelves a few weeks back, and their popularity has meant a reorder – this time we’ve picked up Tripp Trapp Milkshake TIPA and Falling Water Black Sour DIPA. A Black Sour DIPA… WTF?!
Northern Monk’s OFS series continues to experiment as it reaches Norway. There’s an interesting DIPA, a really interesting Raw IPA and a Lingonberry Raspberry Sour to explore. Actually, if you get in on Monk’s DIPA, you may want to compare it with Drop Project’s – Cruisin’ Kviek Pale– the similarity being the Kviek yeast both use.
Sour fans will want to check out new-in brewery Humble Forager, too. The Wisconsin based brewery sent us over a WC DIPA, but the sours are where it’s at – Mysterious Ravine V1 Fruit Punch Sour IPA and Coastal Sunrise V4 Vanilla, Cardamom, Mango, Coconut Sour are far from just pretty cans.
Rounding off the new darks this week is, first, Brew York’s Jackie Flan Pastry Sour: Maple Edition and also Northern Monk/Neon Raptor collab Lend Your Time Imperial Stout (12%!).
Finally… you know how I said Boxcar are underrated?
Alongside Dreamlets, Infinite Flags Pale, Higher Plane Pale and Native Place Pale all prove it. Subtle, understated and unpretentious… but outstanding across all fronts. Superb value for the quality.
Happy drinking!
Oli
(The founder)
Oli Meade
As we head into autumn and the nights draw in, sours are dialling down and darks are amping up.
But while we’re in this kind of Netherland, where it’s a bit too chilly for a summer sour but still too sunny for a roasty impy stout, what are we supposed to be drinking?
Oh yeah. Big, fat, juicy, hop monsters from both our shores and elsewhere!
The hops dominate once again this week… and here are the very best for your drinking pleasure.
This week, I opened a shipment of no fewer than 12 Other Half beers. 12!
Other Half, as if you don’t already know, are world renowned. As hop kings of New York, they sit around making hoppy beers so good they make other – excellent – brewers’ jaws drop. I’m talking soft, creamy, juicy, boozy beauties, whether you’re dealing with a ‘regular’ IPA or one of their massive TIPAs.
More than a few Other Half beers have sold out within hours of their release in the past. So we really are so lucky to have so many of these in right now. If you want to see what next level craft tastes like, now’s your chance.
My current number one tip is Triple Motueka Daydream TIPA. Think powdered sherbet lemon-lime citrus. Bags of oats dial up the creaminess. As I say, it’s next level brewing.
Sticking with Other Half’s epic new drop, DDH Dream In Green IPA owns both an awesome name and excellent can art.
The liquid nectar, of course, ain’t bad either, with oats dominating the malt bill – making up a massive 50% of the base! A creamier catalyst you will not find.
Outside of the soft cream, a pretty unique hop bill of Citra, Motueka and Wai-iti makes for a more subtle hop nudge that steps back and allows a gentle sweetness from the lactose sugar to shine.
Thick, sweet and fluffy. The can says it all.
Closer to home, Beak’s Trees West Coast DIPA is an astonishing feat.
Beak’s first WC got rave reviews… and Beak were unhappy with it! So this time they’ve dialled up every knob on offer to eleven.
More pine, more resin, more biscuit, more caramel and more luscious sweet lingering orange than any of us could ever imagine.
Check Untappd and you’ll see how many people have already said this is the best WC IPA they’ve ever had. It’s immense!
The three new DEYA’s we got in this week sold out so quick last time around I never got a chance to appreciate them, so now they’re back I’ve taken no chances.
I can confirm all are great, but DEYA’s Meet Me In The City IPA just – just! – out rivals the others, thanks to massive doses of Citra Cryo and Galaxy.
Think soft citrus and a smooth tropical fruit sensation. Yes!
I wasn’t really expecting too much of Fyne’s Ragnarok IPA – Fyne Ales are maybe more of a traditional brewery based on an old farm in a quiet corner of Scotland – but this is a serious dark horse!
Citra, Belma and Mosaic in the hop bill give bold fruitless, plus a nice haze echoes the brewery’s rustic roots.
Maybe it’s the purity of the Scottish Highlands water that makes this special. That is, after all, what makes Highland Whisky first-rate… so who knows?
Whatever it is, I’m loving it. Get involved in Fyne Ales now.
On the dark front, a certain massively popular Tonkoko series is back, and it’s notched up another level!
To put it bluntly, Brew York’s Salted Caramel Tonkoko Impy Stout is out of this world. Their strongest Tonkoko ever.
The salinity of the salted caramel elevates the Tonkoko to new heights, topping the decadence with a smooth velvety finish that goes on and on.
For those looking for a more down the line stout, say hello to Pressure Drop’s Cast Iron Billy Imperial Brown Stout.
Equally velvety, with chocolate and dark berry notes.
Cast Iron Billy is drawn from a recipe from all the way back in 1832 – so this has a firm traditional founding that’s been given the Pressure Drop treatment for greatness.
Did I mention it’s also full of chocolate?!
Meanwhile Pomona Island & Runway’s New Sour IPA combines one of each brewery’s specialties for an awesome, novel drop.
You’ve got Pomona Island’s sour IPA base combined with Runway’s Saison for a kind of Farmhouse Style Sour IPA, all hopped up with Cryo Mosaic, Citra, Hallertau Blanc and Nelson Sauvin.
It’s out there – but in a good way.
If there’s one drawback of Sloop’s The Sauer Peach Sour it’s that, at 355ml, the can is a tease!
I mean, you’ve got a lovely berlinerweisse, nice and tart, expertly balanced with sweet, ripe peach. It’s cloudy, it’s smooth, it’s nice and autumnal. You’re getting well into it and the next thing you know, it’s gone!
Although I guess you can always open another can… this is a nice and forgiving 4.3%.
While we’re on Sloop, there’s quite a few of their New England juicy numbers just in, including the pillowy Super Soft NEIPA, the tropical hazy Juice Bomb NEIPA, slightly lower alc Low Key Jb NEIPA and their collab with Orono, Tubular Bomb! NEIPA.
Sticking with the East Coast we have something uncharacteristically normal from S43 in Atlantic Nights East Coast IPA. Oh hold up. They’ve called it ‘breakfast juice’. Suddenly it all makes sense!
There’s also a big Pressure Drop restock, which always means good value! Gather up your King Queen Knave, luscious Karate NEIPA and – a personal favourite – the pina colada-esque Robots NE DIPA while you can. Plus, if you’re yet to try Pressure Drop’s Wu Gang Chops the Tree Hefeweisse, it’s a welcome change of pace.
There are more hoppy drops from Polly’s, with Smooth Groove IPAand Exp 630 DDH Pale both as loaded with juice as ever. Pomona Island’s Letter 23 Strawberry Sour sees off summer and, even though I doubt it will be a big seller, I’m going to finish this week by recommending something different in Brew York/Elusive Red Danson Red IPA – check it out.
As always, I hope you get to enjoy some of these wicked new beers this week.
Happy drinking!
Oli
(The founder)
Oli Meade
I’ve had one or two people asking about our Craft Beer Advent Calendar this week. In September!
I’m glad you’re as excited about it as I am. And trust me, I’ll be releasing more details soon – sign up to our newsletter for updates.
For now though, I want to discuss the beers that got my attention this week. Starting with something from everyone’s favourite Cornish juice factory…
I know you know Verdant, but how many of their famously juicy beers are you yet to try?!
Cause we’ve just taken in a whole load of their most popular stuff, including Gus, Citra-laden Fruit Car and creamy Uncertainty.
But the one I’ve really enjoyed this week is new Roy, which is a murky thick orange juice pale with pulpy bits and chewy sediment all floating around – it’s glorious – check it out!
Much more out there is the stuff from Unbarred, including their new Honeycomb Milkshake Pale Ale.
Complete with real Brighton & Hove honey, vanilla and lactose, it’s creamy, it’s delicately sweet, and it’s best enjoyed slowly in the last of this summer’s sun.
Finally on the hop front – Newtown Park!
This name keeps coming up, and people are rightly going mad for the their soft, sticky and tropical Everything You Can Imagine Is Real IPA this week.
In fact, there are just 5 left in stock as I write.
If you want to get in on this newbie, make sure you’re quick!
Cascade are in the house!
You can’t go wrong with any of this sour merchant’s sophisticated drops, but I myself am loving Northwest Flanders.
It’s two sour red ales, aged for over two years in oak barrels and foudres, blended. Chock-full of plum, raisin, fig and spice with hints of oak and roasted malt.
Cocoa Cardamom is just as good!
The arrival of autumn means hedgerow berries, and Yonder’s Hedge Space Quadruple Berry Hedgerow Sour takes full advantage.
Blackberries, elderberries, rosehips and sloes make for a sweet, tart and fragrant sour – that’s super limited! Currently only 6 left in stock.
Although our popular Oktoberfest boxes are sold out, don’t despair – because Anspach & Hobday’s ace Oktoberfest selection is back for 2021!
There’s a Marzen-style sweet Festbier, a Bavarian Hefeweizen and a Leipzig Gose on offer, but worth a look for sure is the dark, rich and smoky Rauchbier.
Such good value too – less than £4 a can!
The nights are drawing in. Which means darks are back!
Omnipollo’s Lorelei 2021 Toasted Coconut Maple Imperial Porter leads the pack by miles as always.
Previous Lorelei versions have been close to perfection. And this year, Omnipollo have dialled up the both the coconut and the maple even more.
A bold move… but one that’s paid off. This really is exceptional brewing.
Siren’s Imperial Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout is much more fun, and the can art itself makes this a worthwhile pick.
But don’t get me wrong – this is packed with substance.
Mulato & Poblano chillies, cocoa nibs, cinnamon and vanilla combine to create a thick, fiery stout with a rich dark chocolate finish.
Finally, Brew York’s Live And Let Pie Banoffee Pie Milk Stout is their usual fun dessert stout.
Some have started to suggest a beer should taste like a beer. This isn’t for them.
Instead of beer, think foam bananas. And liquid toffee. Swirled with creamy milk chocolate.
To my mind, there’s nothing wrong with that.
If you’re in for Oktoberfest, dive into the extensive German & Czech range, including new Ayinger Bairisch Pils and Jahrhundert Bier.
Newtown Park’s All Day Long Table Beer might not be Bavarian, but it’s a taste explosion at 3% – you’ll be thankful to have it on hand!
Newtown Park are also behind this week’s best West Coast Pale in It Comes In Waves. Did I mention this is £2.95 a can?!
Ending on the dark front, Yonder’s Ritual Union Caramel Frappé Breakfast Stout is not to be missed.
And Brew York’s Kaya Milk Stout is interesting – a stout based on the Malaysian snack of coconut jam and tropical Pandan in toast, dipped in coffee. Check it out!
As always, I hope you get to enjoy some of these wicked new beers this week.
Happy drinking!
Oli
(The founder)
Oli Meade
It’s been relatively quiet in terms of quantity on the new beers front this week.
But the quality?
Well, I’m about to bang on about Northern Monk’s new juice-fest, Beak’s first EVER sour and an XPA from Polly’s that’ll make you fall in love with the style.
By the way, if you want to try any of the below, I’ll get your order in the post marked next day delivery – free delivery on orders over £60 too!
OK, here’s what I’ve been loving this week…
In the same week that Northern Monk’s OFS series reached the East Coast, Dream Line Forms: 7 DDH DIPA hit our shelves!
In this edition, Lancashire’s Rivington and Glasgow’s Overtone lent a hand by nominating some of their favourite hops, and the result is an apricot, tangerine and papaya fruit salad complete with punchy resin and zesty lime.
This beer has always been epic, and Dream Line Forms: 7 is the result of iterative brewing to achieve something close to perfection…
If you drink just one beer this week, let this be it!
But why drink just one beer this week?
This isn’t soviet Russia, and Monk’s OFS series has reached the East Coast!
That means New England loveliness, and OFS046 East Coast IPA has all the murk, haze, and juice you’d expect from a NEIPA, plus it’s hop heavy, and smooth, and FruitBowl yeast ensures fruity esters amped up through juice-rich Citra, Amarillo, and El Dorado. Get innn!
OFS048 DIPA takes things up a notch further, with coconut, mango and melon.
And if you’re all-in, OFS047 Dole Whip Ice Cream Pale brings things home for pudding! Get one, get two, or collect the full set!
Next up, you don’t get too many XPAs around these parts, which makes Polly’s Cracks Extra Pale of immediate interest.
XPAs deliberately dial down the malts to place an extra focus on the hops, which in the case of Cracks means passionfruit, pineapple and citrus a-plenty!
Passionfruit and pineapple from the juice kings Polly’s? In sessionable strength?!
All hail the XPA!
Last up on the hops this week is a gem from our old pals Pressure Drop – we took in more Pale Fire, more Understanding Whole Systems NEIPA and more Capital Ring NEIPA this week, but if it’s something new you’re after then Pockets Of Space NEPA is immense!
Expect a fruit filled flavourbomb with alluring tropical aromas and a subtle, bitter finish that keeps you racing back for more.
My only contention here is Pressure Drop say it’s sessionable. 5.2% and 440ml. Sessionable?! I have kids!
Not enough was made of this last week so just to drive the point home, Wurl! is BEAK’S FIRST EVER SOUR!
Flaked wheat, pilsner malts and lactobacillus all make things light and zingy, then lengthy conditioning over freshly pureed raspberries adds a tangy, fruity dimension.
It’s tart, it’s sweet, it’s bright, it lingers – the word is out about Beak… get in while you can!
Over in the experienced corner lies Yonder, who know a thing or two about what makes for a good sour, and if that isn’t obvious then Blueberry Pie Pastry Sour and Cherry Pie Pastry Sour are exhibits A and B.
Both great, but Cherry Pie is the pick for me – sweet and sour cherries with flaked almonds and a splash of vanilla. This is sharp, it’s sweet, it’s buttery and it’s creamy.
Sour fans, this is one you won’t want to miss.
On the dark front, say hello to Leeds based brewery Tartarus, the latest nano brewery to join both our virtual and physical shelves!
Vanilla Kludde Quad proves Tartarus know what they’re doing when it comes to strong European beers, but Anubis Spiced Imperial Stout surely marks them as mavericks.
Jasmine and hibiscus add floral notes to this beast of an imperial stout, which is spiced with chilli, cumin, coriander, ginger and orange.
Immense!
Rounding off things the week is Bohemia Regent’s Kníže – an outstanding strong beer from an ace Czech brewery.
These guys amp up the Kníže flavour dial by mixing wild hops and Satu Mare, then they mature the whole concoction for a full 6 months to let everything develop.
Malty, sweet, boozy, bitter.
Give this to anyone who still thinks lager is tasteless!
Polly’s Controversy Between Deep TIPA is about as fruity as Monk’s Dream Line Forms… although a coconut casing makes it more akin to OFS048 DIPA than Dream Line Forms: 7.
Looking for a lower ABV? Polly’s Lenno Table Saison shows what Polly’s can do when it comes to table beers. This is just 2.9%!
Yonder’s Coolbox Session Helles restock is similarly sessionable, although in lager form.
Bohemia Regent’s Renegát lowers things even further – alcohol free!
With a new Polly’s DIPA, an IPA and a Pale just in, there’s a Polly’s for everyone!
And whatever you do, don’t forget to take a chance on one or two of our new German & Czech lines.
As always, I hope you get to try some of these ace new beers this week.
Cheers & happy drinking,
Oli
(The founder)
Oli Meade
The big news this week is Zagavor are in!
Zaravor brews are rare around these parts and are much sought after, so this week we discuss one of their big hop belters, plus a Zagavor pastry sour that’s right up there with the best.
Before all that though, I want to recommend you try something a bit different…
Our huge new range of German and Czech beers are authentic, well-priced, soaring in popularity… and we have 33 new different types just in to choose from!
You might already have your eye on one or two these surging sorts but, if not, Augustiner is a good starting point – Edelstoff is a treat for everyone who appreciates good beer.
Clean, crisp and with subtle carbonation, it’s lovely and refreshing… but then herbal, earthy notes and sweet malts ensure this is packed full of flavour. Great stuff.
Over in hop town, the BIG news this week is Zagovor are in!!
This is one of the best craft outlets – if not THE best – in Russia!
Their mega beers are hard to get hold of, and they’re the stuff of legend in beer circles.
Among the four (yeah, FOUR!) NEIPAs we’ve snagged for your drinking pleasure is Zagovor’s Overhype. This is (ready?) a Triple Dry Hopped New England Double IPA… which is quite possibly the hoppiest beer ever made in Russia!
(And by the way… Zagovor’s Super tropical Prozess NEIPA is also exactly what I’m looking or in a NEIPA dialled up to eleven. Immense!)
Meanwhile DEYA’s latest drop is also laden with hoppy magnificence that’s impossible to resist.
DEYA’s Man Is The Most Secret Animal On Earth Pale looks a bit like Steady Rolling Man and that isn’t a coincidence, because this cask style tropical can of deliciousness is cut from the same cloth… which I think is all anyone needs to say.
Get one in – quick!
There’s also new Whiplash which I’ve been loving this week, but I can’t not mention the new hop haul from Maltgarden, which continues to get beer fans drooling.
Just like DEYA, Maltgarden have gone all-out tropical fruit juice in the new Maltgarden Where Do We Begin Pale.
Is there too much of a tropical focus out there at the moment? Absolutely not – this is effin beautiful.
Zagovor is now in… I get happier every time I say it!
Especially as their sours reach the same quality heights as their NEIPAs.
Filled with mango, guava, strawberry, passion fruit puree and lactose, Zagovor’s Jungle In A Big City Sour proves as much.
But for me, Zagovor’s Chillwave In A Big City Sour is an even better beer – mainly because, as well as mango, passionfruit, guava, pineapple and lactose, this has coconut and marshmallows going on for a bit of sweetness!
What next? Brew York? Amundsen? Beak? Neon Raptor?
Sour fans are spoilt for choice this week, but it’s still impossible not to look into Vault City’s Dragonfruit Kiwi Strawberry Lychee Sour – yet another immense fruit smoothie sour from the masters that are Vault!
Maltgarden’s hop drops may be mega, but their darks are where it all began!
Window Blinds Down Chocolate and Coconut Imperial Stout oozes chocolate – piles of infused cacao nibs and cocoa make sure of that. Then Maltgarden throw untoasted coconut into the mix for another level of flavour. Sweet and desserty, it’s a wicked brew.
Everyone loves S43, and Hazy River NEIPA is hop-laden dankalicious.
S34’s Our Lawyers Made Us Change the Name of This Beer So We Don’t Get Sued is even more fun, and as a black IPA, is hoppy with roasty malts.
Almasty’s Elderflower Saison is definitely a top drop for a sunny bank holiday weekend, as is Yonder’s Raspberry Gose.
Brick’s core range is back in too! Peckham Pale is as popular as ever, and the session IPA is a great shout for daytime drinks.
There’s a few lines new in from Anspach & Hobday too – including The Summertime Lager plus Table Beer and a restock of The Pale Ale.
When you’re rummaging through the more than 750 beers now available, don’t forget to dive into the Neon Raptor section – new Fort Lauderdale Sour IPA is a beauty.
As always, I hope you get to try some of these ace new beers this week.
Cheers!
Oli
(The founder)
Step 1
We trawl the globe tasting great beer
