Sharp's Tarquin's The Hopster

 

Tarquin Leadbetter of Southwestern Distilleries (left) and Ed Hughes, of Sharp’s Brewery

To celebrate World Gin Day on Saturday, Sharp’s Brewery launched The Hopster, a collaboration with award-winning independent Southwestern Distillery and its Tarquin’s Gin.

The partnership has seen Sharp’s beer sommelier Ed Hughes and head distiller Tarquin Leadbetter experimenting at the distillery, near Padstow, blending ingredients to produce the new limited edition spirit.

Understanding the intricacies involved in making gin to create the perfect balance for The Hopster, Ed and Tarquin have combined three types of hops — Crystal, Cascade and Pilot — into the original recipe Tarquin’s Cornish Gin, distilled in Tamara, Southwestern Distillery’s flame-fired copper still.

Sharp's Tarquin's The HopsterFewer than 300 bottles have been distilled in this landmark collaboration batch, which is cut to bottling strength at 42% ABV and finished in a custom bottle design in the Sharp’s dark blue branding.

Founded in July 2013, Tarquin’s Southwestern Distillery is an independent, family company at the forefront of the craft distilling movement, hand crafting gin and pastis in traditional copper pot stills.

Ed Hughes said: “I’ve been developing this idea for over a year and tasting different gins throughout. I was delighted that Tarquin’s Gin stood out due to its balance and quality, and it was a natural fit for us to work with another award-winning Cornish brand, based literally a few miles away from our North Cornwall home in Rock.

“We’re all so excited about the final product, which is incredibly smooth and aromatic, and are delighted to be collaborating on a project to join the worlds of exceptional Cornish beer and gin.”

Tarquin Leadbetter added: “Collaborating with Sharp’s Brewery to produce The Hopster has been epic. Ed and the team expertly selected three fantastic hop varieties to help create the perfect complement to our gin. Intense, aromatic and beautifully complex, the result is even better than we were expecting.”

The Hopster was launched at the Royal Cornwall Show, on the eve of World Gin Day, and will be available to savour at The Mariners public house in Rock (a partnership between Sharp’s and Nathan Outlaw) and available to buy from Sharp’s Brewery shop in Rock, and online at www.sharpsbrewery.co.uk