Brains cans

Brains has announced its first craft can range to celebrate five years since the launch of its Craft Brewery.

The four-can selection will be available in all 111 of Brains’ managed pubs, and across Wales in a range of leading supermarkets. The new 4 x 330ml can range comprises:

Point Break (4.5% ABV): a new smooth, refreshing, full-flavoured lager brewed with 100% lager malt, Californian lager yeast and the Hallertau Blanc hop. Sweet and fruity, with distinctive passion fruit and melon flavours leading to a crisp finish, with hints of pineapple and white grape.

Gin Lane (5.0%): lemon and lime aromas give way to herbal, spicy hop flavours, and finally a dry, pleasantly bitter aftertaste created by adding gin botanicals to the brew, including ground juniper berries and crushed coriander seeds. Crisp and sharp, with a distinctive gin flavour.

Black Mountain (5.0%): brewed in collaboration with The Craft Beer Channel — if you close your eyes it smells like a classic American pale ale, but Black Mountain is bigger than that. It starts with coffee, liquorice and burnt toffee. Then, after a few seconds, there’s an explosion of hops from the mountain of Amarillo, Pacifica, Citra, Summit and Apollo, before the final say goes to the chocolate malts and their moreish smoky finish.

Barry Island IPA (5.0%): created by Simon Martin, aka Mr Real Ale Guide, this India pale ae was inspired by the IPA revolution across the pond. The boy from Barry has used a trio of hops from the US in this pale coloured ale, which is bursting with citrus aromas. A unique smooth malt taste upfront is finished off by a vigorous bitterness and a tidy clout of citrus and berry hop flavours.

The cans were launched at an event at Brains’ specialist craft beer venue, The Cambrian Tap, in Cardiff city centre.

Brains head brewer, Bill Dobson, said: “The Brains Craft Brewery has been a big success since it first went into production in May 2012.

“We’ve brewed more than 100 craft beers across a wide range of styles and many have become firm favourites with our drinkers.

“The natural progression for the Brains Craft Brewery is to launch a range of cans and what better time to do it then on the five-year anniversary of our first brew.

“It was a no-brainer to include Barry Island IPA, which is our best-selling craft beer. Black Mountain and Gin Lane are two beers that are very popular in our range and we’ve also added Point Break, our first-ever package craft lager.

“We’re really excited about the new range and can’t wait to see it behind the bar and on supermarket shelves.”