New beer launches and collaborations this week, in store, on bars, and online, from around the UK.
Northern Monk have collaborated with journalist Lanre Bakare on Foreign Extra Stout (7.8% ABV). For all its depth of flavour and inky darkness, it has a very simple base of malted, flaked, and roast barley. These result in digestive biscuit and dark chocolate flavours, a rich mouthfeel, and solid head retention, with a hint of tobacco in the aroma. “Over this, we’ve hopped with UK varieties Target, Jester, and East Kent Goldings, for a balance of assertive bitterness and earthy spice, underneath layers of blackcurrant, bramble, honey, and a fresh grassy lightness,” says the brewer.
This beer has been inspired by those which were brewed for centuries, exported around the world, and which are still incredibly popular in places such as Nigeria and the Caribbean. Once exported in far greater volumes than the more famous India Pale Ale, it’s still popular in many regions around the world.
Bluntrock are taking Hackney Riviera, a 2.8% ABV yuzu and lemon Radler, to the London Craft Beer Festival. Brewed in collaboration with Hackney’s Crate Brewing, it takes its inspiration from Bluntrock’s Japanese rice lager Kanpai, with the additions of Yuzu and Lemon. “Built on a clean, dry lager backbone, the taste delivers a refreshing blend of light citrus and sweet zested lemon, all perfectly balanced by a slightly green, tangy bitterness,” say the brewers.
I Saved Latin! Is a new 6.2% ABV IPA from Pomona Island. Fresh berries and ripe stonefruit aromas are plentiful, with a creamy coconut finish on a full-bodied malt structure.
The brilliantly-named The Real Slim Shandy is a 2.8% ABV lemon Radler from Electric Bear. Brewed with Blitz lager yeast, Centennial hops, fresh lime juice, and lemon puree, it’s described as “bright, zippy, and seriously refreshing”.
Siren’s High Definition is making a comeback. “Originally brewed in collaboration with California legends Green Cheek Beer Co, this impressive 10% ABV triple IPA is built on a crisp, dry base of clean lager malts, allowing an onslaught of incredible hops to shine with ripe tropical fruit character,” says the brewer. Resinous bitterness balances the inherent sweetness.
Hybrid, a 5.2% ABV pale ale, marks Track’s first use of Limequat, a unique hop blend from Freestyle Hops that tastes exactly as one would expect it to. “You’ll get an extraordinary depth of citrus hop character, with plenty of crushed lime, lemon zest, and mandarin, alongside some delicate tropical notes and dynamic florality,” says the brewer.
Exodus, a 4.1% ABV pale ale from Elusive, a scaled-up version of a homebrew competition winner, designed for the annual charity festival of the Burghfield Santas. This is a volunteer-led organisation that raises money for Thames Valley Air Ambulance and other local charities. “The ABV might be small, but we layered in a whopping six different hops to deliver a beer that’s crisp and bitter, with a refreshing, citrus-forward hop profile.”
Crafty Devil are celebrating their 12th anniversary with the release of Dream On, an 8% ABV DIPA. It’s loaded with Citra Dynaboost, Waimea, Citra, Citra Cryo, and Riwaka hops. Expect ripe mango, passionfruit, juicy peach, bright citrus, and fresh lime zest, backed up by a subtle resinous edge from the New Zealand hops that carries right through the finish.
Wild Horse have teamed up with Beer Riff on With Friends, a 5.5% ABV pale ale. It’s hopped with Citra, Belma, and NZH-106 for notes of ripe tropical fruit, guava, and strawberry.
Windsor & Eton have created Tales of Hope, a 4.2% ABV pale ale celebrating Trunks across the Thames, Thames Hospice’s first-ever public art trail. Twenty-five pence from every can sold will be donated to Thames Hospice.
Venom and Virtue, a 4.2% ABV nettle ale from Badger, is returning to bars on cask. There’s a fresh and zesty aroma, with a distinctive herbal note from the nettles. On the palate, it’s light, grassy, and crisp.
Sauvin, an 8% ABV DIPA, is new from Beak. “Single-hopped with the freshest Nelson Sauvin hops, this massive haze bomb layers T90 pellets with Hop Kief and Amplifire to highlight everything that’s great about Nelson,” says the brewer. Flavours of Sauvignon grapes, flinty minerality, and dank resins.
