A Walk On The Wild Side! Brunch Juice, Dessert Stouts, Brick Sours & Kernel Classics
H E L L O
C L A P T O N C R A F T
F A N S !
We're back with a bang this week, as we go Wild for a certain Somerset crew, there's a duo of new beers from sour slingers supreme Brick, brunch juice and a dessert stout from Pressure Drop, plus classics old and new from The Kernel. If that's not enough there's new freshies online from the ever in-demand Verdant and Vault City as well as a future-classic Austrian wine!
B R E W E R Y O F
T H E W E E K
W I L D B E E R
We received a pretty hefty drop from Wild Beer last week, and we only thought it was right to roll out the red carpet this time around. This means we're offering double loyalty points in store across their range (until next Friday) from sharing bottles to blink and you'll miss it cans. To sign up you can shoot us an email, or simply ask in store. Never one's to play it safe we're indebted to their commitment to sheer experimentation, but in case you might need reminding here's some details on a few of the rather mega arrivals.
With double digits of different beer there's truly something for everyone. All-time greats like Millionaire return, where sweet and salty collide in a rich, moreish dessert stout, and Kalamansification, a tropical sour inspired by zingy citrus cocktails. Arriving for the very first time Pogo^2 superchargers their beloved passionfruit, guava and orange pale ale for a delectable fruit salad of an IPA. For those hankering after something with a crisper balance Shika is an incredibly bright and clean lager with a subtle mouthfeel and brilliant sessionability.
We were also lucky enough to grab some some rather special sharers, including the latest in their Beyond Modus series. The seventh edition takes their flagship brew (where toffee, dark chocolate and balsamic collide) and blends it with fresh sour cherry beer for a complex Bakewell tart. Meanwhile Squashed Grape sees local Somerset grapes utilised for acidic, funky, rosé-esque goodness. Finally, Ninsaki is a divine Belgian-style saison brewed with copious amounts of NZ hops, freshly harvested Somerset apple juice and wild yeast for dry, spicy fun. But, be sure to take a peek online or pop into your nearest location as there's heaps more to discover!
B R I C K ' S
N E V E R - E N D I N G
S O U R S U M M E R
We're pretty grateful to Brick for taking sours way past the Indian Summer mark with their year round output of tart zingers. And, last time we physically couldn't get enough of their delightful gose, the aptly named Orange Crush. Brewed with zesty orange juice, and Meyer lemon peel (a hybrid of the citrus fruit and mandarin), this matches sweet, tangy tangerine with subtle bergamot herbal spice. Brewed in collaboration with their good friends Laine Brew Co. Totally Tropical is a vibrant, yet balanced, sun-ready sour. Fermented with Kveik yeast, with added grapefruit zest and pineapple puree, the only punch this pulls is the cocktail kind.
P R E S S U R E D R O P
P R O V I D E
B R U N C H & D E S S E R T
A self-described Bauhaus beauty of a beer, we're delighted to see Pressure Drop's Simcoe and Amarillo sensation Lunar Park return. Soft, and full of stone fruit fun this is citrusy juiciness straight out the mimosa playbook. On the other end of the culinary spectrum, Choice Of Dessert is a simply B-A-N-A-N-A-S imperial stout. Silky smooth, creamy and indulgent this is loaded with banana (not the foam kind) and cacao nibs for a seriously decadent, dark, pudding-esque bev with absolutely no artificial flavourings in sight.
G R U N E R G O O D N E S S
F R O M
C H R I S T I N A N E T Z L
We're an absolute sucker for a Gruner at Clapton HQ, and we're delighted to have overturned an absolute gem from the red gravel soils of Carnutum, Austria. Made from whole bunches and left unfined and unfiltered after a long lees ageing, this is packed with zippy green apple, orange blossom and classic white pepper. It's practically impossible not to reach for a second glass, and if you've tried the cult favourite Arndorfer you'll know to snap up some of this juice ASAP.
M E G A
W E B T R E A T S
T H I S W E E K
As well as arriving in all the shops this week we've got a returning Kernel classic, plus a rare dark lager hitting the online store. We're always on the look out for the under-appreciated style and their Brick Red Rye never disappoints. Boasting inviting aromas of caramel, dark fruits and roasted malts, this is offset by zesty hop hints for insane drinkability. Meanwhile their Dunkel, carries all the hallmarks of the style with their classic finesse. Not to be missed.
Another week, another spectacular Verdant drop (fear not these will be in all shops next week!). Fan favourite Track & Field is back - a soft and peachy IPA that balances juicy stone fruit flavours with resinous pine and bright citrus notes. Saturated in hoppy joy, DIPA Allen, relative to Neal, is a massively fruity New England, with those trademark Cornish umami layers. A proper imperial stout, Seldom Often is the darkest beer they've ever made with nearly 40% speciality malts, for pastryless malty chocolate, coffee and dark berry nourishment.
To round the week off we've got some frankly outrageous new beers from the daring Vault City. Their Cheeky Vimto combines the sophistication of aged port with the audacity of alcopops through ludicrous fruiting levels for a cocktail-inspired beer that's so silly it might just be serious. A time honoured favourite fruit in their session sour series, hyper local Strawberry takes the reins for the juiciest character in a tiny package. Taking a more delicate approach, their Pear & Vanilla Sour rounds the trio off as fragrant fruit harmonise with their mixed culture.
As always there's inevitably more fun to be had in all six stores and online, so be sure to take a look - we hope you have a great weekend!