Balham Opening! Anspach's Oktoberfest Beers & El Rayo Tequila
H E L L O
C L A P T O N C R A F T
F A N S !
There's plenty of reasons to celebrate this time around, not only is the sun back, but our new shop opens in Balham on Saturday and there's stein-fulls of Oktoberfest fun abound! Crispy reasons to be cheerful include Anspach & Hobday's quartet of German-goodness, plus a top-up from the usual suspects of Augustiner, Tegernseer, Einsiedler and more. Closer to home there's new specials from London big guns Pressure Drop and Howling Hops, plus one of the GOAT Double IPAs is back from Verdant! Finally, Alphabet make their long overdue return, plus a Tequila that's making real waves. But first...
O U R B A L H A M
S H O P O P E N S
S A T U R D A Y ! ! !
The day is nearly upon us as we open the doors to our sixth shop in beautiful Balham tomorrow! We've already had an incredibly warm welcome and can't wait to hit the ground running in another bustling South London spot, seven days a week. Forest Hill manager David moves over to run the show in our new digs (with our Rob well-deservedly taking over duties in SE23), while we're delighted to report that well-loved former We Brought Beer man Chippie has joined the team. Be sure to pop in and say hello if you're in the area, we'll keep you updated on everything happening there including a future, tasty on-site drinking spot...
M A N C H E S T E R ' S
C U L T F A V O U R I T E S
R E T U R N
If we had a pound for every time someone asked about the Haribo-in-a-glass, Tropical IPA sensation Juice Springsteen, we may well be able to announce a new location on the moon next week. Thankfully one of our most requested breweries Alphabet, are back with a bang! As well as all your usual favourites like the aforementioned Juice, session stunner Charlie Don't Surf, and oaty banger A To The K, we also have a duo of super new specials. Making Pints For Nigel, is another winner in name and contents, an endlessly drinkable, utterly Mancunian Bitter, made with traditional ingredients for the modern palate. Inspired by their brewers love of San Francisco Sidewheeler is a light, refreshing Steam Lager, with a gentle bitterness and subtle pine notes that make sure to let you know it ain't just your average pils.
B R E W E R Y
O F T H E W E E K
A N S P A C H & H O B D A Y
Leading a new wave of craft beer in London since 2012, Anspach & Hobday have excelled in curating and balancing a blend of modern, classic and highly unusual flavours. Pouring quality into everything they do, and never succumbing to gimmicks or fads, we're delighted to help launch these four Bavarian bangers! Leading the charge is their flagship festbier, Festival Lager - a classic Marzen-style Festbier where sweet, bold malt flavours are balanced by a noble hop bitterness. With three months(!) in their horizontal lagering tanks this is an impeccably smooth, perfectly balanced celebratory lager.
The Rauchbier is a nod to the great smoky, dare we say it bacon-esque, beers of Bamberg. Dark, rich, yet crisp and well-rounded it's incredibly drinkable, despite it's appearances. With no puree in sight their fresh, salty and tart The Gose is a brilliant interpretation of the classic Leipzig sour beer in its purest form. Though we don't claim to be Leipzig beer scholars, we'd say this undeniably refreshing, zingy effort is pretty spot on. Finally, The Hefeweizen is a beautiful, creamy Wheat Beer with classic, inviting aromas of bananas, cloves and spice. Huell Melon hops here add additional fruitiness to compliment a long, clean finish.
To get you in the spirit we're offering double loyalty points in store across their latest beers. If you're yet to sign up for the club, ask in store, or shoot us an email and we can do the rest.
E L R A Y O
Y O U R N E W
F A V E T E Q U I L A
Founded by an unlikely duo from Peckham, El Rayo might just have discovered the natural heir to the G&T. Previously seen as either too esoteric or a hedonistic shortcut, they've paired Tequila with fresh tonic to match botanical notes in a celebration of modern Mexico. Translated as 'the lightning' they pay homage to traditional folklore, when a local campesino witnessed the moment a blue agave plant was struck and set alight - having followed the burning glow in the distance he discovered what we know as Tequila today.
Made by a single variety of agave grown for at least eight years, their Tequilas are both hand-harvested, and hand-planted. Twice distilled through copper stills for clean, natural flavours, their Plata packs a range of vibrant, fresh herbal notes which pair perfectly with the bittersweet taste of tonic water. While, their No.2 Reposado features a complex mix of vegetal and caramel notes, softened over 7 months in American white oak whisky barrels. We thoroughly recommend taking a chance on these, straight up, or served with a grapefruit garnish and fresh tonic for a subversive spin on a classic.
E V E N M O R E
H I G H L I G H T S
T H I S W E E K
There's hazy good stuff on the horizon this week, but first Pilton's Smokey Plum Two. The follow-up to a real favourite from last year sees Woucestershire plums spontaneously fermented on for a month, knocked down every day, the natural wine way. Next, this is blended with sweet keeved cider and aged in peat-smoked Islay whisky barrels for three months, in turn becoming a syrupy, fruity, flat-out bonkers hybrid that we recommend diving into, if you dare!
Up next, dank, sweaty OG IPA Bloom and murky session-ish pale MaryLou return alongside one of our all time favourite Double IPAs in the form of Verdant’s six-hop-behemoth Don't Tell Gus. Saturated in fruity goodness, with an utterly insane mouthfeel you might want to keep this one on the lowdown as there's never enough to go around! Meanwhile Howling Hops bring the noise with luscious Kveik IPA Panic Kit. Full of grapefruit, and ripe pineapple, this is fermented with everyone's favourite (and only recallable) Norwegian yeast for that clean, tropical finish.
Pressure Drop's latest DDH Pale Painted Ladies sees juicy Mosaic paired with zesty and fragrant Comet hops. Full-bodied and full of flavour, it's an all-dayer, full house pale. Another match made in heaven sees the Tottenham legends take a break from the juice-fest with a malty, smooth and silky breakfast stout. Big Milk is packed with coffee, vanilla and cacao nibs for a dreamy mouthfeel, at a surprisingly modest strength. Dare we say watch out Broken Dream?
As always there's even more to discover online, and in all five stores. Enjoy the weekend folks!