Brick Bangers, Marche Vino Magic & Brewing With Braybrooke!
H E L L O
C L A PT O N C R A F T
C R E W !
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Well then, we're delighted to be in your inbox once again to round up another bountiful week of Summer-ready suds. Up top, our pals, and the South superstars Brick steal the limelight with their exceptional seasonal Sours and core range crackers. Then, for the successive week, we turn our attention to a brand-spanking new Italian arrival, imported by our very own hands, in Tenuta Mattei from Marche. Following on, we have a sneaky preview of our latest collaboration with Braybrooke, a crispy-clean tropical delight of an NZ Cold IPA.
You bet we've also got a litany of fresh treats available for delivery straight from the cold store to your door. Think top-tier names including Buxton x Omnipollo (The Beer), Cantillon, Gravity Well, DEYA, Vault City, and Siren - don't say we don't treat you!
As to our mega Managers, they cover everyone from the likes of Pillars (tasting tonight in Finsbury Park!) plus Abyss, Vault City, Cloudwater, and more. Now, on with the show...
B R E W E R Y
O F T H E
W E E K
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Born into the world back in 2013 Brick have truly built their brilliant reputation from the ground up, so much so that not a delivery goes by without us cracking something open from the team. Blending an inimitable core range with some stunning Sours in particular, they've not only become masters of seasonality but also format and finesse.
As such it was, well, a dream to work with them last year on that tricky second record, Daiquiri Dreaming 2. And, it's fair to say they absolutely smashed it, but we don't need the excuse of a collab to inject some liquid sunshine in your lives, so we've got a big haul from the now Deptford-based dons in-store for you this week...
There's no better way to fill your fridge than with Brick's superb mainstays, and their Peckham Pils is a certified classic at that. Bright, crisp and refreshing it truly goes toe-to-toe with their equally impressive Gluten Free Peckham Helles, which pours a brilliant crystal clear gold, with soft, spicy, herbal aromas at the forefront.
Vibrant, citrusy Peckham Pale is also present and correct alongside their Peckham Session IPA. This East Coast-leaning effort packs a tropical punch with a high residual sweetness forming a mouth-coating slice of magic. Seriously, if you put this in a tall boy can and slapped one of the big hop-forward brewery's names on it, you wouldn't bat an eyelid, exceptional value!
Of course, we also have some juicy Sours primed and ready for you. Their tangy South American-inspired Lime Salt & Passion Fruit Sour puts tart, saturated fruit flavour front and centre. Meanwhile, their Peach & Apricot Sour is altogether a little more sessionable, clocking in at 3.5%, though with a similar intensity of fleshy stone fruit fun. Finally, their zippy Mango & Vanilla Sour is all ripe and ready with a creamy, lassi-like luxury to boot.
To celebrate their top form, you can grab 10% off any six or more online, with double loyalty points in-store. We don't call them certified staff favourites without good reason...
M A R C H E
V I N O
M A G I C
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That's right we're back with another top Italian tip, as we venture to a somewhat under-appreciated region, in magnificent Marche. Spanning a rough triangle in the very heart of Italy, its longer sides are formed by the Apennine Mountains in the west and the Adriatic Sea in the east. Here, the area's undulating hills lay home to thousands of years of winemaking heritage.
Known mostly for aromatic, citrusy white grapes like the exquisite (and budget-friendly) Verdicchio and Passerina as well as the ripe, juicy reds of Montepulciano and the up-and-coming Lacrima it's here our interest was peaked by Tenuta Mattei.
An idyllic estate set amongst the Esino hills, Danilo Mattei, the heir to a historic family of winemakers, reinvigorated the project back in the 1980s, with Organic certification now in place for over 30 years. Passing on this knowledge to his daughters, Veronica and Beatrice, this is a family operation through and through, with forward-thinking and historical production in tandem.
Consequently, we're delighted to present a trio of treats from these new favourites, all landing comfortably under the £20 mark. A noticeable upgrade from the Ciu Ciu's of the world, these have already been flying off the shelves, and for good reason...
Passerina Marche Bianco - Ancient variety prized for producing wines of intense minerality. This has a lovely floral bouquet of lilies & acacia followed by zesty grapefruit acidity.
Verdicchio Dei Castelli Di Jesi - Crisp & textured this has hallmark aromas of preserved lemon, green apple & almond with a touch of baking spice on the linear, lightly saline palate.
Lacrima Di Morro D'Alba - A vivid, intensely aromatic Red wine with a floral nose of roses & violets presented alongside wild cherries, crushed raspberries & sappy pine.
C L A P T O N
C R A F T
C O L D I P A
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Having not made a homecoming to Braybrooke in nearly two years for a rebrew of Clapton Helles, we thought why does it only have to be the one beer we get from these Lager legends? Hatching a plan to find the ying to our Helles yang, we reached out to the Market Harborough massive who were kind enough to invite us on a school trip for another collaboration!
Catching an early train to the idyllic Leicestershire countryside (who knew there was a 7am?) we were given a tour of where the malt magic happens. With the brewery set on a working farm, this wasn't your average railway arch, and we couldn't help but marvel at their amazing set-up, which might soon include a taproom under an hour's travel from London.
A true Willy Wonka experience, not only did we have free reign to marvel at their ingredients and authentic German kit, but to try their beer directly from the tanks. It's safe to say this was a truly eye-opening experience, making it plain to see the difference between a more commercial turnaround of a 2-week Lagered offering, or one that gets the true Braybrooke rest of at least 5 weeks. With an epic BBQ set-up for once we had finished our taxing duties, we can't thank the team enough for making us feel so at home.
As to the beer you ask, well we've made that vogue style that everyone sort of knows, a Cold IPA with a Clapton Craft twist. A hybrid variety, ours is fermented low and slow with Lager yeast, and made with top quality 100% Bamberg Pilsner Malt. Opting for the NZ hop treatment this has been dosed generously with A-listers Citra Cryo, Riwaka and Nectaron for unadulterated green glory. Then, this is given a subsequent 5-week slumber in their signature horizontal tanks, allowing more surface contact with the yeast to condition this to absolute perfection.
With the hoppy composition, we're expecting wave after wave of tropical Antipodean flavour, with juicy passion fruit, overripe pineapple, and a hit of dank, savoury, smoked citrus goodness. But, compared to your chewy NEIPAs of the world this will finish nice and dry, for a clean crisp, refreshing character that begs for more than one bottle.
Be sure to keep an eye on our socials or at this very spot for an update soon but this beauty is set to land in joyous July. The beer of the summer, you'd be a fool to bet against it...
M A N A G E R
P I C K S
T H I S W E E K
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ORLANDO - FINSBURY PARK
🍺 PILLARS 🍺
Pilsner - Gluggable & Gluten Free, an eternal, crispy crowd pleaser.
NZ Pils - Light & refreshing w/ honey undertones & tropical hoppy waves.
Small Batch Icebock w/ ELLC - Rich BA freeze-concentrated Lager. A treat!
🗣 TASTING TODAY 5.30-7.30 🗣
ILARIA - KENTISH TOWN
🌿 PENTIRE 🌿
Coastal Spritz - Blood orange, oak & rosemary Alcohol-Free aperitif.
Seaward - Verdant, zesty AF Botanical Spirit, made from native Cornish plants.
Adrift - Herbaceous, gluggable blend of fresh sage, citrus & rock samphire.
SAM - WOOD ST
🍸 WHITEBOX COCKTAILS 🍸
Mezcal Margarita w/ us! - Smoked lime sunshine in portable tin format.
Classic Cosmo - Party perfect mix of Vodka, cranberry, lime & Triple Sec.
Pocket Negroni - Zesty blend of Porter's Gin, Campari & Vermouth.
MEL - WALTHAMSTOW
🌦 CLOUDWATER 🌦
Chubbles Chubbles w/ The Veil - Double thick, decadent DIPA.
Chubbles³ Enhanced w/ The Veil - Frankly insane TDH TIPA. Hop custard!
Chubbles 53°N w/ The Veil - Light-er dank DDH IPA joins the crew.
JOEL - CLAPTON
🥂 RAIMONES 🥂
Engrescada Red - Vivid, natural Catalan w/ herby cassis & blackberry notes.
Engrescada Pet Nat - Fresh & saline w/ quince & white pepper aromas.
Engrescada Orange - Fragrant & floral w/ citrus blossom & spicy peach.
LARA - FOREST HILL
🕳 ABYSS 🕳
Tropical Thunder - Piney pina colada meets punchy mango juice-esque IPA.
Force Majeure - DIPA w/ a tectonic hit of tangerine, kiwi & herbal spices. Lush!
Dirty Joe - Smooth, creamy White Stout w/ a lick of malty hazelnut praline.
TOM - BALHAM
🍹 VAULT CITY 🍹
Toasted Coconut Lemon Drizzle Doughnut Sour - Heaven help us.
Honeyberry Sour - Fresh, juicy hybrid of jammy mixed berry flavour.
Peach Iced Tea Table Sour - Dry & superbly balanced in smashable 250ml!
GUY - ST JOHN'S HILL
💦 PRESSURE DROP 💦
Posey w/ Beak - Dream team NEIPA bursting w/ fuzzy peach & fleshy mango.
Fast Fruits - Spritzy Berliner w/ lashings of fragrant raspberry & pineapple.
Film School - Star NEIPA packed w/ prickly papaya & vinous grape notes.
F R E S H
W E B
W O N D E R S
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🥜 BUXTON x OMNIPOLLO 🥜
The Beer - Initially named Yellow Belly, this indulgent peanut butter biscuit-flavoured Imperial Stout is a slice of progressive, anti-racist Pastry perfection.
🇧🇪 CANTILLON 🇧🇪
Gueuze - The quintessential straight Lambic, full of tangy farmhouse funk.
St Lamvinus - Intense Merlot-infused Lambic. Vinous, brambly complexity!
🛰 GRAVITY WELL 🛰
Exotic Matter w/ Pressure Drop - Two juice giants combine, name a better duo.
Silicon Lifeforms - Sweet, zippy pineapple-leaning Hazy Pale Ale.
🐊 DEYA 🐊
Italian Pils - Quenching Lager, uber clean & frizzing w/ noble hop aromas.
You Got It - Syrupy NEIPA delivering ripe mango, zesty lime & juicy grape notes.
Steady Rolling Man - Arguably the finest modern UK Pale Ale. Nuff' said!
🍹 VAULT CITY 🍹
Blackberry Buckie Sesh Sour - Just how did they do this? Wreck the hoose juice.
🚨 SIREN 🚨
Doing Science w/ Track - Fluffy Hazy IPA utilising experimental Strata hops.
Mixed Blessings - BA Imperial Stout w/ a deft tropical coconut & lime twist.
Instant Crush - Gorgeous, vibrant pink guava & mango Pale Ale.
We hope you spotted something you fancy for the weekend! - Take care, Team CC