Fresh Cornish Crushers, Brick Sour Preview & A Vibrant Forest Comeback!

H E L L O
C L A P T O N C R A F T
F A N S !

Yes, we're back and we mean boozy business this week! Leading the pack there's a fresh quintet of juicy joy from Verdant, plus some returning greats courtesy of cult favourites Vibrant Forest including our seasonal special, Misty Woods. However, that's not everything on the collab front, as we drop the first details on our Mango Daiquiri Summer smasher with Sour sorcerers Brick. Add to that some choice cuts from around the shops including Boxcar, One Mile End, and Drop Project as well as the likes of Azvex, Northern Monk, Gipsy Hill, and Hammerton landing on the Webshop, and boy oh boy do we have some treats in store for you...


B R E W E R Y
O F T H E
W E E K

We simply never get tired of showering praise on the mighty Verdant, having collaborated on Dream Within A Dream and awarded them our Brewery Of The Year for 2021. So following a momentary absence from some of the shops we're bringing them back in full force, and in turn giving them the full headliner status. With our last few drops focussing on their mastery across the style spectrum, we've instead doubled down on some good old-fashioned Pale Ale perfection, including a wealth of session stunners. And, quite frankly who does it better?!

Up top, we're delighted to see their original bright idea, Lightbulb grace these shores once again. This crisp, clean, and ultra crushable XPA is a cornerstone of the style, and for good reason. Soft, sluggable Pale People, Money, Space, Time also returns in fine form. Saturated in lush flavour, combining citric sharpness and pure hop power at just 3.8% - we just don't know how they do it. Meanwhile, relative newcomer 10 Watt Moon offers up more dank depths with powerhouse hop Strata lending piney passion fruit at another sinkable stature of 4.5%.

Adding to the ranks, and stepping things up a notch, we have OG murk in Even Sharks Need Water, a Citra and Galaxy heavyweight with huge apricot esters, a pillowy malt base, and mega umami-esque top notes. Completing the set, this time with Citra riding solo, we have IPA banger I Played Trumpet On That Tune. We remember this beauty in those heady 330ml days, but for once our nostalgia has been matched and exceeded. Showcasing the full range of a single hop, this hits you immediately with wave after wave of fresh mango, succulent apricot, and juicy citrus fruits, all balanced by a silky body. Sometimes they do make 'em just like they used to...

As if you needed any excuse to dive into the hazy waters of Verdant once more, we're offering 10% off 6 or more online, with an enticing double loyalty points in-store. Get filling that fridge, you will most certainly not regret it!


B R I C K
D A I Q U I R I S O U R
S N E A K P E E K

That's right, we're ticking off another entry from our brewing bucket list, having visited our good pals down Deptford way in Brick Brewery. Our fourth(!) collab of the year already, we set out to brew the unequivocal beer of the Summer. A proper holiday in a tin this quenching 330ml park partner is designed to test those taste buds and transport you to more tropical times. Inspired by the delectable daiquiri this features mango, passion fruit, citrusy Thai basil, and just a touch of lactose, balancing creamy cocktail luxury with a fresh fruit punchbowl of flavour.

We'll leave the rest to your imagination, as it'll be the beginning of June before you can try this tantalising tart, but it's fair to say we're in the safest of hands. Michael, Tom, and the rest of the team were all absolute legends, with an attitude and openness to beer that was second to none. And, having been given the full tour, back to front and inside out, we believe there's no one better placed in the game to deliver this banger.

Finishing off our trip by trying some tank fresh Watermelon & Lime Gose, while performing some quality control on their core range classics on the banks of the River Thames we did think to ourselves this job isn't half bad! Stay tuned to our Instagram and Twitter channels, this one is right around the corner...


F R E S H
N E W F O R E S T
F A V O U R I T E S

First brewed in November 2019, our collaboration with Vibrant Forest, Misty Woods helped cement our friendship with these underrated stars of the scene. Now, a long-standing seasonal rebrew, this East-meets-West Coast or Mountain IPA combines our favourite aspects of both styles. Uniting juicy, pithy stone fruit flavour with fiery pine undertones, we've never been known to turn away a can. Of course, we also have their inimitable Pale Ale Pupa, which sees light citrus and ripe tropical fruits coalesce for a smooth, dangerously drinkable effort.

Session IPA Summerlands rounds off this set of hoppy heaven. A 3.5% hop juggernaut this marries luscious grapefruit with prickly pine, and an accompanying rounded bitterness for maximum gluggability. Providing some Pils precision, and a bit of welcome balance Faithful Steed is a lean, crisp and refreshing Lager, with a delicate floral-citrus bite. Finally, I Appear Missing is a much-needed Sour addition. Here, the rare fruit sea buckthorn (think tart orange with a hint of pineapple) is blended with mango for a thick, super puckering, bonkers affair! A little something for everyone then, from a team that can do it all...


M A N A G E R
P I C K S
T H I S W E E K

LARA - FOREST HILL
🏎 BOXCAR 🏎

Raspbluerry - Jammy, tart, Sour Ale packed full of fruit flavour.
Amethyst - All Enigma IPA bursting w/ juicy, pure purple goodness.
Triple Dark Mild - The nostalgic style taken to the pinnacle. Pure mild magic.

CHIPPY - ST JOHN'S HILL
🛹 DROP PROJECT 🛹

Tide - Micro IPA jam-packed w/ dank tropical fruits & hoppy berry notes.
Light Nights w/ Big Smoke - NEIPA w/ lashings of pineapple-mango flavour.
Crush - Session NE Pale w/ oily orange & silky melon fun aplenty.

ILARIA - KENTISH TOWN
🍻 LOST & GROUNDED 🍻

Keller Pils - Top-tier UK Lager! Bright & wonderfully balanced.
Saison D'Avon - Soft, citrusy & delicious rendition of a Saison.
Wanna Go To The Sun - Peachy, piney & ever so slightly dank Pale.

FIONN - FINSBURY PARK
🃏 WILD CARD 🃏

Table Beer - Super sessionable & fresh made w/ Enigma & Vic Secret hops.
Passionfruit Gose - Zesty, saline Sour, featuring oodles of fluffy wheat malt.
Aries - All-Citra Pale w/ notes of freshly squeezed lime, mango & grapefruit.

SAM - WOOD STREET
😮‍💨 EXALE 😮‍💨

Skoosh (Exale Pale) - Their biggest selling beer in a shiny new package. Full & juicy w/ a medley of citrus fruit flavour.
Oona - With less cloyingness than your average NEIPA, this is a punchy, yet pillowy soft tropical triumph!

MEL - WALTHAMSTOW
🇸🇪 BREKERIET 🇸🇪

Lusse Lelle - Fruity & refreshing Sour Wild Ale made w/ saffron.
Low and Slow - Brisk, sessionable & tart Wild Ale. Uber fresh!
Purple Rain - Funky Berliner w/ blackcurrants, passion fruit & brett.

OPHIE - CLAPTON
🥇 ONE MILE END 🥇

Alphonso - Fleshy Mango madness meets juicy NE Pale joy.
Morello Cherry Gose - Zippy Session Sour conditioned on vibrant red fruit.
Juicy 4pm - Beautifully hazy, sinkable DDH Pale Ale. Post-work perfection.

ARTHUR - BALHAM
🏰 BRASS CASTLE 🏰

West Coast Session IPA - A GF Cask favourite converted into a true pocket hop rocket w/ a bracing citrus bite.
Sunshine - Sunshine in a glass IPA, delivering plenty of piney, dank goodness atop a strong malt backbone.


W E B S H O P
W O N D E R S
T H I S W E E K

💎 AZVEX 💎
Lab Grown Diamonds - Effortlessly slurpable DIPA from the rising stars.
Irregular Crop Circles - Decadent, luxurious coffee & cacao Imperial Stout.
Lorenz Attractor - Ingenious smoothie style pastry sour feat. mango & coconut.
Underground Oceans - Savoury NEIPA packed w/ Citra, Loral & Galaxy.
Volcanic Lightning - Tangy, tangerine dream IPA w/ green, dank undertones.

🙏 NORTHERN MONK 🙏
Hop City - All-star collab cracker NEIPA celebrating the festival.
31.05 Smug The Ascension - Beak & Verdant collab DIPA. Dreamy!
Death - Deep, dark & utterly indulgent flagship Imperial Stout brewed once a year.
Glory - Anniversary TIPA elevating the humble hop to glorious new heights.

🍫 HAMMERTON 🍫
Van Food - Rich chocolate biscuit Stout from the pastry masters. Enough said!
The Shy - Thick, oily chocolate & coconut Stout w/ Attic Brew Co.
Made In The Dark 2 - Bourbon BA Impy, the apex of their Stout program!

GIPSY HILL
Mesa - 70 day conditioned Maibock Lager, a triumph of malt magic.
Reverberator - Light, spritzy, delectable Watermelon & Lychee Gose.
Moneybags - Their most highly regarded beer, back again, pure DIPA decadence!


We hope you enjoyed this week's rundown & be sure to join us again next time around!


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Published on by Ben Butler.