Crossing Lands, Back On Track, Pioneering Jura Wine & US Web Drop!
H E L L O
C L A P T O N C R A F T
F A N S !
It's great to be back in your inboxes once more after a pretty frantic week all in the name of good booze! First up, we FINALLY see the long-awaited release of Crossing, our DDH Pale Ale collaboration with Brewery Of The Week, Drop Project. This thick, juicy, and totally tropical New England is truly an unmissable, dank delight. If that's not enough for you we also have a litany of treats courtesy of the top-tier Track. That's not forgetting another natural wine exclusive, this time from Les Clos De Grives. Importing wine from the Jura is a true bucket list achievement for us so be sure to find out about the elusive region and our exciting offerings.
Meanwhile, over on the Webshop, we've also kicked things up a notch with a pretty outstanding drop from US hype merchants Grimm and Equilibrium. Across the shops, we turn our attention to the likes of Mondo, Orbit, Polly's, and more. But, enough build-up, on to those hoppy headliners!
B R E W E R Y
O F T H E
W E E K
Tucked away in leafy Mitcham of all places, we've been championing hop gods and now internet darlings Drop Project since about day dot. Though, it's obviously been through their own sheer skill and ridiculously strong work ethic they've risen to prominence in the UK scene so rapidly. With an array of brewing talent, most noticeably in Gipsy Hill alumni, there's fine pedigree indeed, and having collaborated with them last year on Straight Up Strata, one of our fastest selling efforts to date, we hatched a plan for a succulent sequel.
Settling on a 5.0% DDH Pale Ale, we aimed to strike a balance between thick, dank decadence and a true Summer slurper designed for all day (and all night) drinking. With a foundation of Pale malt, oats, and wheat this was then fermented with their secret house New England yeast strain lending a slick, luscious mouthfeel without ever verging on cloyingness.
As to the hops we just couldn't leave out favourite Strata, this time pairing it with another fresh US varietal, the much-lauded Idaho-7 on both the hotside and the abundant dry hop. Here, the former brings herbaceous passion fruit with a touch of fleshy mango, while the latter boasts deeper peachy-pine with a hint of bubblegum brilliance. The result is a beer saturated in green goodness, with a healthy tropical lick, bringing complexity and crushability in harmony. Think a double-dank Shifty, or souped up Steady Rolling Man for the uninitiated…
Having performed some quite frankly essential quality control we have to say it lives up to our expectations, and then some. And, based on our launch night at Balham it's fair to say you all might think the same! A massive thank you to the team at Drop Project for their hospitality, and for knocking it out of the park, yet again. We urge you to get some tins sorted ASAP, it's not likely to stick around too long...
Of course, that's not everything we have from the Mitcham massive, expect a superb selection across the grounds including the zingy, clean, and true-to-name Crispy a West Coast Pilsner, and the inimitable Shifty. There's also throwback Pale Flow that leans towards vibrant, bitter grapefruit and floral mango with a light finish. Add to that favourites Crush, Railed and the Untappd breaking Shifty Shifty and there's plenty to choose from featuring double loyalty points, with 10% off six or more beers online. Get stuck in!
M A N C H E S T E R
M A E S T R O S
R E T U R N
We'll keep it short and sweet on these tantalising Track treats! Safe to say some uber fresh Pale Ales, a Verdant collab IPA, a ridiculous DIPA along with a highly limited wild ale is just what the juice doctor ordered. Check the full line-up below:
Sonoma - Desert Island SIPA! Dangerously drinkable w/ a perfect pithy bitterness.
From Above - Vibrant GF Pale delivering soft lemon & white grape goodness.
In This Case w/ Verdant - Intense NZ IPA w/ notes of sticky pineapple & papaya.
Double Denim - Nelson & Idaho-7 DIPA w/ hoppy mango & lemon meringue fun.
Momoko - Delicate & utterly bewitching Peach & Apricot Barrel Aged Wild Ale.
C O O L
C L I M A T E
C R A C K E R S
Stretched over just 50 miles between Burgundy and Switzerland, the cool climate of Jura is the smallest winemaking region in France. Hallowed turf for the grape heads, especially for the famous Vin Jaune, the wines are distinctive, unusual even, yet elegant, pure, and wonderfully concentrated. Often made from the local Savagnin grape, Chardonnay or sometimes Poulsard and Trousseau, these are wines of high acidity, tempered by a dry freshness and subtle oxidised notes (one for you sherry fans) - ideal then as an aperitif or accompanying a cheese platter.
As a result, we were overjoyed to be able to get to know and work with Les Clos De Grives, another maker we met late last year at Millesembio (the world's largest Organic Wine fair) who were kind enough to let us get a hold of their elusive offerings. The first domain in the Jura to be certified for Organic Agriculture in 1968, the vines are grown on the slopes near the salt springs of the idyllic Lons-le-Saunier. We're truly thrilled to have their Muscienne, Draine, Trousseau, and even Pinot Noir, all of which you can learn more about at the link below. Who says we don't treat you, or ourselves, for that matter?!
N E W Y O R K ' S
F I N E S T
L I V E & D I R E C T
It's been a fair old spell since we had anything drop from the other side of the Atlantic, so why half-ass it? As such we have pretty minuscule quantities from NYC legends Grimm and Equilibrium dropping online. For the notorious EQ it's all green glory with three glorious DIPA's including collabs with the highly rated Blackstacks and Unseen Creatures, while fan favourite MC² makes an appearance. Meanwhile expect a zingy Guava Sour, a ripe IPA, and yes, another DIPA from the Grimm clan. These are some of the finest in the States right now, so we'll try and not talk them up too much, as there's sadly not enough to go around!
M A N A G E R
P I C K S
T H I S W E E K
LARA - FOREST HILL
🍶 SAKE 🍶
Dewazakura Oka - Soft Ginjo w/ precise & clean floral cherry flavour.
Dewazakura Dewasansan - Fruity, gently acidic Sake ideal for wine lovers.
Akitabare Shunsetsu - Light, dry Sake w/ pineapple & white pepper aromas.
🗣 FREE TASTING TODAY 7PM 🗣
CHIPPY - ST JOHN'S HILL
🌵 PENSADOR 🌵
Espadin - Small batch Mezcal w/ an earthy, herbal nose followed by oaky smoke, ideal for a cracking cocktail.
Especial Tepextate - Umami bomb w/ green pepper, fresh coriander, Jalapeno & seaweed notes. Fresh & utterly clean!
SAM - WOOD STREET
🇳🇴 AMUNDSEN 🇳🇴
Release The Cranachan - Juicy, tart & creamy Pastry Sour w/ Vault City!
Instant Swagger - Fluffy, hazy IPA w/ Full Circle Brewing Co.
Helles Good Lager - Crisp, clean & simply wonderful Premium Lager.
MEL - WALTHAMSTOW
🏅 THE KERNEL 🏅
Bière de Saison Damson - Tart, funky goodness w/ a nutty complexity.
IPA - Stone cold classic IPA made w/ rotating, seasonal hops.
Pale - Superbly balanced hoppy Pale, quenching & punchy in equal measure.
ILARIA - KENTISH TOWN
💫 ORBIT 💫
Nico - Precise, authentic & suitable crispy Koln style Lager.
Tzatziki Sour - Minty, yoghurty madness. A zingy sunny classic!
Peel - Hoppy Belgian Pale w/ banana, clove & spicy black pepper notes.
FIONN - FINSBURY PARK
🍾 TIM WILDMAN 🍾
Astro Bunny - Super sluggable Pet Nat Rosé w/ creamy fresh peach, citrus sorbet & spritzy bellini vibes.
Piggy Pop - Lighter than previous years, this Rosé is a little more grown-up w/ blood-orange & bitter Negroni accents.
OPHIE - CLAPTON
🤖 MONDO 🤖
Machina - Malty, heady lager w/ an incredibly clean profile.
Ronnie - Grapefruit WCIPA w/ crisp bitterness & zesty citrus aromas.
Man After Midkviek - Hazy, light, smooth & tropical Pale Ale.
ARTHUR - BALHAM
🦜 POLLY'S 🦜
Oh My - Luscious Pina Colada Pale. Big, bold & suitably juicy!
Neither Odd Or Even - Citra Columbus IPA w/ huge tangerine & stone fruit fun.
DDH Rosa - Frankly insane Triple IPA, a showstopping, dank affair.
We hope to see you this weekend for a taste of Crossing, cheers! - Team CC