Queen Cookie, Baron, Beak, Northern Monk, Festive & Fresh Webshop Wonders!
H E L L O
C L A PT O N C R A F T
C R E W !
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Welcome back folks, for another less-than-ordinary week! That's right we've got one more sneaky, surprise collab release for the year and boy is it a banger.
Quietly slumbering away for a year in Bourbon casks, Queen Cookie marks the ultimate evolution of last year's hit King Cookie. A Barrel Aged Imperial Pastry Stout with Hackney heroes Howling Hops, in festive bomber format, to open on the big day - sounds pretty good to us...
With no chance of being usurped, we have a full Brewery Of The Week feature for Baron. Quickly rising to become one of the most in-demand UK breweries (and rightly so), this is a lovely little drop that we don't fancy will last too long.
Next up, there's mega deliveries from Beak and Northern Monk to round out the year in fine style. Think huge Double IPA's, indulgent Stouts, sinkable Pales, and everything in between.
Finally, we give a little love to the Webshop which has had a huge influx of Christmas crushers, as well as some rather exciting (and exclusive) fresh suds from the likes of Vault City, Pastore, Cloudwater, Siren and more. But first, on with our new royalty!
O U R
B I G G E S T E V E R
B E E R ? !
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Yes, we're interrupting our usual proceedings to give you the lowdown on Queen Cookie herself! Launching TONIGHT at the Wood St Depot, we can absolutely say this is the real dessert deal...
First brewed in late 2022 King Cookie was a mega collaboration between E5 Bakehouse, Howling Hops and ourselves. Based on the dough dons outrageous cookies our original brew was made with custom roasted cacao nibs, their house, luxurious vanilla extract, and a special zesty rye malt.
Hatching a plan to make something even more special for the year ahead we quietly siphoned off a small portion to be kept for a year in bourbon barrels.
Still vegan-friendly, the time spent in barrel has only amplified this hedonistic, indulgent brew into something even more exceptional. Boozy, bitter espresso, sweet cacao, caramel-biscuit fun, with a hint of spice is the name of the game without the cloyingness that often plagues these crazy beers. One smart cookie, if you will.
With just 300 bottles made we're delighted to have limited 750ml sharers of Queen Cookie available across the shops from TODAY, with each location receiving just one case of six, before a further (much larger) drop at the end of next week.
We can think of nothing better, or more special, to open up across the festive period, and E17 locals be sure to head to Wood St for our first pour THIS EVENING!
B R E W E R Y
O F T H E
W E E K
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Once a regular of our Finsbury Park store, we knew that the practically one-man band of Baron was going to be a smash hit on our first sip of Jack's beers, some two years ago. But, it's rare that we see a new brewery hit the ground running to such an extent.
A self-confessed "playground for beer, where no two batches are the same", each effort coming out of the farm in Great Hormead, East Hertfordshire has been lovingly crafted, challenging our conception of tried and tested.
Focussing on highly hopped Pales and moreish dark beers his 1000L brewhouse allows for nimbleness, and easy evolution, while never being beholden to managing expectations. But, crucially with his own small (but state-of-the-art) canning machine, their consistency has been dialled in from the get-go, a true rarity in the scene.
Now lauded as one of the best about, and going toe-to-toe with far more established breweries, we're delighted to have six frothy new favourites this week.
Opening proceedings Table Beer Moon Watch is an all-day glugger hopped with two Antipodean big hitters in NZ Eclipse and Australian Riwaka, brewed to a remarkably full body.
Supplying the moreish, caramel malt-forward goodness Narwhal Enigma made with our compatriots Ghost Whale is a zesty Red IPA with big grapefruit and crimson-tea notes coming through. While Headstrong is a deliciously simple Porter with layered choco-biscuit goodness.
Taking things up a notch West Coast IPA, Does Your Dog Bite? delivers plenty of piney, bitter, dank hop fun with a clean, toffee malt backbone. As for straight juice, Sweet Nothings is a Nectaron and Mosaic haze bomb. They call it "unadulterated yellow hoppy goo", and we'd be hard-pressed to disagree.
Finally, DIPA Snake is from their new Tank 5 project. An opportunity to push the bounds of what makes commercial sense, this 400L pilot kit is the ideal testing ground for a single-hop Citra effort. Dosed at 42g/l this is as bonkers as it is brilliant.
With double loyalty points in-store or 10% off 6 or more Online you'd be a fool to not get to know these cult favourites. Fingers crossed we have plenty more coming our way in the New Year for a late Christmas present as these small-batch sensations aren't likely to hang around!
E V E N M O R E
B L E S S I N G S F R O M
T H E M O N K S
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Despite the number of deliveries mounting up we're still more than happy to make room for a triple threat from Northern Monk. Teaming up with our good friends Pastore, Cherry Sour The Magician is a welcome smoothie-tart entry amongst the season of the Stout. Here, fleshy stone fruit flavour is accentuated by the magic, deep red colour and delicate aromatics of hibiscus.
Wrath conjures images of anger, fire, and even evil, so naturally this devilish Stout is infused with warming chilli. Here, spice, fruit, and cacao coalesce for an intriguing and equally drinkable winter number!
True to form Northern Monk sign off 2023 with a big DIPA, titled The Prodigal Son. Named their “juiciest of the year” according to a tasting panel, this was made with Florida’s 3 Sons Brewing when they came over for their Dark & Wild festival.
Here, HBC638 hops lend a blend of pineapple and guava with hints of strawberry, while El Dorado brings intense tangerine, with overripe tropical notes from Idaho 7. It's a strong case for the treat yo' self mentality for these three!
W E T
Y O U R
B E A K
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Flying out each and every time they grace the fridges, we're delighted to have a bumper drop to satiate your South Coast suds needs from Beak once more.
And, of course, all their core range crushers are present and correct! Frothy herbal Czech Pils Dest is back in fine fettle, as well as their trademark IPA Parade, which is brimming with mango bubblegum and tangerine vibes. Relative newcomer Hum fits the Beak mould beautifully too, with lashings of Idaho 7, Motueka and Cashmere hops paired alongside a voluptuous body to support super ripe tropical fruit flavours.
As to those newbies, there's no better place to start than fresh IPA Columns. Here, think sticky tangerine, strawberry candy floss, and tutti frutti character in a New England package. Another freshie of sorts, we have Nonic, their highest-ever rated DIPA returning for the first time. A pillowy soft Southern Hemisphere affair this is dripping in apricot, peach, and limoncello luxury. Does it live up to its billing? For sure.
Last, but by no means least, Imperial Stout Beacons, is a beer of epic proportions. Brewed with dried fruit, spices, Muscovado sugar and a multitude of speciality malts, this is liquid, fruity chocolate Christmas pudding. Built for fireside supping and foggy evenings, we wouldn't mind cosying up to this sooner rather than later...
D I D A N Y O N E
S A Y M E G A
W E B D R O P ?
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The festive fun is well and truly here this week via the magic of the Webby, as we welcome a raft of seasonal specials! Featuring Delirium, Cloudwater, Siren, Northern Monk, Sierra Nevada and more, with a few local legends still to come there's plenty of variety, to say the least.
Though, we'd recommend securing those stocking or fridge fillers sharpish, as we've not got huge quantities available as to not inflict those January blues. Fret not though, as there will be plenty available in-store until the big day!
It's not all Christmas crackers though, as we have masses of Untappd-approved goodness landing simultaneously. Think Vault City's Skittles-inspired Sour Tasty series, and more tart fun from Pastore of the Session, Pastry, and Cocktail persuasion (Negroni Sour anyone?).
Meanwhile, Cloudwater's V15 DIPA, Siren's Caribbean Chocolate Cake series, or the Dark & Perilous Nights that we debuted are all top-tier offerings you need in your lives.
Rest assured, there's also still plenty of new Verdant, Pressure Drop, Track, and DEYA, with more on the way. But, if there's anything you like the look of we recommend pulling the trigger as we'll be flying through beers now more than ever.
Thanks so much for joining us & enjoy the start of the festive fun! - Team CC