Newbarns Frosty Faves, Epic Verdant Drop & TTO, Garnacha Triple Threat!
H E L L O
C L A PT O N C R A F T
C R E W !
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We hope you're enduring or even relishing this heatwave! Who knows how we've gone from 0-Summer in 60 seconds, but its safe to say there's enough new bevs to fill the fridge and keep you refreshed in the booziest of senses...
First off, the suds supergroup themselves, Newbarns, make a comeback with some crispy crackers, and beautifully balanced Pales in full supply. Next, it's the juice giants Verdant delivering slapping core range-r Sundialer, a brand new IPA, an epic DIPA There Was No Why (first brewed with Other Half), and plenty more past faves. They'll also be joining us next Friday for a TTO and in-store session down the Wood St Depot so watch this space!
They say good things come in threes, and that's true for this week's Newsie, but also for Garnacha greats. We're delighted to add two new house vinos to our offering with a Garnacha Blanca, and Garnacha Rosado dropping, primed for the park, or for cooling off in your kitchen.
A quick note to say we've also got our year-round array of gifts, spirits, glassware, merch and more for Father's Day this Sunday, if you're celebrating. We'll be open all the usual hours, plus be sure to try a dram of our East London Liquor Company Single Cask Whisky on Saturday, with Free Tastings in Forest Hill and Clapton (4-6pm), as well as Walthamstow (5-7pm).
B R E W E R Y
O F T H E
W E E K
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The Leith purists and people's champions are back and boy do they mean business! Featuring ex-members from Siren, The Kernel, and Beavertown, Newbarns have real brewing pedigree to say the least, though they've quickly carved their own path with a focus on continental and crispy classics. And, with plenty in common with those understated Bermondsey forerunners and an aesthetic inspired by vintage Scottish brands from the 80s, bar mats, and German Lager heroes, quite frankly we were always going to be massive fans...
Championing underrated styles, while delivering big on some mainstays, we're incredibly lucky to have them in the scene, bucking trends wherever possible, and disrupting the ever-turning hype release wheel. These really are beers for the heads out there, and we count ourselves lucky to have eight(!) super suppable entries to shout about, led by their ever-impeccable core range.
Up top, their super clean Pils is a true staff favourite in these parts and is certainly not to be missed with bracing crisp floral notes. In support we have their zingy Table Beer which delivers bountiful flavour at just 3%. Paying respect to Scottish brewing tradition this contains Golden Promise malt and a significant proportion of oats for a full, rounded, feat of flavour-to-volume brewing! Completing their go-to range we have the comforting, moreish Stout Beer and their zippy, citrus-flecked Pale Ale, this time hopped with Citra, Cashmere and El Dorado.
Of course, there's plenty of frothy freshies too, with the latest in their Heritage Malt series, a Scotch Common Helles Lager. On a similar tip, their easy-drinking Rustic Lager with Pellicle Magazine, is a collaboration of their own making with brewer Johnny Hamilton also a co-founder of the pioneering journal which celebrates it's 4th birthday.
Meanwhile, Eat Yer Bread, is a continental Pale that seems them work with Texas pals Yokefellow for a fizzing, herbal, fresh treat. Finally, Prins (meaning prince in Norwegian) is a homage to their very own teammate Fredrik. This clean, crisp and refreshing IPA is made with an abundance of Nelson Sauvin and Strata hops for light notes of gooseberry and tropical fruits.
As usual, there are double loyalty points across our Brewery Of The Week with 10% off 6 or more online to help you get reacquainted with these cult stars. Dig in!
F R E S H
C O R N I S H
C R U S H E R S
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We're ticking just about every juicy box this week with Verdant, with your five-a-day covered, and then some. Feeling something balanced and crushable, and at sub 5.0% you've got their original bright idea, the XPA Lightbulb. Fancy getting to grips again with their newest core range addition? You have Sundialer, a moreish Pale with zingy lime, dank grapefruit, and bitter citrus peel to boot.
If you're after that umami goodness that only the Penryn dons can satisfy, then it doesn't get better than Pale Ale Marylou or IPA Neal Get's Things Done. The former is all soft, squishy peach, apricot and white grape while the latter is boozier mango, orange and gooseberry with that trademark savoury tang.
Meanwhile, newcomer É Soul Cultura Vol.2 in collaboration with artist Luka Una offers up something a little different to celebrate his latest record. Hopped with citrussy Amarillo and then dosed with Mosaic Incognito this has wafts of grapefruit funk, with a whack of sweaty pineapple goodness for some suitably forward-thinking fun. Finally, DIPA There Was No Why is saturated with naughty levels of some of the most intensely fruity hop varietals available. A dank passion fruit meets oozing tangerine dream indeed. Sold!
If that wasn't enough we're welcoming our Penryn pals to the Wood St Depot next Friday (June 23rd) from 5pm, for a cheeky little Tap Takeover, and in-store feature. Expect plenty of fresh tinnies as well as a mega line-up pouring on draught. We cannot wait...
G A R N A C H A
C O M I N G
A T Y A !
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We've been absolutely bowled over by the reaction to our House Red, but one is never enough! Made from one of our favourite grapes in an incredibly underrated locale, this is designed to be as at home pontificating over pairings with food as it is to be chilled and glugged straight from the bottle (hey we're not here to judge). Not content to rest on our laurels, we're thrilled to have added a Rosado and Blanca to the mix, completing the Garnacha line-up, and following the same winning formula.
Rewinding things slightly, we began working with Reverte, back in May 2022 after an epic search to find some vines we could call our own. Here we found the perfect match, with a similar, progressive ethos to our own, and an amazing reputation having already made a firm customer favourite in Rafa Xabi's Sea Of Dreams.
Family-run alongside his two brothers, and set up in 1989 by their father, Reverte was the grandfather of Rafa, and the name was set up in his honour. With the oldest Garnacha in Fitero (~100 years old from a small town North of Zaragoza), they planted more vineyards from cuttings of the heritage vines, giving them access to some of the oldest and best fruit in the region.
Subsisting delicately in a continental climate with very little precipitation, the vineyard of Carbonela (where our Tinto was picked from) is typical of the area, sitting atop arid, clay-chalky soil at a relatively high plateau, lending a cooler edge. Treated only with natural products, and without mechanical intervention, everything is manually harvested with indigenous yeast from the area used in the fermentation process. The result are wines fully expressive of their terroir, unadulterated, pure, nuanced and an embodiment of everything we love about natural wine.
Having tasted these cuvees in tank at the winery ourselves last year we are over the moon to see how their early promise has developed. As to those all-important tasting notes you can read more below, but best believe you need to pick up a bottle (or three) to taste it to believe it...
Garnacha Tinto - Expect silky raspberry & liquorice aromas with darker fruit underneath & hints of floral black pepper, finishing in a generous, juicy mouthfeel.
Garnacha Blanca - Steely with fine minerality & crisp green apple notes opening up to reveal dry apricot, fuzzy peach & toast on the lightly creamy palate.
Garnacha Rosado - Fresh & fragrant Rosé bursting with wild strawberry, cranberry & violet aromas. Zingy & mouth-watering, with a touch of sea spray salinity.
Thanks for joining us again & take it easy this weekend! - Team CC