Newbarns Crispy Classics, Verdant Hop Drop & A Helles Hero Returns!
H E L L O
C L A P T O N C R A F T
F A N S !
Well here we are again, you made it through another week! It's been pretty non-stop in these parts with a bucketload of deliveries to ensure those Autumn showers continue inside (as well as out). That means a fresh pallet of Newbarns, our Brewery Of The Week, as well as a much-needed top up from those hop gods Verdant. We're also delighted to usher in a new batch of our one-and-only Clapton Helles after a little time apart for some of you.
Over on that magical internet, there's fresh faces from Beak, Northern Monk, Burning Sky, and a few choice Oktoberfest specials. Meanwhile, we have highlights from our dear Managers including Pressure Drop, Mondo, Mother Rock, Drop Project, and more. But first, onto Lagery proceedings...
B R E W E R Y
O F T H E
W E E K
That's right, the understated suds supergroup are back and boy do they mean business! With ex-members from Siren, The Kernel, and Beavertown, the Leith purists have real brewing pedigree, to say the least, though they've quickly carved out their own path with a focus on continental and crispy classics. Having 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 turn of the hype release wheel. And, this time around we have seven different slammers to shout about, led by their ever-impeccable core range.
Up top, it goes without saying their super clean Pils is a true staff favourite in these parts and is certainly not to be missed with bracing, crisp citrus notes. Backing it up we have the aptly titled Super Gold. Formally known as Oat Lager this is brewed with a healthy proportion of oats, wheat, and flaked barley for a malty, rustic and characterful cracker. Finished off with a dusting of premium UK hops, this is all herbal, liquid gold.
Delivering bountiful flavour at just 3% their zingy Table Beer pays respect to Scottish brewing tradition and is made with Golden Promise malt and a significant proportion of oats for a full, rounded body, making for a feat of flavour to volume brewing. In addition, their latest batch of Pale Ale hopped with Idaho 7 and El Dorado boasts juicy stone fruit flavours, while still maintaining a beautiful harmony for a palate break from the often cloying NEIPAs of the world. Equally, with no bells nor whistles in sight, their moreish Stout Beer is in the dry style with a solid body, deep chocolate notes and roasty drinkability galore.
Rounding things off we have two rather special entries, appealing to the heads (or nerds possibly) out there. Their Isaria Helles uses the oldest German malting barley variety and is their first internationally grown heritage, employed in a sluggable Lager. Roasted quite highly for robust malt flavour, they've added a touch of rice to offer up more crispness and drinkability resulting in a perfect end-of-shift beer. Finally, Deluxe is a rather unusual and exceptional dark beer in the form of a Lagered Porter. Taking darker roast heritage barley Chevalier, bottom fermenting it to give it some fizz, and adding Mosaic hops expect big, dark fruity vibes upfront, mellowed out by a nice, clean finish for a true warming wonder. Nothing but the finest for you all!
As usual, there's double loyalty points across our Brewery Of The Week with 10% off 6 or more online to help you get reacquainted with these cult favourites. You can sign up in-store or feel free to shoot us a message at info@claptoncraft.co.uk if you're not already part of the club.
F R E S H
C O R N I S H
C R A C K E R S
Just where to start with this week's Verdant drop? Arguably their most sought-after slice of green glory, It Is Forbidden, is as good a place as any. A Beak collab, this chunky DIPA is saturated with a trio of pungent varieties including the latest Yakima hop darling (the catchy) HBC 586, for tropical, creamy dank delectability. Also bound to send waves is Electric Mizzle, which sees them team up with Manchester up-and-comers Sureshot for a tried and tested, tantalising NEIPA. Add to that an intriguing Cold IPA with yeast wranglers Lallemand, Little Mountains We Move, and all the hoppy bases are loaded. A geeky collab indeed, this sees the beer fermented cold like a Lager, then dry hopped for crisp, bitter notes and a zingy, unadulterated citrus finish.
Of course, a Festbier around this Oktoberfest time is also bound to get our hearts racing. Their traditional take on the Munich mainstay is soft and smooth like a Helles but with added malt and hop depth. Providing further drinkability in spades, Lightbulb is their original bright idea and a clean classic at that with biscuity tones overlapping with their trademark juice factor. Finally, Rustling Substance makes a long overdue return, delivering juicy NE Pale at a sessionable stature. With lashings of Citra and Motueka hops, think freshly cut grapefruit, with a lime tang that keeps you coming back for more and more. We've truly been hit for six here!
A L A G E R
L E G E N D
I S B A C K
Well, that went fast! We've not sung the praises of our Helles Hero in a little while, and seeing how the last drop didn't hang around, we're shining the spotlight on our pastel pink perfection once more. Making a return in draught and bottle form, our current sole year-round house beer Clapton Helles, is a true labour of love in collaboration with arguably the UK's finest Lager brewery in Leicestershire's Braybrooke.
Devised in the first lockdown to give us something to look forward to this is a crispy-clean, five-week (!) lagered Helles. Here, 100% Bamberg Pilsner malt acts as the perfect backbone for floral, dank Hallertau Tradition and vibrant, citrusy Spaltz Select hops for a Lager of truly mega, suppable proportions. Having dialled in the recipe for a 'lil more effervescence, an even crisper, drier finish - and an even more crushable abv of just 4.5%, this is an ongoing effort to hit Lager perfection, and we don't think we're that far off! Hit the link or pop in store to taste for yourself...
M A N A G E R
P I C K S
T H I S W E E K
ILARIA - KENTISH TOWN
🍺 ELB 🍺
Cowcatcher - Floral, citrusy, throwback American Pale Ale.
Navigator - Silky NE Pale w/ freshly cut pineapple & zingy gooseberry notes.
East End Lager - Crisp, crushable & gently bitter unfiltered Pilsner.
🗣 TASTING TODAY 5-7 🗣
FIONN - FINSBURY PARK
🗻 MOTHER ROCK 🗻
Liquid Skin - Zany Orange Chenin. A kaleidoscope of funky fruit flavour.
Brutal - Fresh, lean skin contact w/ aromas of citrus blossom & apricot.
Brutal Red - Bright, juicy Rosato, think cranberry w/ savoury herbal notes.
LARA - FOREST HILL
🛹 DROP PROJECT 🛹
Crossing - Dank & delicious DDH Pale Ale w/ none other than ourselves!
Crispy - Clean, bracing West Coast Pilsner w/ a citrus zing.
Crush - Ultra sinkable & pillowy soft New England Session Pale.
CHIPPY - ST JOHN'S HILL
🎤 SIGNATURE 🎤
Luftballon - Refreshing, golden Festbier w/ aromas of lightly toasted bread.
Summer In The City - Fruit punch Sour w/ strawberry, raspberry & watermelon!
Rewind - Clean, piney & refreshing Gluten Free India Pale Lager.
SAM - WOOD STREET
💦 PRESSURE DROP 💦
Fødj w/ Amundsen - Decadent Impy Stout w/ cacao, fudge & toffee.
Do It For Her - Uber sessionable Cryo Table Beer crammed w/ tropical hops.
Home Taping Is Killing Music - NEIPA w/ fleshy mango & deep pine aplenty.
MEL - WALTHAMSTOW
👌 MONDO 👌
Grandpa Louis - Caramel-tinged, super suppable Mild w/ 2nd Shift Brewing.
Gwyneth - WCIPA w/ bold bitterness & sharp, succulent stone fruit flavour.
Machina - Malty, heady lager w/ an incredibly clean profile.
EDDY - CLAPTON
❄️ L&G ❄️
Newstalgic 6 - Celebratory German-style Pils! Woody, floral & slurpable.
Helles - Soft, bready, floral future-classic in the imitable Lager style.
Festbier - Gentle, moreish Marzen, w/ a lick of marmalade malt magic.
TOM - BALHAM
🥔 TORRES 🥔
Black Truffle - Cult Catalunya crisps loaded w/ deep, savoury umami flavour.
Jamon - Luxurious, light & crunchy w/ rich Ibérico ham goodness.
Cured Cheese - Brilliantly imitating mature Spanish sheep's milk cheese.
W E B S H O P
W O N D E R S
T H I S W E E K
🐦 BEAK 🐦
Paste - Opulent Impy Stout brewed w/ cacao, maple syrup & Madagascan vanilla.
🙏 NORTHERN MONK 🙏
7 Deadly Sins w/ Vault City - Thick, smoothie-like Raspberry & Hibiscus Ale.
Smug The Reincarnation - Epic DIPA harnessing a brand new, experimental hop!
🔥 BURNING SKY 🔥
On Returning - Nelson Sauvin hopped mixed ferm beer. Vinous, complex & tangy.
Table Beer - Oak-aged Wild Ale. Earthy, crisp, funky & super sluggable.
🇩🇪 OKTOBERFEST 🇩🇪
Spaten - The world's first Festbier! Rich, textured, amber excellence.
Paulaner - Ultra smooth, seasonal stunner w/ a crackery-caramel bite.
Orbit - Fluffy, clean Fest w/ cereal malt, lemon sherbet & peppery spice notes.
See you next Friday, same time, same place! Have a great weekend - Team CC