Our Pastore Sour Stunner Launches, Bojo Nouveau, Caribbean Chocolate Cake!
H E L L O
C L A P T O N C R A F T
F A N S !
Make no mistake, this might just be our most stacked week of the year so far! And, headlining this rowdy lot is our final collab of 2021 with sour sorcerers Pastore. Ballando Il Twist (more on that name later) is a Blood Orange, Passion Fruit, and Peach stunner, which we just can't wait for you to try at our Wood Street Launch Party tonight, or from the comfort of your own home after picking up a can across any of our shops later today.
Add to that Beaujolais Nouveau, Siren's annual Caribbean Chocolate Cake celebration, and bonus North Brew bangers to boot and we're so saturated in suds that we're giving ourselves a lie-down with a break from your usual Newsletter service next week. Worry not though, we'll be shouting about all the fresh suds over on Instagram and Twitter, including just maybe a mini Omnipollo drop. Now onto the jam-packed joy!
B R E W E R Y
O F T H E
W E E K
Mixed fermentation and sour specialists from Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire, we've been long-time admirers of Pastore. Set up by father and son team Chris and Ben Shepherd (Pastore in Italian), Ben completed a Master's degree in brewing at the prestigious Heriot-Watt University where he aptly wrote his thesis on Brettanomyces. Loosely defined, their mixed ferm beers see traditional brewing yeast (Saccharomyces) replaced with wild yeast, usually native to the area, or a combination of another yeast such as Brett and/or Lactobacillus bacteria.
With an emphasis on funky, fruit-forward flavours Pastore go toe-to-toe with the complexity of UK sour greats like Burning Sky or The Kernel while retaining the drinkability and juicy joy Vault City, Gipsy Hill, and more have mastered in their Triple Fruited Goses and Pastry Sours.
Joining the team in January new lead brewer Dan Wye has brought with him a wealth of brewing experience and a huge passion for all things mixed fermentation and foraging. Remarkably, our own Tom attended the same Photography Degree in Bristol and as friends on either side of the beery tracks, we hatched a plan to bring a collaboration to life. Taking inspiration from one of our favourite soft drinks, the *ahem* highly regarded Fanta Fruit Twist, Ballando Il Twist is an indulgent, and deeply adult spin on a vending machine classic.
Brewing a classic Berliner base composed of Pils and Wheat Malt, this was then soured in their house style with Lactobacillus. After reaching the desired PH we fermented with Hornindal Kveik, a resilient Norwegian farmhouse yeast that gives off big tropical esters while leaving a clean finish. Finally, this was dosed post-fermentation with a liberal amount of fleshy, juicy blood orange, passion fruit, and peach. Clocking in at a deceptively drinkable 7% this marries vibrant fruit flavour with a moderate tartness and a kick of floral funk thanks to a subtle hibiscus addition. Complex, but utterly smashable this smoothie-like Sour is sunshine in a glass.
Of course, we've reinforced the ranks with some of their latest and greatest! Check the list for the full haul including some supreme sharing bottles, a mass of crushable Waterbeach Weisses, and a few indulgent Pastry Sours thrown in for good measure:
Blueberry Waterbeach Weisse - Creamy, dense & intense blue goodness.
Blackberry & Raspberry Waterbeach Weisse - Brambly, vivid Berliner.
Black Cherry & Plum Waterbeach Weisse - Warming winter Sour special!
Del Mare Guava Kalamansi - Tropical meets savoury in this bonkers brew.
Carlotta Di Mele - Apple Pastry Sour w/ apricots, cinnamon & vanilla. Drool.
San Clemente - Double fruited, tantalisingly tangy citrus sour!
Bamboccione - Blueberry maple pancake breakfast Sour. You read that right...
La Ciliegia - Pomerol barrel-aged cherry Wild Ale. Marzipan magnificence.
L'Abete - Barrel-aged wild Double IPA brewed w/ spruce tips. One for the heads.
Not only do we have 10% off 6 or more Pastore beers online and double loyalty points in-store, but, we're also delighted to have Ballando Il Twist pouring in Balham and Finsbury Park this weekend. And, of course, at the Depot we'll be hosting the team with their Black Cherry & Plum Waterbeach Weisse on keg alongside the collab and sharing bottle specials by the glass. Join us from 6pm TONIGHT for the sour celebration in E17, it's not to be missed!
B E A U J O L A I S
N O U V E A U
B A B Y !
A celebration of the first harvest of the year, Beaujolais Nouveau (the third Thursday in November) started out as a small observance for the region of Eastern France, though now it's one of the most important dates in the booze-diary. Fermented for just a few weeks, bottles of juicy Gamay greatness are released at their absolute freshest each year. Unfortunately, 2021 has seen one of the worst harvests in recent times, down by roughly 25% across the region.
Hit by a frost at the start of the year, and requiring more work than ever in the vineyard, we're supremely grateful to have a small parcel of Sylvene Trichard's Selene Bojo 2021 available across the shops (sold out online). An essential Beaujolais from a historic organic-farmed winery, now in the hands of its youngest maker, this is a sublime take on the style. Expect supple tannins, dried red fruits, and earthy allspice complimented with bold baked red apple and lush strawberry.
Available online we have Cyril Alonzo and Florian Looze P-U-R aka Production-Unique-Rebelle, a rare Bojo made from organically farmed plots with low intervention. Fermented with wild yeast, this months-old wine encapsulates the handmade flavour of the terroir, with its lovely dense colour, fresh mineral tones and dry finish. If you've yet to snag a bottle of either we recommend doing so ASAP, even if that toast might be a day or two late!
C A R I B B E A N
C H O C O L A T E
C A K E S T O U T S
We've been waiting with baited breath for this year's bonkers set of chocolate-filled Stout fun and - of course, Siren have delivered once again on the confectionary chaos. After transitioning to the Nitro treatment last year their classic Caribbean Chocolate Cake is present and correct in all its unctuous glory. Think a super smooth, thick, creamy, chocolate milkshake - or boozy Nesquik in a can. Meanwhile, their Chocolate Pancake Stack has morphed into a mega white Stout of ludicrously maple-y proportions. Breakfast anyone?
A new entry to the series, their Mole Cake sees a crescendo of heartwarming chilli, chocolate, spices, and wood deliver a true winter warmer. Finally, Death By arrives as the doubled-down version of one of our all-time favourites, so expect the near-pinnacle of pure canned indulgence. And, if you need reminding, these are also available as a complete gift set of four, to give to your Stout-loving friend, family member, work acquaintance... or like us, just yourself.
T H E L E E D S
L E G E N D S
R E T U R N
We never really intended on ordering more beer this week. But, taking a glance at a North-shaped gap in our fridges and a list that spans from an Alcohol Free IPA to a Triple Fruited Gose or Coffee Coconut Porter, and our arms were duly twisted. Catch some highlights below:
AF Mango & Guava IPA - Brulo collab! Smooth, sweet & intensely fruity.
All Of A Sudden - Crisp, hazy Table Beer w/ gooseberry & citrus notes.
Line Of Saturn - Zingy Session IPA w/ grapefruit, pine & floral pineapple flavour.
Springwell Pils - Light, unfiltered & impossibly clean Lager. A real highlight.
Salted Lime Sour - Dry, quenching & tart effort w/ Bundobust.
Triple Fruited Gose Strawberry Blackberry + Blackcurrant - Ultimate Pastry Sour perfection.
Full Fathom 5 - Luxurious, rich & malt-forward coffee & coconut Porter.
U P C O M I N G
T A S T I N G S
& E V E N T S
💃 WOOD STREET 💃
PASTORE 6-11PM TODAY
Ballando Il Twist Launch, Meet The Brewer & Showcase!
🦌 BALHAM 🦌
WILD BEER 5PM-LATE TODAY!
WORLD SAKE 3RD DEC
🍶 FOREST HILL 🍶
SAKE 5.30-7.30PM TODAY!
BROCKLEY 26TH NOV
🍎 FINSBURY PARK 🍎
FELIX NASH (FINE CIDER)
26TH NOV TICKETED!
🔨 KENTISH TOWN 🔨
HAMMERTON 26TH NOV
EL RAYO 27TH NOV
🗣 CLAPTON 🗣
MACKMYRA 25TH NOV
EL RAYO 10TH DEC
👌 WALTHAMSTOW 👌
ELB 3RD DEC
FREE TASTING!
Have a great weekend & don't forget we'll be back with a Newsletter on the 4th Dec!