Totalmente Tropicale, Pastore Collab Release & Finsbury Event!
H E L L O
C L A P T O N C R A F T
F A N S !
👋 👋 👋 👋 👋
That's right, we're delighted to interrupt that dreaded humpday with news of our first collab of 2023, and who better to team up with than our sour soulmates, Pastore! Working with them on our blood orange, passion fruit, and peach stunner Ballando Il Twist back in '21 was an absolute dream come true, and we're finally following up our Fanta Fruit Twist-inspired banger with a nod to another soft drink staple, and a true departing legend, the mighty Lilt.
As such, Totalmente Tropicale (or totally tropical!) is the nostalgic, juicy, spritzy Pineapple & Grapefruit Session Sour we all need in our lives right now. Read on to hear about how it all came about, and for a mega formaggio-pairing event we have scheduled in Finsbury Park next Friday (31st March) to celebrate its release...
P A S T O R E
B R E W I N G
& B L E N D I N G
✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨
Mixed fermentation and sour specialists from Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire, we've been long-time admirers of Pastore having had some of their very first brews through our doors. 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 (Brett).
Loosely defined, their mixed ferm beers see traditional brewing yeast called Saccharomyces replaced with wild yeast, usually native to the area, or a combination of Brett and another yeast such as Lactobacillus (a naturally occurring souring bacteria and probiotic).
With an emphasis on funky, fruit-forward flavours we think 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 or Brick have mastered in their Triple Fruited Goses and Pastry Sours.
They say there's no such thing as coincidences, and we might have to believe that after finding out lead brewer Dan Wye had joined the team, having attended the same photography degree in Bristol as our very own social media and webshop guru Tommy W. As friends on either side of the beery tracks, we jumped at the chance to bring another collaboration to life, this time a fresh adult spin on a vending machine and chip shop classic, the 'Totally Tropical' Lilt.
Beginning with brewing their classic interpretation of a Berliner Weisse with a combination of top quality Pils and Wheat Malt as the base, 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 ridiculously clean finish. Finally, this was then saturated post-fermentation with a liberal amount of juicy pineapple, and vibrant grapefruit puree.
The result is a crushable Session Sour bound to transport you to sunnier times, when you might need it most. Dripping with vibrant fruitiness, this has all the classic sherbety goodness that we've come to know and love from arguably the finest UK producer in their field. Expect ripe, sweet-sharp, prickly pineapple cube flavour paired alongside zesty, subtly funky, bitter grapefruit. Totalmente Tropicale indeed.
Clocking in at 3.8% this packs just the right whack of puckering acidity, with a light, zingy body and quenching, dry finish designed for maximum sinkability. Though our favourite soft drink may be long gone, this nostalgic Sour is our new go-to. Landing in all shops this Friday, but available for delivery at the link below we can't wait for you to get your chops around this too! Of course, that's not all... what's a collab without a party?
To celebrate the release of Totalmente Tropicale, we just had to organise something a bit special. Therefore, at 7pm on Friday 31st of March we're inviting you to join us for an evening of funk, fromage and fantastic conversation at the Clapton Craft Finsbury Park Taproom.
Priced at £25 we have a tasting to end all tastings, where you'll be given a healthy pour of our brand new brew alongside some nibbles and a chance to get to know the Waterbeach gang. We'll then settle into a tutored beer and cheese pairing with Pastore expertly guiding you through four of their most unique Wild and Sour beers, matching them to some amazingly delicious Italian cheeses provided by our good pals at Provisions.
Once the event has finished the tappy will open up again, and we'll have some other specials available by the glass, with ticket holders receiving 10% off all Pastore beers to take away.
Spaces are incredibly limited so hit the link below to secure your place. Simply show your order confirmation email on the night for entrance. Tickets are non-refundable, and this event will start promptly at 7pm, so please don't be late, we'd hate for you to miss the action!
See you Friday, same time, same place! Cheers - Team CC