Pillars Cold Porter Collab Lands, Fresh Verdz, Zillertal Return!
H E L L O
C L A PT O N C R A F T
C R E W !
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Well, Summer might finally be over but we have just the thing to cushion the blow as we head into the colder, rainier months!
That's right, the ultimate dark session beer, our Cold Porter with beery besties and Lager legends Pillars drops today. We needn't remind you we have a Cask pouring alongside the soft launch of our latest kitchen, the Japanese fast-casual Sho Foo Doh Express to celebrate down the Depot, so check the posters below.
In support, we have some hop-forward heaven from the masters themselves, in Verdant, while Zillertal return for our third imported delivery. These authentic Austrian Lagers are never usually sold further than 100 miles from the brewery itself, and are a bit of a CC exclusive!
Finally, we've got inside knowledge from our trustworthy Managers as they select their freshest faves. Think Braybrooke, Drop Project, Pressure Drop, and more, plus a tasting with Hammerton in Hoe St tonight.
B R E W E R Y
O F T H E
W E E K
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Forming in 2016, but coming on leaps and bounds in the last few years, Walthamstowβs Pillars have excelled to be (arguably) the premier producer of Lager in London. A family-run brewery specialising in one style has paid huge dividends with gradual technological advances (including a brand new bottling line) and constant refinements in recipes key to their success, and the resultant explosion of demand for their excellent output.
Hatching a plan to work together on something special, we got together in January of this year, with the next Winter season in mind, and thought what would we want to drink again, and again? Consequently, we looked to inspiration from the traditional London Porter, though this time with a crispy, crushable context, thanks to our joint favourite style, Lager.
A hybrid Lager-Porter of sorts this breaks new ground for us, and for Pillars. Achieved by a complex, multilayered malt bill featuring seven different varieties (more likely seen for an Imperial Stout) and then fermented cold and slow with their German House Lager Yeast, this was then cold conditioned or Lagered for a clean, deliciously drinkable dark affair.
The result is ours (and hopefully your) new favourite Dark Session beer! Available in ideal stubby bottle format, and shortly on draught and refill at all suitable sites.
Pouring a deep, inky brown with a creamy head this medium-bodied Porter immediately bursts open with brilliantly biscuity, malty aromas.
Here, the concentrated blend of ingredients delivers a full spectrum of coffee, toast, chocolate, and biscuit notes, finishing with a lip-smacking, crisp caramel character. Bracing and sessionable, but packed full of comforting, moreish malt goodness, this is bound for all day sipping beside a roaring fire or taking in the last of a sunny evening. We couldn't be happier...
Of course, we'll let you decide for yourselves if Cold Porter is the next big thing (spoiler: it is), so we also have a rather handsome range from Pillars around the ground to celebrate our launch, and their full status as Brewery Of The Week.
Think their smooth, traditional Munich Helles, zesty Session IPL the Hop Lager or their crisp, clean, eternal crowd-pleaser, Pils (also Gluten Free!). And, for something a little more seasonal we also have the last of their gloriously malty, fragrant Festbier.
Whatever you choose don't forget there's double Loyalty Points on offer in-store or 10% off 6 or more Online. We don't expect this Small Batch collab to hang around, so make haste!
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 thanks to Verdant, with your five-a-day covered, and then some. Feeling something balanced and super suppable, you've got their original bright idea, XPA Lightbulb. Going for sub 4.0% but still full of citric, saturated flavour? Well, our fave People Money Space Time is also back. Fancy revisiting their go-to Pale? You have Sundialer, which features belting zingy, dank grapefruit, and bitter orange peel flavour.
If you're after that umami goodness that only the Penryn dons can satisfy, then it doesn't get better than IPAs Neon Colour Spreading and Spiral Into Control. The former is loaded with squishy tropics thanks to new kiwi hop Nectaron, while the latter is brewed alongside Sureshot culminating in dense, sticky pineapple and prickly passion fruit with that trademark savoury tang.
Finally, we round things off with a DIPA alongside Glaswegian heavyweights, Overtone. As to be expected Travel Rugs pulls no punches, expect notes of creamy, green limes, dank winey sauvignon and pungent hashy grapefruit all over the shop!
A U S T R I A ' S
C U L T C R I S P Y
C L A S S I C S
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Located just south of Bavaria, in Tyrol and set in the valley of the Alps, Zillertal are a brewery steeped in history and no stranger to true beer heritage. Founded in 1500, they were later made family-owned as the first independent brewery in the region in 1678.
Later, having benefited from the tourism rush after the Second World War, they invested in modern, cutting-edge equipment, though they continue to use hand-selected local ingredients and pristine spring-fresh mountain water.
Discovered by happenstance on a skiing trip a few years ago, we were blown away by their quality, and made them our first foray into importing European Beer, with this being only our third delivery to date.
Of course, we have their classic Pils representing the best in clean, malt-driven flavour with a tinge of herbal, noble aroma. Also returning is their Radler, a citrus-Pils blend in the often erroneously derided Shandy genre. Cloudy, and refreshing with a fruity, zesty burst this will be sure to transport you to a sun-soaked slope in one gulp.
We're also thrilled to extend the range with their Marzen, which pours a golden yellow with honey blossom aromas and a comforting, robust body. Completing the set their Hell is everything we love about the style. Deceptively uncomplicated, with soft, bready notes you'll blink and have drunk three of them.
Be sure to let us know if you're glad to have Zillertal back, and all being well we'll have one more drop from them before the end of the year!
M A N A G E R
P I C K S
T H I S W E E K
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MELINDA - WALTHAMSTOW
π¨ HAMMERTON π¨
Tuned - Breezy Hazy Pale w/ aromas of lemon, papaya & grapefruit.
Melba King - Raspberry-peach-vanilla Sour. Sheer smoothie fun.
Groll - Dry, quenching, Pilsner, Lagered for over six weeks.
π£ TASTING TODAY 5-7PM π£
SAM - WOOD ST
π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ OVERTONE π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ
Turning Violet - Jammy session Sour packed w/ blueberries & blackberries.
Yaldi - Pina-colada-like oat cream NEIPA. Silly & sublime in equal measure.
Big Weegie - Mammoth TIPA w/ a medley of melon, apricot & pine flavours.
ILARIA - KENTISH TOWN
πΊ HOWLING HOPS πΊ
Barleypop - Vibrant, crisp, Light Lager, bound for Session slurping.
Tropical Deluxe - Legendary Session Pale delivering a dry-hop tropical tango!
House IPA - Fluffy, fruity & ridiculously moreish NEIPA. A classic.
TOM - FINSBURY PARK
π¦ PRESSURE DROP π¦
Fair Weather Friend - Glorious all-Citra Pils. A zippy, hoppy delight.
Menu du Jour - Sunshine-ready NEIPA boasting vivid lime & grapefruit notes.
Extra Cheese - Double dank Strata & Mosaic DIPA. Not to be messed with.
ALEX - BALHAM
πΉ DROP PROJECT πΉ
Glimmer - Piney, floral Pale inspired by Sierra Nevada's classic.
New World - Zingy NZ Pale w/ plenty of freshly squeezed gooseberry goodness.
Beyond - Ripe, resinous DIPA saturated in a full fruit bowl of flavour.
GUY - ST JOHN'S HILL
π DEYA π
Look At Us Now w/ Clapton Craft - Our peachy, perfect Pale!
Harvest Lager - Rich Amber Lager brewed w/ 100% UK ingredients.
Steady Rolling Man - Iconic, desert island Pale. Nuff' said.
JOEL - CLAPTON
π³οΈβπ QUEER BREWING π³οΈβπ
Death Drop 2 - Pillowy Pale w/ white grape & succulent stone fruit character.
The Endless Gloom - Rich Barleywine w/ toffee malt & dark fruit notes.
Michael Romance - Refreshing, gently tart raspberry Wheat Beer.
LARA - FOREST HILL
π» BRAYBROOKE π»
Clapton Helles - Our bestselling beer & for good reason! Crisp, bready brilliance.
Harvest Festbier - Juicy, rich Marzen to cap off the end of Oktoberfest.
Black Lager - An exemplary of the style! Rich & unctuous, yet uber drinkable.
We hope to see you soon for a pint or a bottle of Cold Porter! - Team CC