Up The Putt, Fresh Alsace Faves, Cantillon Web Drop!
H E L L O
C L A P T O N C R A F T
F A N S !
We hope you're still enjoying, enduring, or ignoring your Dry January stint, and have tried some fresh favourites anywhere between the no/low or yes/high variety. Thankfully there's no sign of things slowing down CC way, and this week we have the magnificent Verdant live and direct from the source - including that green beer called Putty people are going on about.
In addition, we have another parcel of wine wonders from Henry Fuchs! A real success story of last year, we're overjoyed to see them back on these shores. We're also thrilled to have the original hype monsters themselves (not through any of their own accord!) Cantillon making a brief appearance on the Webshop.
Meanwhile, our sharpest minds, those always on-point Managers pick out their highlights from a jam-packed week. Featuring Brew By Numbers, Queer Brewing, The Kernel, Athletic, and more, we are as ever, in safe hands!
B R E W E R Y
O F T H E
W E E K
🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆
We simply never get tired of showering praise on the mighty Verdant, having collaborated on Dream Within A Dream and awarded them our Brewery Of The Year 2021, they've never really let up since. So following a momentary absence from some of the shops we're bringing them back in full force, and in turn giving them the full headliner status. With our last few drops focussing on their mastery across the style spectrum, we've instead doubled down on some good old-fashioned juicy joy, and quite frankly, who does it better?!
As to what most, or hopefully some, of you are here for, we'll cut to the chase - the first date of the year every hazehead puts in the diary is here. The green good stuff, the myth, the legend, the phenomenon - Putty is back, and yes we have some. First brewed in 2017 and unchanged to the day, this mammoth DIPA has an impeccably pillowy body with masses of creamy, dank hop saturation. Glowing, and we quote, looking "like a satsuma in a pint of double cream" expect deep mangoes, apricots and freshly cut grass notes to pervade your senses.
Unfortunately, this year was another minuscule batch, and having dropped online Tuesday, with all of our in-store stock released into the wild from this afternoon we're expecting this to sell out tonight, despite enforcing a strict can limit per person. This will likely land everywhere before 5pm, but we recommend giving your local a bell ahead of travelling if in doubt. We're not likely to see a restock anytime soon (there's simply no beer left), so we can only offer our condolences if you miss out. Roll on 2024...
P.S. E17 locals will be happy to know we've somehow snagged a keg to put on at the Wood St Depot, pouring from right now, who said we don't treat ya!
Thankfully, however, we have five equally impressive brews that although might be a tad lighter, never compromise on sheer flavour. Leading the pack, soft, sluggable Pale People, Money, Space, Time gets a hero's welcome. Saturated in lush flavour, combining citric sharpness and pure hop power at just 3.8% - we just don't know how they do it.
Following up we're delighted to have the full 'Moon' trio, including Session Pale 10 Watt Moon, IPA 20 Watt Moon, and DIPA 40 Watt Moon. Pairing superstars Citra and Strata across differing levels of intensity this is a heavenly experiment in all things hops. Slightly crisper than their usual New England flair there's pungent depths with dank pine on the nose alongside clean grapefruit and tropical fruit flavours. If pushed our pick might just be 40, we wouldn't be over-exaggerating in saying this gives Putty more than a run for its money...
Finally, we have a fresh batch of an all-time classic in Neal Gets Things Done, thrown in for good measure. This is Verdz through, and through - a silky smooth NEIPA, with tangy, juicy umami top notes. One is never enough.
Of course, we're offering up double loyalty points in-store on all Verdant beers alongside the ever-enticing offer of 10% off 6 or more on the Webshop. Come on in, the murky water's fine!
A L S A C E
A C E S F R O M
H E N R Y F U C H S
🇫🇷 🇫🇷 🇫🇷 🇫🇷 🇫🇷
Having been lucky enough to taste some exceptional wines at Millesime Bio (the world's largest organic wine festival) last year we were thrilled to uncover a hidden gem in Alsatian producer Henry Fuchs. Our first solo wine import of 2022, these biodynamic belters stood head and shoulders above their competitors, so we just had to get in their latest vintages!
Situated on a 10 hectare estate in Ribeauvillé within the Rhine River plain, the area borders Germany and Switzerland lending a unique, multifaceted terroir. Here the soil is a combination of limestone and marl with the former contributing complex acidity to the wines and the latter providing power and drive. With a credo to "respect what nature - and the vine in particular - want to give us" there's a rustic approach in the vineyard with all grapes hand harvested and fermented with indigenous yeasts, alongside minimal sulphur additions.
Leading five absolute favourites we have two super refreshing numbers, in a zingy, citrus-laden Pinot Blanc and their ripe Riesling, which features touches of nougat and aniseed with a long, dry finish. Meanwhile, their Pinot Gris offers up a full, creamy palate with spicy pear, quince and a touch of hazelnut.
For those after a little more adventure look no further than their Gewurztraminer, wonderfully lifted and floral, redolent of rose petal and orange blossom, this is all balanced by a crisp acidity. Finally, an elegant and vibrant Pinot Noir completes the bunch. With aromas of black cherry and tobacco spice, paired with a soft, supple body featuring crunchy fruit and light tannins this is ideal for a sunshine-filled Winter day.
We hope you're as excited as we are to have these back in fine form, and as ever be sure to let us know what you think of them!
T H E
L A M B I C
L E G E N D S
💯 💯 💯 💯 💯
A veritable unicorn in the Craft Beer world, we're incredibly lucky to have snagged a small drop of some Cantillon classics over on our Webshop, and we thought we'd give our subscribers first dibs on these! Doused in fleshy fruit flavour, farmhouse funk and that indefinable elegance we're delighted to have them back, albeit probably momentarily so.
From their tangy all-time great Gueuze to their vibrant Kriek, raspberry-infused Rosé de Gambrinus or powerful, still Grand Cru Bruocsella we've been blessed with quality rather than quantity here. As always, you can enter code 'COLLECTION' online to guarantee stock for free delivery to any of our stores (just shoot us an email upon receiving your order confirmation), with our stock transfer scheduled for next week - think of it as letting them cellar a little while longer...
M A N A G E R
P I C K S
T H I S W E E K
💯 💯 💯 💯 💯
ILARIA - KENTISH TOWN
🔥 BURNT MILL 🔥
Rooted In Citra - Ripe & peachy, rare Gluten Free NEIPA.
Pintle - The all-singing all-dancing West Coast Pale wonder.
Big Sur Moon - Silky & suppable Cacao infused Porter.
FIONN - FINSBURY PARK
🏅 THE KERNEL 🏅
Table Beer - The impeccably balanced Session beer, a modern classic!
Pale (Simcoe) - Grassy, clean, dry & drinkable favourite w/ all-day citrus fun.
IPA (Citra) - Tropical w/ a malty, robust & welcomingly bitter backbone.
MEL - WALTHAMSTOW
🌈 QUEER 🌈
Burst Into Bright - Core IPA cracker! Vividly fruity & beautifully layered.
Let Your Body Learn - Rich stout w/ cacao, burnt toffee & dark fruit notes.
Tiny Dots - Crisp, light, floral & sessionable Pilsner Lager.
SAM - WOOD ST
🏃♀️ ATHLETIC AF 🏃♀️
Run Wild - Innovative US IPA! Super hoppy w/ fresh pine flavour.
Upside Dawn - Refreshing, clean Golden Ale w/ gentle, earthy malt notes.
All Out - Smooth stout. Roasty malt meets chocolate decadence!
EDDY - CLAPTON
💦 PRESSURE DROP 💦
Crab Facts - Big mandarin & pina colada-esque NEIPA. Sunshine sipping!
In Dreams - Gentle, juicy DDH Pale w/ Idaho-7 & Mosaic hops.
Premium Lager Beer - Unfiltered w/ Hallertau Blanc for max crispy fun.
LARA - FOREST HILL
🦜 POLLY'S 🦜
Dealer's Choice - Modern bitter w/ caramel-marmalade malt character.
Golden Triumph - Delicate & delicious Kolsch-style Lager.
Past Future - Pithy Pale Ale w/ plenty of super ripe stone fruit notes!
CHIPPY - ST JOHN'S HILL
👌 BELLEVILLE 👌
Savannah Sour - Zippy, tart & gluggable Peach Berliner Weisse.
Night Hawks - Lifted NEIPA w/ sinkable mango & pineapple notes.
Hollywood & Vine - Bold WCIPA w/ sticky pine & candied tangerine flavour.
TOM - BALHAM
🔢 BBNO 🔢
Cold IPA - Crispy-clean w/ vibrant top notes of zingy citrus & pine.
Imperial Baltic Porter w/ Bimber - Complex & decadent BA dark beer!
AF Blood Orange Pale Ale - Quenching & zesty. A new go-to for day or night.
We hope you spotted a treat for the weekend! - Take care, Team CC