Villages Return, Amundsen & DEYA Drops, Alsace Future Classics!
H E L L O
C L A P T O N C R A F T
F A N S !
We're still buzzing from our Birthday celebrations, so a big thank you to everyone that attended our party down the Depot, and to those of you who picked up our Gravity Well and Wild Beer collabs. Though, there's no chance of us easing up and feeling sorry for ourselves this week. Instead, we're thrilled to mark the return of South London superstars Villages, alongside a mighty drop of Norwegian frothy firepower from Amundsen, plus a major resupply from some of the best around in DEYA. In addition, we cannot wait to introduce you to the wines of Henry Fuchs, which we took such a fancy to that we imported all the way from Alsace ourselves.
If that wasn't enough we've got some mega Manager Picks from the likes of Queer Brewing, Siren, Brew By Numbers, and more. Meanwhile, over on the 'old Online Shop, there's a flurry of freshies courtesy of Unbarred, Howling Hops, Vault City, and Cloudwater. But without further ado, we move onto those Deptford dons...
B R E W E R Y
O F T H E
W E E K
Built by brothers Archie and Louis in the heart of South London, Villages have always been a brewery near and dear to us. In brewing small batches of sessionable, contemporary beers they’ve garnered a real following despite only starting proper in 2016. Having dabbled in careers from carpentry and travel journalism to graphic design they soon gravitated to brewing, incorporating all they'd learned along the way and in turn imbuing excitement into every last drop of beer. And, with a focus on continental styles, as well as Lagers, West Coasters, and zingy Sours they've found a real niche in the scene while giving us a welcome palate break with their impeccably balanced efforts.
As such we're delighted to put the spotlight on some of their freshest and finest, of which there are more than a few underrated seasonal styles worth mentioning. Opening proceedings Powers Of Flowers is a Session Saison made with hibiscus. Bringing a sour cranberry meets cherry touch, this is then dry hopped with Talus and Styrian Wolf for rose, pink grapefruit, and herbal notes, culminating in a quenching slammer. Meanwhile, Merlin is a proper West Coast Pale with ultra-smooth bitterness, piney aromas, and layers of clean tropical fruit for super suppability.
On the Lager front, Low and Slow is a remarkably easy-drinking number. Brewed back in December 2021 this has matured at super cold temperatures into a zippy, crushable winner. In contrast, Little Gods features white grapes, raspberries, and blackcurrants for a Sour celebration of Spring fruits. Of course, if you're after some park-ready perfection then citrussy core range classics Rafiki and Rodeo are probably right up your street. While newcomer Big Salad is all succulent stone fruit in portable 330ml perfection.
We urge you to dive into Village's understated, yet emphatic selection with double loyalty points in store this week across their range. If you're yet to sign up you can join in-store, or shoot us an email and we can do the rest. Cheers!
P A S T R Y
P E R F E C T I O N
F R O M A M U N D S E N
Though we always strive to offer a vast array of German and Belgian bangers, it's fair to say our penchant for EU and US imports has waned over the years, in no large part thanks to the spectacular array of breweries on our doorstep. However, none of them quite match Amundsen in the Pastry department. Named for their use of gourmet adjuncts, a focus on rich, decadent flavour and suitably thick mouthfeel through high residual sugars (sometimes aided with lactose). Consequently, we're thrilled to have a sweet-tooths dream of four different Dessert In A Can delights including a Rocky Road Ice Cream and Choc Peanut Butter Caramel Brownie.
The fun doesn't stop there though, with a further duo of gastronomical greats including the latest Glazed & Confused, a double doughnut coffee cream Imperial Pastry Stout, plus smoothie Sour Fruitopia featuring oodles of raspberry, cherry, blueberry, and mango. Of course, if you're on a more traditional tip we've got their exceptional new Helles Good Lager. A crisp, clean, and simply wonderful Extra Premium Lager Beer. Think soft, bready malt character with a touch of honey sweetness balanced by a measurable addition of spicy German hop flavour.
Let us know if you enjoy these European delights, and if you think we should delve deeper into some more Scandinavian stunners soon!
D E Y A D E L I V E R
T H E G O O D S
Y E T A G A I N
Yes, it's that Croc-tacular time again already! We've got fresh supplies from Cheltenham's finest, so that means a re-up on their ever-spectacular Steady Rolling Man, and the crispy wonder Tappy Pils. Also returning is their silky Antipodean-inspired wonder Glue. Featuring Citra, Motueka, Nelson, and Rakau hops this is loaded with vinous gooseberry goodness alongside a tangy savoury edge.
If you're looking for a little more sessionability however, Table Beer Shadows Of Conversation is as good as it gets. At just 2.8% this is loaded with pithy, grassy, citrussy greatness. In addition, Off Street Parking For The Rover is a Pale Ale with remarkable body. Brewed with Loral and Idaho-7 this delivers sweet orange, floral fun and pineapple sherbert goodness all rolled into one.
But, there's more! We're thrilled to have a handful of bottles from their burgeoning Mixed Ferm programme debut this week. As such Cooper's Hill is a Rhubarb Wild Ale made with fruit from nearby Primrose Vale and aged in oak barrels for a year. Nuanced and beautifully balanced expect rustic, earthy malt character with jammy rhubarb flavour and gentle acidity - delish! Moreover, we have their Brett Pils V4, an oak-aged, slightly tart Lager that's packed with floral citrus flavour, while remaining ever so bright and breezy.
So, a healthy dose of hoppy heaven, a few crushable Pales, and some complex, yet smashable Wild Ales. What's not to love?
A S L S A T I A N A C E S
F R O M D O M A I N E
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) earlier this year we were thrilled to uncover a hidden gem in Alsatian producer Henry Fuchs. Our first solo wine import of the year, these biodynamic belters stood head and shoulders above their competitors, so we just had to get them in!
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 these five fresh future favourites is their opulent Cremant. Boasting notes of rich lemon curd, spice, and brioche this has great intensity and mouth-filling fizz, more than matching most Champagnes. Meanwhile, a zingy citrus-laden Pinot Blanc and ripe, dry Riesling offer up even more refreshment. 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, leading to a soft, supple palate with crunchy fruit and light tannins this is ideal for a warm Spring day. Having been bowled over by these, we can't wait to see what you think!
M A N A G E R
P I C K S
T H I S W E E K
OPHIE - CLAPTON
🚨 SIREN 🚨
Suspended in Azacca - Soft, hazy Pale feat. mango-filled fresh leaf hops!
Unstuck in Time - Experimental hop Pale w/ notes of raspberry & grape.
Futurist - A true GF guzzler that packs a grapefruit punch into just 4.8%.
ARTHUR - BALHAM
🇩🇪 HACKER PSCHORR 🇩🇪
Müncher Gold - Floral, hoppy Lager combining crisp malt & subtle vanilla.
Hefe Weisse - Creamy banana & hazy honey-tinged classic!
Kellerbier - Cloudy, golden Cellar beer, faintly yeasty w/ grainy gluggability.
ILARIA - KENTISH TOWN
🏳️🌈 QUEER BREWING 🏳️🌈
Fight Like Hell - DIPA brewed for the Trans Day of Remembrance.
Flowers - Fresh, snappy Wheat Beer balancing herbal & citrus notes.
Existence As A Radical Act - Juicy pale w/ tropical, clean Kveik yeast.
🗣 TASTING TODAY 5-8PM 🗣
FIONN - FINSBURY PARK
💫 ORBIT 💫
Nico - Precise, authentic & suitable crispy Koln style Lager.
Tzatziki Sour - Minty, yoghurty madness. A zingy sunny classic!
Peel - Hoppy Belgian Pale w/ banana, clove & spicy black pepper notes.
SAM - WOOD STREET
🏰 BRASS CASTLE 🏰
Pilsen Thrills - Straight up Lager, w/ delicate lemon & verdant floral notes.
Fruit Lupe - Cascade hops meet Elderflower for a fresh bouquet of citrus.
Quench - Juicy Galaxy & Citra DDH Session Pale stunner!
MEL - WALTHAMSTOW
🏅 THE KERNEL 🏅
Pale - Grassy, clean & all-day drinking citrus favourite.
Dunkel - Traditional dark Munich Lager w/ a rich, robust malt character.
Brett Pale - A triumph of sheer funky, dry drinkability!
LARA - FOREST HILL
👜 DU GRAPPIN 👜
Rouge - Reduce your vino carbon footprint by 80% w/ this silky Syrah.
Blanc - Hazelnut & stone fruit notes in a Chardonnay banger by the bag!
Rose - Zesty, clean Cinsault w/ crisp strawberry & redcurrant flavour.
CHIPPY - ST JOHN'S HILL
✨ BELLEVILLE ✨
Spring Break - Pithy, puckering & saline Gose packed w/ zesty grapefruit!
Beach Bunny - Crushable Pale sporting peach-passion fruit juiciness.
Southie Stout - Succulent dark beer balancing roasted coffee w/ creamy malt.
W E B S H O P
W O N D E R S
T H I S W E E K
🌊 UNBARRED 🌊
BA Stoutzilla 2021 - The culmination of their nascent Barrel project! An Imperial Stout aged for 6 months in Buffalo trace barrels for velvety smooth goodness.
BA Imperial Bueno Shake - For this Impy Stout think super-rich cacao, toasted hazelnuts, sweet vanilla & hints of crispy wafer rounded off by lightly smoked Bourbon.
🌦 CLOUDWATER 🌦
MCI Ginger - Sumptuous Impy Stout saturated in comforting, spicy warmth.
🐺 HOWLING HOPS 🐺
Sleek Behaviour - Hazy, glowing & utterly gluggable Alcohol Free Pale.
Getaway Driver - Crushable DDH Pale Ale w/ grapefruit, lime & peach flavour.
San Luis Peak - Hybrid IPA where resinous bitterness meets juicy tropicality.
🍹 VAULT CITY 🍹
Centaur Skies w/ Neon Raptor - Strawberry Cream Chocolate Peanut Butter & Toffee Sour.
Triple Fruited TIPA w/ North - Guava, pineapple & passion fruit TIPA. Fruity madness!
Thanks for joining us on another loaded lowdown & have a great weekend!