Siren Giveaway! The Kernel, Staff Selects & Snacks Galore

H E L L O
C L A P T O N   C R A F T
F A N S ! 

After last week's mammoth deliveries of the hypest of hype haze-bombs from afar we're back with a focus on some of our nearest and dearest, including a pretty out of this world giveaway from craft beer royalty Siren. Read on for this week's highlights, including a serious upping of our snacks game and an undeniably entertaining conversation with Clapton Craft veteran, Ash Mckean! 

B R E W E R Y 
O F  T H E  W E E K
S I R E N

Having been lucky enough to launch their legendary new session IPA Lumina, it's a joy to celebrate the Berkshire-based brewery once more. Although now household names, Siren Craft Brew were born into the brewing world way back in 2013 with a pretty simple idea in mind: to introduce “exciting, full-flavoured and forward-thinking beers to as many people as possible”.

It's fair to say they achieved that goal, and quite comfortably. Championed by casual drinkers and craft beer nerds (like ourselves) alike, it's their unbelievable ability to offer an extreme diversity of beer alongside sheer accessibility and complexity that puts them in a class of their own. And, crucially it also means whenever a new or returning brew comes through the door, one or two always goes missing before they reach the shelves. 

Along with gluten-free guzzler Lumina, we've had a big restock on all the core favourites like the delectable breakfast stout Broken Dream, and zingy sour Calypso. On refill at all locations we have their ever-impressive, rotating hazy session Suspended In... and we've also got a new trio of breathtaking beers from this bunch.

On that note it's finally time for Castilian Lemon & Honey Cheesecake to return! Built upon a beautiful biscuit base accompanied by a drizzle of honey sweetness this juicy sour IPA sees lemon juice and zest combines with citrus-filled new world hops for a decadent, yet refreshing, desert inspired effort. With more than 20 speciality malts, two separate mashes and three oak varieties, Origin Story is one of the most ambitious recipes they've ever attempted. This 10% Imperial Stout is full of deep caramel, cacao and coffee, underpinned with a subtle smokiness. Rich residual sugars balance with oak tannins to keep the beer drinkable, and utterly moreish. Finally, Through the Hourglass is a rare treat, a Barrel Aged Saison undergoing secondary fermentation in a mixture of both red and white wine barrels gives this beer incredible stone fruit and sherbet notes.

 We encourage you to try a little bit of everything, and are offering double loyalty points in store this week across their core range and latest specials! If you're yet to sign up you can join in store, or shoot us an email and we can do the rest.

S T A F F  S E L E C T S
# 1
A S H

For our inaugural entry it just had to be roaming shop-keeper and the longest serving member of the team, Ash Mckean. To read the whole chat head to our journal, or catch some of the highlights below.

So, how did you get through lockdown?

All the things you shouldn't do, to begin with. Never feel bad about sitting in your underwear and watching a TV series with some Ben & Jerry’s. Even when you're constantly aware of seeing people on Instagram, and it’s the best part of their lives and they’re being really productive, it’s fine, whatever works for you. Painting, playing Guitar definitely helped. Also maybe just don’t go on Instagram.

What have you got in the fridge at the moment?

Sonorous from Affinity, two cans of Coke, a pint of Whole Milk and that’s actually it… we have just moved in though, I should lie really, say we’ve got a bottle of Mother Rock's Liquid Skin, it is my favourite, and a way better answer…

Most underrated brewery?

Vibrant Forest, my hometown boys! Pupa has been so good for so long, and it's not crazy to think they could be as big as Verdant, Deya etc. Just so consistent. Viridis their latest sour is something else.

What would be your three desert island beers?

Pale Fire it has to be, doesn't it? I can’t say Stella in a Clapton Craft interview, Augustiner Helles or the Pils, in terms of loving the lager. Ah you know what... the Brick Citrus Sour, not the last one but the one before. Just like Capri-Sun.

If you could sell one other product in Clapton Craft what would it be?

Lilt. Pallets of lilt, an essential part of working in the shop. Especially when so many beers are trying, and failing to be Lilt.

Favourite story from the shops?

There’s a girl in E17 who's 6 or 7 at most who genuinely picks up beers for her dad, not in that way but I love it, "no Daddy doesn’t like that one Mummy, he likes this one".

Beer 2020 prediction?

Well nothing might happen this year as nothing has really happened for quite a while now... maybe a shift to seasonal shopping - sours in summer, stouts in winter, people seem to be understanding beer a lot more these days. Everyone’s become so much more aware, and able to try different things without seeing it as a risk. You don't necessarily get people coming in anymore and getting six of the same thing, it's great.

You can read the rest of our chat here. To see more from Ash, including his painting, you can follow him on Instagram (which he's definitely not browsing right now). 

N E W 
S N A C K S 
G A L O R E

Embarrassingly (or not) we pride ourselves on beer accompaniments, so when a packet of stale pork scratchings just won't do for you, we've made some pretty serious additions to our snacks repertoire. You might recognise our first new signing, as Bonilla A La Vista Olive Oil Crisps are found in Bong Joon-ho’s hilariously dark, Oscar-winning Parasite. As reported in The Guardian Bonilla’s delectable crisps were already popular in South Korea, but their brief role in the film has lead them to be hunted down ceaselessly by social media influencers - we definitely believe the hype on this one!

Now in new beautifully adorned tins, Perello Pitted Olives are a cult favourite among connoisseurs, and their Gordals are one of the finest Spanish olives - bright green, plump, crisp, with a slight, peppery hot kick. Drain and serve as a pre-dinner bite, or enjoy as part of an antipasti selection with cold meats and cheese. We've also got a much needed resupply of Brindisa's delightful trio of Salted Catalan Almonds, Maize Kernels, and Spicy Broad Beans, as well as the utterly addictive Truffle and Iberico Ham Torres Crisps.

S I R E N
S T A R G A Z I N G 
G I V E A W A Y

To celebrate the launch of Lumina and to cap off a few pretty mega weeks of releases with the chiefs at Siren, they're allowing us to give away one of their absolutely belting, and now sold out, Stargazing Bundles. Included are eight of their excellent core range beers, plus two of the latest specials, access to a tutored beer tasting, and stargazing tips from Dr Becky Smethurst. You'll also find a boatload of snacks, beer mats, a glass and so much more. Not forgetting there's also a pretty handsome runner's up prize of one of Siren's slick t-shirts (one that we find ourselves donning way too often).

If you'd like to enter you'll need to be a loyalty member, and simply purchase any of their beers from our locations or online, over the weekend - for each Siren purchase you make you'll gain another entry into the draw, and we'll pick out a winner next week and send them to their nearest store for collection!

M O R E
H I G H L I G H T S
T H I S  W E E K 

We couldn't resist picking up Gipsy Hill's latest batch of the formidable Outlooker. This triple fruited sour was awarded Overall Champion Beer of Love Beer London 2020, and quite rightly too. Soured on their house lactobacillus culture, and charged with 200g/l of Blackberry, Raspberry and Lingonberry Pure it’s an out-of-this-world smoothie of a beer.

It should probably go without saying that The Kernel's session great Table Beer is absolutely singing at the moment. We've made sure to get a healthy dose of the good stuff from the Bermondsey clan, in addition to their ever-reliable Pale Ale & IPA, new crispy-clean Pils, plus their highly regarded Imperial Brown Stout, alongside the last remaining bunch of their brilliant Biere De Saison & London Sour series.

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As always there's even more to discover online, and in all five stores open every day of the week. Thanks for reading, and more importantly have a great weekend!