6 Fresh New Craft Beers To Try This Week

Oli Meade

West Coast IPAs are back and better than ever, and we’ll introduce two new beauties below.

Still, this week, I need to start this list with the obvious.

Verdant are back, with a beer you can’t ignore…

1. Verdant – Allen DIPA

Verdant’s Allen DIPA!

It’s back!!

This has got to be one of the most glorious, most popular, most thick and BEST DIPAs regularly available in the UK – it’s as good as it ever was, whether you’re yet to try it or you’re a seasoned vet, snap your can up and rejoice, for Allen is back!

2. Fermenterarna – Skeleton Party DDH DIPA

I whimped out of ordering Fermenterarna Skeleton Party DDH DIPA a week or so ago, frankly because I’d never tried the brewery’s beers before and wasn’t sure what to expect, but after trying Fermenterarna’s outstanding IPAs I had to go back and get this.

I honestly haven’t tried it at the time of writing but it’s high on the agenda and I’m fully expecting to be blown away by the trademark smooth-yet-full-of-fruity-hoppy-goodness I know Fermenterarna can produce – only dialled up to DIPA extremes!

3. One of These West Coast IPAs

Aaand over on the West Coast front, two new beauties in this week, and I honestly can’t decide which is better – Pressure Drop’s Bosko IPA or Anspach & Hobday’s The West Coast DIPA.

The former harks all the way back to the initial IPA invasion and is all rich and bitter and malty, while The West Coast DIPA is a bit more fruity, a bit more spicy and a little bit more earthy.

I sound like I’m backing Anspach & Hobday’s version for the win, but there’s just no way I can decide – these two are both gems, with beers like these it’s little wonder West Coast IPAs are making such a comeback!

4. Frau Gruber – Banana Split Imperial Stout

The can art on Frau Gruber’s new stouts is enough to tempt anyone in, and the one I reached for first was that Banana Split Impy Stout. 

Now what really stood out for me was how natural this beer was.

Usually with banana beers they can taste like those foam banana sweets you used to get, but this was the real deal, it even leaves a banana pulp in the glass, proper smoothie style, and the chocolate isn’t sugary milk chocolate but the decadent and grown-up dark stuff… all in all this is a decadent delight.

Collecting the whole stout set – including Shakerato and Black Forest Chocolate Cake – would not be an error!

5. A Barrel Aged Stout from Kees

Elsewhere this week there’s new barrel aged goodness on offer from Kees!

If you’re into your whisky then Barrel Project Laphroaig 2022 Peated is the one I’d recommend; if it’s dessert stouts you have a penchant for, get stuck into Caramel Fudge Stout Wild Turkey Edition – take your pick!

6. Pressure Drop – Lifestyle Guide Lychee, Guava & Mango Sour

Lifestyle Guide Lychee, Guava & Mango Sour is Pressure Drop sashay-ing into the fruit smoothie sours, and is a great effort.

You know those Solero ice creams?

Well pciture that. Soured. And as a beer. Good right?

That’s what you should expect from this gem!

As always, I hope you get to try some great new beer this week. 

Cheers & happy drinking!

Oli, Olly & Charlie
(The three people behind Craft Metropolis)