9 Fresh New Craft Beers To Try This Week

It’s mid-Jan and things are muted on the new beer front, but if you dig deep there’s still some gold to be found – so this week I present to you some great new hoppy stuff in particular… and a hoppy water. 

Strap in. These are the best new beers out this week.

1. Track – Dreaming Of… DDH Ella IPA

I’ve been utterly loving the Dreaming Of…series from Track so really keen to find out what Track had done with a single hop ella in their latest DDH IPA.

I’ll admit up until now I’m not sure I’d be able to pick out ella as a hop flavour but based on this it’s both really good and also quite distinguishable.

For hop fans think simcoe with all the stone fruit flavours but that unmissable chewy bite and bullish bitterness which then smooths out on the finish – really good.

2. Track – Rock The Boat Gold Top DIPA

Speaking of really good Track beers their latest Gold Top, Rock the Boat DIPA is also a cracking effort.

It’s everything you’d want from a beer like this as big juicy oats combine with a hint of lactose giving a super smooth mouthfeel with a touch of sweetness.

Pumped full of Idaho 7 and Strata, think notes of papaya and peaches mmmmmm.

3. Neon Raptor – Super Sharp Shooters DIPA

While we’re in the big DIPA territory it’s worth checking out both Azvex’s Lava Lamp and Neon’s Super Sharp Shooters.

The Neon brings all the fruit salad vibes…

4. Azvex – Lava Lamp Encryption DIPA

…but the Azvex’s Lava Lamp with the Citra, Galaxy, and Mosaic hop bill just pips it.

It was a fun head to head tasting between these two, though! We recommend you do the same and snap them both up!

5. Gipsy Hill – HepcAF Alcohol-Free IPA (Low/No Alcohol)

It’s fab to have some Gipsy Hill beers back on the virtual shelves after a bit of a break and I was drawn in by the HepcAF Alc Free Session IPA.

All the main flavours of the now classic Hepcat but minus the booze – a great shout for those booze-free days in Jan. 

6. Verdant – Under The Same Sky TDHND DIPA

There’s fresh new brews from Baron and Beak that are ALWAYS worth picking up but the last highlight this week goes to the Verdant Under The Same Sky TDHND DIPA rebrew.

TDHND stands for Triple Dry Hopped No Dextrose in case you didn’t know! 

All the hops, all the soupy sweetness with a bite and all the smooth finish. Hats off to this big old beer and thank goodness it’s back!

7. Neon Raptor – Velvet Banshee Red Velvet Cake Imperial Pastry Sour

This section is dominated by Crispy Boys but before we get to those I’m excited to have snagged the new Neon Velvet Banshee Sour.

It’s labelled as a red velvet cake imperial sour and hosts strawberry and honeyberry fruits alongside oodles of chocolate and vanilla to deliver a sweet, succulent and sour beer that’s mad and indulgent.

8. Northern Monk – Holy Hop Water Citra Infused Sparkling Water (Low/No Alcohol)

Speaking of mad I have a rather unique brew for you this week that’s actually a sparkling water. What kind of charlatan have I become eh? Haha.

This very strange and experimental drink is Northern Monk’s Holy Hop Water. 

It’s infused with citra hops for when you need rehydration but want that hit of hoppiness.

Is it the innovation we never knew we needed? Maybe so, and we’re all about diversity and experimentation here at CM towers so we bring all the new brews to you either way! 

9. Utopian Brewing – Green Hopped Pilsner

As you can see I restocked a LOT of Utopian this week and what a wonderful bunch of well-priced, well-balanced lagers they make.

Your attention should go to the new Gadds Green Hopped Pilsner. It has that recognisable Utopian base of slight bready maltiness and a clean mouthfeel but has a crackers bitter bite on the finish and a fresh lingering flavour that makes it stand out… lager fans, get stuck in!

Enjoy picking your beers.

Oli, Charlie & Agnes
(The people behind Craft Metropolis)