Posted on 01/07/21
Oli Meade
This week, I’ve been particularly excited by the two new brews just in from world-renowned, rarely-ever-seen-in-the-UK, Florida-based brewery J Wakefield.
As if that wasn’t enough, this week also saw the release of Pressure Drop’s first EVER Triple IPA.
So, when you’re ready, let’s discuss the best new beers just in this week…
Just in case you don’t already know, J Wakefield are a much admired, world renowned brewery based over in Florida… and very few of their beers make it over to UK shores. So I’m ecstatic to announce that we managed to get hold of two of their wicked beers earlier this week!
Just Up The River TIPA is a 473ml can (weird American measure) of gloriously sweet murk juice. The hops here are all laden with tropical notes: rarely seen Cashmere is known for imparting an intensely exotic tropical medley; Strata, as we all know, means mango and passionfruit; and from the Galaxy you get citrus and peach. This is wonderful.
(And if sours are more your thing, we also managed to snag J Wakefield’s Aprikosenkuchen Fruited Berliner Weisse, with apricot, lactose, vanilla, almonds and cinnamon. Oh yeah!)
Great news – Pressure Drop’s first ever Triple IPA is here!
Fancy TIPA comes after a year of beer fans begging the brewery to step up. And, as always, the North London brewery have delivered!
This hop-laden TIPA is juicy, it’s fruity, it’s smooth and it has a big, boozy finish to boot.
£5.95 for a 10% Triple IPA? Yes please!
Talking of hop-laden, Polly’s Brew Co’s Hi, Everything’s Great DIPA showcases no less than seven (yep, seven!) different hop varietals – Simcoe, Mosaic, Enigma, El Dorado, Ekuanot, Citra and Columbus.
A ‘Frankenstein’s monster’ of a mega-haze bomb, this is a Polly’s beer made for those serious about their hops.
Over on the experimental front, Northern Monk’s Within And Without Raspberry & Hibiscus DIPA isn’t just a sexy can (but come on, how cool is that can art?!).
As well as the mountains of raspberry and floral hibiscus in this one, you’ve got cinnamon and sweet vanilla intermingling, all weaved into a purple-pink fruitshake made silky smooth through oats, wheat and even spelt malts.
Beautiful stuff.
Now Villages are an underrated brewery, and those of you who’ve been reading this blog for a while will know all about my affection for Brick, so when Villages teamed up with Brick for Pedalo Yuzu Sour I was all over it.
A drinkable sour with a citrusy yuzu twang, this is an unsung hero that shouldn’t be sniffed at.
We picked up so much new stuff from Mondo this week that their post-visit shelves resembled a post-pandemic toilet paper aisle, and the highlight of the lot has got to be Mondo’s Melon Ball Watermelon Wheat Beer.
Just look at that name! It’s got summer all over it!
This is Mondo’s original, popular hazy, conditioned on watermelons for refreshing goodness. Get involved.
Pressure Drop’s Black Treacle Stout is a proper, grown up stout that’s rich and toasty thanks to dark roasted barley malts.
Hedgerow hops add a welcome fruity side.
Then Pressure Drop add a dollop of treacle – which rather than taking over, seems to amplify the existing profile perfectly.
Elsewhere, Siren continued to show the world how exciting a brown ale can be with their latest edition of Granola Coaster Coconut & Almond Granola Brown Ale.
Toasted coconut, a touch of spicy amburana and maple chips provide Siren’s famous granola undercurrent which, this time, includes almonds!
Rich roasted malts and mosaic hops balance the sweet side out too.
Left Handed Giant have never been shy about banging out a big, sweet, sticky, stout that most need two servings to conquer, and the 12% We Are Ghosts On The Moon Imperial Stout continues the tradition!
This big impy stout is brewed on the same malt base as LHG’s King Of The Woodland, but Honeycomb, Maple Syrup and Pecan essence turn things biscuity, decadent and rich.
‘Think of a big boozy pecan pie’, is what they say. Which, to be fair, is a pretty accurate description.
This week, we went shopping at some of our all time favourite breweries and, to be honest, we didn’t hold back!
Kicking things off with the lagers, we picked up more of the popular Lost & Grounded Helles and, while we were at it, Lost & Grounded – Keller Pils – both of which are now available online, and would work well paired with a glimmer of sunshine punching through UK cloud.
The crisp and refreshing Machina Lager from Mondo is also up there too. Mondo’s Capra Heller Bock, meanwhile, is still a lager – but way more malty, with almost a caramel tinge going on.
While dipping into Mondo’s wares we picked up the ‘perfect introduction to craft beer’ in Road Soda NEPA. Yeah, I know you’re already way past that point. Mondo’s Homing From Work IPA is probably more your thing, then.
Boxcar’s Xylophone Island IPA is more complex still. Brewed with Comet & Citra hops, think mango, grapefruit and citrus with grassy vibes. Summer’s here!
Glasshouse know as much – their pillowy soft full House pale is the perfect tangerine-tinged summer crusher. Glasshouse’s Mood Indigo IPA is more floral. And Live and Direct Pale? Well, that’s your pineapple, mango and peach fruit cocktail!
Talking of fruit cocktails, Siren’s Sold My Soul For Mosaic IPA comes with lovely ripe mango aromas backed by tropical notes, stone fruits and a touch of bitterness. Oh yeah.
Polly’s join the party with a whole host of new hoppy goodness. When To Ask Why Pale is a straight up, unfussy, clean and crisp treat. The Lights That Lead These Streets DDH IPA is more of your typical Polly’s concoction – mango, pineapple, and papaya. Then Polly’s Dream Mate Galaxy IPA is hazy, juicy, dank and pulpy.
Drop Project’s latest fruity, tropical effort is Shifty New England Pale Ale. Citrus forward, it’s more on the refreshing side of things. Drop Project’s Glare NEIPA is tropical too – but more chewy and silky
And Northern Monk’s Do Not Open Until 03.07.21 TIPA? Well, obviously, so far, nothing to report – but ask me on Saturday and I’ll have more to say!
On the sour front, Left Handed Giant’s World In Motion Fruited Gose is a sour and slightly salty tropical breakfast juice! Siren’s Peaches Everyday Fruited IPA, meanwhile, is a pink glass of peachy goodness.
Veering into experimental territory, Northern Monk’s OFS042 Michelada is a bloody Mary/lager mash up. Rumours are it cures hangovers. I’m not so sure, but it sounds bleeding lovely.
Pressure Drop’s This Is Classic TV Cherry Sour is sure to please sour fans.
News that Boxcar’s Dark Mild is back in will definitely please those into darker stuff.
While we’re on dark beers, Siren’s Bones Of A Sailor Imperial Porter is rich, robust and chocolatey with spices and with rye.
Aaaaand how about a white chocolate and coffee boozy nesquik milkshake? Siren’s Invisible Deck Nitro White Stout offers just that!
As always, I hope you get to try some of these new beers this week.
Cheers & happy drinking!
Oli
(The founder)
Step 1
We trawl the globe tasting great beer
