Posted on 01/09/21
Oli Meade
It’s been relatively quiet in terms of quantity on the new beers front this week.
But the quality?
Well, I’m about to bang on about Northern Monk’s new juice-fest, Beak’s first EVER sour and an XPA from Polly’s that’ll make you fall in love with the style.
By the way, if you want to try any of the below, I’ll get your order in the post marked next day delivery – free delivery on orders over £60 too!
OK, here’s what I’ve been loving this week…
In the same week that Northern Monk’s OFS series reached the East Coast, Dream Line Forms: 7 DDH DIPA hit our shelves!
In this edition, Lancashire’s Rivington and Glasgow’s Overtone lent a hand by nominating some of their favourite hops, and the result is an apricot, tangerine and papaya fruit salad complete with punchy resin and zesty lime.
This beer has always been epic, and Dream Line Forms: 7 is the result of iterative brewing to achieve something close to perfection…
If you drink just one beer this week, let this be it!
But why drink just one beer this week?
This isn’t soviet Russia, and Monk’s OFS series has reached the East Coast!
That means New England loveliness, and OFS046 East Coast IPA has all the murk, haze, and juice you’d expect from a NEIPA, plus it’s hop heavy, and smooth, and FruitBowl yeast ensures fruity esters amped up through juice-rich Citra, Amarillo, and El Dorado. Get innn!
OFS048 DIPA takes things up a notch further, with coconut, mango and melon.
And if you’re all-in, OFS047 Dole Whip Ice Cream Pale brings things home for pudding! Get one, get two, or collect the full set!
Next up, you don’t get too many XPAs around these parts, which makes Polly’s Cracks Extra Pale of immediate interest.
XPAs deliberately dial down the malts to place an extra focus on the hops, which in the case of Cracks means passionfruit, pineapple and citrus a-plenty!
Passionfruit and pineapple from the juice kings Polly’s? In sessionable strength?!
All hail the XPA!
Last up on the hops this week is a gem from our old pals Pressure Drop – we took in more Pale Fire, more Understanding Whole Systems NEIPA and more Capital Ring NEIPA this week, but if it’s something new you’re after then Pockets Of Space NEPA is immense!
Expect a fruit filled flavourbomb with alluring tropical aromas and a subtle, bitter finish that keeps you racing back for more.
My only contention here is Pressure Drop say it’s sessionable. 5.2% and 440ml. Sessionable?! I have kids!
Not enough was made of this last week so just to drive the point home, Wurl! is BEAK’S FIRST EVER SOUR!
Flaked wheat, pilsner malts and lactobacillus all make things light and zingy, then lengthy conditioning over freshly pureed raspberries adds a tangy, fruity dimension.
It’s tart, it’s sweet, it’s bright, it lingers – the word is out about Beak… get in while you can!
Over in the experienced corner lies Yonder, who know a thing or two about what makes for a good sour, and if that isn’t obvious then Blueberry Pie Pastry Sour and Cherry Pie Pastry Sour are exhibits A and B.
Both great, but Cherry Pie is the pick for me – sweet and sour cherries with flaked almonds and a splash of vanilla. This is sharp, it’s sweet, it’s buttery and it’s creamy.
Sour fans, this is one you won’t want to miss.
On the dark front, say hello to Leeds based brewery Tartarus, the latest nano brewery to join both our virtual and physical shelves!
Vanilla Kludde Quad proves Tartarus know what they’re doing when it comes to strong European beers, but Anubis Spiced Imperial Stout surely marks them as mavericks.
Jasmine and hibiscus add floral notes to this beast of an imperial stout, which is spiced with chilli, cumin, coriander, ginger and orange.
Immense!
Rounding off things the week is Bohemia Regent’s Kníže – an outstanding strong beer from an ace Czech brewery.
These guys amp up the Kníže flavour dial by mixing wild hops and Satu Mare, then they mature the whole concoction for a full 6 months to let everything develop.
Malty, sweet, boozy, bitter.
Give this to anyone who still thinks lager is tasteless!
Polly’s Controversy Between Deep TIPA is about as fruity as Monk’s Dream Line Forms… although a coconut casing makes it more akin to OFS048 DIPA than Dream Line Forms: 7.
Looking for a lower ABV? Polly’s Lenno Table Saison shows what Polly’s can do when it comes to table beers. This is just 2.9%!
Yonder’s Coolbox Session Helles restock is similarly sessionable, although in lager form.
Bohemia Regent’s Renegát lowers things even further – alcohol free!
With a new Polly’s DIPA, an IPA and a Pale just in, there’s a Polly’s for everyone!
And whatever you do, don’t forget to take a chance on one or two of our new German & Czech lines.
As always, I hope you get to try some of these ace new beers this week.
Cheers & happy drinking,
Oli
(The founder)
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