Dug this one from the Herald archive. Really I should wait
until spring 2016 ... when Beavertown release their awesome Bloody Ell orange
laden beer. But then, it's good to build a bit of anticipation ...
If you haven't tried any of Beavertown's beer, you really
ought to. And if you have had some of their beers - the wickedly delicious
Black Betty IPA or dangerously drinkable Neck Oil IPA, for example - chances
are you're waiting for their super-selling seasonal IPA Bloody 'Ell to hit the
shelves again.
Blood 'Ell is fantastic; a must-try beer made from blood
oranges and Amarillo and Citra hops. Don't expect stocks to last when they
start arriving in March.
Beavertown have only been around for a few years, but
they're easily one of the stars of the great beer renaissance we're living
through - one of the 50 or so breweries to open in London in the past five
years.
Owner Logan Plant is the son of rock god Robert Plant, but
it's safe to say Beavertown have got to where they are on the merits of beers:
since starting up in 2011, they've produced collaboration brews with the likes
of Dogfish, Mikkeller and BrewDog, and their brewing staff cut their teeth at
leading London breweries such as Redchurch and Kernel.
Beavertown's beers have bold flavours and big characters,
reflected in their distinctive artwork and branding. The cans, literally, have
that feelgood factor.
A lot of their specials often don't make it this far north
(and when they do they go fast) but Beavertown's core range - see below - is
pretty widely available in good beer shops and online.
Bloody 'Ell is a romp through the senses. The aroma on this
powerful IPA is tropical resin hops with heaps of mandarins and a drop of
toffee. It's just delicious. For the gardeners, you'll recognise the smell of
mock orange.
Pouring it - best not to drink it from the can - gives you a
thick frothy off-white head, while below it's amber gold that's opaque like
jelly.
Tasting it is a trip. The oranges are there in force but so
too is a grapefruit tang and crisp pomegranate - at 7.2%, the alcohol is fairly
noticeable too. Then it eases; a light biscuit malt balances the rich juiciness
delivering a mellow smoothness before this IPA settles into a medium dry finish
that's big on bitterness but also gives you salt and spices round the edges.
No way is this a session ale, it's a hop-forward, citrus
heavy IPA for savouring.
Five other Beavertown beers
Black Betty black IPA (7.4%)
A spicy and strong black IPA that bam-a-lams the
competition. A beautiful balance of rich roasted malts, hefty tropical, citrus
and stonefruit hops. An absolute belter of a beer and a personal favourite.
Smog Rocket smoked porter (5.4%)
Bitter coffee and dark chocolate malt with the bittersweet
finish evolving from a tart hoppiness. There's a salty character here, but also
a touch of cherry. It pours black like the colour of Marlboro Man's lungs.
8 Ball IPA (6.2%)
A big bold and potent IPA with plenty or rye and aromas of
American hops. Pours amber with peach, pine and caramel flavours. Takes its
name because the brewers weighed down the bags of hops with pool balls.
Gamma Ray American pale ale (5.4%)
Deliciously juicy and dangerously drinkable, Gamma Ray is a
pale ale with big tropical aromas and flavours of mango and grapefruit. Too
strong to be a session ale, sadly.
Neck Oil IPA (4.3%)
Beavertown's session IPA. An easy-drinking beer with light
citrus and resin hops and enough balance and bitterness to leave you a long and
pleasant finish.
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