SUMMER OF LAGER

GOOD NEWS FOR PEOPLE 

WHO LOVE GOOD BEER 

CRAFT BEER 

REAL ALES 

GOOD PUBS 

TASTING NOTES 

ARTISANAL SPIRITS 

+ other nice stuff 

4 

FREE issue 

originalgravitymag.com /originalgravitymag @OGBeerMag ORIGINAL_GRAVITY 

SUMMER OF LAGER 

How brewers are reinventing the world’s favourite beers 

+ The 15 thrilling lagers you need to try 

+ Three exclusive homebrew recipes from 

MIKKELLER 

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MÄRZEN 

Contents 

Local hops line up at Harveys Brewery in Lewes, Sussex / p12 

The Mash /p04 | Lagers /p09 | Photo Essay /p12 | Mikkeller /p14 

Tasting Notes /p17 | Beer Traveller’s Guide /p18 | Your round /p19 

Cover image by Assa Ariyoshi for 

Original Gravity% (assaariyoshi.com) 

ORIGINAL 

GRAVITY 

Contact 

daniel@originalgravitymag.com 

01323 370430 

Advertising 

originalgravitymag@gmail.com 

01323 370430 

Website: originalgravitymag.com 

Twitter: OGBeerMag 

Facebook: /originalgravitymag 

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Visuals: @adamonsea 

© 2015 Original Gravity is published 

by Don’t Look Down Media. All rights 

reserved. All material in this publication may 

not be reproduced or distributed in any form 

without the written permission of Don’t 

Look Down Media. Views expressed in 

Original Gravity are those of the respective 

contributors and do not necessarily reflect 

the opinions of the publication nor its staff. 

TRY THE BEERS 

The Curious Beer Club. Subscribe at 

curiousbeer.club for your ticket to the taste 

revolution. A beer club like no other. 

Already a member? 

This symbol indicates beers in 

the CBC boxes this edition. 

Who is writing 

this issue, and the 

best lager at the 

moment 

HELLO 

Drink differently. 

It’s an utterly sparkling, adventurous and intoxicating 

time for beer right now. Dozens of new breweries 

are opening, the range of beers from overseas is 

bewildering. We share your passion for these beers. 

And we all have a great opportunity to spread the word 

further. A great starting point is lager. It is the most 

misaligned types of beer, and it’s time to reclaim it from 

Big Brand Bland. It’s difficult and costly to produce, 

and done well, it’s the best summer drink in the world. 

So next time your mate gets a lager, point them in the 

direction of a Brooklyn Lager, or a Camden Hells, 

perhaps a Köstritzer Black Lager, and change the way 

they drink beer forever. Pete Brown will help with the 

answers on page 9. 

Elsewhere, we’ve relaunched the website and 

added a shop. We’ve started a podcast and we’ll 

be at some events near you too soon. Check out 

originalgravitymag.com for your daily dose. Finally, 

we’re launching a collaboration with the Curious 

Beer Club to curate a mystery box of beer, all of which 

will be written about in the next issue. See page 16. 

Daniel Neilson, Publisher and Editor 

BUY THE BEERS 

You’ll notice we mention our partners who 

supply many of the beers mentioned. 

Ales By Mail (alesbymail.co.uk): ABM 

Beers of Europe (beersofeurope.co.uk): BE 

Beer Hawk (beerhawk.co.uk): BH 

Real Ale (realale.com): RA 

Daniel Neilson 

Daniel is the editor and publisher of Original Gravity%. It was a pint of Dark 

Star’s Hophead that started him off on this amazing journey through the world 

of beer. He’s edited guidebooks and national magazines in the UK, Canada and 

Argentina, but beer is where his heart is. / originalgravitymag.com 

‘They’ve just put on Brooklyn Lager in the pub below our office (yes, we work above 

a pub). I love the creamy dark colours, the juicy hoppiness, and the pre-prohibition 

tradition that this recipe is based on. A beer with personality.’ 

Pete Brown 

Pete Brown is a British writer who specialises in making people thirsty. He is the 

author of five-and-a-half books as well as the annual Cask Report, and numerous 

articles in the drinks trade press and consumer press. He is a member of the 

British Guild of Beer Writers, and was Beer Writer of the Year in 2009 and 2012. 

‘The best lager I’ve tasted recently would have to be Cloudwater Versus Camden, 

a lovely rich, malty Marzen that’s been three months in the making, and is, as a 

result, distressingly drinkable for a 6.2% beer.’ 

Teninchwheels 

Teninchwheels is a Yorkshire-born designer and photographer. A proud Timothy 

Taylor fanboy, he became a beer and pub blogger when nobody ever read his Vespa 

blog. / moorstoneimages.wordpress.com / teninchwheels.wordpress.com 

‘The Andechser Vollbier Hell is crisp, clean and pure as mountain air. Gentle 

sweetness with lemon and grassy hits. The brewing is overseen by Benedictine monks 

– try it at their abbey just outside Munich. This Hell is Heavenly.’ 

Adrian Tierney-Jones 

Adrian is an award-winning freelance journalist, author and speaker writing and 

talking about beer, pubs, food and travel and how they all intersect. Read his 

tasting notes on p17. / maltworms.blogspot.co.uk 

‘In Bologna I was reacquainted with Imperial Pils My Antonia by Birra del Borgo 

and Dogfish Head. It’s got pineapple and mango on the nose, a bracing bitterness, a 

voluptuousness in its mouthfeel. It’s a serious example of what you can do with lager.’ 

Alan Hinkes 

Alan Hinkes is the first Briton to climb all 14 8000m peaks. Alan was awarded 

the OBE in 2006, and he is Yorkshireman of the Year. He lives in Yorkshire but is 

usually found walking mountains by day and discovering beers by evening. 

‘Several years ago necking German-influenced Chinese lager straight from what 

seemed a British style large pint bottle. Once acclimatised to the high altitude, arid 

dusty Tibetan desert plateau, a Chinese lager was a welcome thirst slaker.’ 

6.6% 

0 3

The Mash 

The ART OF BEER 

TRUMANS 

.. I have long felt the brewing business to be 

particularly adapted to Mr Micawber. Look at 

Barclay and Perkins! Look at Truman, Hanbury, 

and Buxton! It is on that extensive footing that 

Mr Micawber, I know from my own knowledge of 

him, is calculated to shine; and the profits, I am 

told, are e-NOR—mous! – Mrs Micawber 

Truman’s beer was so ingrained in the culture of 

London’s East End, that Charles Dickens namechecks 

the brewery in David Copperfield. By 

the time the most autobiographical of Dickens’ 

novels was published in 1850, Truman, Hanbury, 

Buxton & Co was the biggest brewery in the 

world, fumbling over six-acres at the well-known 

Brick Lane site. It was supplying the East India 

Company, and its Export Imperial Stout was sent 

to the Russian Court. By the mid 1800s it was a 

force not only in brewing, especially with the rise 

of porter, but also in politics and the abolitionist 

cause. In 1831, it hosted the Cabinet Dinner 

of Charles Grey’s government. The steaks were 

purportedly cooked in the furnace of the brewery 

boiler house. 

By the 1970s however, it was victim to the 

snapping up of brewers and the name was 

changed. Despite a last gasp effort to bring back 

the Truman’s Eagle, it closed in 1989. That is 

until James Morgan and team brought it back 

to East London in 2013, even discovering the 

original Truman’s yeast from the National 

Collection of Yeast Cultures. 

Almost under the shadow of the Olympic Stadium, 

Original Gravity% meets Jack Hibberd of Truman’s 

and illustrator James Brown at the brewery in 

Hackney Wick to examine some pump clips. 

“Truman’s is about taking the best of our history 

and making it relevant to East London today,” 

explains Jack. “When co-founder James Morgan 

saw James Brown’s prints in an art gallery, he knew 

he wanted him to illustrate the seasonal beers. His 

style and screen prints combined the tradition and 

modernity that we’re all about. It also reflected the 

creative industries in East London.” 

Truman’s has a loose policy of having an ‘artistin-residence’, 

usually with local artists, who’ll 

redesign the regular seasonals and any new beers, 

James’s pump clip design for Attaboy a ‘hoppy 

pale ale’, and featuring a racing greyhound, is 

perhaps the most evocative of East London. The 

famous Hackney Wick Stadium was opened 

in 1932 and used for greyhound racing and 

speedway. It was demolished in 2003 after 

standing derelict for years and replaced by the 

London Olympics Media Centre just a couple 

of minutes walk from the brewery. “I remember 

the stadium from when I lived in Hackney 

around 1999,” says Leyton resident James 

Brown. “Probably from being lost! 

“Within all my work I look to the past for 

inspiration,” James continues. “I collect useless 

bits of printed paraphernalia from junk shops 

and charity shops, and I’m fascinated by precomputer 

typography. But it’s about taking the 

best of the past and making it relevant – that’s 

where I dovetail with Truman’s.” 

James’s background is as a textile design 

making patters “until I realised people wanted 

illustrations more”. It’s served him well, working 

on book jackets and for newspapers including the 

Guardian. His amazing prints are wildly popular. 

Attaboy was the first design he did and it 

captures wonderfully the spirited creativity of 

East London and also the beer itself. “It’s a fast, 

hoppy and dynamic beer and we wanted to get 

that across,” Jack adds. 

Next up was Blindside, a rugby themed label for 

a beer that comes out around the Six Nations, 

but it’s Lazarus that perhaps is most symbolic. 

“This is the beer that was brewed to celebrate 

Truman’s return to London,” says Jack. “It’s a 

lovely refreshing beer and with a special place 

in our hearts.” At which point we retire to 

Truman’s de facto tap room, The Plough@Swan 

Wharf for a pint of the zesty Lazarus. It’s been 

quite a resurrection. 

/ trumansbeer.co.uk / jamesbrown.info 

/ hackneyplough.co.uk 

WIN IT 

a limited edition print of Lazarus or 

Attaboy by answering a very easy 

question at originalgravitymag.com 

0 4

The Mash 

Hop 

OF THE MONTH 

“Enjoying a beer, the mind becomes awash with visions.” Artist Beer Visions 

Beer PUBLICATIONS 

NELSON SAUVIN 

This issue we move continents and head to the 

antipodes, New Zealand in fact for perhaps 

the world’s most juicy, fruity and downright 

appealing hop. Hops are as rooted in their terrior 

as grapes, each imparting different flavours and 

bitterness. The characteristics of Nelson Sauvin 

is quickly becoming a brewing favourite for its 

tropical, lively, fun and characterful aromas. 

You’ll get fresh gooseberries, tangerines, passion 

fruit, grapefruit, mangoes and white wine (it’s 

named after the Sauvignon Blanc with reason). 

This is a hop for summer gardens and barbecue 

evenings. 

#1/ Thornbridge Kipling, 5.2% 

A beer that uses Nelson Sauvin 

exclusively. It’s an OG% favourite that is 

exquisite in its kiwi and passion fruit and 

freshly-squeezed drinkability. 

/ thornbridgebrewery.co.uk 

Buy at: Thornbridge, BE, BH, 

#2 / 8 Wired Saison Sauvin, 7% 

Oh. My. Word. This is one of the fruitiest 

and most wonderful beers from New 

Zealand’s best brewery, and for our 

money, one of best in the world. This 

Sauvin Saison is like bathing your tongue 

in an alcoholic tropical smoothie. 

/ 8wired.co.nz Buy at: ABM 

Artist Beer Visions 

/ 3rd Rail 

As Partizan’s amazing bottle label designer Alec 

Doherty said in these pages, beer art is the new 

album art. This book of fictional beer labels, 

curated by 3rd Rail screen printing studio, crosses 

that boundary more than ever. 

This satisfying hard back book brings together 

20 artists with their ‘beer vision’ and a brief 

interview. The artist’s final work was a 50cm x 

50cm screen print and has been exhibited around 

the country (check website for more). If you miss 

that, buy the book. 

/ 3rdrailpresents.co.uk 

Brewery History 

/ Brewery History Society 

Despite being on issue 159, we’ve only come 

across this scholarly journal of the Brewery 

History Society that covers the history of the 

world’s breweries. It was first published in 1973 

and now appears four times a year with occasional 

special issues. It’s a peer-reviewed journal in the 

academic sense, but it’s packed with fascinating 

nuggets about lost breweries, biographical 

pieces and loads of amazing old photos. The 

current edition includes a photo essay on the 

Donnington Brewery and an examination of the 

American Brewing industry from 1865 to 1940. 

/ breweryhistory.com 

Hop & Barley 

/ Nicholas Dawes, Michael Jenkins, Simon James 

Hop & Barley, now in its 4th issue, is a quarterly 

publication dedicated to all things beer and 

the stories behind it. In the current issue you’ll 

find articles on Buxton Brewery, an interview 

with Melissa Cole, tasting gluten-free beers, a 

rather lovely recipe and hilarious drawings from 

‘Twatty Beer Doodles’ (@twattybeer – always 

worth following). The photography is stunning 

throughout too. A welcome addition to the 

bourgeoning independent publishing scene. 

The 116-page magazine is on good stock, costs £8 

and is available from hopandbarley.co.uk. 

/ hopandbarley.co.uk 

what’s in a GLASS? 

As glassware specialists Spiegelau launch a new range of ‘craft beer 

glasses’, we ask whether it makes a jot of difference 

As they are with beer, Belgian brewers are 

also masters of glassware with each brew is 

meticulously served with the right glass. Outside 

Belgium the right glass for the right beer is not 

always observed, though the Germans get it right 

as the towering and sensually shaped Weizen glass 

demonstrates. Spiegelau is a Bavarian company 

that have been making glassware for some 500 

years, and are best known for their crystal-cut 

wine glasses. 

Glassware is important. There are champagne 

flutes and Burgundy glasses, Pinot Noir glasses 

and Bordeaux glasses. And you wouldn’t drink a 

martini from a tumbler. Volume is a reason, but 

does the glass you drink your beer from matter? 

IPA GLASS 

If you buy one glass, make 

it this one. It was designed 

in collaboration with 

Dogfish Head and Sierra 

Nevada. This very clearly 

makes a difference to 

taste wrapping the aroma 

around your nose. 

STOUT GLASS 

Another collaboration, 

this time with Left Hand 

Brewing and Rogue Ales, 

two brewers who know a 

thing or two about stout. 

Not wildly different from 

the IPA glass in style, but 

beautiful nonetheless. 

GLASSIC LAGER 

There’s less 

noticeable difference 

in taste for the lager 

glass and other 

glasses, but the wide 

mouth allows the 

aromas out. It’s a 

delicate all rounder. 

WHEAT BEER 

GLASS 

Well, it would be a 

bit weird drinking a 

Hefeweizen, a classic 

German Wheat Beer, 

in anything else. One to 

pick up if you’re a fan of 

this style. 

Adrian Tierney-Jones, head of judges at the 

World Beer Awards, explained: “I used to think it 

was nonsense but then I had Boston Lager at the 

eponymous airport in a glass specially designed by 

Sam Adams, and the beer positively pulsated with 

flavour and aroma. Once airside I had another 

in an ordinary glass, it was like I’d drank two 

different beers.” So maybe there is something in 

it – let’s see… 

/ spiegelau.com 

0 5

The Mash 

Beer 101 

YEAST 

#7 

Brewery 

FOCUS 

4/12) This is where the magic happens. As Pete Brown suggests 

in our podcast about his new book covering the ingredients 

of beer: “Yeast is a miracle in itself. It’s a microscopic 

organism that eats sugar and excretes alcohol and carbon 

dioxide.” Yeast is added to wort – the sugary and 

hoppy liquid – and ferments the sugar resulting in an 

alcoholic beer. Different strains of yeast are better for 

different beers. Lager, for example, is defined by the 

yeast it uses; one that allows fermentation at low 

temperatures. (There’s compelling evidence that a 

main lager yeast strain originates in the Amazon. 

The Amazon!). 

It also imparts flavour, both intentionally, and 

off-flavours. That banana-like taste in a hefeweizen? 

That’s the yeast – but you don’t want it in a mild. 

And more and more new brewers are using yeast to 

define their beers: Wild Beer Co use a sourdoughbased 

yeast with great success. The Belgians have 

been playing around with yeasts for years. Lambics and 

saisons (see right) are often produced with Brettanomyces 

yeast strain (you’ll see this word a lot), and gives the beer a 

sour edge. Similarly, Lactobacillus gives an acidity to beers such 

as Berliner weisse. It’s a miracle indeed, and a new frontier for beer. 

News 

#6 

SHORTS 

i/ One of the world’s most sought-after beers, Founders Kentucky 

Breakfast Stout, has just been released in the UK. It is often voted as i 

the best beer in the world on Rate Beer. Get it quick. 

/ jamesclay.co.uk for stockists. 

ii/ Meantime Brewery has been bought by SAB Miller, the world’s 

second largest brewery. Meantime increased production by 58% last 

year. / meantimebrewing.com 

iii/ Dark Star Brewing Co have announced an expansion into the 

pub market and are currently looking for 20 pubs over the next five 

years, mostly in the south east. / darkstarbrewing.co.uk 

iii 

iv/ BrewDog have launched their fourth crowd-funding round Equity 

For Punks IV. Two shares (£95) is minimum investment. / brewdog.com 

v/ Marks & Spencer now stock branded beers from Fourpure, 

Camden Town, Buxton, Sierra Nevada, Brooklyn and Anchor among 

vi 

others. / marksandspencer.com 

vi/ The 2nd edition of The CAMRA Guide to London’s Best Beers, 

v 

Pubs and Bars written by Des De Moor is now out. / desdemoor.co.uk 

HANDCRAFTED BEER 

FROM EAST LONDON 

@FivePointsBrew 

www.fivepointsbrewing.co.uk 

0 6 

When we arrive at Fourpure on a Bermondsey trading 

estate in May, more new tanks are going in. Even by craft 

beer standards, the rise of Fourpure has been fast. Michel 

Roux Jr stocks a bespoke beer in La Gavroche and two 

of the beers are in Marks & Spencer stores across the 

country. After brothers Dan and Tom Lowe sold their 

technology business in 2012, there was a bit of soulsearching 

and a lot of travelling. Dan had long been a 

homebrewer, and ‘won’ a charity auction for some branding 

consultancy. Meanwhile Tom was having a beer epiphany 

in California – the choice become obvious. The consultancy 

company helped them create the Fourpure brand, kit was 

bought and in 2013 they opened for business. 

Did you begin with an ethos you wanted to adhere to? 

Yes indeed. ‘Inspired by Adventure’ encapsulates 

our whole ethos around modern beer. 

It’s got its roots in traditional beer styles, but 

is heavily influenced by the cultures, flavours 

and – to use a wine term – the terroir of the 

ingredients. We’ve had the chance to travel to 

find these points of inspiration, and also been 

lucky enough to have people from seven countries 

take their own adventures and arrive in a 

brewery in South East London and contribute 

to Fourpure. We then set out three simple rules, 

checks if you will, for things we would invest in: 

does it improve the quality of the beer? Is it fun 

to do? Does it make business sense? Satisfying 

these tests still forms the basis for us. 

Is the US craft beer scene an inspiration to you? 

It certainly has had and continues to influence 

us. In terms of style development, hops, and 

most of all the understanding from the larger 

craft brewers about quality. However, the influence 

is far more global for us – from the traditional 

brewers of the UK, to the exciting hop 

scene of the South Pacific, through to the South 

FIVE 

POINTS 

PALE 

FIVE 

POINTS 

IPA 

FOURPURE 

RAILWAY 

PORTER 

LONDON 

SMOKE 

East Asian and Japanese craft explosion. 

The Americans did teach us some key things 

though – brewing to style is important for 

drinkers to understand what you are offering, 

but not beholden to style in equal measure. Not 

forgetting one of the keys to potential success 

- risk taking, but they balance that with being 

socially conscious and engaging communities. 

Fourpure really concentrate of consistency over a relatively 

small range of beers – was that a clear plan? 

We appreciate the compliment! We did spend 

our first year dialing in our recipes, our processes, 

and our quality. That has allowed us to 

understand our equipment, be fastidious on 

quality, and train our team which all forms a 

foundation for innovation and growth. But 

we’re also producing plenty of one off and seasonal 

beers. We’ve been releasing and distributing 

a new beer every month in 2015 so far – and 

that’s in addition to the Outpost small batch 

series only seen in our tap room. 

Read the full interview at originalgravity.com. 

See page 17 for Tasting Notes on Fourpure Pils 

/fourpure.com 

1/ West Coast Saison, 5.9% 

Saison it may be, but this is packed with 

aromatic US hops and is sumptuous. 

2/ Amber Ale, 5.1% 

This is a rich, bready amber beer 

that tastes of the Californian sun. 

3/ Pils, 4.7% 

A great example of Munich Pilsner, but 

look out for the limited Dry Hopped Pils. 

HOOK 

ISLAND 

RED

The Mash 

#8 

Anatomy of... 

LAMBIC 

Want to give your tongue beery jolt like never before? Pick up 

the sour beer that is lambic, both one of the most complex and 

most brutally simple beers in the world. It can be challenging 

no doubt, but once tried it sits in the mind like a distant love to 

be lusted after or brooded for. The cooling wort was placed in 

specially-design barns that allowed the wind carrying wild yeast 

and bacteria to settle on the beer and ferment it naturally. It is a 

beer loaded with the weight of history and the depth of biology. 

Hyperbole? Pop open the cork today and see! 

STRENGTH 

It’s diverse, of course, but it’s 

usually between 4-7%. 

4-7 

% ABV 

FLAVOUR 

Sour! Complex! Magic! It is sharp and acidic, but with 

a cidery fruitiness and a woody aftertaste. 

STYLE 

It’s usually a sprightly affair and often feels like popping 

a champagne bottle and should be celebrated as so. 

AKA... 

Gueuze is the most common lambic, blended with young 

and old lambic. Kriek is cherry, framboise is raspberry. 

FOOD 

Great with fatty pork chops and, rather predictably, 

mussels and frites. 

ALTERNATIVES 

Beers can only be called lambics from a certain region, 

but look out for sour beers using brettanomyces. 

HISTORY 

Traditionally from one area in Belgium where 

‘wild’ yeast ferments the wort. 

THREE TO TRY... 

/ Cantillon 100% 

Organic, 5% 

Exclusively brewers of 

lambic beers and founded 

in 1900. This organic 

gueuze (blend) uses only 

organic cereals. 

/ Buy at BE, BH 

/ Elgood’s Coolship, 6.7% 

An East Anglian lambic! 

It’s tart, a hint of sweetness, 

and hugely well balanced. 

There’s also a fruit version 

available. / Buy at elgoodsbrewery.co.uk 

/ Boon Oude Geuze, 7% 

A sparkling blend of 

1-year-old and 3-year-old 

lambics. Rich, sour, nutty. 

As thrilling as beer gets. 

/ Buy at BE 

#9 

Events JUNE-JULY 

For more events, visit originalgravitymag.com and to list originalgravitymag@gmail.com 

19-21 June | Summer Brew Fest 

Unmissable London event with 14 breweries. 

/ summerbrewfest.co.uk 

19-20 June | South Downs Beer & Cider Festival 

CAMRA festival in Lewes with Sussex focus. 

/ brightoncamra.org.uk 

25-27 June | Glasgow Real Ale Festival 

Glasgow CAMRA Festival at the lovely Briggait. 

/ glasgowrealalefestival.co.uk 

2-4 July | Chorlton Beer & Cider Festival 

CAMRA beer festival held in St Clement’s Church. 

/ chorltonbeerfestival.org.uk 

23-25 July | Kent CAMRA Beer Festival 

Kent CAMRA festival held near Canterbury. 

/ kentbeerfestival.com 

NOW BOOKING 

13-16 August | London Craft Beer Festival 

One of the highlights of the beer calendar is this 

event in Bethnal Green. A superb opportunity to 

try hard to find beers. 

/ londoncraftbeerfestival.co.uk 

11-15 August | Great British Beer Festival 

It’s the big one. CAMRA’s biggest festival. 

/ gbbf.org.uk 

4-5 September | Craft Beer Rising Glasgow 

Craft Beer Rising festival hits Scotland. 

/ craftbeerrising.co.uk 

5 September | Beer by the River 

Sambrooks presents this chilled festival at Morden 

Hall Park, London. Beer, food & music. 

/ beerbytheriver.com 

10/10 

OG PODCAST 

The (almost) perfect beer cast 

OK, it’s not ten out of ten perfect. In fact, I’d probably go for a five... but we are getting better. The 

monthly podcast roughly follows the format of the publication with news, views and idle gossip in 

The Mash, a main feature – check out our interview with Brooklyn Beer co-founder Steve Hindy, 

and some Tasting Notes. It’s a light-hearted, relaxed beery listening. /originalgravitymag.com 

0 7

TRUMAN’S 

FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH - 5:30-10:00PM 

BEER. FOOD. TOURS. games. music. fun 

3rd July, 7th august, 4th september 

your chance 

to look inside 

the brewery 

and see how 

we make our 

great beers 

Looking for our beers? 

e regularly get asked where 

W people can find our beer and on 

the basis that our memory is so 

bad, we employed a techie to come up 

with what he called a 'beerfinder'. 

The Beerfinder will display Pubs/Bars 

that regularly order in Dark Star beer 

and where possible we’ll show the 

Delivery Date & Beers of the last Dark 

Star order they placed. 

WWW.TRUMANSBEER.CO.UK 

THE EYRIE, STOUR ROAD, HACKNEY WICK, E3 2NT 

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Official supplier of Ball Corporation for the supply of printed aluminum cans to our customers

Feature 

Helles, Pilsner, Dortmunder, Oktoberfest, Märzen, 

Vienna, Schwarzbier, Dunkel, Dopplebock, Maibock, 

Rauchbier… Pete Brown investigates the most misaligned 

of beers, and picks the lagers you need to try 

0 9

Feature 

C A M 

Campaign for Real Lager 

The day I decided never to use a Dictaphone when 

writing a story was the day of my first visit to the 

Budweiser Budvar brewery in České Budějovice, 

southern Bohemia. 

After a fascinating tour, I listened back to the 

recording to write up my notes. I remembered 

having a great afternoon, but being quite 

professional about it. Now, my slurred voice came 

out of the tinny speaker, saying, “When you’re 

somewhere like this you realise how PURE and 

NATURAL beer is. It’s only when it gets into our 

BODIES and into our SOULS that it becomes… 

CORRUPTED.” 

I decided that if that’s the kind of observation I 

was going to make into a Dictaphone on a brewery 

tour, I’d be better leaving it at home. I’ve never 

used one since. 

This embarrassment does mean I have a very strong 

sense memory of where I was when I recorded it. 

Deep in the cellars beneath the brewery, the massive 

horizontal conditioning tanks were kept at a steady 

two degrees Celsius while the beer matured inside 

them for ninety days. The flagstone floors had 

just been washed and were still wet, so the whole, 

vast room smelled like a fresh summer rainfall. 

And the beer I’d just tasted was one of the greatest 

experiences of my professional life: unpasteurized 

and unfermented, up to about sixty days of its 

maturation period, it was a revelation. Lager had 

never tasted so good before. In fact, I struggled to 

think of beers of any style that had. 

I think of this moment every time I meet someone 

who asks what I do for a living, and when I tell 

them, they say, “Beer writer? Oh, you won’t like me 

then. I only drink lager.” 

This idea that lager is somehow not beer is possibly 

the most colossal misunderstanding in the drinks 

world, but it’s not difficult to see how it came about, 

in the UK at least. 

WORLD BEATER 

The harder you look at it, the more difficult it 

becomes to define what lager actually is – but 

more on that later. For the vast majority of beer 

drinkers, lager is synonymous with the golden 

Pilsner style developed in the Czech town of Plzen 

in 1842. It was swiftly followed by the arrival of two 

innovations that would transform the way we drank 

beer: rail travel and refrigeration. Pilsner lager’s fame 

spread rapidly across the Austro-Hungarian Empire, 

and because neither the name nor the brewing 

process were patented, it was copied by brewers 

everywhere it went. When the war and political 

turmoil that would ultimately lead to German 

unification forced many to flee the region, German 

brewers took the art of lager brewing around the 

world, especially to the United States, where soonto-be 

giant corporations like Miller, Anheuser Bush 

and Coors were founded by German immigrants. 

Golden lager rapidly became the world’s dominant 

beer style. 

But Britain held off. Happy with pale ale, bitter and 

mild (which were drunk in pubs owned by brewers 

who didn’t make lager) and curiously late to adopt 

refrigeration, we didn’t start drinking lager in great 

quantities until the 1970s, after many failed attempts 

by brewers such as Heineken and Carlsberg to crack 

the market. 

We finally switched to lager thanks to a number 

of factors including an increase in foreign travel, 

several long hot summers and some great (for the 

time) advertising campaigns. Lager was the clever, 

sophisticated choice of a younger generation 

compared to boring old ale. 

In the designer decade of the 1980s, lager went into 

bottles, with cool, exotic labels pointing outward for 

everyone to see. We became more sophisticated and 

knowledgeable about where our lager came from 

and what it was supposed to taste like – or so we 

thought. It was reassuringly expensive because it cost 

more to make: one old Stella Artois press ad with 

Doppelbock is a strong, winter lager 

originally brewed by Bavarian monks. 

Nicknamed ‘liquid bread,’ they survived on it 

through Lent. This example lives up to that 

reputation. It’s a hearty beer, full-bodied, 

complex and fruity, with a smoky dry finish. 

/ Buy at: BE 

BOHEMIA REGENT DARK, 4.4% 

A misconception is that lager has to be 

pale, but lagered beers had been made with 

darker malts for centuries by the time Pilsner 

appeared. This classic example of a ‘Dunkel’ 

still has lager’s cleanness on the palate, but 

combines it with richer, maltier, toffee 

flavours than you’d expect./ Buy at: BE 

1 0 

AYINGER CELEBRATOR, 6.7% 

HOFBRAUHAUS MAIBOCK, 7.2% 

Maibock is a strong, malty lager, traditionally 

brewed for the Bavarian spring. Hofbrauhaus 

Munchen is one of Munich’s six great 

breweries, and their version has notes of 

toffee, caramel and toasted malt, but still has 

lager’s clean freshness. 

/ Buy at: BE 

BROOKLYN LAGER, 5.2% 

Brewed to a pre-prohibition recipe. Taste 

this side by side with any of the leading 

commercial lager brands for an object lesson 

in how lager as a style has been deformed 

by cost cutting. Now common, when fresh, 

it’s stunning. 

/ Buy at: ABM BE, RA 

JEVER PILSNER, 4.9% 

Just a simple, straightforward German 

Pilsner with no side, no gimmicks or 

pretensions. This is what proper lager is all 

about. Very dry, matured for ninety days, 

with a hop character that’s assertive for a 

lager, but still classy. 

/ Buy at: BE, BH, RA 

BUDVAR TANK BEER, 5% 

Unpasteurised and shipped directly from 

the brewery, this fresh beer is as close as it’s 

possible to get to the miraculous experience 

of drinking Budvar straight from the lagering 

vessels in the brewery. Still rare in the UK, but 

look out for notice of tanks coming to a pub 

near you. 

THORNBRIDGE TZARA, 4.8% 

This Koln-style beer (it can only be called 

Kölsch if its brewed in the town itself ) is 

brewed with an ale yeast but lagered to 

produce a wonderful crisp yet rounded 

flavour, and has drawn compliments even 

from Koln itself. 

/ Buy at: BE, BH, ABM, RA 

CAMDEN IHL, 6.2% 

It would be easy to roll your eyes at the idea of 

an ‘India Hells Lager’ and the inevitability of 

sticking loads of hops in everything, but when 

your as good at brewing Hells as Camden 

are, the result is a bona fide new style. The 

refreshment of lager with the big hoppy hit of 

an IPA. / Buy at: ABM

Feature 

R 

L 

the headline, ‘”My Shout,” he Whispered.’ carefully 

explained that the beer was brewed according to the 

rheinheitsgebot (the famous Bavarian brewing purity 

law mandating only lager, water, malted barley and, 

later, yeast) used traditionally floor-malted barley 

and whole female Saaz hops, and enjoyed a long 

maturation period. 

RISE AND DECLINE 

But lager’s popularity eventually became its 

undoing. In the mid-nineties it became ubiquitous, 

and synonymous with lad culture. What had 

once been cool became boorish. As the balance 

of sales moved to supermarkets, which competed 

on price, and the cool ads fell victim to tightening 

regulation and a collective loss of direction among 

the leading brands, lager became commoditised. 

Brand loyalty disappeared. And all this time, cutting 

costs to meet tumbling prices meant such things 

as long maturation times and whole hops became 

unaffordable luxuries. Lager became bastardised 

and debased, allowing ale to eventually make its 

celebrated comeback in a declining beer market. 

“No other country makes quite as bad a job of lager 

as we do,” says Thornbridge’s head brewer, Rob 

Lovatt. “British lager has no resemblance to any 

other lager I know of.” 

Lager is a style that’s close to Lovatt’s heart. He 

worked previously for Meantime, and studied in 

Germany with his brewing hero, the American Eric 

Toft, who has devoted himself to championing 

traditional German styles and the preservation of 

the rheinheitsgebot. 

“There’s so much more within lager than people 

are aware of,” says Lovatt, who has successfully 

brewed traditional European styles for Thornbridge 

including a Kölsch-style beer, a Bamberg-style 

smoked lager and a Doppelweizenbock. “Brewers 

in Bavaria will specialise in a particular style such 

as Pilsner or Helles, and devote themselves to it. 

They reach an incredibly high standard, and it’s 

hard for a craft brewer who works across loads of 

different styles to get anywhere close to their degree 

of excellence.” 

“For me it’s all about the subtlety,” says Jonathan 

Smith, head brewer at longstanding British craft 

lager brewer Freedom. “When you give it the 

full maturation period of four weeks you get 

this delicacy and balance. We taste throughout 

the maturation period, and the palate softens. 

Sulphury notes and DMS (Dimethyl Sulfide, a 

compound that creates a flavour similar to cooked 

corn) disappear, and the subtle hop character 

comes through.” 

Lager takes its very name from this long, cold 

maturation period (Lagern is the German verb, to 

store), and both Lovatt and Smith feel that lager 

is more of a process than a beer style – a process 

that helps create a surprisingly wide range of beer 

styles, some of which are brewed with ale yeasts 

but are lagers in a sense. But while Freedom follows 

the classic tradition of maturing its beers for four 

weeks, many commercial lager brands are in and out 

of the brewery within a 72-hour period. Ironically, 

not only is lager far more diverse and complex 

than mainstream brands suggest; technically, those 

mainstream brands are not actually lagers at all. 

Happily then, not only do we have an amazing 

array of longstanding, traditional craft lagers to 

choose from abroad, an increasingly number of 

British craft brewers are turning to lager to prove 

what they are capable of. “I just love nailing the 

style,” says Rob Lovatt. “Lager is so delicate and 

refined, any faults will really show. It doesn’t allow 

you anywhere to hide.” 

Lager is not just lager. But when it really is lager, as 

in, a beer that has been lagered, far from being beer’s 

dumber, insipid cousin, it can be seen as the epitome 

of the brewer’s art. 

PILSNER URQUELL, 4.4 

The ‘original’ golden lager may not have 

been the first golden beer ever brewed, but 

it certainly defined that style that went on to 

conquer the world. While there have been 

some compromises on lagering time since 

it was bought by SABMiller, it remains an 

undeniably great beer. 

WINDSOR & ETON REPUBLIKA, 4.8% 

This Pilsner-stye beer was originally brewed 

as a collaboration with Tomas Mikulica, 

Head Brewer and owner of Pivovarsky Dvur 

near Prague. Fermented for three weeks and 

lagered for a further six, it’s no coincidence 

that it wins heaps of awards. 

/ Buy at: ABM, RA 

SCHLENKERLA MARZEN, 5.1% 

Before refrigeration, Marzen beers were 

brewed in Spring, before it was too warm 

to spoil. It had to be strong to survive the 

summer months, and is darker and maltier 

than other lagers. Added complexity from 

smoked malts, creates a beer that tastes of 

bacon more than lager./ Buy at: BE, BH, RA 

BIRRA DEL BORGO MY ANTONIA, 7.5% 

Began as a collaboration with Dogfish Head 

brewery, and has since become one of the 

highlights of the Italian craft beer revolution. 

There’s an intriguing depth to the aromas of 

citrus fruit and cut grass, a beautiful collision of 

new and old world hops, finishing more like a 

traditional, clamer Pilsner. 

KEEP ON DISCOVERING... 

A beer club like no other 

HARVIESTOUN SCHIEHALLION, 4.8% 

So good that the rump of CAMRA’s old 

guard often insist on calling it a pale ale when 

they stock it at beer festivals. It has a seductive 

note of tropical fruit, and on cask especially 

it presents a silky mouthfeel, full, satisfying 

body and sophisticated balance. 

/ Buy at: BE, BH, RA 

KIRIN ICHIBAN, 5% 

Delicate is not the same as bland, and brewing 

with rice doesn’t necessarily make for poor 

beer. This crisp, dry, snappy lager is clean and 

refreshing, and works wonderfully with fried 

food such as yakitori as well as sushi. Brewed 

under license in the UK, but still good. 

/ Buy at: BE 

ST. GEORGEN BRÄU KELLER BIER, 4.9% 

Keller Bier is an unfiltered, unpasteurised 

beer that is matured in open or ‘unbunged’ 

wooden casks. St Georgen sticks to this 

traditional method, and produce a lager that’s 

deep amber in colour, bready on the nose, 

very smooth with a nice, grassy hop character. 

/ Buy at: BE 

Desperate to try the beers we feature 

while you read? Understandable. 

We teamed up with The Curious 

Beer Club to provide a front row 

seat to the revolution. Beers selected 

by OG% writers. Delivered with 

Original Gravity edition they’re 

featured in. curiousbeer.club 

Look out for this symbol... 

1 1

Photo Essay 

One of the original copper mash tuns at Harveys 

Head Brewer Miles Jenner updates the brewing records 

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philips signature 

on the brewing record for Elizabethan Ale 

Local hops line up ready for brewing 

1 2

Photo Essay 

Head Brewer Miles Jenner examines the first batch of Olympia 

HARVEYS 

The fermenting tanks are open, just like they used to be; the brew 

notes are written by hand, just like they used to be; the coppers 

are, well, copper and every Tuesday the horse-drawn dray cart 

delivers beer around Lewes. It would be easy to dismiss Harveys, 

founded in 1790, as stuck in their ways, but far from it. Under 

the steady hand of Head Brewer Miles Jenner, Harveys continues 

to make a wide range of world-beating beer. Their Best has never 

been better, the 6.1% Waterloo IPA is eagerly awaited, and the 

multi-award winning Imperial Extra Stout Double Stout is one of 

the greatest beers in the country. Here we take a sneak peak into 

this remarkable brewery unlike any other. / harveys.org.uk 

Open fermenting tanks give Harveys 

special characteristics 

Wiggins, one of the longest serving members of staff 

Cleaning the fermenting tanks in 

preparation for Olympia 

1 3

Feature 

Great 

DANE 

Mikkel Borg Bjergsø is one of the world’s great brewers. His 

Mikkeller beers transport you to another place with a magical 

quality. Nearly all the brews are different, many are collaborations 

and no two Mikkeller experiences are the same. For the first time, 

we speak to Mikkeller and publish an exclusive extract from his 

Book of Beer, plus three of his homebrew recipes. 

Mikkellers’s Book of Beer by Mikkel Borg Bjergsø and Pernille Pang is out 

now on Jacqui Small and costs £20. 

“Twenty years ago, a lot of beer (most often lager) 

tasted the same across the world. Whether Tuborg, 

Tsingtao, Budweiser or Heineken, it was pale in 

colour, weak in flavour and low in alcohol, and for 

the most part consumed either to quench thirst or 

to get drunk. Today, the situation is very different. 

Courtesy of the craft microbrewing revolution that 

spread during the 1990s from the US and the UK 

to the rest of Europe, particularly the 

Nordic countries, and then to the rest of the world, 

the beer scene now is home to a diverse band of 

brewers and beer enthusiasts who live and breathe 

the hopped beverage. One of the figureheads of 

this revolution is Mikkel Borg Bjergsø, the man 

behind the Mikkeller microbrewery that, since 

2006, has helped change the general perception of 

beer to the point where it now takes in not only 

weaker-tasting lagers, but also highly-hopped India 

Pale Ales and bone-dry lambics. 

Mikkeller’s Book of Beer was written with the 

indispensable assistance of numerous experts 

from Mikkeller’s colourful team, but essentially 

it is the product of a close collaboration between 

Mikkel and me. 

I met Mikkel before he had caught a whiff of the 

hop. Today, we are married with two daughters, 

and it was at home in our apartment in Vesterbro, 

Copenhagen, that it all started back in 2003. That 

was the year in which Mikkel and his childhood 

friend Kristian Klarup Keller began experimenting 

with home brewing in our kitchen, where I 

occasionally helped to bottle, cap and label the 

beer. Subsequently, I trained as a journalist, and, as 

Mikkeller grew, it became more and more obvious 

that I should tell the fascinating story of the maths 

and physics teacher who became world-famous as a 

nomadic brewer and a craft beer evangelist. 

His ‘democratic principles’ of brewing allow 

anyone to brew their own beer at home, at 

relatively little cost. In the book pages, you can 

read Mikkel’s story of how he found his way into 

the world of beer, how Mikkeller started and 

subsequently developed into one of the world’s 

leading microbreweries. Above all, though, you 

can read about beer. It’s an inspiring guidebook 

for anyone who is interested in beer in any way, 

whether those who aspire to learn more about this 

versatile beverage or those who dream of brewing 

exciting, great-tasting beer at home. 

Is it the golden time for craft brewing or is 

there more to come? 

There is a lot more to come. The craft beer scene is 

on a constant rise and in many countries the interest 

is exploding. The US is way ahead of us, showing 

what will happen in the rest of the world. Also, with 

craft beer there are still so many things to explore. 

What is your underlying ethos behind the 

beer you create? 

No compromises. Always do my best. Use the best 

ingredients and brewing at the best places. If I can 

find a better way I will go for it. 

Which of your beers most embodies what 

you do? 

All of them. Mikkeller is a brewery that like to 

experiment and do things that nobody has done 

before. But we also like to change excisting styles, 

invent new styles and just do excisting styles a little 

bit better than what has been done before. 

Q&A with 

ORIGINAL 

GRAVITY% 

Become a WARPIGS TROOPER 

We’re giving away an exclusive membership to 

Mikkeller’s WarPigs Troopers worth £65. 

Warigs is Mikkeller’s brewpub in Copenhagen. 

WarPigs Troopers is a member´s only club divided 

into five different levels of beer nerdery. 

As a trooper you get access to limited edition 

bottles in a member´s only pre-sale for every 

launch. This includes a 5% discount. You also get 

WarPigs merch (T shirt, Patch, Totebag) and 

invitations to member´s only events. Also for the 

Original Gravity% winner they have thrown in an 

exclusive tour of WarPigs, Copenhagen with a few 

beer samples when they come to visit.* 

*You do have to get yourself there however. 

All you have to do is go to 

www.originalgravity.com and 

answer an easy question. 

We’ll pick the winner at random 

by July 10. 

1 4

Feature 

The novice 

CLONING A BEER 

The enthusiast 

KNOW YOUR INGREDIENTS 

The expert 

MAKING STRONG BEERS 

“When I began home-brewing, without a doubt 

the thing that taught me most was trying to 

copy a beer that I really liked. Most beginners 

are likely to set about brewing a lot of different 

beer types from the start. My advice is: find 

your favourite beer type and try to clone it. If 

it’s an IPA, start by brewing your own IPA and 

then compare it with your favourite by tasting 

them at the same time and reviewing which 

parameters need to be adjusted in order for 

your beer to taste like your model beer. If, for 

example, your IPA is paler, you need to add 

darker malt types. If it is sweeter, you could try 

reducing the mashing temperature or cutting 

back on the amount of sweet caramel malts. You 

could also try adding more bittering hops to 

balance out the sweetness better. 

This is a process that requires lots of patience, 

and you should be prepared for a good deal 

of trial and error before you finally succeed. 

On the other hand, you will acquire a range of 

invaluable tools and a solid basic understanding 

of the brewing processes that will benefit you 

greatly as you progress in your brewing. Quite 

simply, you will end up with better beers because 

you will become a more experienced and, hence, 

more skillful brewer.” 

“A recipe will always include several different hop 

and malt types, so for your own recipes you can 

choose from a wealth of different yeast types. 

There is a huge benefit in getting to know the 

various hop, malt and yeast types and finding 

out what effects they have when you isolate them 

from the other ingredients. For example, you 

learn more about hops by dividing a wort into 

several portions then boiling and dry-hopping 

them separately with different hop types – 

Amarillo in one portion, Cascade in another, etc. 

This will give you a basic appreciation of how the 

different hop types smell and taste. Repeat the 

trial with yeast by brewing 25 litres (6.6 gallons) 

of wort and dividing it into five different 5-litre 

(1.3-gallon) buckets, then adding five different 

yeast types. 

You can try the same with malt, but it is a slightly 

more complicated project as it requires you to 

make a brew for each malt type you want to test.” 

“Once you feel you are on relatively solid 

ground and have gained some experience of 

the brewing process, you can try makimng a 

really strong beer. See how high you can get the 

alcohol content by experimenting with yeast 

types, mashing temperatures, oxidation, sugar 

addition and perhaps added enzymes. This 

will give you a thorough understanding of the 

function of the different ingredients and of the 

chemical processes of brewing.” 

All Other Pale Ales 

American Pale Ale 

Jackie Brown 

American Brown Ale 

Vesterbro Pilsner 

American Lager 

STATISTICS 

Volume 20 litres (5.⁄. gallons) 

Boil volume 25 litres (6. gallons) 

OG 1058 / BG 1046 / FG 1012 

Alcohol 6.0% abv 

Colour 19 EBC / Bitterness ~55 IBU 

MASHING 

Pale Malt .................................6 EBC ........2800g (6lb 3oz) 

Munich I Malt ........................22 EBC .....800g (1lb 12oz) 

Cara Amber Malt .................70 EBC ....... 475g (1lb 1oz) 

Cara Pils Malt ........................4 EBC ............. 325g (11.oz) 

Cara Pils Malt ........................4 EBC ......... 625g (1lb 6oz) 

Total malt ........................................................ 5025g (11lbs) 

Mashing programme : 65.C (149.F for 60 min) 

HOPS 

Simcoe ....... 13.0% alpha .......25g (1oz) ................. 60 min 

Centennial 8.8% alpha .........15g (.oz) ................... 10 min 

Santiam ...... 11.9% alpha .......10g (.⁄.oz) .....................1 min 

Nugget ...... 12.8% alpha ......15g (.oz) ......................1 min 

Simcoe ....... 13.0% alpha ......15g (.oz) ..................dry hop 

Nugget ...... 12.8% alpha ......15g (.oz) ..................dry hop 

Warrior ...... 12.0% alpha ....... 15g (.oz) .................dry hop 

Amarillo .... 9.5% alpha ........15g (.oz) ..................dry hop 

FERMENTATION 

Yeast .........................................1056 American Ale 

Temperature ...........................19-21.C (66-70.F) 

STATISTICS 



OG 1063 / BG 1051 / FG 1017 



MASHING 

Pilsner Malt ............................4 EBC ...............3200g (7lb) 

Munich I Malt .......................23 EBC ....... 600g (1lb 5oz) 

Cara Crystal Malt .................110 EBC .........400g (14oz) 

Flaked Oats ............................5 EBC ......... 600g (1lb 5oz) 

Brown Malt ............................150 EBC .... 600g (1lb 5oz) 

Chocolate (dehusked) .........1000 EBC ........ 100g (3.oz) 

Cara Pils Malt......................... 4 EBC ............... 200g (7oz) 

Total malt ....................................................... 5700g (12.lbs) 

Mashing programme 65.C (149.F) for 60 min 

HOPS 

Nugget ...... 13.0% alpha ......35g (1.oz) ................ 60 min 

Centennial 10.0% alpha ......35g (1.oz) ...................5 min 

Amarillo .... 9.4% alpha ........35g (1.oz) ...............dry hop 

FERMENTATION 

Yeast .........................................1028 London Ale 


STATISTICS 



OG 1054 / BG 1043 / FG 1012 



MASHING 

Pilsner Malt ............................4 EBC .... 2900g (6lb 6.⁄.oz) 

Munich I Malt .......................23 EBC ...... 950g (2lb 1.oz) 

Cara Pils Malt ........................5 EBC ........ 950g (2lb 1.oz) 

Total malt ................................................4800g (10lb 9.⁄.oz) 

Mashing programme 66.C (151ÅãF) for 60 min 

HOPS 

Simcoe ....... 13.0% alpha .......25g (1oz) ................. 60 min 

Zeus ........... 12.8% alpha ......20g (.oz) ................... 60 min 

Nelson Sauvin 12.0% alpha 40g (1.oz) ...................1 min 

Cascade ...... 6.5% alpha .......40g (1.oz) ...................1 min 

Simcoe ....... 13.0% alpha ......40g (1.oz) ...............dry hop 

Amarillo .... 6.5% alpha ........40g (1.oz) ...............dry hop 

FERMENTATION 

Yeast .........................................2124 Bohemian Lager 


1 5

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Beer traveller 

Beer traveller’s 

guide to... 

BOROUGH & BERMONDSEY 

1 

The brewery tap has been one of craft beer’s greatest success stories, no more so than 

along the railway arches of Bermondsey with some eight breweries open for visitors 

on a Saturday. Yet it’s not all benches among the fermenters. In nearby Borough and 

Southwark, there are some wonderful pubs, from the thoroughly charming Royal 

Oak to the thoroughly modern Rake. 

6 

2 

BARS & PUBS 

1. Dean Swift 

There’s a lot of love for the Dean Swift, and 

understandably so. It’s a great space, hidden away 

near Tower Bridge, and a lot of care goes into the beer 

selection. The Bermondsey breweries (see below) 

rightfully take centre stage, but you’ll also find beers 

from farther away such as the Bristol Beer Factory. 

10 Gainsford St, Butler’s Wharf, SE1 2NE (020 7357 

0748) / thedeanswift.com 

2. Draft House 

One of eight Draft Houses, this large pub in the 

shadows of Tower Bridge is an airy place to try a wide 

selection of beers from Siren to Fourpure, and usually 

some incredible cask offers. Better still they make 

their own gins and vodkas in the downstairs Bump 

Caves, including a ‘Session IPA, rye, lychee and black 

pepper’ spirit. Good food too. 

206-208 Tower Bridge Road, SE1 2UP (020 7378 

9995) / drafthouse.co.uk 

3. Market Porter 

This is a very busy and popular pub in Borough 

Market and full of heritage. Alongside the almost 

continuous buzz, there’s a range of nine constantly 

changing well-kept real ales. 

9 Stoney Street, Borough Market, SE1 9AA (020 7407 

2495) / markettaverns.co.uk 

9. Fourpure Brewing Company 

A little farther south in Bermondsey, is the superb 

Fourpure brewery and taproom (see p6). The big 

pull is the wide range of seasonals and one-offs 

they’ll have on tap. Open Saturday. 

22 Bermondsey Trading Estate, Rotherhithe New 

Road, SE16 3LL (020 3744 2141) / fourpure.com 

TRY: Any specials you’ve not had before 

10. The Kernel Brewery 

Kernel is one of the country’s best breweries and is 

been at the forefront of London’s brewery scene. No 

matter the style, you know it’s a Kernel beer – a sign 

of a great brewery. This brewery has become a bit of 

a focal point for the Bermondsey scene and is a very 

pleasant stop early on a Saturday. The freshest place 

to try the beers that are at their best when brand new. 

01 Spa Business Park, Spa Road, SE16 4QT 

/ thekernelbrewery.com 

TRY: Export India Porter 

11. Partizan Brewing 

It’s amazing what you can make in such a small space, 

yet Partizan are making some incredible beers that 

match the eye-catching artwork. As a brewery they 

are constantly changing the ingredients so there’ll 

always be something new to try. 

8 Almond Road, South Bermondsey, SE16 3LR 

(0208 127 5053) / partizanbrewing.co.uk 

TRY: Saison Cuvee Lemon 

10 

3 

4. The Rake 

The Rake ticks every box us beer lovers want. It’s a cosy 

space on the river side of Borough Market and has 

around 130 beers at any one time. There are regular tap 

takeovers and other fun events too. It’s from the same 

people as Utobeer in Borough Market itself (see below). 

14a Winchester Walk, Borough Market, SE1 9AG 

(020 7407 0557) / utobeer.co.uk 

5. Royal Oak 

For our money, this is one of the capital’s most 

charming pubs. It’s a lovingly-refurbished Victorian 

pub run by Lewes brewers Harveys who supply most 

of the beers. Its hidden away location makes it a 

perfect escape from the bustle of the city. Etched glass 

windows, friendly-staff, good beer and food. 

44 Tabard Street, Borough, SE1 4JU (020 7357 7173) 

/ harveys.org.uk 

BREWERIES 

12. Southwark Brewing Co 

The newest of the Bermondsey breweries and one 

that concentrates on traditional cask beer. The core 

range includes Bermondsey Best and a London Pale 

Ale. The bar, close to the foodie mecca Maltby Street, 

has a couple of brews on and bottles coming soon. 

46 Druid Street, SE1 2EZ (020 3302 4190) 

/ southwarkbrewing.co.uk 

TRY: Bermondsey Best 

13. UBrew 

A brewery yes, but one where you brew the beers. 

There are a range of courses, but become a member 

and you can book time on the nanokit and brew 

whatever you like. The fermenters are yours to use. 

There’s expert advice on hand too. There’s also a bar 

here open with a range of beers, for example, Buxton 

Brewery, Burning Sky, Siren and Magic Rock. 

Old Jamaica Business Estate, 24 Old Jamaica Rd, 

SE16 4AW / ubrew.cc 

11 

4 

6. Anspach & Hobday 

This newish brewery is firmly rooted in London’s 

brewing culture and fittingly, it’s the award-winning 

porters that are the highlight here. Currently this 

brewery is open Friday evening and Sunday as well as 

the regular Saturday. 

118 Druid Street, SE1 2HH (020 8617 9510) 

/ anspachandhobday.com 

TRY: The Porter 

7. Brew By Numbers 

Brew By Numbers has quickly cut itself out as one 

of London’s most interesting breweries. A wildly 

experimental programme with ingredients has led to 

some classics, such as the cucumber & juniper saison. 

79 Enid Street, SE16 3RA 

/ brewbynumbers.com 

TRY: The latest and freshest saison. 

BOTTLE SHOPS 

14. The Bottle Shop 

One of the best beer shops in the capital. It’s open 

Saturdays between 11am-7pm for a vast range of 

carefully curated beers. You can trust that only 

exceptional beers make the cut here and the staff can 

advise. There’s also a shop in Canterbury. 

128 Druid Street, SE1 2HH (020 3490 9252) 

/ bottle-shop.co.uk 

16. Utobeer Cage 

The ‘Cage’ is a spot in Borough Market that has been 

there since 1999. It was one of the first of its kind in 

the UK. Today, there are more than 700 beers on offer. 

We’re regulars here! 

Unit 245, Middle Row, Borough Market, SE1 1TL. 

/ utobeer.co.uk/the-cage/ 

13 

1 7

Tasting notes 

Lervig Aktiebryggeri 

BETTY BROWN (4.7 ) 

A rich, autumnal beer from Norway’s fabulous Lervig 

brewery 

Roosters 

BABY-FACED 

ASSASSIN (6.1 ) 

A canned IPA of two halves 

Saltaire Brewery 

IMPERIAL IPA (9.5 ) 

A bold, brazen and big-hearted beer in the way the 

hop character shines in the glass 

Keswick Brewing Co 

THIRST GOLD (3.6 ) 

A gold standard beer and it slakes your thirst 

Farmhouse IPA, Lervig’s collaboration with Magic 

Rock was the standout beer of 2014 for me. Mike 

Murphy, Lervig’s Philadelphia-born head brewer 

knows his way around a dark beer having created the 

stunning Beer Geek Breakfast with Mikkeller. From 

the nicely retro-labelled bottle this pours a nearly 

opaque copper with a tight beige head. You’re straight 

into a rich caramel sweetness which gently slides into 

a pleasing and distinct autumnal nuttiness. A subtle 

backbone of Pacific Gem hops and hints of whisky, 

sherry and vanilla roll around the palate, along with 

notes of rye sourdough bread. Protip: Usually I’d 

rather drink beer than cook with it, but this a real 

winner added to a slow cooker when making pulled 

pork. TenInchWheels / lervig.no 

This bold, colourful, vividly flavoured IPA is a 

case of yin and yang as citrus orange, juicy mango 

and passion fruit juice notes leap out into the air, 

acrobatic and assertive, lubricious and luscious, to 

be balanced against a bracing bitterness and a grainy 

dryness in the finish. This is a beer in which the 

Citra hop shines with all its glorious aromatic might 

and it deserves your full attention when it comes to 

drinking it (thinking about a dish on the side will 

only get in the way of the beer). Try this in a can (or 

you might want it from a cask) and watch how it 

turns a commonplace, everyday day into an IPA day 

(and given that Roosters make their mighty beers in 

Knaresborough we could be talking about a Yorkshire 

IPA day). ATJ / roosters.co.uk / Buy from ABM, BH 

What is an Imperial IPA? Easy answer: it’s a beer 

swaggering about, noisy and cocky in its hop 

confidence, but it’s also about being friendly and 

knowing; no one likes a bully and this special Saltaire 

release is a exemplary Imperial IPA. There’s aniseed, 

malt sweetness and citrusy orange on the palate; these 

are big movements of flavour, continental drifts, a 

fascinating interplay between the aniseed-like notes, 

the malt, the citrus, the chewy texture, the pleasing 

alcoholic fieriness, some orange pith and a retro-nasal 

whiff of fresh tea leaves, and then a big deep dive 

into a pool of bitterness and dryness all of which fit 

together as neatly as a master craftsman’s dry-stone 

wall high up on the Dales close to where this beer is 

brewed. ATJ / saltairebrewery.co.uk 

I was in Keswick recently and drinking this excellent 

ale with a German chap and I think it converted 

him to British beer. (Actually he preferred the 

slightly darker, chestnut coloured Thirst Session 

3.7%, which has a slight malty aftertaste.) Keswick 

Head ‘Brewster’ Sue has a range of beers from 3.6% 

to a 7% IPA. Thirst Gold is a light, bright, golden 

colour and just looking at it cheered me up. But this 

is a beer made for quaffing, its gentle hoppy aroma 

combined with a subtle clean bitterness and a very 

slight undertone of citrus make it a fabulous session 

beer. Essentially this beer is a no frills refreshing drink 

and moreish, just as a good beer should be. Sup it cool 

on a warm summer evening, al fresco if possible. Alan 

Hinkes / keswickbrewery.co.uk 

Boulevard TANK 7 (8.5 ) 

A spinning, thrilling Innovative Belgian US saison rye beer from – you’re one of Bristol’s in Kansas leading now 

1 8 

breweries 

It’s American saison time as a whirling Wurlitzer of 

aromatics emerge out of the glass: sour, farmyardlike, 

the smell of fresh hay alongside a crystalline 

sweetness that makes things a lot more enjoyable 

that you’d expect it to be. There’s also an iron-like 

firmness, metal warming in the sun, plus white 

Left Hand Brewing Fourpure Brewing Co 

NITRO STOUT (6 ) PILS (4.7 ) 

‘Pour hard’ for this bottled milk stout from the US 

masters Left Hand 

A fantastic example of the depth a lager can have, and 

all the sweeter it can now be bought in Marks & Sparks 

The texture is like wrapping your tongue in a velvet Rejoice! For those of us who don’t live in the larger 

glove, the flavour is a rich, creamy hot chocolate with urban conurbations, the excellent service of online 

a drop of espresso, and the whole experience is a joyful retailers is our touch point with the beer world. 

one. There’s even a hint of drama: ‘Pour Hard’ is the Yet, bit by bit, we’re seeing the welcome infiltration 

advice on this bottled Nitro version of Left Hand’s of brilliant beers in supermarkets. Waitrose, Tesco 

classic beer. It is topped up with nitrogen rather than and now Marks & Spencer are stocking great beers 

CO2 and the difference between the Nitro and the including Buxton, Camden Town and this complex 

normal one is in the size of the bubbles. This pitch Pils from Fourpure. There’s a light sweetness on the 

black stout has a thick head once settled, like whipped nose, maybe honey, but it’s not until you’ve taken 

cream, and the luscious mouthfeel swirls around a good swig that the bitterness and pepperiness of 

covering the tongue in an increasingly complex attack the classic Saaz and Mittelfruh. It’s a showcase, as 

of indulgent nuances. This Nitro clearly makes it a those mentioned from page 9, of the depth of flavor 

smoother drink, and after dinner it’s perfect. Some a pilsner can have, and best of all I no longer have to 

may prefer the little more roughness in the original lug a six-pack down from London. By the time this 

version, but this is a event of a beer. 

publication is in your hands, there’ll be a dry hopped 

DN / lefthandbrewing.com 

version too. DN / fourpure.com / Buy from ABM, 

pepper. Amidst all these earthy, spicy heroics, there’s 

a softness on the palate, comfortable and lullaby-like, 

reminiscent of bubblegum, pineapple and rhubarb, a 

boiling sweetness of confection kept in line by a stick 

of feathery sourness; a herbal peak mid-palate brings 

to mind cough lozenges, all of these flavours swirling 

Bears Brewery 

LONDON KNIGHT (6.7 ) 

One rich and lucious, one clean and crisp... oh and 

very low sugar – two lagers from newcomers Bears 

Unusually, we’re hitting up two lagers in one review: 

one rich, velvety, full of life, the other sprightly, mildly 

smoky and containing almost no sugar. Bear Brewery 

have an interesting proposition: apparently the lowest 

sugar content beer in the UK, plus a range Czech 

and Slovak beers. Nimmitha the founder of Bear’s 

Brewery, loves beer, but sugar hates him. His answer? 

Get his beer own low sugar beer brewed (0.3g per 

100ml). The result is a bone-dry, crisp lager. London 

Knight however, is all honey, spice, sweetness – 

candyfloss at a fairground. It has the caramel richness 

of Brooklyn Lager, and a velvetiness of tiny bubbles 

you get from the flat white. “I would buy a lot of this,” 

one Team O/G member said. There’s a joyful will to 

this outfit, full of passion and this shines through with 

their beer. DN / bear-brewery.co.uk 

about like Dorothy on her way out of Kansas (where 

Boulevard brew). At 8.5%, this is a big beer, whose 

fatness of alcohol, alongside all the aromatics and 

flavours, would see it ask a creamy, stinky blue cheese 

out for a date with no fear of dismissal. 

ATJ / boulevard.com 

Wild Beer Co (4.5 ) 

WILD GOOSE CHASE 

This lively beer is full of the tastes and aromas of an 

English hedgerow in summer 

The Wild Beer Company make a claim to put a ‘wild’ 

ingredient into every one of their brews - in this 

case the allotment staple and stodgy pud favourite, 

gooseberry. It pours from the can a pale sunrise yellow/ 

green with a big pillowy head. A zip of sherbet gives 

way to rolling, spritzy dollops of - yes - gooseberry, 

with hints of lemon pith, elderflower and freshly-cut 

meadow after gentle summer rain. It’s like the English 

landscape in a glass. You can practically hear Vaughan 

Williams’ The Lark Ascending as you take a swig. All 

this rambles on to a huge fruity finish with a tickle 

of salty tartness. Refreshing and unusual. Perhaps 

a Saison for the drinker who – like me – wouldn’t 

usually reach for one. 

TenInchWheels 

/ wildbeerco.com / Buy from ABM

Your round 

A selection of reader images 

@CraftBeerHour Nothing beats an 

antique railway lamp to use as a prop in a 

pic of the @FivePointsBrew Railway Porter! 

#CraftBeerHour 

@hopburnsblack Also the beer and 

hot sauce match that was tailor-made 

for HB&B... #srirachastout 

@slowpokesam Ta dah! 

@sparkyrite Another fantastic brew from these... 

they are really on top of their game lately 

@hopburnsblack Here’s @AnspachHobday 

demonstrating the dubious joys of a Cream Ale 

ice cream float at ours recently... 

@Sparkyrite 

gammonbaron #cloudwaterbrew #ipa 

#hopfenweisse #weisse #beer #beerporn 

LAM Brewing @lambrewing 

@LeedsBeerWolf a 2.5% peach 

lambic. All the way from Brussels. 

@TweedBrewCo we 

have unemployed STIG 

a job, rejected Clarko 

though! And Gladiator 

brewed for us ;) 

@TweedBrewCo 

@TweedBrewCo 

#OGyourround 

AWARD WINNING ENGLISH BREWERY 

Field Sales 

VACANCIES 

CENTRAL LONDON 

£ very competitive . bonus . mileage allowance 

@1970sBOY Took at @AnspachHobday with 

@bottleandbeanUK 

@BeersIveKnown 

@BeerOClockShowWow. Another 

stunner from @sirencraftbrew The 

aroma gives the impression of something 

sour to follow and on the first taste you 

get amazing sweet flavours, hints of the 

vanilla and a big raspberry hit. Then 

you get the sweet aged porter with a hint 

of roasted flavours a bitterness. This is 

simply a stunning beer. 

Freedom is the UK’s original lager micro-brewer, and our portfolio 

of award-winning lagers is recognised for its quality throughout the country. 

Due to the recent expansion of the brewery and to rapidly rising sales, we are 

looking to expand our team and recruit an experienced salesperson to cover 

the Central London region. 

@1970sBOY Just popped into local 

JDW on way home from work. I’d 

forgotten how good this is... 

This role will involve day to day sales, developing existing business and 

creating new business. Knowledge and integrity is vital for our success in this 

part of the beer market, therefore an in-depth understanding of craft beer and 

the on-trade is essential. Ideally, applicants should be based in this region. 

We are looking for someone who is a self-starter, not afraid of a challenge and 

can demonstrate a strong record of success in the industry. Ideally degree 

educated, the candidate should have at least 2 years current experience in 

brewery sales. 

@HalfPintGent 

my favourite beer 

shot! Last summer 

in ostend... 

Please send your CV and a covering letter explaining why you 

have a passion for craft beer to leecalnan@freedombrewery.com 

@Beerstalking Lagunitas IPA on 

draught at @ED_FlyingPig The 

only way to end the week 

1 9

SUMMER OF LAGER

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