IBC attends the launch of the Beavertown Brewery’s 2017 Bloody ‘Ell Blood Orange IPA

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The change in the size of the crowd at the Beavertown Brewery Taproom, from the 2016 Bloody ‘Ell Blood Orange IPA launch to the 2017 crop is a metaphor for the growth of the whole London craft beer scene itself. And by that, I mean explosive.

IBC was at the event last year, where a few die-hards had shown up to try the seasonal IPA. However, this year, everyone and his dog had packed into Lockwood Industrial Park to see the new brew.

Fortunately, it didn’t disappoint. Bloody ‘Ell – that’s a nice beer. Tangy, hoppy and dangerously drinkable because it hides the high alcohol percentage (7.2%) in such a way that the Blood Orange IPA could easily be a session ale.

It’s a real summer ale – and it’s as if the chaps at the Beavertown Brewery Taproom had told the weather as much. The sun shone brightly over Tottenham Hale as the taproom and can bar doled out numerous drinks to a full house – it’s the closest I’ve ever felt to being at a music festival in a retail park.

Where else can I buy the 2017 Bloody ‘Ell Blood Orange IPA?

The famous Beavertown Brewery vans have been hitting the streets again, to deliver the 2017 Bloody ‘Ell Blood Orange IPA to 12 launch venues dotted around the UK, below. Click the links to see their Twitter accounts:

, Bath; , Leeds; , Birmingham; , Liverpool; , Bristol; , Manchester; , Edinburgh; , York; , Newcastle; , Glasgow; and Dukes Que and Brew, London.

More details on Beavertown Brewery Taproom

To learn more about how to get to the Taproom and what to expect on a regular (non-launch) day at the Beavertown Brewery, see our article.

Fire Rauchbier with Chipotles – ABV 6%

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Fire is made with smoked malts and infused with chipotles – smoke-dried jalapeno chillies – for seriously flavoursome, smokey-sweet beer.

Aroma: Big, big aromas of smoke and chilli plus some sweet caramel.

Look: Fire Rauchbier pours dark gold with a nice white head.

Taste: Smoked wood and caramel before the heat of chilli kicks in; heat that gradually builds before reaching a plateau after a few sips, but never dominates the smokey sweetness. 

Food Pairing: This firecracker of a beer demands to be paired with authentic Mexican food. Try it with a selection of tacos for fireworks in your mouth.

Verdict: An absolute scorcher; sweet yet fiery – what a mouthful.

Stout – ABV 7.4%

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Surprisingly refreshing and amazingly full-bodied for a 7 percenter, with big warming roasted malts, stewed fruits and red berries, dark chocolate and toffee.

Look: The beer pours jet black in the glass, with lots of lacing and medium carbonation.

Aroma: Intense aromas of roasted malts and cereals, chocolate and hops invite you to dive in.

Taste: A lovely rich roasted flavour with red berries and good bitterness the hops to make this a very refreshing beer.

Food Pairing: Roasted malts work brilliantly with chocolate. Try it with a warm chocolate pudding for a sticky sweet and dark treat.

London Smoke Porter – ABV 7.8%

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Originally produced for #collabfest14, this collaboration is subtle in its smokiness and instead focuses on chocolate and liquorice thanks to East Kent Goldings hops.

Look: This Imperial Porter, brewed with smoked barley, pours black with a tan head and displays small amount of lacing.

Aroma: Bitter chocolate, liquorice, coffee grounds and a hint of smoke.

Taste: You get all those flavours with the addition of blackberry and vanilla, softly carbonated and nicely balanced with the smoke – which complements but never dominates.

Food Pairing: Pair this beer with smoky food to avoid a clash of flavours. It makes an excellent accompaniment to a bacon sandwich.

Kwantum State Kaffir Lime Saison – ABV 7.7%

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Zesty and bold with punctuation of pepper and spice – just like a normal Saison, except this has extra-high levels of citrus the kaffir lime leaves.

Look: The beer pours a hazy golden colour with a nice cream coloured head.

Aroma: There’s a slightly floral perfumed aroma that includes banana and lime zest.

Taste: Dry and peppery just as you’d expect a Saison, combined with a good level of carbonation and refreshing citrus the lime leaves.

Food Pairing: Saisons offer a lot of opportunities for pairing because they stand up well to bold flavours without dominating subtle ones. We suggest combing the spice and lime of the beer with a Pad Thai.

Verdict: Kwantum State was created as one half of a collaboration with Weird Beard, to create two new beers that would then be blended together 50:50 to create a third (Such a Bohr). So this is tasty and economical.

West Coast IPA – ABV 7.2%

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Super sweet yet refreshing, Cara Pils malts capture the subtle West Coast malt profile nicely, while the Citra and Simcoe hops create a citrus crisp finish.

Look: Dark golden and hazy with a large foamy just off-white head. Fine carbonation and nice lacing.

Aroma: Bursting with tangerines, satsumas, grapefruit, backed up by malt and hoppy notes.

Taste: Sweet yet balanced with full-on bitterness the hops and grapefruit. Medium- to full-bodied with nice balance.

Verdict: Zingy citrus and pine finish keeps this balanced and refreshing. Go West!

Hel & Verdoemenis Imperial Stout – ABV 10%

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Hel & Verdoemenis (Hell and Damnation), inspired by the old English style, and packs loads of sweet dark fruit and brown malts in one Hell of an Imperial Stout.

Look: Dense and jet black with a frothy, off white head and fine carbonation.

Aroma: Dark, bitter chocolate, coffee and syrup sweetness, spicy notes and some dark fruit.

Taste: More bitter chocolate and roasted coffee plus sweet dark fruit like figs, with some biscuit feel underneath. Thick and full-bodied with good alcohol burn that fades to a drier, spicier, hop finish.

Verdict: Damn this is good. We’d walk through Hell for another.

Holy Hoppin’ Hell – ABV 9.7%

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Made with Citra and Pacific Gem hops, this in-your-face Imperial IPA goes big on grassy and floral aromas with a malty caramel sweetness in the taste.

Look: Murky amber-brown colour with a decent cream head.

Aroma: Floral, fruity and grassy with plenty of creamy caramel.

Taste: Subtle pine and grass with some crisp bitterness riding on dark malt and some caramel chewiness.

Verdict: Watch out with this sneaky fruity chap. The ABV is 9.7% is very well disguised and it’ll creep on you and before you know it you’ll be screaming the beer’s name.

Mosaic India Pale Ale – ABV 7.1%

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BB date 20/12/2017 but still tastes great!

IPA made with Mosaic that delivers big on sharp citrus and tropical fruits. 

Look: Pours hazy gold with a soft white head.

Aroma: Lime, mango and papaya.

Taste: The sweetness of tangerine and pineapple, with the bitterness of grapefruit and pine.

Verdict: An easy drinking, fruit salad of an IPA with a nice long bitter finish. Truly refreshing.  

Jaipur X – ABV 10%

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BBE 10/10/2017 but still tasting legendary!

2017 brew of Jaipur X to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Thornbridge; quite simply the best yet. 

Look: Clear golden orange with a thick white head.

Aroma: Lemon, peach and orange blossom.

Taste: Orange, mango, pine and orange blossom with a lovely warmth the alcohol.

Verdict: The best Jaipur X to come out of Thornbridge? We think so. Get it while its fresh.