Our 2018 Beer Roundup.
Our 2018 Beer Roundup. Craft Beer continued to grow through 2018. No longer on the fringes, we have noticed “craft beer” used colloquially for good beer. Christmas brings many non beer drinkers to Brew Cavern to purchase gifts. We noticed an increase in the use of the term craft beer, even if not completely understanding what it means, the words were used frequently, a clear indication of Craft Beer entering the nations vocabulary.
British craft brewing is booming. Beavertown continue to grow into the mainstream market and Cloudwater are a brand recognised outside of the craft bubble.
Within Nottingham, our own Black Iris are an intrinsic part of the cities beer culture. With core range and special beers in bars and restaurants all over they are the brewery to introduce many to their first sour or imperial stout. Neon Raptor of Sneinton Market opened Nottinghams first true tap room, their highly acclaimed and super contemporary beers selling out in Brew Cavern in minutes. Also from Sneinton, Liquid Light won the coveted Thirsty Games at highly respected beer festival Independent Manchester Beer Convention.
Nottingham Craft Beer Week got even bigger with a host of great events around the city, culminating in a festival in line with events in bigger cities like Leeds and Manchester. Nottingham Robin Hood festival moved to the Ice Arena, highlights being the keg bar and American oak sprit barrel aged beers.
2018 was the year of the juice bomb, with New England IPAs everywhere, however we are looking forward to the next trend. We’ve been really impressed with the traditional mixed fermentation brewing from the likes of Burning Sky, Yonder, Mills and Little Earth Project. More of this please!
Craft Beer is more accessible than ever. But with that comes over saturation and macro breweries with inferior products presenting themselves as ‘craft’, along with supermarkets stocking some craft breweries but with poor quality control and lack of refrigeration. You can trust Brew Cavern to source quality craft beer from around the world and store it correctly until it gets into your hands!
Here are a few of our other highlights from 2018
Bottle or Can of 2018
Matt P – Lervig Barleywine 2017. Bourbon Barrel aged sticky rich decadent but refined barleywine
Matt H – Mikkeller Spontandoubleraspberry
Sam – The Kernel – Pale Ale: Centennial, Hallertau Blanc, El Dorado (with oats) – I loved that combination of west and east style IPA, just an excellent beer
Most drunk beer
Matt P – Tegernseer Hell, The summer was so hot i couldn’t cope with anything else but lager and this was on draught at the Canalhouse and in store in bottles
Matt H – Orval. name a better beer to keep revisiting, with its constant evolution in the bottle from yeast Brettanomyces
Sam – Thornbridge Jaipur on cask, as most years!
Best cask pint
Matt P – Lost Industry 10 grain stout at The Kean’s Head – Great on keg but awesome on cask
Matt H – Cloudwater Brown Ale at Beerheadz
Sam – Massey Mild by Heritage Brewing of Burton, a classic recipe.
Best festival Beer
Matt P – Rising Tide Brewery’s Barrel Aged Nakita at the Robin Hood Beer Fest. Imported from Portland a Bourbon Barrel aged Imperial Porter straight from the oak cask.
Matt H – Little Earth Project Hopless Romantic Elderberry at Indy Man Beer Con. Tart complex and bright pink, whats not to like.
Sam – Thornbridge Raspberry Blonde Ale. More than just a blonde ale, a wonderful funky oaky tart and balanced beer. At Nottingham Craft Beer Festival
Beer event of 2018
All – Nottingham Craft Beer Festival.
Great food, music and of course beer from across Nottingham and the rest of the country.
In a lively environment with stalls nestled down the alleys of Sneinton Market.
Most Memorable Beer Experience
Matt P – Being in Ontario, Canada in 34c heat drinking local Collective Arts beer in rural Thunder Bay with extended family while eating barbecued deer burgers
Matt H – Drinking Hill Farmstead on Keg at Tørst, Brooklyn, New York.
Sam – Copenhagen Barr in January, I have found nowhere else that comes close to here for high-end beer and food pairing.
