Hopulist Issue 1

Hopulist is a celebration of good beer. Plain and
simple. If there’s malt, hops and yeast in sight, we
will be there.
This magazine was born from a strong passion
for two things: quality beer and quality publishing.
Combining this unique blend of talents, we hope
it can inform and entertain you on a subject that
is close to our hearts.
The craft beer movement has exploded into life
in the last five years, and subsequently it can be
a little confusing and maybe even daunting. We
hope to be your guide across the beery seas. We
will bring you the latest news, brews and intrigue
from the craft beer universe and we hope you will
enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it
together.
The Hopulist ship has set sail, we don’t know
where it will lead, but we sincerely hope you will
join us for a quaff or two along the way.
Spread the word...
Cheers,
The Hopulist team

06
10
12
What’s new in craft?
We’ve got it covered.
Fresh beer launches
for fresh people.
Exclusive interview
with Nick Dwyer.
20
22
36
Get your hands on
the latest beer merch.
Eleven interesting
Scandinavian beers.
Bangkok has it going
on for craft beer.
48
52
64
KBS – a breakfast
stout to die for.
Why New Zealand is
belting for beer.
Our A-Z of craft
beer begins.
68
78
80
The story behind UK
pioneer Beer Gonzo.
More merch. Because
why not?
What the Hopulist
team’s been drinking.

FREE
Available on iOS
and Android
How many beers have you earned after
a 10km run? Mikkeller Running Club’s
new app helps you track your running
and beer drinking so you can keep a fine
balance between the two.
Modern life doesn’t make it easy to
maintain a healthy balance between
exercise and the love of beer but this app
will show you how. With the help of a
simple calculation of both your calorie
burning and calorie intake it tells you if
you can have another beer or if it’s time
to get running.
As well as obligatory running app
features, like GPS distance calculation,
it also gives you the opportunity to
socialise with fellow runners and share
and discuss beer habits with other MRC
members around the world.
Information on all MRC running
chapters and Mikkeller bars is also
featured.
WHAT IS THE MRC?
The Mikkeller Running
Club was founded by
Mikkel Borg Bjergsø,
who is also the creator
and owner of Mikkeller.
As a youngster he
earned a scholarship
in the US thanks to
his track prowess so
it is no coincidence
he chose to focus on
running.
The idea of Mikkeller
Running Club is
to stay fit through
running. Having fun and
socialising is the order
of the day with training
sessions ending at the
clubhouse – a bar that
serves Mikkeller – to
share a few beers. You
do not have to be an
experienced runner or
athlete to join and with
chapters (clubs) and
events popping up all
over the world you too
could be pounding the
streets wearing an MRC
shirt.
To find out more visit:
mikkellerrunningclub.dk

PICTURES © BREWDOG
Ever dreamt of supping craft beer in
your hotel room or relaxing in a hot
tub filled with beer? Well dream no
more… Scottish craft brewing pioneers
BrewDog is planning to build a craft
beer hotel attached to a new state-ofthe-art
sour beer facility in Columbus,
Ohio.
With money raised from crowd
funding investors BrewDog hopes
to have the ‘Doghouse’ open by late
2018. If you would like to stay in one
of the 50 rooms you can expect craft
beer minibars, Punk IPA on tap in
your room, beer spa treatments with
bespoke hop oils, a rooftop residents
bar, craft beer themed breakfast, ensuite
shower beer fridges and of course
a restaurant majoring in beer and food
pairings.
Sounds to us like the ideal
environment in which to immerse
yourself in the ultimate beery weekend.

Asian food chain
Wagamama has
collaborated with
Greenwich’s Meantime
Brewing Company to create
two brand new craft ales
exclusive to wagamamas
UK restaurants; Kikku and
Kansho.
The collaboration
between Wagamama’s
executive chef, Steve
Mangleshot, alongside
Meantime’s head brewer,
Ciaran Giblin has lead to
two uniquely infused pale
ales with Asian-inspired
flavours that sit well
alongside Wagamama’s
menu.
To find out more visit:
www.wagamama.com
KANSHO
Meaning ‘zesty’ in Japanese,
has been brewed using fresh
lime and ginger. Wagamama
recommends pairing this
lighter pale ale with citrus
infused dishes such as lollipop
prawn kushiyaki or Raisukaree
curry to complement the
vibrant flavours.
KIKKU
Meaning ‘kick’ in Japanese, is
a shichimi infused pale ale.
Shichimi is a Japanese seven
flavour spice mix, offering
a subtle kick and heat. The
pale ale is best paired with
wagamama’s richer dishes
such as Tori Kara Age or the
Short Rib Ramen.
PHOTOS & ARTWORK © TIDYMCKENZIE.CO.UK

The annual Top 50 US Craft
Brewing list has been released by
Brewers Association and sees four
names removed after a busy year
of mergers and acquisitions. The
craft brewers removed from the list
were Lagunitas Brewing, who were
number 6 on the list in 2015, Ballast
Point, Breckenridge Brewery and
Four Peaks Brewing.
The list is based on US beer sales
volume and to be considered 75 per
cent of the brewery must be owned by
a craft brewer and production cannot
exceed 6 million barrels.
The top five craft breweries remain
unchanged from 2015. Twenty-two
states are represented on the list with
California making up roughly 20
percent of the top 50.
The big movers include Duvel-
Moortgat which went from #15 in
2015 to #6 in 2016. The rise comes as
a result of being the parent company
for Boulevard Brewing, Brewery
Ommegang and Firestone Walker.
Another brewery that moved up
the list thanks to an acquisition
was Oskar Blues. They moved from
#24 in 2014 to #10 in 2016 after
acquiring Cigar City Brewing.
PHOTO © YUENGLING
TOP 50 U.S. CRAFT BREWERS
# BREWER STATE
01 D. G. YUENGLING & SON, INC PA
02 BOSTON BEER CO MA
03 SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO CA
04 NEW BELGIUM BREWING CO CO
05 GAMBRINUS TX
06 DUVEL MOORTGAT CA/MO/NY
07 BELL’S BREWERY, INC MI
08 DESCHUTES BREWERY OR
09 STONE BREWING CO CA
10 OSKAR BLUES BREWING CO CO
11 BROOKLYN BREWERY NY
12 MINHAS CRAFT BREWERY WI
13 ARTISANAL BREWING VENTURES PA/NY
14 DOGFISH HEAD CRAFT BREWERY DE
15 SWEETWATER BREWING CO GA
16 NEW GLARUS BREWING CO WI
17 MATT BREWING CO NY
18 HARPOON BREWERY MA
19 ALASKAN BREWING AK
20 ABITA BREWING CO LA
21 GREAT LAKES BREWING CO OH
22 ANCHOR BREWING CO CA
23 STEVENS POINT BREWERY WI
24 AUGUST SCHELL BREWING CO MN
25 LONG TRAIL BREWING CO VT
26 SUMMIT BREWING CO MN
27 ODELL BREWING CO CO
28 SHIPYARD BREWING CO ME
29 FULL SAIL BREWING CO OR
30 ROGUE ALES OR
31 21ST AMENDMENT BREWERY CA
32 FLYING DOG BREWERY MD
33 NINKASI BREWING CO OR
34 GORDON BIERSCH BREWING CO CA
35 ALLAGASH BREWING CO ME
36 NARRAGANSETT BREWING CO RI
37 GREEN FLASH BREWING CO CA
38 TRÖEGS BREWING CO PA
39 UINTA BREWING CO UT
40 BEAR REPUBLIC BREWING CO CA
41 KARL STRAUSS BREWING CO CA
42 SURLY BREWING CO MN
43 SIXPOINT BREWERY NY
44 LEFT HAND BREWING CO CO
45 LOST COAST BREWERY CA
46 REVOLUTION BREWING IL
47 NORTH COAST BREWING CO CA
48 AVERY BREWING CO CO
49 REAL ALE BREWING CO TX
50 BJ’S BREWERY CA

STONE GO EAST COAST
Stone Brewing, renowned for their west
coast style IPAs, are paying homage to the
New England haze craze with this Nor’
East Nod Double IPA. Described as ‘all
‘bout hop flavour with a sweet, bright,
decidedly UN-bitter finish.’
Release date: Nothing announced as yet
but expected to be released in the USA
from August.
CROSS CONTINENTAL MASH-UP
Beavertown and Firestone Walker have
come together to produce West Side
Beavo IPL a one-off collaboration set for
limited release in both the USA and UK.
Described as ‘a beer that speaks to both
breweries’ penchant for brewing hoppy
beers with complexity and balance.’
Release date: Unveiled at the Firestone
Walker Invitational Beer Fest in June.

NEW RELEASES WE
CAN’T WAIT TO GET
OUR HANDS ON...
TRIPLE CROWN
Welsh legends Tiny Rebel have recently
waded into the Triple IPA market with
Captain Insano. Described as ‘Hops front
and centre, in your face and bigger than
ever...’ this 10% ABV beer has prominent
mango and clementine flavours. It is a
limited edition release so get your hands
on it now before it’s too late.
Release date: Already on sale
UK GOES TROPICAL
Okay, so we know this isn’t new but
it’s about to hit the UK so we thought
it worthy of an entry. Sierra Nevada’s
Tropical Torpedo IPA was inspired by
island life with intense hop flavour and
aromas of mango and passionfruit. A
truely tropical twist on the American IPA.
Release date: UK - available in bottle and
keg from 19th June.

BEAVERTOWN BREWERY – CREATIVE DIRECTOR

HE’S THE REASON BEAVERTOWN
BEERS LOOK AS GOOD AS THEY
TASTE. MEET THE MAN BEHIND
THE ARTWORK...
DWYER
Can you tell us how you got into design?
I transitioned from traditional oil painting to
illustration when I was finishing up at school:
I used to make CDs for my friends (although
mainly girls I had crushes on) and I would
illustrate the cover, inside and back with the
track list. Studying English at school was a big
influence as I used to take the visuals from books
by people like Brett Easton Ellis and Thomas
Pynchon and turn them into illustrations. Also
music – I have always loved lyrics and they
formed a huge part of how I tell stories now.
Later on I was introduced to gritty graphic
novels from the likes of Grant Morrison and
Warren Ellis, along with the darker side of
comics such as Batman and Preacher, and it
revolutionised the way I would draw and the
detail I would incorporate. I’ve always been
hugely attention seeking, which translates
well into beer design, when you want it to be
eye catching! In a nut shell my job is having
unfamiliar folks notice and try our beer, and
loyal fans recognise it instantly.
© NICK DWYER

How did you start working with
Beavertown?
When I graduated I immediately
got a restaurant job to make ends
meet while keeping a look out for
freelance work / a steady design
position somewhere, ideally
illustration specific. While working
at one restaurant my buddy James
Rylance said he’d met this guy Logan,
who had a BBQ joint and brewery
in the back, and needed labels for
two experimental beers called “Black
Betty” and “Gamma Ray.” After a few
sessions talking through the designs
and required changes, I saw how
nice it looked working at Dukes, the
BBQ joint, and applied for a waiter
job. This meant more time chatting
to Logan about things like music,
art, comics etc and it turned out we
shared a lot of interests. Alongside
this I would make sure he always saw
the best page of my sketchbook when
I was working on it before shifts.
This translated into help with the
current core range branding, website
and marketing materials etc, and
eventually a full time designer roll
at our then-site in Hackney Wick.
From there my job and relationship
with the company evolved into fully
fledged creative director.

Can you tell us more about the concept
behind your work at Beavertown?
In a general sense, I’m here to make the outside
of our beer look as good as the inside tastes. We
use the phrase ‘gravitate’ a lot when talking about
the design because we want people familiar with
it to recognise it instantly and gravitate towards
it, whilst people new to it do the same due to how
eye catching it is. More specifically, I (we) love all
things sci-fi and psychedelic, and I devour graphic
novels with Grant Morrison and Warren Ellis being
a huge influence. When a beer is in the works I
tend to chase brewers around the brewery asking
questions about the beer in an attempt to weave
any ideas into a relevant design to the specific
beer. It’s so scientific its never usually that hard to
translate it into something tangible. Its also about
50% what I’m into at the time - music, books, tv,
movies, video games, all play a huge part. More
video games than you would think actually. I get
obsessed with the big story ones.
| TEND TO CHASE
BREWERS AROUND
THE BREWERY
ASk|NG QUEST|ONS
ABOUT THE BEER
|N AN ATTEMPT TO
WEAVE ANY |DEAS
|NTO A RELEVANT
DES|GN TO THE
SPEC|F|C BEER.

How much has the job influenced your relationship
with craft beer and vice-versa?
I didn’t know what craft beer was so I guess you could say
it changed my life! Not a lot of people can say that without
being called a prick. You can probably still call me a prick
actually. When I started, having not tried the beer, beer
was just beer and it was fine. That’s exactly the sentiment
this industry fights against now, with so many varieties and
so many of our contemporaries (us included) pushing the
boundaries of quality, flavour and generally what’s possible.
Artwork has a lot to do with that too, as if you pick up
something based on its brand and it’s bad, you’re likely to
remember that it’s bad and see that as a big red flag next time.
I’m definitely not the sort of person who would leave a mate’s
birthday drinks because there was nothing good on tap,
but it certainly made me appreciate quality over quantity,
which can never be a bad thing. It’s a mental world of beer
fanaticism and I think at times it gets a bit much, but raising
the bar is never going to be a bad thing.
| GUESS YOU
COULD SAY CRAFT
BEER CHANGED
MY L|FE! NOT A
LOT OF PEOPLE
CAN SAY THAT
W|THOUT BE|NG
CALLED A PR|Ck.

What has been your hardest brief for a project
and do you have any set rules?
The initial move into cans involved an arduous
couple of months of working through the night to
get the designs right. I can’t believe how quickly we
brought it together to be honest but like anything
gruelling it was a great learning experience. The
hardest briefs are when I know Logan has a very
specific idea of what he wants it to look like, but
I’m not 100% clear. That’s when I draw it in bits
and slowly build it up into a scene or image. Those
usually come out best, but most of the time I’m on
crazy tight deadlines. In terms of rules, the recent
logo change and subsequent rebrand of a couple of
cans came out of the concept of never having to slap
your branding on designs - the skull fits nicely into
the illustration and my hand drawn copy sits within
that, sometimes even forming part of the design.
Seamlessness is a good word for it.
What has been your favourite
project to date?
Rebranding Neck Oil, with the
video, prints, integration into the
extravaganza artwork and everything
else was a real benchmark for all of
us working together to get something
out. I took feedback from the team,
Kamilla made that amazing video I
got to get in with my pants on, we
made t-shirts, prints, had a scavenger
hunt across London and generally
shouted loud about it. It really paid
off and people seem to love it. It was
so much fun because it’s a sign of
things to come. I can’t wait to get
the other few out there now, its so
rewarding.

Are you excited about the quality
of design and illustration in the
craft beer market at the moment?
Absolutely! I think companies are
waking up to the idea of cultivatiing
someone with a passion to produce
designs for them over throwing
money at design agencies. If you’re
going to labour over your beer, why
not have someone labour over the
design? There’s so much personality
and character in beer too, and you
can show it any way you like.
Loads of breweries go super
minimal while maintaining very
distinct characteristics, others
go very clean but busy, whereas
there are some (like us) who have
someone draw until their fingers
fall off based on throwing ideas
around over a few beers.
What other breweries’ work
inspire you?
I’ve got a lot of love for Rich Norgate
(Magic Rock) doing his thing there.
It’s so recognisable yet so different
each time. Alec Doherty was one of
the first with his labels for Partizan
to really push the illustration
thing, and obviously Karl Grandin
(Omnipollo) makes those beautiful,
screen printed bottles look so easy
but so sexy (it’s not easy).

© NICK DWYER
WE HAVE A BUCkET
LOAD OF AMAZ|NG
COLLABS COM|NG
UP AS WELL AS
SOME SPEC|AL AND
ONE-OFF BEERS SO
kEEP YOUR EYES
AND TONGUES
PEELED.
What are your creative influences and interests?
The graphic novels mentioned earlier but I’m also a
huge surf / psych music fan. Lots of beer names are
twists on song names from bands I like, as are some
of the illustrations for the labels. I watch a lot of
cartoons aimed at teenagers and below, more than I
watch movies or tv shows aimed at adults. Futurama
is my absolute favourite and I usually watch an
episode before bed every day. Kurt Vonnegut,
Thomas Pynchon and Brett Easton Ellis are firm
literary favourites too, but it’s mainly the cartoons.
What are you working on at the moment?
Brand refreshes across the core range cans, ranging
from total overhaul to implementing the skull logo.
We also have a bucket load of amazing collabs
coming up as well as some special and one-off beers
so keep your eyes and tongues peeled.
Thats as much as I’ll say...

RECLAIMED BEER TOTE
What better way to open your next
beer? Handmade from reclaimed pallet
wood and featuring a fitted vintage style
bottle opener and lined base. The tote
holds 6 standard 330ml bottles.
HAUS FIESTA GLASS
The Haus Fiesta beer glass from And
Union has been designed and engineered
for the ultimate craft beer pleasure. And
we all know the benefits of German
engineering. 400ml and dishwasher safe.
WANT YOUR PRODUCT FEATURED? CO

BECAUSE SOME
THINGS YOU NEED
IN YOUR LIFE...
SKULL LOGO CAP
Beavertown Brewery’s merch range looks
as good as its beers taste. With adjustable
strap and embroidered skull logo.
Because if you’re drinking you may as well
look cool as fuck doing it.
DRINK CRAFT BEER TEE
If your friends don’t already know you
love craft beer then it’s time to leave
them in no doubt. This unisex t-shirt is
screen-printed using earth friendly, waterbased
inks.
NTACT US AT INFO@HOPULIST.COM

ELEVEN
I NTER-
ESTI NG
BEERS
F R O M ...
Scandinavia [ a ]
Is a historical and cultural region in Northern Europe
characterized by a common ethnocultural North Germanic
heritage and mutually intelligible North Germanic languages.

IN THE GLOBAL CRAFT
BEER ARMS RACE THE
NORTHERN EUROPEAN
NATIONS THAT MAKE
UP SCANDINAVIA ARE
TRUELY BECOMING
A SUPER POWER. WE
LEFT OUR RESIDENT
EXPERT TOM SELL
ALONE IN A DARK
ROOM WITH ELEVEN
OF SCANDINAVIA’S
FINEST OFFERINGS
FROM THE REGION’S
MOST INSPIRING
PRODUCERS, HERE ARE
THE RESULTS...
RATEBEER.COM SCORES CORRECT AT TIME OF PUBLISHING

NOA PECAN MUD CAKE STOUT
STOCkHOLM
Style:
|MPER|AL STOUT
ABV: 11%
Volume: 330ml
RATEBEER.com
OVERALL: 100
STYLE: 99
WHAT THEY SAY:
Thick, rich and
excessively
decadent, this
beer aims to bring
back childhood
memories. Brewed
with aromas.
WHAT WE THINK:
Deep dark brown
in colour, almost
black. Thick, tight
tan-coloured head.
Aromas jump
out of the glass,
sweet, chocolate
brownie, sweet
vanilla, pecans,
coffee, a slight
boozy undertone.
Taste is chocolate
milkshake, freshly
brewed coffee,
caramel, toffee,
pecans, toasted
malt, slightly spicy
in the end. Finish
is fairly smooth,
slightly sticky and
long lasting with a
thick and smooth
mouthfeel. Alcohol
barely noticeable.
A lovely and
warming twist on
an imperial stout.

20
COPENHAGEN
Style: |PA
ABV: 6.8%
Volume: 330ml
RATEBEER.com
OVERALL: 89
STYLE: 82
WHAT THEY SAY:
Brewed with 20
different hops for
a fresh and tasty
palate challenge.
WHAT WE THINK:
Murky deep amber
colour, big offwhite
head. Juicy
fruit, tropical fruit,
pine, grapefruit.
Strong american
hop taste, orange,
pine, caramel
maltiness. Thick
mouthfeel, oily
and chewy texture,
a strong, longlasting,
dry and
bitter finish.

EKTA PILS
Göteborg
Style: P|lsner
ABV: 5.2%
Volume: 330ml
RATEBEER.com
OVERALL: 83
STYLE: 98
WHAT THEY SAY:
Malty taste with a
clear bitter, hints
of white bread,
citrus peel and
herbs. Serve at
6-8°C to dishes of
fish or white meat
or as a social
drink.
WHAT WE THINK:
Flawless clear
pale golden in
colour, long last
thick white head.
Classic German
pils aroma, herbal,
grassy, grainy. Taste
is slightly stone
fruit like peaches,
lemon, grassy and
floral. Spicy and
crisp finish with
a medium bitter
finish. Classic
German style
pilsner.

BLOSSOM
COPENHAGEN
Style: WHEAT ALE
ABV: 6.3%
Volume: 330Ml
RATEBEER.com
OVERALL: 93
STYLE: 99
WHAT THEY SAY:
A fresh, flowerfull
and hoppy
American-Style
Wheat Beer. 40%
Wheat Malt, a
ton of Simcoe,
Citra, Galaxy and
Amarillo hops
combined with a
nice handful of 6
different specially
made dried
flowers. A salute to
all the beauty the
spring brings.
WHAT WE THINK:
Deep orange, hazy
in appearance.
Medium white
head. Citrus,
orange, slight rose
water aromas.
Taste is grassy,
slight juicy fruit,
tangerine, floral
and zesty flavours
come through.
Finish is mildly
smooth bitter,
with a medium
dry finish. Medium
mouthfeel. Very
refreshing indeed.

LAWLESS
AkT|EBRYGGER|
STAVANGER
Style: SA|SON
ABV: 6.5%
Volume: 330ml
RATEBEER.com
OVERALL: 68
STYLE: 45
WHAT THEY SAY:
A collaboration
brew with Arizona
Wilderness. This
Farmhouse Ale
is flavoured with
juniper berries,
giving a herbal
character and
fruity finish.
WHAT WE THINK:
Red/Amber in
colour, thin white
head which
subsides quickly.
Sherry, bready,
spicy on the nose.
Taste is resinous,
caramel, boozy
at the back end,
finish is fairly
bitter for a saison.
Lacking the spicy
pepper character
you would expect
from this style. Dry
and slightly ashy
in the end.

SAISON
LANDSkRONA
Style: SA|SON
ABV: 6.5%
Volume: 330ml
RATEBEER.com
OVERALL: 75
STYLE: 50
WHAT THEY SAY:
A rustic farmhouse
ale fermented with
multiple strains of
saccharomyces
and brettanomyces
yeast,
giving it a complex
and elegant taste.
WHAT WE THINK:
Pure clear golden
in colour, a thick
creamy long
lasting white head.
Well carbonated.
Cider apple,
barnyard, tart
aromas. Taste is
light berries, apple,
earthy noble hops,
sour tang with a
little maltiness on
the finish. Peppery,
yeasty dry finish.
Very refreshing.

ICELANDIC WHITE ALE
AkUREYR|
Style: W|TB|ER
ABV: 5.2%
Volume: 330ml
RATEBEER.com
OVERALL: 48
STYLE: 71
WHAT THEY SAY:
A clean and crisp
start with a smooth
mouthfeel thanks
to the oats, citrus
and spice round
out a refreshing
finish. Brewed with
pure Icelandic
water for a cool
smoothness that
is deliciously
refreshing.
WHAT WE THINK:
Light golden
orange in colour
and slightly hazy.
Thick clean white
head. Citrus
aromas, slightly
yeasty. Taste is
orange, coriander,
herbal, slightly
dry. Finish is
mildly bitter, spicy.
Medium to light
mouthfeel. Very
refreshing and
simple wheat beer.

TROPIC THUNDER
LANDVETTER
Style: SOUR/WILD
ABV: 4.5%
Volume: 330ml
RATEBEER.com
OVERALL: 95
STYLE: 72
WHAT THEY SAY:
Tropic Thunder is
a joint effort with
nomadic brewer
Brian Strumke of
Stillwater Artisanal.
Brewed with
lactobacillus and
allowed to ferment
with plentiful
mango, passion
fruit and peach.
WHAT WE THINK:
Hazy pale golden
colour, very
minimal head.
Aromas of deep
peach juice,
mango juice,
tropical fruit juice.
Just like a classic
fruit juice based
cocktail. Flavour is
sour, sharp lemon,
slight peach in the
middle. A sharp,
dry and long sour
finish. One for the
summer!

SUNDBY STOUT
COPENHAGEN
Style: STOUT
ABV: 6.2%
Volume: 500ml
RATEBEER.com
OVERALL: 92
STYLE: 93
WHAT THEY SAY:
Floral tones lay
on top of the
typical stoutcharacteristics
of roasted malt
to add lightness.
Malt sweetness
and hints of bitter
chocolate and
English liqourice.
WHAT WE THINK:
Very dark brown
in colour, almost
black. Nice thick
creamy slightly
off white head.
Roasted malt,
plum, slight
chocolate, vanilla
aromas. Burnt
chocolate, freshly
brewed coffee,
slightly smoky
initial flavours.
Dark fruit and
and ashy, slightly
bitter cocoa in the
finish. Mouthfeel
is smooth
and creamy,
carbonation is
gentle. A classic
stout.

INDIA PALE ALE
GR|MSTAD
Style: |pa
ABV: 7.5%
Volume: 500ml
RATEBEER.com
OVERALL: 98
STYLE: 99
WHAT THEY SAY:
A rich, malty,
and very bitter
ale. Cascade
hops provide a
long, fruity, and
spicy after-taste.
Recommended
serving
temperature
10°C/50°F. Ideal
with barbequed
or smoked meat
dishes.
WHAT WE THINK:
Deep golden
orange in colour,
nice thick creamy
white head.
Aromas of pine,
resin, caramel,
citrus. Taste is
spicy, fruity esters
from the english
yeast, grapefruit,
marmalade. Finish
is medium resinous
bitter with a dry
spicy end.

BADEBRYGG
BRYGGER|ET
DRAMMEN
Style: GOLDEN ALE
ABV: 4.5%
Volume: 500ml
RATEBEER.com
OVERALL: 63
STYLE: 94
WHAT THEY SAY:
The beer for the
bright season.
A golden and
harmonious ale
with light malt
sweetness and a
mild and rounded
fruity bitterness.
WHAT WE THINK:
Light golden
colour, medium
creamy head.
Fresh cut grass,
lemon, english
yeast aromas.
Taste is malty,
orange, lemon,
grassy. Mild soft
and dry finish,
spicy with medium
bitterness. Easy
drinking english
style golden ale.

CRAFT BEER
banGKÕK
SŁYLE

By David Guest
Beads of sweat roll down my forehead as
the heavy, humid air of a spring night in
Bangkok pours all of its weight relentlessly
onto me. The traffic noise roars like an overhead
troop of warplanes and the battle of what seems
like life and death on the roads around me takes
place with jovial second-nature by its participants.
It’s a sensory invasion, but not an unpleasant one.
Bangkok is one of the world’s most visited cities
and there are plenty of reasons why. But perhaps
way down the list of those reasons is the one
I’m about to pull to my lips in an ice cold Vedett
pint glass. Craft beer is not what you’d typically
associate with this place, but that assumption is oh,
so misguided.
I’m nestled in the corner of a stylish, open-air
craft beer bar, perhaps slightly unoriginally named
Craft. But don’t let the tell-it-like-it-is name put
you off, Craft is the self proclaimed king of the craft
movement in Thailand and it’s no wonder. With
two bars in central locations and a staggering range
offering of over 170 beers from around the world
from the tap, bottle and can, this is a place not to be
missed. The Craft I’m in right now is in the Silom
district of the city. It’s in the south centre and is the
are where a lot of big businesses are. It made sense
for this to be one of the first locations for Craft,
as there is an international community here who
work in the towers of steel and glass that surround
it. The open air area of the bar is finished with astro
turf and stylish furnishings and as I make my way
into the wood-walled bar to order another beer, I
am pretty staggered by the offering there is.
Craft |s
the self
procla|med
k|ng of
the craft
movement |n
Tha|land and
|t’s no wonder.
W|th two bars
|n central
locat|ons and
a stagg e r| n g
range
offer| ng of
over 170 beers
from around
the world
from the tap,
bottle and
can, th| s is a
place not to
be m| ssed.

The taps have some very familiar names, such as
the aforementioned Vedett, and others like Rogue
and BrewDog, but there are also names I don’t
recognise. Coedo is a Japanese craft brewery that
is heavily stocked and its produce kicks the arse
of the usual Thailand drinking fodder of wishywashy
lagers like Singha and Chang. I sample an
intriguing red ale that is intricate in body and
as good as anything I have tried in Europe or
the United States. There’s also craft beers from
Australia, Mexico and more places that I think my
liver can handle sampling.
It has to be said that the Thai staff on this
particular night are not craft beer aficionados,
but a handy numbering system on the menu
makes getting your point across easy. My visit
to the other Craft on Sukhumvit was a wholly
different experience – the staff here were lively,
intelligent and even able to make suggestions
based on descriptions of the type of beer that was
tickling my fancy. It was also a busier night and
subsequently you got a better view of the audience
– and it was very international. I clocked languages
and accents from around the world, proving that
craft beer is a global movement and Bangkok is the
perfect global city to experience it in.
Another neat aspect to Craft is at each bar, they
have a sister bar next door known as Whisgars.
The Sherlock Holmes-esque among you will have
deduced that this is a whiskey and cigars bar. Now,
I love craft beer, but I’m also partial to a whiskey so
a nightcap here was a perfect end to my evening.
But Craft isn’t the only place to enjoy drinking
some decent beer if you ever make it to Bangkok,
oh no.
CH|ANG MA| •
PHUkET •
thA|LAND
Bangkok
• PAT TAYA
• kOH SAMU|
Bangkok is the
capital and most
populous city of
Thailand. A clash
between tradition
and modernity,
famed for its ornate
shrines, vibrant
street life and food.

© COURTESY OF MIKKELLER
© COURTESY OF MIKKELLER

I headed to another establishment during my stay
known as BREW. Feeling confident after having
been in the city for a few nights at this point,
I decided (and somehow convinced my longsuffering
girlfriend) that this was within walking
distance. Before I go any further let me strongly
advise you NEVER to walk anywhere in Bangkok.
It’s the least pedestrian friendly city I’ve ever
been to, and after a sweaty and often dangerous
stagger around its maze-like streets, we discovered
BREW was not open… I stood around gawping
at the non-illuminated sign for sometime before
an equally disgruntled American sitting on some
nearby steps informed us the bar has been closed
for renovation for some time, BUT WAS OPEN
TOMORROW! Fast-forward 24 hours and I was
sipping a lovely Belgian wheat beer convincing
my girlfriend that it had all been worth the wait. A
live band entertained the again very international
crowd. This place had character, it had great beer,
it had decent grub and it was in a city that was
winning me over with every passing second.
Bangkok as a serious craft beer destination is
not just my rose-tinted (and potentially fine ale
influenced) view of the place though. Danish
brewing giant Mikkeler has recently opened a bar a
little further out from the centre.
So, while the typical destinations for craft beer
probably remain in Europe and the United States,
it was incredibly refreshing to see the movement
being picked up so authentically in somewhere
as exotic and alien as Thailand. If you ever make
it out there, rest-assured that the weather is great,
the people are incredibly friendly, the experience is
fantastic, and most importantly, the beer is good…
| f you ever
make | t o u t
there, restassured
that
the weather
| s great, the
people are
| ncredibly
fr| endly, the
experience
| s fantast| c ,
and most
| mportantly,
the beer | s
good...

TOP BANGKOK BEER TIPS
one
two
Never walk anywhere. Taxis and tuk
tuks are incredibly cheap and are a great
experience to ride in. Just show your driver
where you want to go on Google Maps so
they can get context and you’ll be away.
It’s advisable to go for lighter refreshing
beers on the whole. Stouts and heavier ales
don’t fare to well in 35C+.
three
four
five
While the food was decent in the bars I
tried, I would advise eating somewhere
else before or after. Thailand is the home of
exciting flavours and you really need to try
them.
Don’t be afraid to ask. I never felt like
anyone was trying to scam me in the city
and many Thais are just happy you’re there
and that you’re interested (spending money
in) their country.
Chang and Singha are everywhere in
Thailand and often for ridiculously cheap.
Don’t succumb, they are not worthy of
your crafty pallet.

“THERE IS
MORE TO
LIFE THAN
BEER ALONE,
BUT BEER
MAKES
THOSE OTHER
THINGS EVEN
BETTER.”
STEPHEN MORRIS

KBS (KENTUCKY BREAKFAST STOUT)
GRAND RAP|DS
Style:
|MPER|AL STOUT
ABV: 11.9%
Volume: 355Ml
RATEBEER.com
OVERALL: 100
STYLE: 100

A beer aged in
caves with its own
annual launch
party? KBS is a
super stout worth
shouting about.
Created using a dreamy
blend of Belgian
chocolate, sumatra
and kona coffee beans, lots
of oats, roasted grains and
barley, it’s no wonder that
KBS is a champion of ratebeer.
com. The beer was first
created back in 2003 using
Jack Daniel’s whiskey barrels
(we know, whiskey too!) to
create the oatmeal breakfast
stout. Founders knew it
had something special and
continued to experiment until
settling on the recipe that we
enjoy today.
THE
100
CLUB
IN THIS SERIES WE
EXAMINE THE BEERS
THAT HAVE ACHIEVED
THE PERFECT SCORE
OF 100/100 ON
RATEBEER.COM. JUST
HOW DO THEY DO IT?

“KENTUCKY
BREAKFAST
STOUT (KBS) IS A
QUINTESSENTIAL
REPRESENTATION
OF WHO
FOUNDERS IS
AS A COMPANY
AND THE
LEGACY WE’VE
ESTABLISHED IN
THE INDUSTRY...”
DAVE ENGBERS, CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT

Like most strong stouts,
KBS takes roughly a year
from brew day to bottle
and spends most of its
time blissfuly ageing in
oak barrels from the big
bourbon producers. The
secret weapon that Michiganbased
Founders use with KBS
compared to other oak-aged
stouts is how the barrels are
stored. Founders rents airconditioned
caves that run
under the Grand Rapids
in former gypsum mines.
Yes, you read that right.
The darkness and constant
temperature of the caves
creates the perfect ageing
conditions. This is about the
closest craft beer comes to the
Batcave.
The stout has earned such
notoriety that Founders now
has a ‘KBS Week’ every year
to honour its release with
visitors and residents of Grand
Rapids getting to enjoy it before
anyone else (the lucky swines).
KBS is released world-wide
each year on April 1st and with
only around 5,000 barrels to
house KBS the limited numbers
mean it disappears very quickly.
While most of us could only
dream of attending the launch
party or even relocating to
Grand Rapids, thankfully you
can usually get your hands on
some. And trust us, it’s worth it.

NEW
ZEA
THE KIWIS ARE
A NATION OF
CRAFT BEER
LOVERS. BUT
WITH THE RAPID
GROWTH OF ITS
MARKET COMES
A UNIQUE SET OF
CHALLENGES...
New Zealand has nearly three times as
many craft breweries per capita than
the USA. The Oceanian nation has
a near perfect climate for growing barley and
hops – something many probably didn’t know.
You might also be unaware that New Zealand
has a rich heritage of hop breeding programmes
dating back as far as the 70s that have developed
new varieties exclusive to the country.
These hops have not only become the
mainstay of domestic craft beer but also thrived
in the export market due to their citrusy and
floral notes, fresh tropical fruit flavours and
alpha acid and essential oils inherent in the
hops.

LAND

BEER MONEY
GREEN FLASH,
ALPINE BEER
COMPANY
AND SIERRA
NEVADA ARE
JUST THREE
AMERICAN
BREWERIES
THAT MAKE
USE OF NEW
ZEALAND
HOPS IN
SIGNIFICANT
VOLUMES.
Many of the New Zealand hop varieties fit
seamlessly with the popular American IPA
style and also offer something new for US and
European brewers and beer lovers. Green Flash,
Alpine Beer Company and Sierra Nevada are
just three American breweries that make use of
New Zealand hops in significant volumes.
This blend of unique hops and export demand
means that the craft beer scene in New Zealand
is progressive and varied. It’s also worth some
serious dollar – Australia and New Zealand
(ANZ) Banking Group’s recent report on the
craft beer industry in New Zealand suggests
craft beer sales were up a whopping 35 per
cent in 2016, the third year on the bounce that
it has reported strong sales growth. Craft beer
now accounts for 15 per cent of all domestic
beer sales in New Zealand with several craft
breweries reported to be growing way faster
than the average rate for the sector. Sounds too
good to be true for budding brewers and beer
lovers alike, right? Well, actually it could be.

5 INTERESTING NZ HOPS
NELSON SAUV|N
A variety named after the Sauvignon Blanc grape, with which it
shares some aroma characteristics. The high alpha acid content
make it truly dual-purpose as either a bittering and/or aroma hop.
Best known for its distinct gooseberry, white wine-like aroma.
kOHATU
MOTUEkA
WA|-|T|
Another dual purpose variety with mid-range alpha acid content.
Pleasant tropical fruit, lime and pineapple with traces of pine. It can
be used as a single hop or part of a blend.
Bred from Saaz and used primarily, although not exclusively, as an
aroma hop. Sweet and resinous with zingy citrus, tropical fruit and
fresh herbal notes.
A relative new comer to the world of hops it has a low alpha and
high oil content. The perfect aroma hop, delivering strong lime and
peach flavours.
SOUTHERN CROSS
Mainly a bittering variety. A soft bitterness makes it a good early
addition to the boil. It has excellent essential oils delivering a
lemon zest, pine and spice essence.

GROWING PAINS
FOR SOME
BREWERS
WITH SALES
ON THE RISE,
BUSINESS
GROWTH
WILL FEEL
MUCH LIKE
HOLDING THE
PROVERBIAL
TIGER BY
THE TAIL.
It’s not all butterflies and hoppy rainbows in
Kiwi land, there are challenges.
John Bennett, general manager central region
of ANZ, explains: “Yes the craft category
is performing well, but from the brewer’s
perspective there are plenty of challenges.
For some brewers with sales on the rise,
business growth will feel much like holding the
proverbial tiger by the tail.”
In recent years the large volume sales of mass
produced amber lager have been in decline in
New Zealand. As a result the larger Breweries,
reflecting what is happening in the US and
European markets, are looking to buy into
the craft beer trend with the inevitable talk of
acquisitions and takeovers.
The three biggest breweries in New Zealand,
Lion, DB Breweries a subsidiary of Dutch giant
Heineken and Independent Liqour Group(ILG)
have all been at it. In 2012 ILG, which is itself
owned by Asahi of Japan, acquired Founders
Brewery. Lion has been aggressive in the craft
beer market buying Emerson’s in 2012 and
Panhead Custom Ales in 2016 and then this
year Tuartara was sold to DB Breweries. It’s
a familiar tale when a relatively small market
undergoes an explosion of growth, it’s tough to
stay pure to the movement as the bigger sharks
circle.

SELLING OUT?
THE BALANCE
BETWEEN
SEEING YOUR
BUSINESS
CONTINUE TO
GROW AND
RETAINING
CREDIBILITY
IN THE
CRAFT BEER
MARKET IS A
TIGHTROPE...
Beer exports in New Zealand are growing,
especially in higher ABV styles with a 15 per
cent growth on last year and up more than four
times what it was just five years ago. For the
high growth brewers the challenge is keeping
up with demand. A lack of infrastructure
and productive capacity has seen some sell
to the ‘big-boys’ in order to take things to the
next level. But for all the talk of remaining
committed to the philosophy of the craft brewer
many consumers simply see it as selling out.
Google ‘Founders Brewery’ and you will see
numerous posts telling you the beer has gone
downhill since it was bought by ILG – in some
cases, this might not always be the case, but
perception is everything.
The balance between seeing your business
continue to grow and retaining credibility in the
craft beer market is a tightrope that many other
nations have navigated – some far better than
others. The hope with New Zealand is that it
continues to create exciting and ingenius beers,
celebrating those unique home-grown hops and
preserving the kiwi craft brewer revolution.

THE NUMBERS
35% 168
The annual growth of craft
Craft breweries in NZ and
sales in NZ. growing.
15% 1,500+
Craft portion of the total
The number of unique craft
NZ beer market. beers in the NZ market.
9%The growth in the craft
portion of the NZ beer
market in three years.
49The number of countries
that NZ beer exports to.
(Source: ANZ New Zealand Craft Beer Industry Insights 2016)

NEW
ZEALAND
F|Ve nz
beers you
need to try:
Yeast|e Boys D|g|tal
Brewery locat|on: Well|ngton
Style: |PA
ABV: 5.7%
RateBeer.com rat|ng:
Overall 93 Style 89
Three Boys Oyster Stout
Brewery locat|on: Chr|stchurch
Style: Stout
ABV: 6.2%
RateBeer.com rat|ng:
Overall 95 Style 97
Tuatara Sauv|nova Pale Ale
Brewery locat|on: Paraparaumu
Style: Amer|can pale ale
ABV: 5.2%
RateBeer.com rat|ng:
Overall 95 Style 98
8 W|red H|ppy Berl|ner
Brewery locat|on: Warkworth
Style: Berl|ner We|sse
ABV: 4%
RateBeer.com rat|ng:
Overall 91 Style 83
Rena|ssance Boon|es P|ls
Brewery locat|on: Blenhe|m
Style: P|lsner
ABV: 5.5%
RateBeer.com rat|ng:
Overall N/A Style N/A

WHAT’S THE NEXT BEST THING TO DRINKING
BEER? TALKING ABOUT BEER, OF COURSE.
AND IN THIS MODERN WORLD, THE WAY WE
DO THAT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT INVOLVES
SOCIAL MEDIA. SHARING BEER ADVENTURES
WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND THE WIDER
WORLD HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER, AND WE
AT HOPULIST WANT TO EXPERIENCE THEM
TOO. NEXT TIME YOUR OUT QUAFFING YOUR
FAVOURITE TIPPLE AND THINKING ABOUT
JUST HOW AWESOME A PHOTO OF IT WOULD
LOOK ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE,
MAKE SURE YOU SLAP #HOPULIST ON IT.
YOU NEVER KNOW, YOU MIGHT SEE YOUR
NAME UP IN LIGHTS IN OUR NEXT ISSUE.

@TWINCITYBREWING
@BEERNOTES
@BEAVERTOWNBEER
@CRAFTBKK
@HOUSEGRAFTONBREWING
@EINSTOK
@THECHORLTONTAP
@MAGICROCKBREWING
@BEERGONZO

IS FOR,
WELL, LOTS
OF THINGS.
THAT’S WHY
WE HAVE
DEVISED OUR
OWN BEER
GLOSSARY
FOR YOU TO
DRINK IN.
IMPROVE
YOUR
ABV
Once a sign of pure,
unfiltered masculinity,
the ABV or alcohol
by volume level of a
beer tells you plain
and simply how strong
it is.
ABV has been
experimented with
a lot by brewers.
Very low ABVs are
preferred for lighter,
session ales, while
at the other end of
spectrum, doubledigit
ABV ales have
been produced on a
commercial level. It’s
worth noting that
bigger is not always
better when it comes
to ABV, we’re not kids
anymore!
A

ALPHA ACIDS
This is the part of
beer drinking that
makes us all feel like
scientists – knowing
your alpha acids and
their levels in hops
and the effect that has
on beer.
In Lehman’s terms
Alpha acids serve two
main purposes in beer.
First off, they help to
produce the bitter
taste – different hops
have different acid
levels, and the length
of the boil in brewing
can also affect this
bitterness.
Secondly, they act as
a kind of antiseptic.
Before the use of
hops in beer, the only
way to make it last
for a long time was
by upping the alcohol
content significantly.
Actually, we’re not
sure if this is a
benefit…
AMARILLO HOPS
The hops named after
the Spanish word for
yellow brings a unique
citrus flavour and
aroma to any beer it is
brewed with.
It is lightly acidic
with sweet, orangey
flavours and its
usual preferred use
is in American IPAs,
American ales and
wheat beers.
Hailing from the
north west of the
United States, this is
an idiosyncratic hops
that gives beers a lift
into a world of citrusy
splendour.
AMBER ALE
Remember when
the word amber
held the promise of
resurrecting badass
dinosaurs from
the dead to wreak
havoc on a remote
Costa Rican island?
In the beer world,
Amber is slightly less
scary, but no less
awesome. Amber
ales are brewed with
a large proportion
of amber malt or
sometimes crystal
malt to produce an
amber colour. Just like
dinosaurs, amber ales
come in a wide range
of shapes and sizes
with a hue that can
vary from from light
copper to light brown.
Great examples
include Maine Beer’s
Zoe, AleSmith’s Evil
Dead Red and Brew
Dog’s 5AM Saint.
Clever girl…

AMERICAN IPA
In typical American
fashion of taking
something and making
it bigger, better and
more glitzy, the
American IPA is a
modern twist on one
of beers oldest styles,
the English IPA.
American IPA’s
tend to be more
flavourful than their
English cousins and
can hold a wide range
of colours from pale
to red. Naturally they
use mainly American
hops and usually
have herbal or citric
character bigger than
Donald Trump’s ego
after winning a twitter
row with an 11-yearold
girl.
ANCHOR BREWING
Little did German
brewer Gottlieb
Brekle realise when he
and his family landed
in San Fransisco to
settle in 1849, that his
brewing empire would
eventually become
one of craft beer’s
most intuitive names.
With its own copper
brewhouse and an
emphasis on dry
hopping and open
fermentation, you
haven’t lived unless
you’ve taken a ride on
the Anchor Steamboat
at the very least.
Other great beers
include Go West
IPA, Liberty Ale and
California Lager.
This company was
started in the time
of the California
gold rush, now its
producing gold of its
own, in craft beer
form (we like that
much more).
A

APOLLO HOPS
This hops is more
all-American than the
space programme
it appears to be
named after. Very
high in those pesky
alpha acids and
subsequently quite
bitter and bold in
flavour, it is most
commonly used in
beers with a big hop
profile. Its notes are
citrusy, resiny and
spicy and its use is
becoming more and
more widespread
throughout the
brewing community.
This is one small
hops for man, one
giant leap for beer
kind.
AROMATIC HOPS
We all love a great
aroma, right? And its
probably for the best
seen as that is the
trend of many types
of craft beer today.
Aromatic hops is an
umbrella term for the
magical variety of this
great plant that brings
aroma, both subtle and
strong, to the beers
we know and love.
Varieties include;
Amarillo, Aramis,
Blanc, Crystal, Ekunot,
Gold, Moteuka,
Pacifica, Saphir, Spalt,
Sussecx, Tahoma and
Ultra, to name but a
few!
AZACCA HOPS
What have Haitan
farmers and craft beer
got in common? No,
it’s not a fondness
for getting drunk
(although maybe it
could be), it’s Azacca.
The Haitian god of
agriculture shares
his name with a new
breed of bittering
hops that is widely
considered to be a
great addition to any
IPA beer. Many regard
this hops as a good
dual-use hops that can
give off an aroma of
tropical fruits, but also
supply a sharp, spicy
bitterness that makes
its beers nice and
punchy.

Go|n’
go nzo
A true pass|on for
qual|ty beer, a steely
entrepreneur|al
determ|nat|on and
a love affa|r w|th
Belg|um. Comb|ne these
elements and you
have a gl|mpse of the
ethos beh|nd one of
the Uk’s best-stocked
onl|ne beer shops Beer
Gonzo. We f|nd out
how th|s bus|ness |s
r|d|ng the front of
the beervolut|on |n
the country.
There was a time, not that long
ago when if you wanted to go
out for a beer in the UK your
options were pretty limited. You were
left either staring into a brown, swirly
and stagnant traditional English ale
or trying to contain your over-inflated
internal organs from several pints of
an obscenely gassy lager. It was a rock
and a hard place. But in some hidden
corners of the country there were
some trying to change that. Anthony
Akers is one of those men, and his
hidden corner happens to be the very
centre of the country in the historic
city of Coventry. Anthony and his two
business partners, Martin and Mick
Leape, ran a small bar called Inspire,
which majored on a wide selection
of quality Belgian beers. Things
weren’t easy, but the trio saw an
opportunity to evolve their business
into something special.

“We wanted to start a new business
together and decided that a beer shop was
the way to go – the credit crunch meant
that people were venturing out to bars
later and later, preferring to drink at home
beforehand,” he explains.
“We were looking into starting
e-commerce, but then a chance arose for us
to buy our first shop back in 2010.”
Beer Gonzo was born. And so the
people of the corner of Coventry known
as Earlsdon began to buy their beer not
from a huge supermarket chain, but from
somewhere that aroused their interest and
awakened their beer senses. The shop ticked
along nicely and after two years Anthony
had the chance to move to a bigger premises
with a better location.

“Moving round the corner to a more
visible shop on the high street of the town
was perfectly timed with the take-off of the
beer revolution,” he says. “Things took off
really quickly and we were able to launch
a website to sell beer nationally quite soon
after.”
Fast-forward five years and today Beer
Gonzo is one of the best stocked online
Moving round the
corner to a more
visible shop on the
high street of the
town was perfectly
timed with the takeoff
of the beer
revolution.

eer retailers in the UK, offering beers of all
kinds from a plethora of varied, interesting
and innovative breweries.
Anthony continues: “We have always had
a passion for good quality beer, having had a
huge Belgian selection at our old bar Inspire.
We have a deep love for Belgian beer as it is
what first captured our imagination and we
will always have a good representation of the
‘motherland’ on our shelves. As the business
has grown, I think we have established a
reputation and a customer base who are
after the higher-end beers on the market
as has been shown by the huge interest in
American and Scandinavian beers.”
Beer Gonzo has been able to meet and
exceed the expectations of its customer base
by cultivating a strong network of suppliers
around Europe. This isn’t something that
happened overnight, nor is it something that

When sourc|ng beer we do
our research and most
|mportantly, follow our
hearts as usually |f you
are pass|onate about a
certa|n brewery, then
the customer w|ll be
|nterested to see what has
|mpressed you so much.
is easy to manage as the beer industry
continues to grow exponentially. But
Anthony and his team are making it
work, and then some.
“When sourcing beer we do our
research and most importantly, follow
our hearts as usually if you are passionate
about a certain brewery, then the
customer will be interested to see what
has impressed you so much.
“There are so many more breweries
now compared to five years ago. Back
then, a new brewery started and you
would stock them, because you had to.
Now you have to choose more carefully
and ask for samples. The American
phenomenon of the ‘hype beer’ has
transferred over here to the UK and as
wonderful as this is, as it creates huge
interest in the industry, it also increases
the pressure on retailers to secure some
of the beer. This can be more acute online
as if you don’t get that particular beer,
you won’t be very busy that week.”
Like any good businessman, Anthony’s
Belgian beer-fuelled grey matter was
purring away over the next evolution for
his business. And just last year it came to
him as Beer Gonzo opened a taproom on
site.
“The idea for the taproom actually
came about because the website and
wholesale side of the business became
too big to run out of the storeroom,” he
admits.

“That forced our hand to get a central
warehouse and left the space at the rear
of the shop empty. We could either do a
taproom or extend the shop. We knew what
we wanted to do!”
The Beer Gonzo taproom is blowing locals
away with crazy and rare beers on keg for
its taps and people have been drawn, not
just from the city of Coventry, but nearby
Birmingham and even further than that.
“The beer scene has changed
immeasurably in the Midlands with
ourselves, Byatts Brewery and now Twisted
Barrel Ale banging the drum as hard as
we could for a number of years. There is
still a long way to go but hey, I can walk
to my local and have a bottle of Cantillon
Fou’Foune served in a lambic basket. How
many people can say that?”
A beer revolution has been born and there
are plenty of plans to build on it, as Anthony
details.
“The bottle list will also develop as our
bottle ageing programme begins to bear
fruit. We have some vintage Lambics on the
way and will continue to use our Belgian
contacts to source the Lambics, even though
it is getting harder & harder!
“We have regular beer tastings, bottle
shares and MTB events booked in. We
are also planning to run a beer and food
matching event with a local chef friend of
ours.
“In terms of the retail side of the business,
we are looking to push forward with the
wholesale side of the business and are
pushing forward with plans to supply into
Europe and beyond. After that, perhaps we
can bring our taproom experience to another
city. Watch this space…”
COVENTRY
|NFO
Beer Gonzo
3a Earlsdon St
Coventry
West Midlands, UK
CV5 6EP
É www.beergonzo.co.uk
È info@beergonzo.co.uk
$ @beergonzo
! /beergonzo1
" /beergonzo1

QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS
ANTHONY
AkERS
Favour|te beer?
De Struise Pannepot / 3 Fonteinen Zenne Y Frontera
Can or bottle?
Can for fresh IPA, Bottles for complex stouts.
Can’t imagine laying a can down for ageing!
Best place you’ve ever enjoyed a beer?
In De Verzekering Tegen De Grote Dorst - Quite simply nicest place to
drink beer in the galaxy and by chance, it has the best beers in the universe.
Brewery that most |mpresses you?
De Struise Brouwers - An absolute dedication to bringing the most
phenomenal complexity of flavour to their beers. Not a hazy IPA in sight!
Favour|te country of or|g|n for beer?
Belgium, if that wasn’t already apparent!

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MAGIC ROCK PINT GLASS
The fun illustrated style of Magic Rock’s
branding make this limited edition pint
glass a must. We love its contemporary
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most cutting-edge breweries.
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BECAUSE SOME
THINGS YOU NEED
IN YOUR LIFE...
STAINLESS STEEL GROWLER
This two-litre growler is made of food
grade stainless steel. An attached swing
top offers long-lasting freshness and
ensures you’re giving your beer the love
it deserves.
BEER GONZO TEKU GLASS
Proper glassware is a huge factor in
bringing out a craft beer’s most desirable
attributes and will provide you with an
enhanced quaffing experience. This beauty
is perfect for stronger beers and sours.
NTACT US AT INFO@HOPULIST.COM

Our favourite
craft beers of
the moment.
So good we are
drinking them
at home.

VOCATION BREWERY
HEART & SOUL
SESSION IPA
A full bodied and intensely
fruity beer. The West
Coast hops give a tropical
fruit character with notes
of passion fruit, mango,
pineapple and grapefruit.
Pours hazy golden with a
decent white head. Great
session beer and very
flavoursome.
ABV: 4.4%
Colour: Golden yellow
Aroma: Tropical fruits
Taste: Fruity

AND UNION
SUNDAY
PALE ALE
German modernists And
Union work to the basic
principles of modernism –
simplicity and the honest
expression of the nature
of materials and their
quality. This balanced and
gently spiced pale ale
follows that philosophy.
A good session beer and
can we talk about the can?
Minimilism at it’s finest.
ABV: 5.5%
Colour: Hazy Orange
Aroma: Orange peel
Taste: Tangerine & citrus

CLOUDWATER
NW DIPA CITRA
DOUBLE IPA
Cloudwater have started a
rotating scheme of DIPAs
to showcase the changing
seasons. Using yeast from
one of Manchester’s oldest
family brewers they have
cleverly integrated the
best of both traditional
and cutting edge
techniques. The NW has a
wonderful citra aroma and
a fruity taste. It truely is a
world class DIPA. .
ABV: 9%
Colour: Murky orange
Aroma: Hoppy and fruity
Taste: Fruit medley

TO ØL
DIPA UNDERGROUND
DOUBLE IPA
We are going to resist
any Jamiroquai ‘dipa
underground’ gags,
largely because 90s pop
references aren’t our thing.
Clean, hoppy and well
balanced this is another
excellent addition to the
plethora of great DIPA’s
currently being produced.
We also love Kasper
Ledet’s artwork.
ABV: 8.5%
Colour: Dark orange
Aroma: Caramel, hoppy
Taste: Sweet fruit, pine

BEAVERTOWN
LUPULOID
IPA
A recent addition to
Beavertown’s line up of
core beers, Lupoloid has a
big hoppy aroma of citrus
fruit typical of an American
IPA. Light and zingy with
restrained bitterness.
Tastes of hops, grapefruit,
pine with a tropical vibe.
We loved it!
ABV: 6.7%
Colour: Yellow
Aroma: Citrus fruit
Taste: Grapefruit/pine

REDWELL
KOFRA
STOUT
An intersting
collaboration between
Redwell Brewing and
an independent coffee
shop called Kofra. This is
a coffee stout that uses
Kofra’s own blend of
beans, roasted just for
them. Smooth and tasty
it really showcases what
can be done when people
are passionate about what
they produce.
ABV: 5.9%
Colour: Rich black
Aroma: Coffee, chocolate
Taste: Mellow coffee

YEASTIE BOYS
GUNNAMATTA
EARL GREY IPA
The New Zealand
craft scene is alive and
progressive as this hugely
floral IPA demonstrates.
‘Dry-leafed’ with Earl
Grey Blue Flower tea,
it’s mellow complexity
and quenching dry finish
make it very drinkable
especially for the tea
lovers amongst us.
ABV: 6.5%
Colour: Amber
Aroma: Earl Grey
Taste: Citrus and herbs

ISSUE TWO READY FOR CONSUMPTION
SEPTEMBER 2017

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