Hopulist Issue2

It doesn’t seem like five minutes ago when – 

while sitting around supping a suitably delicious 

brew – we decided to create Hopulist. As we 

launch our second issue we can only thank 

everyone who has taken the time to browse our 

beery Bible and given us feedback (of all kinds). 

This month we are continuing in our commitment 

to share news, views and thought-provoking ideas 

about craft beer, combined with sleek visuals. 

You can take a virtual waltz down one of London’s 

coolest beer miles, sample a selection of Belgian’s 

finest Trappist beers, or just check out some 

über-trendy beer merchandise – it’s all in this 

issue. 

From the start, this magazine has been about 

sharing our passion for craft beer with likeminded 

beer lovers, and so far the ride has been 

enjoyable and educating. 

We are immensely glad that you have stopped 

by for a second helping. 

Cheers, 

The Hopulist team

06 

10 

12 

Get your craft beer 

news fix right here. 

The freshest of new 

beer launches. 

We visit small-batch 

brewer Verdant. 

22 

24 

34 

Show your love for 

beer with new merch. 

Uncover the world 

of Trappist brewing. 

Make beer go further 

with a good growler. 

42 

54 

68 

A craft beer mile, 

London style. 

Eleven interesting 

Californian beers. 

Our A-Z of craft 

beer hits B. 

72 

74 

78 

Get your instagram 

pics in the mag. 

Why Chimay Blue is 

a beer to behold. 

What the Hopulist 

team’s been drinking.

Sapporo anchors 

in crafty waters 

You can’t have missed the news that 

California’s craft beer crown jewel and 

America’s oldest craft brewery Anchor 

has been sold to Japanese international 

brewing giant Sapporo. A cool $85 

million changed hands as the craft beer 

community looked on anxiously, with 

ownership of one of its favourite sons 

heading off to the Far East. But is this 

your architypal ‘sell-out’ or is there more 

to this story than just ‘successful craft 

brewery sells out to multi-national beer 

conglomerate’? We think perhaps there is. 

For starters, Anchor’s headquarters will 

be staying put in Portrero, California, and 

there are even plans for a new taproom to 

open across the street. A nice motion that 

normally would be hailed. However, the 

cynics will say that this is just a further 

expansion of the sales network and a 

token gesture to cover up what’s really 

going on. 

A look at the books will indicate that 

this sale really needed to happen for 

the brewery to continue. It wasn’t in the 

best place financially and large scale 

investment could have been the only way 

for it to carry on. 

A similar deal took place in 2010 when 

the owners sold to two executives from 

Skyy vodka. It all points to a brewery 

that had grown exponentially to a point 

where it either needed help or needed to 

be run by those who know how to work 

internationally. Sapporo certainly fits that 

bill.

There are, of course, downsides. The 

brand will no longer be part of the 

San Franciso Brewers Guild and its 

plans to build a visitor centre in the 

American city are indefinitely on hold. 

There’s also the very spirit of craft beer 

that has been thrown into question. 

Some argue this is a sell-out, plain and 

simple. Others will say if the beer is 

more widely available and remains of 

good quality, then what’s the problem? 

It’s an interesting development and 

the long term reprocussions will be 

observed with scrutiny by a large 

audience. One thing is for certain, 

if craft beer continues its rise in 

popularity, deals like this will become 

more and more commonplace. 

WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING? 

The craft beer community was quick to have its say 

on social media with a mix of opinions ranging from 

limited support for the decision to absolute outrage, 

but for the majority it was that of disapointment. 

Here is a cross section of the general feeling: 

littlebabyjoe: This is the biggest disappointment. Really 

a sad day for San Francisco and the Bay Area as a 

whole. You can sell things. But when you sell 121 

years of culture... that’s a huge fail. 

Andy Page: Just hope this won’t change the Beer! Sam 

Adams brewed under licence here in the UK now & 

it sucks! I rely on my #CaliforniaLager! 

Stays 72: Staying independent was the key to Anchor 

Steam’s unique brand & history. I’ll give Sapporo a 

chance, but this loyal customer is not happy! 

JamesLipp: I’ve been a customer for a long time... 

sad to say goodbye. Fortunately there are plenty of 

independent breweries left. #IndependentBeer 

Ed Pawelko: Anchor was Fritz Maytag. To his successor, 

the brewery simply became an investment and this is 

a natural progression. Us beer lovers mean nothing. 

Dave Mickelsen: Man, I’m really torn on this one. 

Liberty Ale was my first love of good beer. This feels 

dirty, but I get the $ has to work. 

sco_bro: You all sound ignorant, Anchor “sold out” 

in 1965, then again in 2010, now it’s selling out? Y’all 

should do an ounce of research. 

eric_symko: Sad time for the City and for a great beer. 

beerrebel: The worst part, for me at least, is that 

@anchorbrewing is the country’s original “craft” 

brewery, with a historical place in American brewing, 

and is now not even an American owned business. 

jwair63: Anchor’s still my favourite brewery, it still 

employs local people and is still brewed with San 

Francisco water, in an awesome brewery. The sale is 

not personal, just a business decision to open up a 

broader supply chain. 

javier_117: Sorry, but the buy out hurts small craft 

breweries everywhere.

A number of craft breweries have 

asked that their beer be removed 

from RateBeer after news broke 

that Anheuser-Busch-InBev (a 

multinational brewing company 

best known for it’s production 

of Budweiser) had purchased a 

minority stake in the beer-rating 

website. Although news of the 

acquisition only broke in July the 

deal had actually taken place in 

October of 2016. 

In a statement on the Dogfish 

Head Brewery website it’s founder 

and president, Sam Calagione 

wrote: “It is our strong opinion that 

AB-InBev’s ownership of RateBeer, 

and other properties positioned to 

cover the craft brewing community 

like October and thebeernecessities. 

com is in direct conflict with 

multiple guidelines listed (in the 

Society of Professional Journalists 

(SPJ) Code of Ethics). 

“To that end, we have respectfully 

asked AB-InBev and RateBeer 

to remove all Dogfish Head beer 

reviews and mentions on the 

RateBeer website immediately. It 

just doesn’t seem right for a brewer 

of any kind to be in a position 

to potentially manipulate what 

consumers are hearing and saying 

about beers, how they are rated 

and which ones are receiving extra 

publicity on what might appear to 

be a legitimate, 100 percent usergenerated 

platform. It is our opinion 

that this initiative and others are 

ethically dubious and that the lack 

of transparency is troubling.” 

RateBeer has since refused any 

request to remove brewery’s scores 

from its website. 

WE SAY... 

In issue one 

of Hopulist, 

before this news 

broke into the 

mainstream media, 

we used RateBeer 

as a source for 

their online ratings. 

We believe that 

rating websites play 

a critical role in the 

decision making 

of the consumer 

and having that 

potentially 

compromised isn’t 

something that we 

feel comfortable 

with. There is 

clearly a potential 

conflict of interest 

in the site being 

part-owned by 

the world’s largest 

beer company and 

as such we have 

taken the decision 

to change our 

ratings to another 

resource.

After over a year of regional heats leading up to 

the finals, the Campaign for Real Ale, CAMRA, 

has announced Tiny Rebel’s Cwtch the Best Beer 

in Britain at the Great British Beer Festival held 

at Olympia, London. 

The Newport-brewed beer was named the 

Supreme Champion over a host of other finalists 

in ten different beer categories, including beers 

from both small microbrewers and large regional 

brewers. 

The man who brewed Cwtch – which is 

pronounced ‘cutch’ and means cuddle in Welsh 

–Head Brewer Gareth Williams said what it 

meant to win: “I feel like I’m dreaming! This is 

the ultimate award to win in our eyes and after 

winning at the Great Welsh a few years ago this 

feels even better. It’s just a crazy feeling and we’re 

massively proud.” 

Co-founder of the brewery Bradley 

Cummings, added this on the beer itself, 

“We were brought up on real ale and we love 

traditional styles, Cwtch is our modern version 

of a traditional bitter, with extra hopping for a 

more pronounced bitterness and aroma. It’s new 

world and old world all in one.” 

WHO ARE YA? 

For those who don’t 

know the Campaign 

for Real Ale (CAMRA) 

is a UK independent 

voluntary consumer 

organisation which 

promotes real ale, real 

cider and the traditional 

British pub. 

Whilst CAMRA 

and the craft brewing 

industry have endured a 

chequered history (most 

notably a well publicised 

spat with BrewDog) 

it was CAMRA who 

fought off efforts by the 

big brewers to replace 

traditional ales with 

tasteless key beers in the 

70s. To find out more 

visit www.camra.org.uk

WANT YOUR LATEST BEER LAUNCH FEATURED 

HOPPING BACK 

Fourpure has resurrected Hoptart a dry 

hopped sour first launched in 2015. The 

brewer loved it, the punters loved it so 

it’s coming back! Described as ‘a kettle 

soured session beer fermented with a 

Saison yeast before being dry hopped to 

smithereens.’ 

Release date: Already on sale 

FOOLISH NOT TO... 

Fool For You is a collaboration between 

Cloudwater and Duration Brewing, a 

new farmhouse brewery set to open 

next year in Norfolk, England. This saison 

was brewed with five different grains, 

three yeasts, one hop variety and British 

gooseberries in the whirlpool. 

Release date: Launched on 19th August.

NEW RELEASES WE 

CAN’T WAIT TO GET 

OUR HANDS ON... 

? CONTACT US AT INFO@HOPULIST.COM 

BATH TIME 

Fourpure has collaborated with 

the Independant Manchester Beer 

Convention (IMBC) to create a tropical 

pale ale called Bath Bomb. The beer 

celebrates the 2017 IMBC which runs 

from 28th September to 1st October at 

Manchester’s Victoria Baths. 

Release date: Launched on 18th August. 

FESTIVAL FEVER 

Each year Sierra Nevada collaborates 

with a different German brewer to create 

a classic festival beer. This year it was the 

turn of Brauhaus Faust from Miltenberger. 

The result is as you would expect – a 

true-to-style Oktoberfest festival beer. 

Release date: Already on sale

PHOTOGRAPHY: NIKKI DUKE 

GREEN 

AND 

PLEASANT 

BREWS

THE BRAINCHILD 

OF TWO 

PASSIONATE 

BRITISH BEER 

BUFFS, VERDANT 

BREWING CO 

COMBINES A HEAD 

FOR HOPS AND 

A FERVOUR FOR 

FLAVOUR. TOM 

SELL CATCHES 

UP WITH CO- 

FOUNDER JAMES 

HEFFRON AND 

DISCOVERS WHY 

THIS IS SMALL 

BATCH BEER WITH 

BIG HEART. 

In many ways, James Heffron (left) is your typical man. 

Once he gets interested in something, he gets really 

interested and consumes all reading material on the 

matter he can get his hands on. It was this quirk that lead 

him to becoming co-founder of one of the UK’s smartest 

small-batch breweries Verdant. 

“I started to get interested in the tastes of beers in 

around 2010. I was travelling in New Zealand and 

noticed a lot of small breweries cropping up on my 

travels and thought like it looked like a good way to start 

up. I came back home and started to read about different 

breweries and their beers, I started drink a lot more 

different beers, too. I’m one of those guys who just gets 

into something and will read a lot about it. Before my 

wife knew it, the fridge was filling up with hops!” 

James took the idea of starting a brewery to his good 

friend Adam Robertson, who was equally interested 

in beer flavours and also frustrated by the lack of hopforward 

beers available in his locals. And so they began 

upgrading their homebrewing kit, trying and testing 

their own and other people’s home brews, reading (even 

more) on the subject, all while holding down day jobs. 

They were shortly joined by Richard White, who came 

on board after installing electrics in the company’s first 

base and became a natural fit.

What’s |n a name? 

Then one night, the trio were in the pub, 

and the name Verdant wandered into their 

conversation and made everything a bit 

more real. James explains: “We were in 

the pub trying to figure out a name for the 

brewery and I mentioned The Adventures 

of Mr Verdant Green by Edward Bradley, 

which was a book of small stories written 

in the 1850’s, the stories were about 

drunken escapades and smoking big 

cigars. We then concentrated on the word 

Verdant and the fact it’s often associated 

with the colour green, it basically means 

lush, moist, juicy - we thought it was a 

very good filter for what we thought the 

beers should be. 

“We would think that beer was ‘either 

Verdant or not’, the name just stuck. We 

thought it would take hours to come up 

with a name for the brewery - it took ten 

minutes! It’s kind of funny, in the last 

few years people have been asking how 

to properly pronounce the name of the 

brewery - you can say it however you 

want, we find it a bit amusing! The way 

you say the name kind of creates its own 

publicity.” 

New th|nk|ng on New England 

From the start, James, Richard and Adam’s focus 

was on the New England-style IPA movement 

that had come about in the wake of releases from 

Cloudwater among others. 

“Since we set out as a brewery, we have always 

concentrated on the New England style IPA’s,” 

says James. 

“I enjoyed the West Coast style IPA’s and did 

plenty of research into them, but as time went 

on we wanted to start getting more flavours 

from the hops and bring out those juicy qualities 

rather than people just associating hops with 

bitterness. We posed ourselves a question - 

‘how can we present these hops in a way that’s 

more palatable for everyone?’ I fell in love with 

the concept of beers from breweries like Hill 

Farmstead Tree House, and The Alchemist.” 

The boys started brewing in a shipping 

container that was in a quarry on a 1BBL kit, 

creating test brews and single hop beers. They 

saw stark similarities between themselves and 

another small batch brewer from the United 

States that they admired. James continues: “This 

was just as Tree House Brewing in the States 

had just started selling to the general public, 

I was watching and reading about them and 

saw similarities between us in the way they 

approached brewing, this was back in 2013. We 

were focused on expressive English yeast, nice 

creamy thick mouthfeel, low bitterness, big juicy 

hops, and not giving a damn whether the beer 

is clear or not. The murkiness is not one of our 

aims, it’s just one of the outcomes.”

© IMAGE COURTESY OF VERDANT

Hazy heroes 

Verdant moved from the shipping container 

to another industrial unit and started selling 

beers, with six fermenters by this time. James 

also decided to move away from liquid yeast, 

which Verdant had been using for these early 

brews: “We wanted consistency and liquid yeast 

provides its own headaches through harvesting 

and nurturing it, which wasn’t ideal when we 

still all had full-time jobs. 

“We built a range around US-05 yeast, our 

beers Bloom and Pulp came about from 

working around this yeast, but we kept the 

malt and hop bills distinctly New England. We 

moved back to liquid yeast when we moved to 

our current brewery, we went back to our old 

original recipes and also started to produce the 

kind of beers we are more known for these days. 

“We like to think we’ve spent the last four years 

working towards this point. We were making 

the New England style quite happily and we got 

affirmation that we were on the right track when 

Cloudwater released their DIPA series. We are 

often put into a small category of breweries in 

the UK responsible for the current hazy beer 

movement, the others being DEYA, Northern 

Monk and Cloudwater. It’s a nice movement to 

be a part of.” 

James comes from a catering background, so 

flavours in beers is what he is all about. In his 

own words, he wants people to go crazy about 

this style of beer and wants them to be able to 

smell the aromas from two feet away from a 

cracked open can. 

“We l|ke to 

th| nk we’ve 

spent the 

last four 

years work| n g 

towards th| s 

po| nt. We are 

often put 

| nto a small 

category of 

brewer| e s 

| n the Uk 

respons| b l e 

for the 

current hazy 

beer movement, 

the others 

be| ng Deya, 

Northern 

Monk and 

Cloudwater. 

| t’s a n| c e 

movement to 

be a part of.”

A TASTE OF VERDANT 

VERDANT 

L|GHT BULB 

Extra Pale Ale 

4.5% ABV 

Sessionable, quenching and 

totally addictive. Biscuity 

malt base with a hint of 

sweetness all drenched in 

fruity/dank hops. 

VERDANT 

HEADBAND 

Pale Ale 

5.5% ABV 

Layers of flavour: tropical 

fruit, citrus fruit, stinky 

cheese, caramel - all 

working together. Bitter and 

sweet. Lush. 

CLOUDWATER x 

VERDANT x 

lost & Grounded 

LORAL & ARD| 

Double IPA 

8% ABV 

A collaboration between 

Verdant, Cloudwater and 

Lost & Grounded this is a 

hoppy Belgian hybrid with a 

modern twist.

A TASTE OF VERDANT 

VERDANT X 

DRY & B|TTER 

P|NEAPPLE 

EXPRESS 

IPA 

6.1% ABV 

A double dry hopped IPA 

with the aroma and taste of 

citrus and stone fruits. 

VERDANT 

SOME F|FTY 

SUMMERS 

Pale Ale 

4.6% ABV 

Quenching citrus fruits 

and unctuous tropical 

smoothness all served in a 

freshly baked fruit loaf of a 

tin can. 

VERDANT 

PULP! 

Double IPA 

8% ABV 

Massive fruit aromas and 

flavours combined with hazy 

golden looks and chewy 

body really do make this 

beer a stone fruit pulp!

“We used 

to do a b| t 

of bottl| n g 

but found | t 

was really 

annoy| ng! Cans 

make sense, 

they cost 

less | n terms 

of packag| n g , 

they take up 

less room on 

a pallet so 

you can get 

double the 

amount of 

cans on one 

as you can |n 

bottles.” 

Small |s beaut|ful 

As a small batch brewer, Verdant is in a unique position 

compared to many of its rivals and peers. The company 

has nine fermenters and its brew length is a 10BBL kit, 

meaning its current capacity is somewhere between 1,300 

and 1,400 litres per brew. 

“The advantage is that we don’t really do pilot brews, we 

just go full scale. We can produce a fair variety of hoppy 

beers. Dry hopping is also a huge part of our process,” says 

James. 

“We also just use pellet hops, we’ve used whole leaf hops 

before, but our new upgraded equipment is more suited 

towards using pellets. We’ve also started to look into using 

Cryo Hops, too.” 

Verdant also exclusively packages its beers in cans, a 

decision that was made both for practical reasons and 

for suitability to the small batch brand ideal. James adds: 

“We used to do a bit of bottling but found it was really 

annoying! It was loud for starters, clinking and banging 

around, and they took up lots of space. Cans make sense, 

they cost less in terms of packaging, they take up less room 

on a pallet so you can get double the amount of cans on 

one as you can in bottles. Personally, I believe you get more 

of an initial aroma burst by cracking open a can than a 

bottle. You also don’t get the whole skunking issue you can 

get from exposure to sunlight. We made the decision to 

can pretty early on - we believe cans suit our brand. 

“We also have our own canning line coming,” James 

adds. “Which will mean everything will finally be under 

our control. At the moment, we use an external canning 

company which can bring its own headaches. Further into 

the future we would also like to look into the possibility of 

opening our own places where people can come and eat 

and drink, but at the moment things are mostly about just 

fulfilling demand.”

• FALMOUTH 

|NFO 

Verdant Brewing Co Ltd 

Falmouth, Cornwall, UK 

É verdantbrewing.co 

È hello@verdantbrewing.co 

$ @verdantbrew 

! /verdantbrewingco 

" /VerdantBrew 

Future flavours 

The future for Verdant is pretty predictable given what you have already 

read, but that doesn’t mean this is a brewer resting on its laurels. 

“We are not ashamed of the fact that we are a hop driven brewery, we 

don’t see that as a weakness,” says James. 

“It’s not that we don’t enjoy styles like Stout, Porter or Sours - we love 

all styles of beer but we just think there is a strength in just focusing 

on one style of beer, that’s not to say we won’t branch out into other 

styles, but I think we just all felt we have a lot of learning to do still. We 

are developing a range of beers based on what Tree House Brewing are 

doing, which are a bit more malt forward, with strong yeast character 

which give more of that juicy fruit and bubblegum flavours to beers. 

We have figured in the hoppy beer genre there are other genres that are 

more yeast driven which produce beers which are quite different.” 

James, Richard and Adam enjoy a wide variety of beers themselves, 

and they believe having strong ideals but being open to trying anything 

and everything keeps the business level headed. 

“I really love drinking beers by DEYA, Cloudwater, Northern Monk, 

all the breweries we are grouped with, I find them really fun. I had a 

really nice pint of St Austell’s Proper Job yesterday, I do love a good 

cask ale every so often in amongst all the hoppy craziness. Quite a lot of 

people send us beers from the States, breweries like Trillium, Treehouse 

and The Alchemist. More locally to us in Cornwall, Stuart Woodman, of 

Woodman’s Wild Ales, who acquired our old kit - he brews beers using 

foraged ingredients.” 

The three of them have neatly slotted into specific roles within their 

business – with Adam taking charge of sales, marketing events, accounts 

and design, Richard as the lead brewer, electrician, carpenter and 

general handyman and James as the head brewer, recipe writer and 

ingredient wrangler. 

Verdant has been in its current location for just over a year now and 

growth plans are on the horizon. There are plans to add two double 

size fermenters, then they will be at 13 brew lengths and will increase 

productions to four brews a week instead of 3, this should be in place by 

the end of this year.”

WORDS OF WISODM WISDOM 

Starting a brewery is a dream for 

many of us, and Verdant has been lucky 

enough to make it work. We asked 

James for his advice to anyone looking 

at doing things their own way. 

“The biggest tip would be to not 

pander to what other people want, 

just be confident and be committed 

to what you want to have in the glass. 

When we started, we wanted to try 

and blow people’s tastebuds away, that 

was our aim. 

“Also don’t deviate from your aim. 

Don’t spread yourself over different 

styles of beer, try to concentrate on 

a style that you are really into and 

focus on the flavours. Don’t worry 

about what it looks like, focus on the 

flavours, and go for it. Then spend all 

your savings on equipment and hops!”

TAP TYPE PRINT 

A range of exquisite three-colour letter 

press prints from Magic Rock’s Tap Type 

project. There are ten individual Tap Type 

posters to select from. Stock is limited, 

so hurry. 

C-16 GEO N°1 

Keep your hands warm and your beer 

cold thanks to these neoprene Bomber 

Jackets. The first in a range of geometric 

patterns available for your 16oz craft 

beer cans. 

WANT YOUR PRODUCT FEATURED? CO

BECAUSE SOME 

THINGS YOU NEED 

IN YOUR LIFE... 

BEER SCHOOL 

If you haven’t watched The Craft Beer 

Channel yet then we suggest you sort 

yourself out. Stars of said videos, Jonny 

and Brad, have written a book and we 

strongly advise investing in a copy. 

NIGHTCAT JACKET 

Mikkeller Running Club have teamed up 

with German sports clothing giant Puma 

to produce a range of cool running gear 

for all types of runners and craft beer 

lovers. 

NTACT US AT INFO@HOPULIST.COM

Last ord

ers? 

Long before craft beer came |nto focus, 

Belg|an Trapp|st monks were brew|ng 

the f|nest beers on the cont|nent. Fastforward 

hundreds of years and these 

monks are st|ll among the el|te brewers 

|n Europe. Allow Hopul|st to be your gu|de 

to the world of Belg|an Trapp|st beer. 

Trappist beers represent the perfect 

crossover of tradition and modernity. 

Beers which fall into this category 

are classics, famed for their quality and their 

uniqueness, with many of their styles influencing 

the modern-day craft beer movement. 

By definition only beer brewed under the direct 

supervision of Trappist monks within the walls of 

the abbey may be designated as Trappist beer. The 

profits of which must also be used to support the 

abbey and other charitable causes. 

Those who can claim the title of Trappist beer 

are decided upon by the International Trappist 

Associtation which was set up in 1997 to prevent 

commercial companies from abusing the Trappist 

name. Belgium is the heartland of the Trappist 

world. Of the 11 Trappist monasteries worldwide 

that produce beer, six of them reside in Belgium 

and the quality of their produce is undeniable, 

with sales to match. 

Old favour|tes 

“Trappist beers – in particular Westmalle Tripel 

and Orval – have been amongst our top sellers 

since we founded in 2003,” explains Jonny Garret, 

marketing guy for online retailer Beer Merchants. 

“Demand has definitely increased but I wouldn’t 

put that down to rating websites, it’s more down 

to the increased number of beer lovers! It’s not 

always where they start, but at some point every 

beer nerd will want to try the classics from 

Belgium, which is still the greatest brewing nation 

on Earth.” 

The popularity and ‘evergreen’ nature of Trappist 

beer is definitely one of its key selling points, as 

Anthony Akkers, boss of fellow online retailer 

Beer Gonzo, adds: “Trappist beer is as popular 

as ever. In a world of ever-changing beers, there 

is always room for consistent traditions. Like 

spotting an old friend in a room full of strangers. 

Rocheforts and Chimays will always sell on their

“|t’s not always 

where they start, 

but at some po|nt 

every beer nerd 

w|ll want to try 

the class|cs from 

Belg|um, wh|ch |s 

st|ll the greatest 

brew|ng nat|on 

on earth.” 

unquestionable quality whilst the mysterious and 

unobtainable Westveleteren will forever guarantee 

its place in folklore but I think, on the whole, 

people know what they are getting when they see 

the Trappist logo, although I have seen people’s 

minds blown when they have tried a three-yearold 

Orval!” 

Doing bus|ness 

As you could probably imagine, because Trappist 

beers are not very typical commercial enterprises, 

it is not as simple as approaching them to 

stock their beer as a retailer or bar. Working 

with Trappist monks has its own set of unique 

challenges, as Jonny explains: “There definitely are 

challenges, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. 

The lack of financial pressure on these breweries 

is the key to both their way of life and the quality 

of the beer. The issues we have are usually not 

being able to get enough beer, but we understand

why and respect that the brewery is there to 

raise money for the monastery and good causes, 

that’s all. So, we are patient and buy what we can 

– and we never expect new products, with the 

exception of Chimay! The monasteries employ 

civilians to look after the business side and as an 

intermediary, they understand and care for the 

needs of both the drinkers/buyers and the monks.” 

Clearly, it’s not like buying beer from 

Heineken… but then, who would want to do that 

anyway? 

Futureproof monks 

Such a unique business model and unique way of 

making beer is also bound to face challenges in 

the ever-changing modern world. It’s a wonder 

that beer is still produced in this hyper-traditional 

way as it is. 

“The declining number of monks is a huge 

issue,” says Jonny. 

“Then again if we were truthful they don’t 

have a lot to do with the brewery – they make 

the final decisions as the owners, but they 

are not in the brewhouse or working on the 

operational side, so as long as there are monks 

in the monastery the breweries will continue 

to make great beer. If the decline ever meant 

there were no monks living in the monasteries 

then I have no idea what would happen because 

the beer is there to support them. It would be a 

very sad day if this way of life was lost, and the 

historic beers were too.” 

Although there are some issues, the love of this 

wonderful beer should keep it alive, according to 

Anthony Akkers: “I think that Trappist beer is so 

ingrained into the minds of serious beer drinkers 

that it will live on for a while yet and the beauty 

of such traditional ways is that there is usually no 

shortage of people wanting to help maintain and 

continue on the legend.”

BBUY NOW• 

Achel 

Achel • 

Name: AchelSE KLU|S 

Founded: 1998 

Locat|on: Achel 

Reg|on: Flem|sh Reg|on 

www.achelseklu|s.org 

H|STORY: 

In 1648, Dutch monks built a chapel in Archel. 

The chapel became an abbey in 1686 but was 

destroyed around the time of the French 

Revolution. In 1844 it was rebuilt by monks 

from Westmalle. The first beer was brewed 

in 1852 but the tradition was lost during 

World War I after occupying German troops 

dismantled the brewery. In 1998 the monks 

decided to brew once again and began to build 

a brewery. 

Beers: 

Achel Blond 5 o 

5% Patersbier 

Achel Bru|n 5 o 

5% Patersbier 

Achel Blond 8 o 

8% Trappist Triple Ale 

Achel Bru|n 8 o 

8% Trappist Double Ale 

Achel Extra Blond 

9.5% Trappist Triple Ale 

Achel Extra Bru|n 

9.5% Trappist Quadruple Ale 

UY NOW•

BBUY NOW• 

BBUY NOW• 

UY NOW• 

UY NOW• 

Chimay 

• Chimay 

Name: SCOURMONT ABBEY 

Founded: 1862 

Locat|on: Ch|may 

Reg|on: Wallon|a 

www.ch|may.com 

H|STORY: 

During the summer of 1850 a small group of 

monks from Westvleteren Abbey upped sticks 

and established Scourmont Abbey near the 

Belgian town of Chimay. The Abbey developed 

various economic outlets including a farm, 

cheese plant and the brewery. The brewery 

itself was founded inside Scourmont Abbey in 

1862. High volume production means the beer 

is now transported to a local bottling plant. 

Beers: 

Ch|may Gold (DORée) 

4.8% Patersbier 

Ch|may Red 

7% Trappist Amber Ale 

Ch|may WH|Te 

8% Trappist Triple Ale 

Ch|may Blue 

9% Trappist Quadruple Ale 

Ch|may Grande Réserve Oak Aged 

10.5% Belgian Strong Ale

BBUY NOW• 

BBUY NOW• 

UY NOW• 

UY NOW• 

Orval 

Orval • 

Name: ABBAYE D’ORVAL 

Founded: 1931 

Locat|on: Orval 

Reg|on: Guame 

www.orval.be 

H|STORY: 

Orval Abbey is a Cistercian monastery 

founded in 1131. The old Orvel Abbey has 

been pillaged and burnt by conflict numerous 

times over the centuries and the ruins still 

remain on the current site. 

The brewery was created in 1931 to finance 

reconstruction works and continues to fund 

social welfare and maintenance projects. It was 

designed by famed Belgian architect Henry 

Vaes who also designed the distinctive skittle 

shaped beer glass Orval beer is bottled in. 

Beers: 

Pet|te Orval 


O rva l 

6.2% Trappist Ale

BBUY NOW• 

BBUY NOW• 

UY NOW• 

UY NOW• 

Rochefort 

Rochefort • 

Name: ABBAYE DE ROCHEFORT 

Founded: 1595 

Locat|on: Rochefort 

Reg|on: Wallon|a 

www.trapp|stes-rochefort.com 

H|STORY: 

A monastery was first established on the site 

as early as 1230. In 1595 the first brewery 

was founded within the abbey. Over the years 

several European wars have led to the abbey 

being demolished and abandoned. The abbey 

was restored and a new brewery founded in 

1887 thanks to the monks of Achel. Brewing 

has been the main source of income for the 

monastery since the 16th century. 

Beers: 

Rochefort 6 

7.5% Trappist Double Ale 

Rochefort 8 

9.2% Trappist Double Ale 

Rochefort 10 

11.3% Trappist Quadruple Ale

BBUY NOW• 

BBUY NOW• 

UY NOW• 

UY NOW• 

Westmalle 

Westmalle • 

Name: ABD|J Westmalle 

Founded: 1836 

Locat|on: Westmalle 


www.trapp|stwestmalle.be 

H|STORY: 

The abbey in Westmalle was founded in 1794 

and elevated to the rank of trappist in 1836. 

That same year it began to brew its own 

beer with local sales starting in 1856. The 

abbey is also a producer of milk and cheese. 

The brewery has gone through a number of 

changes including a redevelopment in 1865 

and a complete new brewery which was built 

1933. 

Beers: 

Westmalle Extra 

5% Patersbier 

Westmalle Dubbel 


Westmalle Tr|pel 

9.5% Trappist Triple Ale

Westvleteren 

• Vleteren 

Name: S|NT-S|XTUSABD|J 

Founded: 1838 

Locat|on: Vleteren 


www.s|nts|xtus.be 

H|STORY: 

The abbey at Saint Sixtus was founded by a 

group of monks in 1831. The brewery was 

founded inside the abbey precinct in 1838 and 

a year later a primary school was established. 

That same century a model farm was 

developed as an example for the region. 

During the first World War the abbey 

provided shelter for local refugees fleeing the 

fighting and was also home to thousands of 

Allied soldiers. 

Beers: 

WesTvleterEn Blond 


WesTvleterEn 8 


WesTvleterEn 12 

10.2% Trappist Quadruple Ale

Our growler guide... 

There’s nothing worse than running out 

of your favourite beer, but that can be 

quickly banished by getting yourself a 

growler. We examine the best ways to 

stockpile your preferred pour.

GROWLER REPUBLIC 

THE TANKARD 

Made of the highest 

quality food safe stainless 

steel and double wall 

insulated to keep drinks 

fresh all day long. 

64oz 

BREWDOG 

GLASS GROWLER 

A one litre amber glass 

classico growler with 

detachable stopper. It’s 

the Brewdog logo that 

wins the day. 

1litre

DRINKTANKS 

INSULATED GROWLER 

Plenty of companies 

make 64oz growlers, but 

DrinkTank have taken 

things a little further... a 

128oz insulated growler. 

128oz 

CRAFT KING 

STAINLESS STEEL 

GROWLER 

A passivated interior 

keeps your well-hopped 

beer tasting just the way 

the brewer intended. 

64oz

MIIR 

GROWLER 

All the features of a 

classic growler plus 

a lockable buckle lid 

and handle. A must for 

those that love the sleek 

minimalist look. 

64oz 

ORANGE VESSEL COMPANY 

STONEWARE 

GROWLER 

The quality stoneware 

and beautiful glaze give 

a real artisan feel. Stylish 

and functional. 

64oz

STANLEY 

CLASSIC GROWLER 

A bit more no frills, no 

nonsense this one but 

the iconic Stanley style is 

robust and reliable all the 

same. Function over form 

isn’t a bad thing. 

64oz 

AVEX 

BEER GROWLER 

If you’re taking your beer 

into the great outdoors 

then this is the growler 

for you. Rugged, durable 

and easy to grip. 

64oz

OUR TOP 5 GROWLER TIPS 

one 

two 

three 

four 

f|ve 

Before you take your growler to be filled make 

sure it is cool or at the least room temperature. 

A warm growler will cause foaming. 

Unless you really know what it is you are after 

then make sure you sample the beer before you 

commit to filling your growler with it. You don’t 

want an expensive mistake on your hands. 

Once your growler is full and you have returned 

home, make sure you refrigerate it in order to 

prolong the beer’s shelf-life. Unopened the beer 

should be good for somewhere in the region of 

a week depending on the material your growler 

is made from. 

Common sense really, but make sure you clean 

your growler after using it. Sanitise and allow to 

air dry as soon as you have finished with it and 

make sure you store with the lid unsealed. You 

want your beer to be at it’s best so don’t be 

lazy! 

Once opened assume that your beer is going 

to be flat within a day. Good news really as you 

get to drink it all nice and fresh. The other point 

here is to limit the size of your growler to the 

amount you would normally drink in a day.

“I’VE ONLY 

BEEN IN 

LOVE WITH 

A BEER 

BOTTLE AND 

A MIRROR.” 

SID VICIOUS

THE 

BERMONDSEY 

BEER MILE

THE HUMBLE 

PUB CRAWL 

IS SOMEWHAT 

OF A BRITISH 

TRADITION. 

SO WITH THE 

UK’S THRIVING 

LOVE AFFAIR 

WITH CRAFT 

BEER IN FULL 

SWING, IT 

SEEMS RIGHT 

AND PROPER 

THAT THERE 

SHOULD BE A 

CRAFT BEER 

CRAWL FOR US 

AFFICIANDOS 

TO ENJOY. 

WELCOME 

TO THE 

BERMONDSEY 

BEER MILE... 

By David Guest 

Since beer has been enjoyed by mankind, 

we have sought the best places to enjoy it. 

A cosy tavern, a modern bar, a traditional 

pub – where you enjoy your favourite tipple can 

sometimes be just as important as the selection 

of that tipple itself. But sometimes, in fact quite a 

lot of the time, just one beer drinking locale is not 

enough. Connoisseurs of fine beers have often been 

drawn to places and areas where they can enjoy 

several different types of drinking establishment 

in one session. This pattern lead to the birth of the 

pub crawl. But in recent years, the pub crawl has 

become more of a suffering than an enjoyment 

– with beer drinkers often having to face poor 

selection of brews or being dragged to places they 

wouldn’t ordinarily be seen dead in. So when 

we at Hopulist learned of the Bermondsey Beer 

Mile – a mile long stretch of craft beer drinking 

establishments in east-central London – we were 

buying our train tickets before the person telling us 

had finished their sentence.

Th| s London 

borough | s 

home to a 

craft beer 

journey that 

|s capt|vat|n g 

thousands of 

enthus| ast| c 

beer dr| nkers 

from across 

the cap| ta l 

and the 

country, 

| nclud| ng us. 

A HOPPY HISTORY 

Naturally, as the UK’s administrative and most 

would argue cultural capital, London has good 

strong heritage of craft beer breweries, tap rooms, 

bars and pubs. Craft beer culture in the UK 

arguably began in the capital in boroughs such 

as Shoreditch and Greenwich and has continued 

to develop rapidly over the last decade. A report 

compiled by UHY Hacker Young Chartered 

Accountants in May 2016 revealed that the number 

of new breweries opening in London had jumped 

up 24 per cent in just one year. And that number 

shows no real signs of slowing down. The capital 

is full of people passionate about good beer and 

even more passionate about brewing their own. 

Some London-based breweries have gone on 

to national and international success, such as 

Beavertown, Redchurch, The Craft Beer Co., Weird 

Beard and Fourpure. The latter of those breweries 

is at the centre of one of London’s most up-andcoming 

craft beer areas, Bermondsey. This London 

borough, just south of the River Thames and a 

stone’s throw from the famous landmark that is 

Tower Bridge, is also home to a craft beer journey 

that is captivating thousands of enthusiastic beer 

drinkers from across the capital and the country, 

including us.

A MILE IS A MILE 

You might think that such a cool, crafty 

experience as this would be hard to 

find. Not so. Our mile-long journey 

started out by getting the London 

Underground to the London Bridge 

station and taking in the sights of the 

Gherkin, Tower Bridge and the Shard 

before we got anywhere near raising a 

glass to our lips. From Tower Bridge 

you walk south for no time at all until 

you reach the crossing with Druid 

Street. 

This street has a railway running 

parallel to it, and its within the arches 

of this raised railway that the craft 

beer journey begins. Just a few arches 

down the road, we spy a gaggle of crafty 

quaffers congregated outside the front 

of Southwark Brewing Company. 

Southwark began after a man with 

over 30 years experience in the brewing 

industry decided to go it alone. Peter 

Jackson saw the growth of local 

breweries outside the capital grow, 

originally being from the northeast 

of the UK, and decided it was time 

London got a micro brewery it could be 

proud of – with new and exciting craft 

cask ales at the heart of it.

The brewery’s flagship beers are Bermondsey Best – a 

traditional English ale with English malt and Kentish hops, 

London Pale Ale – a light and refreshing citrus-toned 

number and Gold – a hoppy golden ale with a wonderful 

blend of pale malts and American hops. But naturally, there 

are a host of special and limited edition beers brewed here 

all the time. 

The atmosphere is jovial in the early afternoon and after 

sampling Bermondsey Best, we decide to exit stage right to 

the next pub on the tour: Anspach & Hobday (A&H). Also 

in a railway archway, A&H has a totally different feel. The 

bar is lined with shiny, metallic tanks where the beer brewed 

here is stored and has other neat features like a water runway 

under the floor that can be seen by customers in the bar. 

As we approach the bar we’re 

welcomed with a friendly greeting 

and a good, knowledgable pitch about 

the beers on offer. Whilst settling in 

to enjoy the A&H Pale Ale, a fellow 

punter accosts a member of our party. 

But there’s no ill intent here, he’s simply 

amazed that they are wearing the same 

Brewdog Firenze t-shirt, approximately 

1,000 miles from the Italian city. Only 

in London…

London Bridge 

TOWER BRIDGE ROAD 

SOUTHWARK BREWING 

INNER CITY BREWS 

INNER CITY BREWS 

As we wander on to the next brewery on the tour, 

we can’t help but notice that this route is popular. 

We spot countless other groups of young and old, 

men and women, following the route on their 

smartphones or on folded printouts. There’s also 

an international feel. We hear American accents, 

French, Italian, Spanish and even some dialects we 

can’t quite decipher – all here for the same crafty 

goodness. 

On the basis we have to still be in a functional 

state to navigate the London Underground and 

get a train home at the end of the day, not all of us 

can enjoy a beer in each bar, but we do have time 

to take a look into UBREW – one of the more 

interesting concepts on the Beer Mile. In this 

bar, you brew the beer, or at least you can if you 

want. This open brewery is a place for Londoners 

to come and brew their own beers if things at 

home are a little too cramped, which with London 

property prices is pretty much a given. They 

also offer courses for you to learn about the best 

brewing techniques as well as giving you full use 

of their state-of-the-art equipment and ingredients 

shop. As much as we want to, we don’t have time 

to brew beer, but thankfully UBREW brews some 

of its own too, and it’s of fine pedigree. For those 

interested, UBREW also has a base in Manchester 

and Berlin in Germany. 

TOWER BRIDGE ROAD 

DRUID STREET 

TOOLEY STREET 

ABBEY STREET 

ENID STREET 

UBREW 

BBNo 

ANSPACH & 

BOTTLES 

ABBEY 

OLD

HOBDAY 

River Thames 

HOP: BERMONDSEY 

ST 

JAMAICAN RD 

THE KERNEL BREWERY 

Bermondsey 

A200 

DRUMMOND ROAD 

CLEMENTS ROAD 

SOUTHWARK PARK ROAD 

ST. JAME’S ROAD 

ROUEL ROAD 

SOUTHWARK 

PARK 

ST. JAME’S ROAD 

A2206 

GALLEYWALL RD 

ALMOND RD 

PARTIZAN BREWING 

EEBRIA TAP 

A2206 

A2208 

A2208 

FOURPURE BREWING

NUMERICAL ADVANTAGE 

Next up is Brew By Numbers (BBNo.), a brewery started by 

two friends who actually met on a rock-climbing excursion 

in China. The pair’s passion for home brewing grew into 

what is one of the larger venues on the Beer Mile. The 

company’s commitment to brewing new and exciting beer 

types as well as re-exploring forgotten ones is matched only 

by its clever naming system for the beers. Each beer type 

has a number, hence the name of the company and how 

each batch is produced. BBNo. is one of the most forwardthinking 

breweries in this part of the city thanks to the 

ferverent enthusiasm of its owners and their dedication to 

producing top quality spoils. 

The next stop on the beer tour is a 

little further to walk than we’ve been 

used to so far, but that’s no biggie, 

thanks to the light glow we’re all 

experiencing in our legs and the varied 

and well-developed flavours on our 

palates. 

Unfortunately, The Kernel Brewery 

no longer serves beer at the brewery 

and is also closed on the day we visit, 

but does sell its beer locally. Check 

www.thekernelbrewery.com to find out 

where. 

After winding our way through 

some gritty urban architecture we find 

Partizan Brewing and EeBria side by 

side in another railway archway alley.

Partizan is a micro brewery that 

has been founded since 2012 with a 

background in fine dining and home 

brewing. It actually began after the 

owners of the aforementioned Kernel 

Brewery sold their old brewing 

equipment to Partizan after expanding 

and no longer needing it. 

If that’s not the spirit of craft, we don’t 

know what is. The brewery benefits 

from artwork by locally-known artist 

Alec Doherty and offers porters, pale 

ales and a very enjoyable Lemongrass 

Saison that we are particularly fond of. 

Just a few archways down the road is EeBria – one of the 

most interesting stops on the tour. Though its a stylishly 

decored bar, what makes EeBria unique is its trade business. 

It runs an online retail element that allows people to buy 

drinks online and search the best UK producers and buy 

straight from them, meaning you get to enjoy craft beer the 

way its makers intended. The idea has had some notable 

coverage in national UK newspapers and is really catching 

on. The taproom is a nice extension of the brand and great 

way to sample some of the beers it sells on a wider level.

The adventure 

aspect of 

Fourpure can 

be seen |n | t s 

range. | t ’ s 

bas| c a l ly a 

beer world 

tour and we 

h av e t o s ay 

we are pretty 

| mpressed w| t h 

the qual| t y 

of the beer 

| n a range so 

d | verse. 

ADVENTURE ALES 

As we reach the end of the mile (it really feels 

longer than a mile… I guess that’s the beer talking), 

we arrive at Fourpure. Since 2013, this brewery has 

been making beer inspired by the international 

adventures that its founding brothers Dan and 

Tom have experienced over the years. In their own 

words, they don’t cut corners and they respect the 

four core ingredients of craft beer (grain, yeast, 

hops and water), which is actually where the 

company name came from. The adventure aspect 

of Fourpure can be seen in its range. Outside of 

its core range of session IPA, pale and pils lager it 

offers up tempting tipples such as Rediron Red Ale, 

inspired by Colorado; Northern Latitude Winter 

Ale, inspired by the Nordics; Beartooth American 

Brown Ale, inspired by Montana; Skyliner Wheat 

Beer, inspired by Bavaria and Southern Latitude, 

inspired by Australia. It’s basically a beer world tour 

and we have to say we are pretty impressed with 

the quality of the beer in a range so diverse. The 

bar is really not much to look at, it’s pretty much 

an industrial estate tucked away in deepest, darkest 

Bermondsey, but to see crowds of beer drinkers 

congregating inside and out is a wonderus sight. 

Bermondsey is putting itself firmly on the craft 

beer map with breweries like this and the others 

on this tour. So, next time you’re planning a trip to 

the British capital, we suggest taking in some of the 

sights, sounds and saisons of Bermondsey – in five 

years it might be hard to think of anywhere else as 

an epicentre of craft brewing.

Eleven interesting beers

from The Golden State...

UNTAPPD RATINGS CORRECT AT TIME OF PUBLISHING 

CALIFORNIA IS DOTTED 

WITH HUNDREDS OF 

CRAFT BREWERIES 

BUT WE’VE DONE OUR 

BEST TO REPRESENT. 

WE ASKED OUR 

RESIDENT EXPERT 

TOM SELL TO DON 

HIS BOARD SHORTS 

AND RATE ELEVEN OF 

CALIFORNIA’S FINEST 

OFFERINGS FROM 

SOME OF THE STATE’S 

MOST INSPIRING 

PRODUCERS, HERE ARE 

THE RESULTS...

 

DUET 

ALP|NE, CA 

Style: 

|PA 

ABV: 7% 

Volume: 355ml 

UNTAPPD 

AVG: 4.0 

WHAT THEY SAY: 

A West Coast 

IPA. Our original 

single IPA made 

with Simcoe and 

Amarillo hops ‘in 

harmony.’ 

WHAT WE THINK: 

Slightly cloudy 

orange, with a 

medium-white 

head. Orange, 

pine and lemon 

zest in the 

aroma, with a 

slightly dank 

note in there too. 

Flavour is classic 

West Coast IPA, 

grapefruit, fresh 

cut grass, orange, 

mango with an 

underlining malty 

backbone. Finish 

is dry, resinous 

and, of course 

, dry. A straight 

-up West Coast 

IPA, and an 

easy drinker at 

this ABV, so be 

careful.

MY BLOODY VALENTINE ALE 

SAN D|EGO, CA 

Style: 

AMBER/RED ALE 

ABV: 6.66% 

Volume: 650ml 

UNTAPPD 

AVG: 3.73 


Notes of 

caramel, toast, 

and bittersweet 

chocolate 

balance an 

intense bouquet 

of floral hop 

aromas that we 

know you’ll fall 

in love with. The 

finish leaves a 

pleasant, fullbodied 

sweetness 

on the palate. 


A dark amber 

appearance, with 

a ruby red tint 

of light coming 

through. Tan 

-like creamy 

head, pretty 

thick and tight. 

Caramel malt 

aromas, followed 

by grapefruit, 

pine and resin 

as well. Taste is 

caramel malt, 

citrus, pine, fresh 

baked bread 

with a bit of dark 

chocolate. Nice 

medium body 

and mouthfeel. 

Finish is dry, 

with a medium 

bitterness. A wellbalanced 

hoppy 

Amber ale.

RACER 5 

REPUBL|C 

CLOVERDALE, CA 

Style: 

|PA 

ABV: 7.5% 

Volume: 355ml 

UNTAPPD 

AVG: 3.88 


This hoppy IPA 

is a full-bodied 

beer brewed with 

malted barley, 

wheat, and crystal 

malts. The malt 

base is designed 

to highlight 

the unique 

floral qualities 

Columbus and 

Cascade hops 

from the Pacific 

Northwest. Racer 

5 is one of 

America’s most 

medal-winning 

IPAs. 


Deep orange, 

slight haze in 

the appearance. 

Medium 

white frothy 

head. Decent 

carbonation. 

Strong grapefruit, 

pine, earthyin 

aroma. Taste 

is orange 

marmalade, 

grapefruit, slight 

sweetness from 

the crystal malt. 

Very drinkable, 

very smoothand 

a dry bitter finish. 

An easy drinker.

PALATE WRECKER 

SAN D|EGO, CA 

Style: 

|MPER| AL | PA 

ABV: 9.5% 

Volume: 355ml 

UNTAPPD 

AVG: 4.0 


An abundance 

of Centennial, 

Columbus and 

Simcoe hops 

challenge 

and stun hop 

heads with an 

aggressive hopforward 

attack. 

Your palate will 

recover, but you 

will remember 

that last round 

forever. 


Deep burnt 

orange, clear 

in appearance. 

White head 

that disappears 

after a short 

while. Piney, 

passionfruit, resin 

and pineapple 

dominate the 

aroma. The 

taste is an all 

out assault 

on the palate, 

strong pine, 

bitter grapefruit, 

resin withsome 

warming alcohol 

coming through, 

a backbone of 

caramel malt 

is also present. 

Finish is strong 

herbal with a dry, 

very bitter finish. 

A beer that lives 

up to it’s name!

SWAMI’S IPA 

CARLSBAD, CA 

Style: 

|PA 

ABV: 6.8% 

Volume: 473ml 

UNTAPPD 

AVG: 3.88 


With a more 

traditional 

hop profile, 

this beer is the 

quintessential 

example of a 

West Coast IPA 

as it showcases 

the fresh 

bitterness of 

citrus and pine. 


Straw-to- 

lightorange 

coloured and 

well carbonated. 

Thick white 

head. Grapefruit, 

mango, orange, 

pine notes 

dominate the 

aroma. Flavours 

of tropical fruits, 

pine resin, and 

lemon rind. 

Grassy and 

floral notes 

come through 

later on, with a 

pleasant dry and 

medium bitter 

finish. One to sip 

on a summer’s 

evening.

ARROGANT BASTARD ALE 

(STONE) 

ESCOND|DO, CA 

Style: 

STRONG ALE 

ABV: 7.2% 

Volume: 500ml 

UNTAPPD 

AVG: 3.79 


This is an 

aggressive beer. 

You probably 

won’t like it. It is 

quite doubtful 

that you have 

the taste or 

sophistication 

to be able to 

appreciate an ale 

of this quality and 

depth. 


Deep brown 

mahogany, off 

white head, tight 

bubbles. Low 

carbonation. 

Aroma is herbal, 

very spicy, 

roasted malt, 

toffee cognac, 

slight banana 

esters. Flavour 

is a heavy hit 

of smokynotes 

from the hops, 

spiciness comes 

through, slight 

bitter grapefruit 

with a underlying 

malty tone of 

caramel and 

toffee. Mouthfeel 

is full. Finish 

is strong, with 

herbal bitterness 

dominating. 

Complexand full 

of character.

 

Groupe 

G 

Belgian 

RyePA 

SAN FRANC|SCO, CA 

Style: 

FRU|T BEER 

ABV: 6.5% 

Volume: 473ml 

UNTAPPD 

AVG: 3.39 


Special release 

using a “fruit tea” 

at packaging. 

Also produced 

by adding whole 

fruit to the cask. 


A murky, burnt 

orange looking 

brew, with a 

fairly tight white 

head. Aroma is 

dominated by a 

classic belgian 

yeast, overripe 

banana, 

some blueberry, 

herbal notes 

also present. 

Interesting 

flavour on the 

first sip, funky 

belgian yeast 

accentuated by 

the spicy rye is 

dominant, mango 

and blueberry 

then come 

through. Finish 

is pineapple, 

spicy rye with a 

medium, dry bitter 

finish.

 

BOO KOO 

V|STA, CA 

Style: 

|PA 

ABV: 6.5% 

Volume: 355ml 

UNTAPPD 

AVG: 3.85 


Bursting with 

flavor and aroma, 

finished dry, and 

most importantly 

hop-forward. This 

beer is teeming 

with fruit and 

pine notes, and 

its light gold to 

blonde color 

make it drink like 

a session beer. 


Light golden in 

colour, slight haze. 

Medium white 

head, with some 

bigger bubbles. 

Strong tropical 

fruit aromas, 

complimented by 

grapefruit, orange, 

and a little pine. 

Taste is a well 

balanced mix 

between orange 

peel, grapefruit, 

passionfruit, resin, 

juicy fruit gum 

and caramel. 

Nice medium 

mouthfeel. 

A nicely balanced 

West Coast IPA.

 

SOLIS 

SAN D|EGO, CA 

Style: 

|PA 

ABV: 7.5% 

Volume: 473ml 

UNTAPPD 

AVG: 3.76 


Like a new sunset 

every evening, 

each batch of 

Solis (sunset/ 

west coast) is 

unique—a new 

and interesting 

combination of 

malt and hops. 


Golden in colour, 

slightly hazy 

with a medium 

tight white head. 

Strong pine, resin, 

orange peel 

aromas. Flavourful 

taste of lemon 

pith, pine, herbal 

backed up with 

a slight caramel 

note. Mouthfeel 

is slightly creamy 

in texture. Nice 

finish, not too 

upfront with the 

bitterness and not 

massively drying. 

Well balanced 

and easy to drink 

considering it’s 

ABV.

 

BLACK HOUSE 

SAN D|EGO, CA 

Style: 

STOUT 

ABV: 5.8% 

Volume: 473ml 

UNTAPPD 

AVG: 3.94 


An oatmeal 

coffee stout 

positively 

redolent with 

coffee aroma 

and flavor. It 

kind of tastes 

like a chocolatecovered 

espresso 

bean, only drier 

and more like 

beer. 


Very dark brown 

to black in 

appearance. Nice 

thick creamy tan 

head. Roasty, 

burnt toast and 

fresh brewed 

coffee aromas. 

A nice thick 

mouthfeel to 

start, with dark 

chocolate, coffee 

coming through. 

Finish is burnt 

toast and slightly 

bitter coffee. A 

perfect wake up 

at any time of the 

day!

 

TORPEDO EXTRA IPA 

CH|CO, CA 

Style: 

|PA 

ABV: 7.2% 

Volume: 355ml 

UNTAPPD 

AVG: 3.76 


Torpedo Extra IPA 

is an aggressive 

yet balanced 

beer with massive 

hop aromas of 

citrus, pine, and 

tropical fruit. 


Orange to 

copper colour, 

clear with a little 

carbonation. 

Tight, white 

thick head. 

Pine, resinous, 

grapefruit, 

tropical fruits, 

orange peel with 

some caramel 

malt. Orange peel, 

pine, grapefruit, 

spicy floral hops 

dominate the 

flavour. Overall 

it’s similarin 

flavour to orange 

marmalade on 

toast. Strong 

herbal bitterness 

in the finish, quite 

drying. A classic 

IPAthat’s always 

worth revisiting.

IS FOR, 

WELL, LOTS 

OF THINGS. 

THAT’S WHY 

WE HAVE 

DEVISED OUR 

OWN BEER 

GLOSSARY 

FOR YOU TO 

DRINK IN. 

IMPROVE 

YOUR 

KNOWLEDGE 

OF WHAT 

MAKES BEER 

SO GREAT 

AND IMPRESS 

YOUR 

FRIENDS IN 

THE BAR. 

WHAT HAVE 

YOU GOT TO 

LOSE? 

BETA ACID 

It’s time to be a 

scientist again! Beta 

acids are an integral 

part of what makes a 

beer a beer. Hops, that 

wonderful thing that 

makes craft beer taste 

so good, are packed 

with beta acids, which 

once they isomerize, 

hugely contribute 

to the perceived 

bitterness of a beer. If 

you want it in simple 

terms, hops work 

better when there is a 

solid balance between 

alpha and beta acids. 

Beta are the lesser 

understood, but no 

lesser important acid. 

The black sheep of the 

brewing family. 

A

BLONDE BEER 

We all love a blonde, 

right? The clear, 

crisp and dry taste 

of a blonde beer 

is memorable and 

distinctive. Wait, what 

did you think we 

were talking about? 

Blonde beers are a 

type of pale ale and 

the term is used 

mostly in Europe and 

Latin America. They 

usually feature low to 

medium bitterness, 

aroma from hops and 

a tiny sprinkling of 

sweetness from malt. 

A typical and widely 

known blonde beer 

for you to sample as 

an example is Belgian 

tipple Duvel. 

BREWING 

Without this process, 

beer as we know it 

wouldn’t exist. Oh 

God! What an awful 

vision! We need to 

have a lie down for a 

bit… 

Okay, we’re back. 

Brewing is how beer 

is made and it is a 

practice that is now 

not only restricted 

to a handful of beer 

companies around 

the world. The skillful 

and versatile art of 

combining barley, 

wheat, hops and 

water to make the 

wonderful nectar 

we know as beer is 

being practised by 

individuals at home 

more and more. 

It’s not for everyone, 

but tasting a beer 

you’ve brewed 

yourself makes it all 

the sweeter. Trust us. 

BREWER’S GOLD 

This complex, 

bittering hops is 

a mainstay in the 

production of many 

a great beer. It has 

a sharp or pungent 

bittering quality that 

also imparts a fruity 

and spicy aroma. You 

will find it largely 

in English ales and 

German lagers, with 

many brewers using it 

to add a mysterious 

European quality to 

their beer. Gold is 

good. Get some into 

your beer diet.

BITTER 

Bitters are a 

quintessentially British 

tradition. They are 

a type of pale ale, 

generally between 

three and seven per 

cent ABV, and can 

vary widely in flavour 

and appearance. Now, 

normally bitters 

conjour up scary 

images of mangey 

local pubs full of scary 

men with tattoos who 

may hurt you if you 

order anything but 

bitter. However, thanks 

to the craft beer 

movement, this much 

maligned and ‘old 

school’ style beer has 

been given a modern 

facelift. 

BELGIUM 

This is probably 

as close to God’s 

country as you can 

get when it comes to 

good beer. The often 

unremarkable (and 

grey) landscape of the 

heart of Europe is 

home to an estimated 

200 plus breweries. 

Beer has been 

intertwined with 

Belgian history since 

the 12th century 

and is home to 

some of the most 

unusual types, styles 

and traditions in the 

industry. 

People who like 

Belgian beer, REALLY 

like Belgian beer and 

it’s easy to see why. It 

is a must-visit country 

for beer aficionados. 

A

BARREL 

We don’t need to 

tell you what a barrel 

is (hopefully), but 

the use of barrels in 

brewing is something 

you should know 

about. When beer is 

transferred to a barrel 

after brewing, it can 

become a barrel-aged 

beer, which can either 

be a very traditional 

or very experimental 

process, depending 

on the type and age 

of barrel. Different 

woods can infuse 

different aromas into 

a beer, as can length 

of time stored. It’s a 

similar process used 

in much whiskey 

distilling and we are 

very much fans of the 

result. 

BARLEY 

In most normal 

people, staring out 

across open fields of 

barley would probably 

inspire thoughts of 

farming, perhaps even 

a romantic picnic 

among the crop. But 

to weirdoes like us, 

we think of beer. 

Barley is the preferred 

grain when it comes 

to beer. Once 

converted into malt 

barley, or just malt, it 

is fit to be fermented 

and transformed into 

nectar. It is a hugely 

versatile grain, with 

the method and length 

of toasting having a 

huge impact on the 

colour and the flavour 

of the beer produced. 

This grain is one of 

the founding fathers 

of the beer world, and 

knowing your barley, 

can help you enjoy 

your beer that little 

bit more. 

BODY 

We all want the 

perfect body, right? 

In beer terms body 

is the weight or 

thickness of the beer 

when tasting it. Light 

bodied beers are one 

that feel physically 

lighter in your palate 

and are generally 

more carbonated. IPAs 

are normally lightbodied, 

and to some, 

easier to drink. Heavy 

bodied beers feel a bit 

thicker in the mouth 

and can usually be 

categorised as stouts 

and so on. The truth 

of the matter is, that 

like the other kind of 

body, everyone has 

their own personal 

preference.

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 YOU’RE 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.

@VERDANTBREW 

@MIIR 

@CHALICEINWONDER.LAND 

@GJEST4 

@BIERESDECHIMAY 

@HOUSEGRAFTONBREWING 

@CRAFTBEER_AND_MONICA 

@HOPULISTMAGAZINE 

@BEERSORT

CHIMAY BLUE 

SCOURMONT 

Style: 

BELG|AN STRONG ALE 

ABV: 9% 

Volume: 33Cl

Only the most 

studious of monks 

could produce a 

Trappist beer good 

enough to get the 

perfect score on 

ratebeer.com. We 

enter the complex 

flavours and 

powerful aromas 

of Chimay Blue. 

Nestled in the gentle, 

green and relatively 

flat country side of 

southern Belgium, just three 

kilometres from the French 

border, stands the humble 

Scourmont Abbey. Since 

1850, this plateau has been 

home to a group of Trappist 

monks from the nearby 

village of Chimay, where life 

is characterised by prayer, 

reading, manual work, and 

also producing one of highest 

rated Trappist beers in the 

craft beer universe. 

THE 

GOLD 

CLUB 

IN THIS SERIES 

WE EXAMINE THE 

BEERS THAT WE 

THINK HAVE TOUCHED 

PERFECTION. JUST 

HOW DO THEY DO IT?

THIS 

AUTHENTIC 

TRAPPIST 

BEER IS 

BREWED 

WITHIN THE 

MONASTERY 

ITSELF UNDER 

THE STRICT 

CONTROL 

OF THE 

COMMUNITY 

OF MONKS 

WHO HAVE 

CALLED 

THIS AREA 

HOME FOR 

GENERATIONS.

The monks in this abbey have 

long brewed fine beers to help raise 

money to fund social projects and 

help the local community, but surely 

none of them could have predicted 

over 150 years ago, just how 

successful the Chimay name would 

become. 

The beer we’re focusing on here 

is Chimay Blue, one of the Trappist 

abbey’s most famous exports. It’s a 

dark ale with complex flavours that 

hint of caramel and dark chocolate 

and a powerful aroma – with a 

powerful ABV of 9 per cent to 

match. 

This authentic Trappist beer 

is brewed within the monastery 

itself under the strict control of 

the community of monks who 

have called this area home for 

generations. 

It is dark brown in colour with a 

strong head and is best served in a 

goblet or chalice style glass to really 

let the aromas dance around and do 

their thing. 

Better yet, the Chimay monastery 

is also well known for producing 

fine cheeses that it often makes 

specifically to match its beers 

(in the case of Chimay Blue, the 

trustworthy monks recommend 

Grand Chimay cheese). 

Trappist beers are normally 

popular and score well with beer 

connoisseurs. This is because of 

the strong ethics observed during 

the brewing process and perhaps 

also the fact that the monks main 

aim is to make money to help their 

community, not the line the pockets 

of shareholders. All ingredients 

are locally sourced and the beer is 

made with care and attention. But 

Chimay Blue is perhaps one of the 

best success stories of this quaint 

way that beer comes to the market. 

It is exported all over the world and 

enjoys mainstream success in many 

European countries and the United 

States. 

We first tried Chimay Blue in a 

very mainstream chain of public 

houses here in the UK and we 

were spellbound. For a dark ale, it 

isn’t too heavy and remains very 

drinkable despite its high ABV. We 

recommend you find you spiritual 

side and ask your local monk to 

pour you a glass right now. You 

won’t look back.

Our favourite 

craft beers of 

the moment. 

So good we are 

drinking them 

at home.

CLOUDWATER 

NW DIPA EKUANOT 

DOUBLE IPA 

It’s difficult not to run 

out of superlatives 

when talking about 

Cloudwater’s series of 

DIPA’s. Incredibly complex 

and perhaps sweeter 

than previous beers, this 

full on release from the 

Manchester maestros is 

very drinkable even at 9%. 

Grab it whilst you can. 

ABV: 9% 

Colour: Hazy orange 

Aroma: Citrus fruit 

Taste: Pine & tropical fruit

LONELY PLANET X 

NORTHERN MONK X 

FIELDWORK BREWING 

TRAVEL NOTES 

INTERNATIONAL 

IPA 

Showcasing a world of 

extraordinary flavours, as 

explored in Lonely Planet’s 

new book Global Beer 

Tour, Travel Notes features 

five ingredients sourced 

from five continents. So 

much more than a novel 

way to launch a book, 

this is an interesting and 

delicious IPA. 

ABV: 6.5% 

Colour: Hazy Orange 

Aroma: Mango/tropical 

Taste: Tropical fruit, grass 

with bitter hop aftertaste

VOCATION 

PURE PILSNER 

CRAFT LAGER 

Vocation’s take on the 

classic Pilsner lager using 

authentic Pilsner malt and 

European hops. Light and 

refreshing with a citrus 

feel. We know a beer is 

about so much more than 

the packaging but can we 

just take some time to 

appreciate this can design 

without sounding self 

indulgent? 

ABV: 4.5% 

Colour: Straw 

Aroma: Subtle & refined 

Taste: Clean & crisp

BREWSKI 

BREWSKIVAL 

PILSNER 

Brewskival is the name 

of an actual three-day 

festival held in August 

at Helsingborg, Sweden 

each year (organised by 

Brewski) that celebrates 

beer, food and music. This 

cleverly simple Pilsner is a 

celebration of the event. 

Its strong fruit citrus and 

clean malt character lead 

to an understated dry 

finish. 

ABV: 4.7% 

Colour: Hazy gold 

Aroma: Malt & citrus 

Taste: Lemon

HITACHINO NEST 

ESPRESSO STOUT 

The recipe is based on an 

imperial stout loved by a 

Russian emporer. So if it’s 

good enough for royalty 

it’s good enough for us! 

Espresso beans are added 

during brewing for the 

intense coffee flavours. 

Dark fruits, vanilla and 

chocolate round out this 

beers complex taste. 

ABV: 7% 

Colour: Black 

Aroma: Coffee & chocolate 

Taste: Roasted coffee

O U RP U RE • 

FM O RE FRO M 

FOURPURE 

SESSION IPA 

Fourpure is a brewery 

built on a passion for 

beer and inspired by 

travel. That said it’s easy 

to see the transatlantic 

influences in their flagship 

session IPA. With New 

York as the inspiration big 

and bold is the order of 

the day especially on the 

hop front. 

ABV: 4.2% 

Colour: Cloudy golden 

Aroma: Grass/citrus 

Taste: Grass/citrus

LITTLE CREATURES 

PALE ALE 

The birthplace of Little 

Creatures was a former 

crocodile farm - you don’t 

get any more Australian 

than that! This Pale Ale 

was their first offering 

with serious citrus and 

stone fruit flavours 

balanced with a hint of 

bitterness. It’s clear to see 

the American influences 

that inspired them to 

start brewing. 

ABV: 6.5% 

Colour: Amber 

Aroma: Hoppy 

Taste: Fruity

NEXT ISSUE READY FOR CONSUMPTION 

DECEMBER 2017

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