Another evening with Rob Percival, this time on the subject of IPAs. Four local breweries have brewed five different beers on the theme of IPA. Steve from Beer Nouveau brewed two historic beers (Barclay’s X and Tetley’s East India Pale Ale, Pete from Torrside brewed a West Coast IPA, Mark from Cloudwater a New England IPA and Joe from Marble Arch a very modern zero residual sugar IPA using enzymes.
The Barclays was a 10% beer with a special historic malt. The T.E.I.P.A was the same malts but a lower ABV and slightly bretted in the way it used to be. The West Coast IPA was a good example of the current style. The NEIPA very low bitterness, with lots of dry hops. The Marble Arch beer used a new technique using enzymes to ferment out all (ALL) the sugars to more than 100% AA and is one of fewer than half a dozen beers done this way. No bitterness either.
With more than 40 people in the upper room of 57 Thomas Street and the outside temperature pushing 27C it wasn’t the most comfortable evening. We spoke at length to guys from the Chorlton home brew group and grilled the available brewers on all aspects of their brewing. Joe from Marble was drunk enough to invite us to visit the brewery, which we will certainly do. Mark from Cloudwater was forthcoming about the science behind much of what they do and Mike learned a great deal about beer.
It was an entertaining evening – Rob was his usual informative self and Steve failed to shed his image of being the loudest person in the room. A bit too hot and cramped to be described as fun though.