WHENEVER you hear the colour green mentioned in connection with beer, it usually involves that rather cringeworthy practice, predominant in the US, of dying beer green on St Patrick's Day.
Well, Verdant is a brewery based in Cornwall and they've been causing quite a stir with some fantastic brews. A quick consultation of the dictionary tell us that the word verdant means 'green with grass or other rich vegetation' or 'of the bright green colour of lush grass'.
It’s certainly a well chosen name as the Cornish brewers' output could definitely be described as lush – although thankfully none of it is green in colour.
Their double IPA Pulp gives an indication of what's ahead – and no it's not a rendition of Common People. This is a DIPA which, quite frankly, is criminally easy to drink. It clocks in at 8 per cent abv but this hopped-up gem masks it superbly. First of all, it pours a hazy, light amber colour. The aroma finds you before you go looking for it, jumping out of the can as soon as it's popped open. There's peachy, mango and grapefruit aromas and a lovely clean, fluffy white head.
Those juicy flavours immediately hit you on the first gulp, along with piney and citrus notes before a superbly dry bitter finish. There is tremendous fresh, zesty mouthfeel but it's hard to get past that lovely juice bomb.
The pale ale Headband, which comes in at 5.5 per cent, pours a burnt-orange colour and gives off tropical aromas. It's a wonderfully lush ale with a sweet biscuit malt flavour before all those glorious fruity flavours bowl in – there's mango, grapefruit and blood orange with little bit of spice and an earthy grass hint too.
THE Bay Tree in Holywood, home of the renowned cinnamon scones which formed the inspiration for an enjoyable little guest brew at last year's ABV Festival, are hosting a Meet the Brewer event on Saturday April 29. Five courses will be paired with five beers from Manchester-based Alphabet Brewing Company. Give the good folks at The Bay Tree a shout for more details.
