MONTHLY SPECIALS
JANUARY 2012
NEW ZEALAND CASCADE 4.3%
South Seas Pale Ale "A Pale Ale with strong antipodean hop flavours"
Single hopped with New Zealand Cascade. This hop displays exceptional levels of citrus moving more toward grapefruit characteristics.
Similarities exist between New Zealand grown and USA grown Cascade, however agronomics and what hopsters describe as “terriour” gives a positive for the New Zealand type. Bright colour and tight compact cone shape give it instant appeal and the power of its resinous mix on the senses makes it a real standout hop.
This hop can do some really great things for the hophead when matched up with some of the New Zealand aroma heavy weights such as Motueka or Riwaka. “A fun hop in the brewery”
JANUARY 2012
HARMONIE 4.1%
Pale Ale "A single hopped pale golden ale"
The last in our series of eight beers showcasing Polish and Czech hops in our single hop series, this time featuring Bohemian 'Harmonie' hops. Harmonie is characterised by high beta acids but unlike say Sládek it has a higher content of alpha acids. The variety was only registered in 2004 and therefore the acreage is currently very limited and it is a hop very rarely seen and used in the U.K. Initial brewing trials and testing in Czech breweries has shown good quality & intensity and quality of aromas.
JANUARY 2012
MAD MONK 7.1%
Imperial Stout "A very big and complex downright kick ass beer"
Produced in the tradition of 18th Century English Brewers who supplied the Court of Russia's Catherine the Great, Mad Monk is already developing something of a cult following wherever it goes. It's a rich, intense brew with big complex flavours and a warming finish. The colour is Henry Ford 'Black' and it has a massive bitterness level of 75 IBU's.
The beer pours with a frothy tan head that would make Starbucks envious. It’s loaded with chocolate and coffee aromas, some roast notes and bready yeast. It’s a rich mouthful, sweet, even luscious, but nicely balanced by the somewhat unusual, all American hops for this style, Cluster, Northern Brewer and Centenial.
FEBRUARY 2012
WAI - ITI 4.2%
South Seas Pale Ale "A "creamy" Pale Ale, with a soft bitterness and with a big citrus/lime aroma"
A new single hop beer for us, using a brand new, New Zealand aroma variety, Wai-iti which means 'small water' in the local dialect and is also the name of a seaside town on the mid-west coast of the North Island. With its very low cohumulone level Wai-iti gives a soft bitterness and intense citrus, lime and mandarin aromas. The open hop packet is on the desk next to me as I write and this hop does exhibit a big hoppy/lime aroma and I also detect mint and a slight allium (onion/garlic) scent.
Ultimately Wai-iti hops look to me like they could be a winner!
FEBRUARY 2012
SUMMIT 4.5%
American Pale Ale "A single hopped pale ale"
First brewed in March ’11 as part of our U.S.A. single hop series, ‘Summit’ is a recently-released high-alpha (17 to 19% AAU) dwarf variety. As such it is grown on a low trellis system and is not machine harvestable, so these hops are gently picked by hand and are thus less damaged by the harvesting process. Strong orange, tangerine and grapefruit citrus notes and insistent flavours come to the fore making it ideal for brewing American style IPA’s and Pale Ales.
MARCH 2012
KIWI BEST BITTER 4.2%
Classic Best Bitter "Light chestnut in colour, with a New Zealand twist"
Originally brewed as the second of our New Zealand Hops series in May 2010, Kiwi Best is a classic best bitter, light chestnut in colour, with an unusual flavoured twist from the New Zealand grown Sticklebract and wonderful Nelson Sauvin aroma hops.
MARCH 2012
SIMCOE 4.4%
American Pale Ale "A single hopped pale ale"
First brewed in June ’11 as part of our U.S.A. single hop series, 'Simcoe' is a dual purpose bittering/aroma hop bred by Yakima Chief Ranches and first released in 2000. Simcoe is a unique American hybrid. Although it is primarily a bittering hop, it gives a clean, pine-like aroma and taste with a slight hint of citrus. It is less astringent than other pine-like hops and has been highly sought after to make distinctive and unique Pale Ales and American Ales.
APRIL 2012
KOHATU 4.1%
South Seas Pale Ale "A Pale Ale, with pine and soft fruit aromas"
Another new single hop beer using a new, New Zealand variety: Kohatu; which means ‘stone’ in the local dialect. With a pine and soft fruit aromas this beer very refreshing and rewarding.
APRIL 2012
CROOKED BEAK 4.5%
A Pale Ale "Light in colour and brewed exclusively with Oregon Hops"
Named after a USA North West coast, tribal mask, "Crooked Beak of Heaven" this pale ale is brewed with a high proportion of lager malt with low colour Maris Otter malt to provide a perfect light coloured beer. The Simcoe hops provide a well balanced bitterness ideally complemented with the citrus aromas from the use of Glacier & Magnum as aroma hops, to give the beer a fresh clean taste.
MAY 2012
MOTUEKA GOLD 4.0%
South Seas Pale Ale "A Golden Ale with strong antipodean hop flavours"
One of our original 2010 New Zealand Hops series beers; single hopped with Motueka hops. A Golden Ale with clean bitterness and strong floral notes in aroma and flavour from the use of this Kiwi hop.
MAY 2012
AHTANUM 4.3%
American Pale Ale "A single hopped pale ale"
First brewed in August ’11 as part of our U.S.A. single hop series, Ahtanum is an aroma-type hop bred by Yakima Chief Ranches. Its name is derived from the area near Yakima where the first hop farm was established in 1869 by Charles Carpenter.
Ahtanum is very similar to Cascade or Amarillo, but with the addition of some pine and earth notes. The grapefruit quality is also more forward than in Cascade and the alpha acids are lower than Cascade making Ahtanum a good choice for a flavour addition whilst not imparting quite the bitterness of Cascade or Amarillo.
MAY 2012
BELTANE 5.7%
A Black Country style Ruby Mild "A classic Dark Ruby Mild"
Beltane was originally brewed in March 2010 as Weapon of Mash Destruction (WMD) and is typical of a strong Black Country style Mild. It is intensely dark, almost black in colour, with a lovely red tinge. It has a coffee coloured head, bubbly to begin with, but settles down quickly to form a thickish covering. The aromas are predominantly malty, but with a pleasant fruit smell - almost wine-like and seem to smell of grapes, plums and raisins. The texture is rich and full bodied for a Mild. It feels smooth in the mouth and has a silky texture.
The main flavours are rich fruit, malt and hops - it tastes strong and it is! The initial fruitiness mingles with a caramel/toffee flavour, with elements of nuttiness from the roasted malt. To start it seems very sweet, but this is replaced by an increasing bitter dryness that comes through in the finish. The aftertaste is lingering and has a pleasant fruit aspect.
Remember it is VERY easy to drink, but is strong and should be treated with respect and caution. It was brewed specially for the Wigan Beer Festival (CAMRA) 2010 and was awarded the bronze medal in the Dark Beer category at this festival; it's first outing.
JUNE 2012
NELSON SAUVIN PALE 4.1%
South Seas Pale Ale "A Pale Ale with strong antipodean hop flavours"
Single hopped with the fabulous Nelson Sauvin variety. A Pale Ale with clean bitterness and strong citrus notes in aroma and flavour from the use of this Kiwi hop.
JUNE 2012
GOLDEN AELD 4.2%
Golden Ale "Light golden in colour with elderflower flavours predominating"
Light golden in colour, Golden Aeld is brewed with a high proportion of wheat to give the beer a fresh clean taste. The mash blends together with the American Perle hops and elderflower to provide a heady mix of fruit and citrus flavours.
JULY 2012
PACIFIC JADE 4.0%
South Seas Pale Ale "A Pale Ale with strong herbal hop flavours"
Single hopped with Pacific Jade. This variety is the most recent release out of the New Zealand Hop Research Programme. The aroma is "bold" as it delivers a herbal infusion of fresh citrus and crushed black pepper along with a soft bitterness with the citrus aromas and flavour notes working well to temper the malt sweetness.
JULY 2012
APOLLO 4.3%
American Pale Ale "A single hopped pale ale"
Originally the second beer in our series of occasional 'one hop' beers using more unusual hop varieties; but it was that good we had to brew it again.
Whilst originally cultivated in 2000 by the Golden Gate Roza Hop Ranch in Prosser, Washington (US) Apollo hops have only recently become more readily available. A pale amber, hoppy beer, made with hops with 18.7% alpha acids. This hop has strong citrus notes with the emphasis on orange; resiny and spicy. Enjoy!
AUGUST 2012
HOPGATE 4.9%
India Pale Ale "Tasting notes to follow"
With a massive 70+ IBU’s although there is plenty of malty sweetness, this beer is all about the hops. The kiwi hops used in Hopgate produce something of a tropical punchbowl: Passion fruit, limes, oranges’ gooseberries and Sauvignon Blanc grapes to name a few.
AUGUST 2012
SANTIAM 3.7%
American Pale Ale "A single hopped pale ale"
First brewed in August ’11 as part of our U.S.A. single hop series 'Santiam' was first released for commercial production in 1997 and named after the Santiam River in Oregon. Santiam hops are naturally seedless; the world’s first variety to be so. Although typically listed as an aroma hop it has dual use capabilities and is great for pale ales. Somewhat noble, this hop gives fruity and floral aromas and berry components. There is also a citrus and peach aspect and when used as a standalone hop it gives a fruitiness not seen when using other hop varieties.
SEPTEMBER 2012
SOUTHERN CROSS 4.1%
South Seas Pale Ale "A Pale Ale with soft bitterness and clean spiciness"
Single hopped with Southern Cross, this hop imparts a soft bitterness with a subtle resinous quality. The aroma is characterised by a heady mix of lemon peel and pine needles layered beneath a clean spiciness delivering a delicate balance of citrus and spice. “A hop with many talents.”
SEPTEMBER 2012
TUTTI I CANCELLI TIPOPILS 5.1%
A Classic German Pilsener "Tasting notes to follow"
Description to follow.
OCTOBER 2012
PACIFIC GEM 4.3%
South Seas Pale Ale "A Pale Ale with tempered bitterness and flavour"
Pacific Gem fills the brew house with enticing aromas during the copper addition producing oaken flavours with a distinct blackberry aroma. This hop does not carry the punchy aromas usually associated with higher alpha hops but contains a good balance of oils and makes its presence felt through an excellent tempered bitterness and flavour. “A master of consistency.”
OCTOBER 2012
WEST COAST PALE ALE 4.4%
A NZ style Pale Ale "Tasting notes to follow"
Description to follow.
OCTOBER 2012
SAMHAIN 4.5%
A Dark Ruby Ale "Lots of aroma from the wonderful Brambling Cross hops"
Samhain literally means “summer's end.” In the Celtic era, autumn ended in the first week of November with the festival of Samhain [the "mh" is pronounced as "v"] which marked the end of the Celtic year. This was the “Witches Sabbath” when the spirits of the dead were said to come out of their graves, and this ghoulish fright-night aspect is still part of modern Halloween.
A dark ruby colour – lots of aroma from the wonderful Brambling Cross hops plus hints of flavour and aroma from the addition of fresh ground coriander.
NOVEMBER 2012
POT CALLING THE KETTLE 5.2%
American Style Porter "A dark and rich porter"
A classic dark and rich porter with a twist; 50 IBU’s in bitterness and a colour of 31; brewed using five different malts, including Pale, Melanoidin, Crystal, Pale Chocolate and Black Patent this beer bursts with roasted malt flavours, and is hopped with three New Zealand varieties including the wonderful Nelson Sauvin and NZ Cascade.
A dark ruby colour – lots of aroma from the wonderful Brambling Cross hops plus hints of flavour and aroma from the addition of fresh ground coriander.
NOVEMBER 2012
POPPY 4.5%
India Pale Ale "An India Red Ale"
A medley of all American hops gives this red ale an intense, sharp and fruity hoppiness but backed up with a complex, caramel malty structure. Big, yet refreshing; bold but balanced.
DECEMBER 2012
SUPER ALPHA 4.2%
South Seas Pale Ale "A Pale Ale with a crisp bitter edge and aroma of pine needles and lemongrass"
Single hopped with Super Alpha, which is generally selected now for its dual-purpose ability. This hop imparts a crisp bitter edge on the back palate and aroma characterised by a slight fresh grassiness beneath a mix of pine needles and lemongrass. "A really super versatile hop."
DECEMBER 2012
WINTER WARMER 4.4%
Winter Ale "A ruby coloured, spiced ale"
Brewed at this time of year since 2007, Winter Warmer is brewed with Maris Otter pale ale malt and a bit of crystal malt with a mix of Fuggles and Styrian Goldings hops. But it is the addition of Cloves, Cinnamon and Nutmeg that really gives this beer its spicy and warming taste.
DECEMBER 2012
SLOE STOUT 7.2%
Fruit Beer "A complex fruit stout"
Brewed to the same recipe as our SIBA National Gold Award Winning stout Mad Monk; a rich, intense brew with big complex flavours and a warming finish, but to a slightly higher ABV. Sloe Stout is loaded with the same chocolate and coffee aromas and roast notes as Mad Monk but to each firkin from the one gyle brewed we have then added wonderful freshly picked organic sloe berries and allowed the beer to condition in cask for two months.
Hopefully the acidity of the sloes will provide a perfect foil to the rich beer. The additional conditioning should also dry the beer. We would imagine it will be best served on gravity behind the bar at room temperature, rather than chilled in a cellar and dispensed by hand pump as the sloe flavour will be masked below 15 C. So if you are served a chilled pint, simply leave it to warm up; it'll be worth the wait and then please drink sloely!
TRADE ENQUIRIES
We deliver to the free trade across the North West. For sales enquiries please phone Cheryl at the Brewery on 01942 234976 or go to the contact page and complete the form and send a Sales enquiry.
We are also members of the SIBA DDS scheme which allows delivery into Enterprise, Admiral, Punch and Orchid pub companies within the North West. To order via this scheme please see your regional manager for details or if you are already a member simply order the All Gates beers of your choice.
