Every year we pick our favourite A&H beer of the year and a favourite of a fellow brewery. This year was a big year for us and we hope you enjoyed our beers as much as we enjoyed making them! Here’s to a more hopeful 2022 full of even more great beer.
Jack Hobday - Co-Founder & Chairman
From us: London Black
In a year brimming with one fantastic Anspach & Hobday special after another, a concert of absolute quality from the A&H brew team, it is hard to pick out the beer of the year.
Our collaboration with Brew York: The Indiana Stout & The Last Brewsade, gets a special mention - we love that team from York and that beer was a cracker - BUT for me this year the stand out A&H beer has to be London Black, our independent nitro-porter.
It is a huge beer for A&H: it feels like the culmination of a decade's work. For a brewery that has always been best known for our dark beers and Porters, often compared to Guinness, it is hugely rewarding to see our nitro challenger gain plaudits, drinkers, fans and pub lines at breathtaking speed. To see such success and enjoyment from a beer we make is a point of pride for the whole A&H team and the fantastic community behind us. Here’s 2021, here’s to our community of backers, and here’s to London Black!
From them: Elusive Brewing: Oregon Trail
In June, we had the honour of going to brew a collaboration with Andy Parker (the nicest guy in brewing) at Elusive Brewing in Reading. Andy is genuinely one of the greats in UK brewing and the British Black IPA we made together with hop supplier Charles Faram was an excellent BIPA! Still, whilst there we tried some of Andy's latest and I was struck with the beautiful balance and retro-hop expressiveness of his West Coast Style IPA. Chock full of Chinook, Simcoe & Columbus this beautiful and balanced beer unsurprisingly went on to win UK’s Best American IPA at the World Beer Awards 2021. Great beer, good work Andy!
Paul Anspach - Co-Founder & Head Of Production
From us: A&H X Darkstar - Henry’s Burton Ale
It was a great honour to brew with Dark Star, they are true industry legends, and are one of the breweries that got us excited about beer in the first place. Also, it gave us the opportunity to spend some time with one of our all time favourite people, Henry Kirk.
The beer itself is based on an old recipe given to Henry by the beer historian Ron Pattinson, and while not dissimilar to our ESB, the inclusion of brewing sugars (Invert #2 and Caramel) really take the beer to a special place. The beer takes you on a journey, at first fruity, think plums, currants and raisins, then comes a touch of grassiness from the hops, followed swiftly by a vinous malt character of burnt caramel and spice. The sweetness is balanced by a touch of bitterness and pleasant, dry finish. It's the first time we have brewed a beer of this style, but it certainly wont be the last.
From them: Cask Beer
I found it incredibly hard to pick a beer for this one. It's not that I haven’t enjoyed any beer from any other breweries this year, I certainly have. It’s just that given the absurd nature of the past 12 months, I don’t really remember any of it! What I do remember, with great clarity, was the burning desire to drink well conditioned, well kept, fresh cask beer that grew within me throughout the year. The closure of the pubs obviously presented a great challenge for our beloved national vessel, but I think if we can take one positive from it all, it's that our minds have been refocused on how special cask beer really is. So, for my vote, I’m not picking one particular beer from one particular brewery, but cask beer itself. Cheers!
Edd Clibbens - Head Of Sales
From us: Thornbridge x A&H - Aquilla
On Friday 20th August (at around 13:50) I consumed two pints of this on cask at The Sutton Arms. Without doubt this was the pint drinking highlight of my year. Possibly one of the finest cask experiences of my whole life. Beat that.
From them: Newbarns - Oat Lager
I had a couple of pints of this at various times throughout the summer, but one Saturday lunchtime at Fuggles Beer Cafe (Tonbridge) I had a revelation. Hot on the back of this breakthrough I bought a number of cans whilst on holiday in Scotland and it firmly cemented its majesty in my mind. Fresh, vibrant and characterful. Everything I'd like from a contemporary lager beer.
Joe Hiscocks - Head Of Marketing
From us: The Foraged Pale
Our must underrated beer this year. A collab with Restaurant Story, this herbaceous piece of work is hopped with Jester & Endeavour and infused with foraged Meadowsweet & Myrtle Branch. I had a wonderful afternoon in Peckham's Copper Tap exclusively drinking pints of this. Happy days.
From them: Westmalle - Trappist Extra
Both a heritage beer and a brand new release for 2021. Westmalle's Trappist Extra is their Patersbier, which is the Monk's very own session beer that they tend to brew exclusively for themselves. Until March of this year it was only available to the monks and very lucky guests. Sounds like they heard our prayers and made it commercially available. Easy-drinking and full of those classic Belgian characters with a bright and crisp finish.
Daniel Gambino - Lead Brewer
From us: The London ESB (the most recent batches using US-05 yeast)
I have to admit that hands down this is the best special/strong bitter that I've had. After many (unsuccessful) attempts trialing different yeast strains we finally settled of the old faithful US-05 American Ale strain, a very clean and neutral strain that allows all the malt complexity and hops to shine through. An exceptionally well balanced beer that leaves you longing for more after every sip. I didn't even get the chance to try it on cask and have been told it was better than the cans!
From them: Fyne Ales - Jarl
A cheeky little session golden ale with lashings of bitterness and a massive up front hop hit. A real smasher and a safe bet if ever on in a pub with good cask.
Gabriel d’Arce - Production Brewer
From us: The Stout Porter
I chose The Stout Porter because it’s big, boozy stout and I really love them. It just dominates the palate with roasty, rich notes with a really warming character bringing out those esters and fusel oils. 800kg of grain went into making this beer and every drop of blood, sweat and tears was worth it.
From them: Cantillon Racine
I tried this beer at the amazing Beer Merchants in Hackney for Kwanze Day with a good friend of mine. There really isn't anything like this iout there. I'm always a fan of utilising white grapes in beer to bring some stone fruit flavours and this did not disappoint.
Richard Ekins - Production Brewer
From us: The Gluten Free Pils
Speaking as Coeliac, the arrival of The Gluten Free Pils was amazing. Brewed in spring it was perfect for early summer. Both spicey and with a little bit of cut grass on the nose, it truly delivered as a refreshing beer. I very much look forward to brewing the next batch!
From them: De Ranke - XX Bitter
This beer is consistently brilliant. It’s everything I want from a beer. Dead bitter from start to finish with an incredibly rich flavour that's long lasting on the pallet. All of this whilst remaining very well balanced. An outstanding beer!