Am I the only person who reads the title of this post and has the following in their head?
No? Just me? I might consider it the theme tune for this lone article. Or is that weird? Or have I just had so little sleep overnight that I’m not only bleary eyed, but somewhat bleary headed?
Probably a little of everything.
Earlier this year, I met some of the Meantime Brewing Company chaps – I’d seen their beers on the shelves in the supermarkets and, drawn by the stylised bottles (I’m a sucker for a pretty bottle whatever it holds) had sampled their Pale Ale and took this opportunity to sample others, including their Yakima Red, and IPA.
Founded back in 2000 by Alastair Hook, Meantime is now a bit of a household name, whether you’re into the ‘craft’ beer scene or not, it’s readily available in bars and pubs across the UK and in places like Sainsbury’s, and was bought this year by brewing giant SAB (the company behind commercial beers like Grolsch, Miller, Fosters and Peroni. Good beer is big business.
This week, saw the launch of their 2000th brew tap up north at The Crafty Pig on Oldham Street, Manchester – not only with a bit of a do, but with the launch of its limited edition Brewer’s Collection, IPA 2000 (that song is back in my head again).
The party started with live music and beers poured fresh from that brand new tap on the bar, and a talk by one of the tour guides from London. There was even the opportunity to enjoy a virtual brewery tour via Oculus Rift (here I must admit to not doing the latter and watching it on the big screen instead. The screens from the phones on the OR cause a weird vertigo type effect on me and freak me out).
The IPA was, as you’d expect grassy, pine notes mix with fruit and a nice bitter citrus kick.
The IPA 2000 (dammit) combines this style of beer, uses champagne yeast – which takes what is known as a fruity, hoppy, bitter beer and turns it into something else entirely. The fruit flavours of the IPA are softened by the yeast, bready biscuity notes, so well known in Champagne come to the forefront and there’s a raw grain flavour that develops. I must admit, the latter isn’t to my taste, it’s the reason I’m not generally a fan of wheat beers, but for that, it’s still an intriguing beer to savour and I can easily see Mr GFB enjoying a bottle or two.
Which is a good job, because in a raffle drawn on the night, I won a bottle of IPA 2000 (argh!), signed by Alistair Hook himself, the man behind Meantime Brewing Company. Whilst I can almost see Mr GFB polishing his beer glass, I’m wondering whether I should actually stash it away somewhere and just buy him a separate bottle.
Hmmm.
If you fancy a sample of the celebratory beer, it’s available from the Meantime website, and the IPA from the bar in The Crafty Pig and other nationwide beery establishments.
I’ll have a pint, ta.
