North Beer Club #38 - December 2023

NORTH BEER CLUB

DECEMBER 2023

NORTHBREWCO NORTHBEERCLUB

NORTHBREWINGCO

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WELCOME Just like that we’ve blinked, and December is here… where has 2023 gone? And with Christmas only a few weeks away we’ve been busy building over 350 North Advent Calendars, hosting festive parties at Springwell and serving our new winter cocktails across our taprooms and bars. Truly getting into that festive spirit!

But this is only the tip of the iceberg.

We hosted a 24-hour Danceathon for St. Gemma’s Hospice and our charity partner, St. George’s Crypt.

30 dancers from Leeds and afar showed us their best moves, DJs and dance coaches kept us all motivated throughout the day, and together we raised over £10,500 to support the vital work that these charities do every day.

We welcomed Alley Cats (Chapel Allerton) to the North family and celebrated 8 years of brewing with

our first-ever Quadruple Fruited Gose and one hell of a party, where we rolled out a rebrand…but more on that to come later.

It has been a hectic month but what a great way to ramp up towards the end of 2023. We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, tuck into the final Beer Club line-up of 2023 and toast in the New Year with style – why not join us at Springwell for our Studio 54 inspired celebrations!

We’re sending out a huge thank you to you all for the support you have shown throughout eight years of brewing and more! Huge amounts of love to you all!

Love North x

AT A GLANCE GOLD SUBSCRIPTION

SILVER SUBSCRIPTION

8 TIMES AROUND THE SUN Style

Quadruple Fruited Gose

ABV

4.5%

Fruit

Strawberry + Blackcurrant + Cherry

Canned

15 November 2023

We’re celebrating 8 years of brewing! And what better way to commemorate our birthday than taking one of our signature styles to the next level. Introducing our first ever QUADRUPLE Fruited Gose!

We’ve taken our well-loved slick, saline base and loaded it full of more fruit than we’ve ever used in a beer; a delicious and mouthwatering combination of cherries, blackcurrant and strawberry makes our first-ever QFG smooth, juicy, tangy, jammy, and down-right delicious. All finishing with a sharp, sherbet, salty finish that makes your mouth water and leaves you wanting more.

CONTAINS BARLEY + OATS + WHEAT + LACTOSE (MILK)

FIELD RECORDINGS x NOITA Style

Muscat IPA

ABV

6.0%

Hops

Talus + Nelson Sauvin + Motueka

Canned

1 December 2023

This collaboration with Finnish urban winery, Noita, has provided us the chance to take our experimentation to the next level. Our first-ever release from Field Recordings, A Hymn for the Fields, was an experiment with Sauvignon Blanc yeast to create an out-of-this-world Saison.

For this Muscat IPA, we delved into the historical brewing styles that combined grape and grain, taking a closer look at how different yeasts can bring forward complex aromas, known as thiols, not just within grapes but the hops as well. Using the finest organic Austrian Muscat grapes, shipped from the same vineyards that supply Noita, we decided to keep the base light and clean, with a combination of Pilsner malt and wheat. Balancing the hops within this IPA against the characteristics of Muscat, we chose Nelson Sauvin, Talus and Motueka hops to enhance, but not overpower, the bright citrus notes of gooseberry. The combination of Kveik and Sauvignon Blanc yeast during fermentation

The artwork for this was a collaboration between James Ockelford (North / Refold) and Dan Wilson who designs Noita’s beautiful bottle labels. Dan provided a series of silhouettes that were then texturised, coloured and arranged into the abstract composition you’re now looking at.

has heightened these thiols, bringing forward the fruitier notes of the hops. All resulting in a deliciously crisp, clean, and bright IPA, laced with these decadent thiols of tangy citrus, grapefruit, and a light floral finish.

VEGAN / CONTAINS BARLEY + WHEAT

We’re so proud to introduce you to our next release from Field Recordings; a collaboration with Noita, a Finnish urban winery that we’ve followed and admired for a long time.

We sat down with Seb, our Director of Brewing, to find out more on the beer that we have created together.

Why did we want to collaborate with Noita?

Our Finnish distributor, Brukett, introduced us to Noita around two years ago, who then visited Springwell and did a natural wine tasting with us.

We loved how forward thinking they were, not to mention their fantastic design, and thought it would be fun to do a collaboration with them.

How did we decide what style to brew?

The beer/wine hybrid has started to make an reappearance on the European beer scene, and it is something that really interested me to explore further. Our first-ever release from Field Recordings (Hymn for the Fields) was a Saison brewed with Sauvignon Blanc yeast, so we thought about what the next step could be; how do we take this to the next level? This first release explored more of the complex compound aromas (thiols) created from using the wine yeast, whereas we wanted to experiment with using grape juice within the beer for this collaboration.

Within this brew we’ve used a combination of wine yeast and Kveik yeast, as we felt this would balance well and help it fully ferment out.

Choosing a temperature that was at the bottom of the Kveik yeasts wants and the top of the wine yeast. We decided against a Saison yeast for this brew as it could potentially battle against the flavours of the grape juice and wine yeast.

What were the challenges you faced whilst brewing this recipe?

We used 10% grape must, the freshly pressed juice which also contains seeds, skins and stems but has no alcoholic content, which is a very different component for us to work with, and we wanted to keep that subtle aroma of the Muscat grapes, trying not to over hop it.

We also used pasteurised grape juice from the organic Austrian producer that Noita utilises to create their own natural wines. We had to be careful with fermentation to make sure there were no off flavours, as it is a completely new thing for us to be fermenting grape juice along with wort, so we kept it fairly cool during this process, to keep it clean and hold on to those beautiful aromas, not overpowering them. We also used a Pilsner malt as we wanted to create a light, clean and crisp base for the grapes – not too many malty, biscuity notes – to let the thiols and wine side of this recipe shine through.

What hops did we use and why?

We added Talus and Nelson Sauvin within the whirlpool, then finished with a dry hop of Nelson and Moteuka. Nelson Sauvin is the obvious choice for a winey flavour beer, pairing with the thiols created with the Sauvignon Blanc yeast.

They have similar flavours. Whereas Talus was a nice addition, that brought a little fruitiness and not those piney, resinous notes that some hops have, which would overpower the Muscat grapes. Nothing too piney or aggressive, more citrus and fruity notes.

We truly hope that you enjoy this experimentation with our friends from Noita, all resulting in a deliciously crisp, clean, and bright IPA, laced with these decadent thiols of tangy citrus, grapefruit, and a light floral finish.

AUTOMATIC Style

California Pale

ABV

4.5%

Hops

Citra + Mosaic + Cascade + Chinook

Canned

22 November 2023

American hops sing with tropical notes of sweet pineapple, zesty grapefruit and juicy peach, finishing with a gentle piney bitterness that refreshes the palate and leaves you wanting more.

This is how Automatic will look in the near future!

VEGAN / CONTAINS BARLEY + WHEAT

PIÑATA Style

Tropical Pale

ABV

4.5%

Hops

Citra + Azzaca + Mosaic

Canned

29 November 2023

4.5%, juicy and hoppy, Piñata has got it all! It’s had a few recipe changes over the years but now we’ve got it right where we want it. Unfortunately for us, it’s actually a very complicated process to make Piñata. We fill two separate tanks with the same base beer, one gets a steady dry hop of Citra, Azacca and Mosaic, the other gets pumped full of Kesar Mango and Guava pureé. Once each beer is nice and mixed, we chill the tanks down to settle out any solids, then blend the two beers into one big tank to make the supremely juicy party you’re about to experience. Tasty right? All that trouble is totally worth it in the end.

VEGAN / CONTAINS BARLEY

KOMEDA Style

DDH Session IPA

ABV

4.2%

Hops

Mosaic Cryo + Azacca + Rakau

Canned

23 November 2023

Smooth, succulent, and super sip-able. Komeda brings aromas of zesty grapefruit and fresh crushed pine, with the additions of hops into the whirlpool. A beautiful combination of US and NZ hops; Azacca, Rakau and Mosaic Cryo, to heighten the flavours of white peach, sweet nectarine, and pink guava. We added oats to bring a gentle, soft finish to this mouth-watering Session IPA, balancing against the refreshing dry pithy notes. Komeda follows on from our recent DIPA release, Kosmische, and is affectionately known in the brewery as the younger sister – lower in ABV but just as delicious.

VEGAN / CONTAINS BARLEY + OATS

SONGBIRD Style

IPA

ABV

6.0%

Hops

Citra + Mosaic

Canned

28 November 2023

A smooth and hazy IPA brewed with Citra + Mosaic hops bringing together ripe flavours of freshly squeezed orange juice, tropical stone fruit, soft and sweet blueberry and fresh cut pineapple.

VEGAN / CONTAINS BARLEY + WHEAT

TFG 25 Style

Triple Fruited Gose

ABV

4.5%

Fruit

White Guava + PInk Guava + Mango

Canned

6 December 2023

One of our most popular TFGs from 2019, voted for a rebrew by our followers this year.

Our signature thick, slick and salty gose recipe comprised of a big dose of oats, ale malt, salt and a sprinkle of lactose is infused with ALL of the organic fruit puree! There’s a special harmony in the way the sweet, zingy guava interacts with the salinity of the beer’s base that makes this TFG extra special. It’s a plethora of sherbety, tart, sweet, sappy tropical flavour and aroma.

A true delight that even caught the eyes of our friends at Dishoom. It pairs beautifully with their dishes from all of Bombay.

CONTAINS BARLEY + OATS + LACTOSE (MILK)

ULTRA PHASE Style

DIPA

ABV

8.4%

Hops

Citra + Enigma + Simcoe

Canned

6 December 2023

We are entering the Ultra Phase… A sumptuous smooth base of pale malt, wheat, naked oats and rolled oats with Citra, Enigma and Simcoe hops brings continuous blasts of flavour. A base note of tinned apricot halves and pithy zest springboards candied mango, white wine-gums and gooseberry with crushed pine needles, lemon peel and passionfruit finishing with a pinching bite. Soft, fluffy, rounded and laced with dazzling fresh tropical fruit flavour.

VEGAN / CONTAINS BARLEY + WHEAT + OATS

KOSMISCHE Style

DIPA

ABV

8.0%

Hops

HBC1019 + Eclispe + Cryo Pop™

Canned

27 October 2023

This delicious, thick DIPA is bursting with layer upon layer of fruity flavour. Our malt base is packed full of oats to bring that sumptuous smooth mouth feel and level up the intensity of the hops. We’ve packed this one full of Cyro Pop™, Eclipse and a new experimental hop called HBC 1019. Each sip brings a punch of flavour, layering fresh pineapple, Valencia oranges, over ripe peach, soft honeydew melon and a creamy finish that leaves you wanting more. This DIPA is potent but exceptionally pleasing.

VEGAN / CONTAINS BARLEY + WHEAT + OATS

REFERENCES REFERENCES REFERENCES

Many of our beer names are in reference to music, art, and science fiction – the subject of so many conversations we’ve had at North over the years.

Kosmische and Komeda both make reference to music (worthy of investigation) from the 1960s.

KOSMISCHE Kosmische Musik (the German for Cosmic Music) or Krautrock (as it was often referred to) came out of Germany from the late 60s. Avant garde, experimental and often utilising hypnotic rhythms that would go on to influence decades of bands. Intrigued? Have a listen to some of the Kosmische musik that was playing in the Refold studio when the label was being designed!

Spotify

Apple Music

KOMEDA While Kosmische Musik was being made in Germany, over the border in Poland, Krzysztof Trzciński (who used the stage name Komeda) was busy changing the face of Polish jazz. One of the albums to check out would be the soundtrack to the Roman Polanski film Cul de Sac. Enjoy! Unless you really hate jazz - in which case you’d probably best avoid.

A BIT OF NICE NEWS...

ALLEY CATS When we heard the news that Alley Cats had to close its doors suddenly in September of this year, we were heartbroken to see yet another amazing independent in Leeds suffer the losses from rising costs. Community and supporting our fellow independent businesses has always been important to all of us at North, so we made the decision to take on the lease and have made the commitment to preserve the inclusive atmosphere and cherished events.

We are so pleased to welcome Dan and the team at Alley Cats to the North family. It is so lovely to see the sense of community this venue has, being a pillar of Chapel Allerton since 2017. We reopened the doors on Tuesday 7th November and were blown away by how many people, and North staff, headed across for the occasion.

Next time you find yourself in Leeds, head on in to say “hi” and tuck into one of their delicious burgers or why not join them for Drag Bingo or their open mic night, Sing Along A Ding Dong.

CHAPEL ALLERTON

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ALLEY CATS 38 HARROGATE ROAD CHAPEL ALLERTON LEEDS LS7 4LA

WE ARE NORTH...

STILL By now you will all be aware that we’ve had a rebrand brewing behind the scenes (excuse the pun); a fresh chapter in our craft beer journey that not only revitalises North in this ever-changing market but also takes us back to the beginning.

Back in 1997 we opened the first North Bar, one of only a handful of great places to drink in Leeds and accoladed with being the first UK craft beer bar. Originally having nothing but a turquoise front, no branding or name on display or anything to signify it from the other bars on New Briggate, yet it had queues out of the door every weekend. People would travel from far and wide to drink at North, and those in the know affectionately came to call it simply ‘NORTH’.

As the years passed, more bars and pubs were opened, including a few other North venues, and we saw a new generation of drinker coming to Leeds. After 12 years of being (to a large extent) unbranded, North had become slightly invisible on New Briggate, so

The new North logo system is clearer, flexible and to the point in 2013 the North Bar logo was launched. At the same time, discussions on the brewing side of North had begun, and within the new brand deck was the original North Brewing logo as well as the iconic NB mark.

As the design approach evolved over the years the NB icon often took centre stage – becoming a key ingredient in the front of the can labels whereas the full North Brewing logo was essentially relegated to the edge of the cans. Although this approach has done the job for years now, the ambiguity of this NB led to confusion as we’ve grown into markets and countries that are new to us.

Who are we? North Brew Co? NB Brewery?

North Brewing? North Bar Brewing? Northern Brewery?

After 8 years we felt it was time to clarify our brand - let everyone know exactly who we are. The new logo keeps the icon we are well known for and marries it with how we are known in the industry, how we refer to ourselves, how we’ve been known for decades, as ‘NORTH’. Simple and very much to the point. The icon and the name will always appear together but can be rearranged as required. Sometimes the word NORTH will feature on the front of a can – the NB icon will be on the side. Other times the NB icon will be on the front - NORTH will be on side.

Making changes to a brand we love was always going to feel strange but the time has come. We’re looking forward to rolling this out! We hope you approve!

IN THE TANKS

SHADOW PLAY

ANTHOLOGY COLLAB

HOPPY PEOPLE COLLAB

PORTER

TBC

TBC