Peter Morrell tries this innovative duo from the popular West Sussex craft brewer
Hepworth has been a well-respected regional brewer for more than two decades and the launch of these two canned beers is another step in their growth and success.
The Charger IPA (5.5% abv) and Crazy Horse APA (5% abv) will now be available in 330ml cans. They will be Hepworth’s first range to be available nationwide; before this beers in bottles and on draught have only been available locally or on trade.
The first beer I tried was the Charger IPA which was first brewed in 2019. This is a distinctive British style IPA made with four traditional British hops, which gives a great deal of character to the beer. The beer poured a light amber and had a good white foam head. There were good hoppy aromas on the nose and these continued onto the palate. The flavour was malty with notes of yeasty brioche, caramel and toffee. The strong finish left a pleasant, floral taste. Drink on its own or pair with a pie or ploughman’s lunch. – Gluten free and vegan friendly
The second beer was Crazy Horse which made its debut in 2018. This is a modern American style Pale Ale (APA), brewed with American Chinook and Cascade hops. Again, a golden amber colour and well developed white head was the result of the pour. The first sniff of the bouquet, which had a strong hop and lemon/grapefruit citrus aromas, made it an unmistakeable APA. In the mouth the citrus persisted and was joined by strong floral flavours and a resinous pine background. The finish was crisp and clean. Enjoy it on its own or match with South East Asian dishes. – Gluten free.
These are two excellent beers with a wide spectrum of complex aromas and flavours that made them a pleasure to drink. While away a summer’s afternoon drinking these two brews with friends on the patio, particularly relevant as lockdown comes to an end.
Head Brewer and Managing Director Andy Hepworth said: “We chose to can our two most popular craft beers as demand has increased for home delivery during the pandemic and packaging our product in this way makes it much easier to distribute nationwide.
“There is also a need for more highly hopped beers such as IPAs and APAs to be canned as well. As we have launched a couple of beers in these categories in recent years, we feel it is a natural progression to put them in cans to reach a wider audience.”
Hepworth & Company, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, has a range of 14 beers and lagers. Many of these beers are gluten free and suitable for vegans thanks to the brewing process on certain beers used that removes gluten naturally. Many of the company’s beers are stocked in national retailers such as Marks & Spencer, Coop, Tesco, Waitrose, and Morrison’s.
Hepworth & Company is also leading the way when it comes to sustainability in brewing, being the proud pioneer of a beer sourced heat pump which is powered by their own solar panels. If you want to take a look (lockdown permitting) the brewery has a visitor centre, shop and tap room.
The new canned beers are available direct from Hepworth’s Brewery Shop – www.hepworthbrewery.co.uk, and are on Amazon.
foodnewz.wordpress.com 