We have had some excellent beers this month and it has been one of the hardest months so far to pick a top five. We kicked off the month a brilliant range of brews from Harviestoun and rounded it off with eight fantastic collab beers, brewed exclusively for the Love & Beer festival. In between, we visited The Draughtsman Alehouse and found some beautiful beers while we were out and about.
This month’s top five new brews
Here’s a rundown of our favourite new brews for November 2024.
Ola Dubh by Harviestoun Brewery (Alva, Scotland)
Barrel-Aged Stout 8%
We tried this in our Harviestoun beer battle alongside Old Engine Oil, which forms the base for Ola Dubh. Both were great stouts, and we struggled to pick a favourite. However, we decided to put Ola Dubh in our top five as it was the more complex in flavour and the aroma was just sensational.
Brewer’s note: Ola Dubh, meaning ‘Black Oil’ in Gaelic, is craftily created by taking our Old Engine Oil and maturing it in 18 year old Highland Park whisky casks. The process is far from simple, but the result is a beautiful brew with complimentary whisky notes and a chocolate, roasty and bittersweet aftertaste. All thanks to the labour of love of our master brewers. Ola Dubh is a labour of love. Everything about it is extreme. The brew team fill the mash tuns to the brim with roast barley, pinhead oats and malted barley. It ferments more slowly as the the yeast struggles to move around in such a viscous beer! The base beer is Old Engine Oil which they then put into Highland Park Whisky casks and it stays there for at least 6 months. During this time the flavours from the wood enter the beer to produce Ola Dubh. It is ready only when our Master Brewer, Stuart, deems it ready!
Brewer’s website: Harviestoun Brewery
Viva Patrón (Project Barista 24) by Siren (Wokingham, England)
Dark Ale 8%
We found this amazing beer on tap at Sheffield Tap (in Sheffield Train Station). Unfortunately, we had to drink it faster than we would have liked as we had a train to catch. But despite having to rush it, we both agreed it was a fantasitc beer with lovely complex flavours, and definitely worthy of a place in our top five.
Brewer’s note: Project Barista combines two of our greatest passions, beer and coffee, and plays with the relationship between them. Four unique beers, four kinds of coffee used in different ways, in collaboration with four incredible independent roasters. The Dark Ale incorporates tequila-soaked oak, agave syrup, intense espresso and Muscovado sugar for a coffee liqueur experience in a beer.
Brewer’s website: Siren Craft Brew
Steady Rolling Man by Deya (Cheltenham, England)
Pale Ale 5.2%
Deya has an excellent reputation so when we spotted one of their beers on tap while out with friends, we couldn’t resist. And it was everything you’d expect from a good pale ale.
Brewer’s note: Steady Rolling Man. Our pale ale. Inspired by the ridiculously tasty hoppy beers we fell for, we got brewing our own versions, over and over again, while listening to the blues greats. The heady concoction of old-time blues records and juicy American hops transfixed us from the start and the Steady Rolling Man was born in these sessions! Incredibly soft and delicate with intense tropical fruit hop aromatics and saturation, this is our vision of the perfect pale ale.
Brewer’s website: DEYA Brewing Company
Trees of Endor by Emperor’s Brewery (Coalville, England)
Imperial Stout 11.7%
This beer was brewed for the Love & Beer Festival and was one of the collabs we brought home to try in our Love & Beer tasting session. There were only 120 bottles made so it seemed a shame to break the seal, but it was worth it. It was thick, gloopy and syrupy with so many beautiful flavours of chocolate, coffee, and vanilla fudge. And for an 11.7% beer, it didn’t taste very boozy at all.
Brewer’s note: Here amongst the Trees of Endor, there lurks a formidable army. A legion. Creatures so vicious and intimidating they can defeat the Empire’s best troops and technology. After a hard day slaying your foes, what could be better than sitting around the tribal fires, sipping a stout with rich Guatemalan coffee, creamy toasted coconut and sweet, luscious maple syrup?!” …after the slaughter that has just happened though, why are your rebel friends asking where you got all the fresh meat from?!
Brewer’s website: Emperor’s Brewery
* BEER OF THE MONTH *
3 Rules by Tynt Meadow (UK)
collab with La Trappe and Zundert (Netherlands)
Belgian Dubbel 7.4%
We were very excited when we spotted this exclusive Trappist Beer on tap at The Draughtsman Alehouse. Beautifully balanced, complex flavour – a wonderful beer that should be savoured. There were some strong contenders for our beer of the month, but we agreed that this one should get our top spot.
Brewer’s note: Trappist breweries Tynt Meadow, La Trappe, and Zundert proudly present an extraordinary new beer: Three Rules of Authentic Trappist. After months of collaboration in the deepest secrecy, the three Trappist abbeys have crafted a distinctive Dubbel. As a result, Three Rules of Authentic Trappist pays tribute to the three authentic rules by which Trappist breweries are governed. Proceeds from this special Trappist beer will help plant 14,000 trees with Trees for All.
Brewer’s website: Tynt Meadow
Honourable mention
These new brews didn’t quite make it into our top five, but we still feel they are worth a mention.
Farmers Belgian Blue by Bradfield Brewery (Sheffield, UK)
Winter Ale 4.9%
We had this cask ale over in Doncaster after Alex completed the Doncaster 10k. The fact it had a blue tinge to the head made it worthy of a mention, but it was also a delicious beer. We still don’t know what made the head blue though.
Brewer’s note: This unique beer has winter berry overtones and a slight blue tint to the head, making it an unusual winter warmer.
Brewer’s website: Bradfield Brewery
Franconian Dunkel by Utopian Brewing (Devon, England)
Franconian Dunkel 4.9%
This was the first of the Love & Beer collab beers we tried and we decided it was worthy of an honourable mention. We haven’t tried many Franconian Dunkels (hoping that will change when we head to Munich later this year), but this one definitely impressed. It was delicious. Lovely aroma and even better taste. Toffee and bread notes with a very subtle smokiness. Sweet but not sugary sweet.
Brewer’s note: Brewed with our friends and titans of lager brewing, Braybrooke Beer Co, to celebrate the Love & Beer festival 2024. This is our take on a Franconian Dunkel, brewed with dark malts and a touch of smoked malt, double decocted, fermented cold (of course), and hopped with East Kent Goldings. Pours a deep mahogany, bread crust, toffee and tobacco on the nose. Rich body with biscuit and toast leading to a pleasantly crisp and bitter finish. A tribute to the lagers of yesteryear.
Brewer’s website:
Revisited
Not a new brew but a beer we’ve revisited recently because it’s one of our favourites.
Love & Lemons by Pastore (Cambridge, England)
Lemon Sour 4%
We tried this beer at the Love & Beer festival and it was our beer of the month in September so we were looking forward to revisiting it when we tried all the Love & Beer collabs. It was just as good as we remembered. Makes your mouth pucker with every sip. An outstanding sour.
Brewer’s note: A pink lemonade sour, fermented with our fresh sour mixed culture & conditioned on Sicilian lemons & Scottish raspberries.
Brewer’s website: Pastore – Brewing & Blending
Ola Dubh by Harviestoun Brewery (Alva, Scotland)
Barrel-Aged Stout 8%
We tried this in our Harviestoun beer battle alongside Old Engine Oil, which forms the base for Ola Dubh. Both were great stouts, and we struggled to pick a favourite. However, we decided to put Ola Dubh in our top five as it was the more complex in flavour and the aroma was just sensational.
Brewer’s note: Ola Dubh, meaning ‘Black Oil’ in Gaelic, is craftily created by taking our Old Engine Oil and maturing it in 18 year old Highland Park whisky casks. The process is far from simple, but the result is a beautiful brew with complimentary whisky notes and a chocolate, roasty and bittersweet aftertaste. All thanks to the labour of love of our master brewers. Ola Dubh is a labour of love. Everything about it is extreme. The brew team fill the mash tuns to the brim with roast barley, pinhead oats and malted barley. It ferments more slowly as the the yeast struggles to move around in such a viscous beer! The base beer is Old Engine Oil which they then put into Highland Park Whisky casks and it stays there for at least 6 months. During this time the flavours from the wood enter the beer to produce Ola Dubh. It is ready only when our Master Brewer, Stuart, deems it ready!
Brewer’s website: Harviestoun Brewery
Viva Patrón (Project Barista 24) by Siren (Wokingham, England)
Dark Ale 8%
We found this amazing beer on tap at Sheffield Tap (in Sheffield Train Station). Unfortunately, we had to drink it faster than we would have liked as we had a train to catch. But despite having to rush it, we both agreed it was a fantasitc beer with lovely complex flavours, and definitely worthy of a place in our top five.
Brewer’s note: Project Barista combines two of our greatest passions, beer and coffee, and plays with the relationship between them. Four unique beers, four kinds of coffee used in different ways, in collaboration with four incredible independent roasters. The Dark Ale incorporates tequila-soaked oak, agave syrup, intense espresso and Muscovado sugar for a coffee liqueur experience in a beer.
Brewer’s website: Siren Craft Brew
Steady Rolling Man by Deya (Cheltenham, England)
Pale Ale 5.2%
Deya has an excellent reputation so when we spotted one of their beers on tap while out with friends, we couldn’t resist. And it was everything you’d expect from a good pale ale.
Brewer’s note: Steady Rolling Man. Our pale ale. Inspired by the ridiculously tasty hoppy beers we fell for, we got brewing our own versions, over and over again, while listening to the blues greats. The heady concoction of old-time blues records and juicy American hops transfixed us from the start and the Steady Rolling Man was born in these sessions! Incredibly soft and delicate with intense tropical fruit hop aromatics and saturation, this is our vision of the perfect pale ale.
Brewer’s website: DEYA Brewing Company
Trees of Endor by Emperor’s Brewery (Coalville, England)
Imperial Stout 11.7%
This beer was brewed for the Love & Beer Festival and was one of the collabs we brought home to try in our Love & Beer tasting session. There were only 120 bottles made so it seemed a shame to break the seal, but it was worth it. It was thick, gloopy and syrupy with so many beautiful flavours of chocolate, coffee, and vanilla fudge. And for an 11.7% beer, it didn’t taste very boozy at all.
Brewer’s note: Here amongst the Trees of Endor, there lurks a formidable army. A legion. Creatures so vicious and intimidating they can defeat the Empire’s best troops and technology. After a hard day slaying your foes, what could be better than sitting around the tribal fires, sipping a stout with rich Guatemalan coffee, creamy toasted coconut and sweet, luscious maple syrup?!” …after the slaughter that has just happened though, why are your rebel friends asking where you got all the fresh meat from?!
Brewer’s website: Emperor’s Brewery
* BEER OF THE MONTH *
3 Rules by Tynt Meadow (UK)
collab with La Trappe and Zundert (Netherlands)
Belgian Dubbel 7.4%
We were very excited when we spotted this exclusive Trappist Beer on tap at The Draughtsman Alehouse. Beautifully balanced, complex flavour – a wonderful beer that should be savoured. There were some strong contenders for our beer of the month, but we agreed that this one should get our top spot.
Brewer’s note: Trappist breweries Tynt Meadow, La Trappe, and Zundert proudly present an extraordinary new beer: Three Rules of Authentic Trappist. After months of collaboration in the deepest secrecy, the three Trappist abbeys have crafted a distinctive Dubbel. As a result, Three Rules of Authentic Trappist pays tribute to the three authentic rules by which Trappist breweries are governed. Proceeds from this special Trappist beer will help plant 14,000 trees with Trees for All.
Brewer’s website: Tynt Meadow
Honourable mention
These new brews didn’t quite make it into our top five, but we still feel they are worth a mention.
Farmers Belgian Blue by Bradfield Brewery (Sheffield, UK)
Winter Ale 4.9%
We had this cask ale over in Doncaster after Alex completed the Doncaster 10k. The fact it had a blue tinge to the head made it worthy of a mention, but it was also a delicious beer. We still don’t know what made the head blue though.
Brewer’s note: This unique beer has winter berry overtones and a slight blue tint to the head, making it an unusual winter warmer.
Brewer’s website: Bradfield Brewery
Franconian Dunkel by Utopian Brewing (Devon, England)
Franconian Dunkel 4.9%
This was the first of the Love & Beer collab beers we tried and we decided it was worthy of an honourable mention. We haven’t tried many Franconian Dunkels (hoping that will change when we head to Munich later this year), but this one definitely impressed. It was delicious. Lovely aroma and even better taste. Toffee and bread notes with a very subtle smokiness. Sweet but not sugary sweet.
Brewer’s note: Brewed with our friends and titans of lager brewing, Braybrooke Beer Co, to celebrate the Love & Beer festival 2024. This is our take on a Franconian Dunkel, brewed with dark malts and a touch of smoked malt, double decocted, fermented cold (of course), and hopped with East Kent Goldings. Pours a deep mahogany, bread crust, toffee and tobacco on the nose. Rich body with biscuit and toast leading to a pleasantly crisp and bitter finish. A tribute to the lagers of yesteryear.
Brewer’s website:
Revisited
Not a new brew but a beer we’ve revisited recently because it’s one of our favourites.
Love & Lemons by Pastore (Cambridge, England)
Lemon Sour 4%
We tried this beer at the Love & Beer festival and it was our beer of the month in September so we were looking forward to revisiting it when we tried all the Love & Beer collabs. It was just as good as we remembered. Makes your mouth pucker with every sip. An outstanding sour.
Brewer’s note: A pink lemonade sour, fermented with our fresh sour mixed culture & conditioned on Sicilian lemons & Scottish raspberries.
Brewer’s website: Pastore – Brewing & Blending
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