April saw us head to Piglove by the River for a Jazz night, battle a selection of SALT beers, and revisit one of our favourite stouts. We also tried to improve our ability to identify individual hops by trying various single-hop beers, one of which made it into our top five. Plus our beer of the month for April was one of the most unusually flavoured beers we’ve ever tried.
This month’s top five new brews
Here’s a rundown of our favourite new brews for April 2024
Shattered Dream Nitro by Siren (Reading, UK)
Imperial Stout 9.6%
We’ve tried Siren’s Broken Dream breakfast stout a couple of times and love it, so we decided to compare it to their Shattered Dream (a twist on Broken Dream).
Broken Dream was as good as we remembered, but Shattered Dream really did take it to the next level. It smells like a nutty choc ice and doesn’t taste too dissimilar either. Delicious. And only just missed out as our beer of the month.
Brewer’s note: “Shattered Dream is the scaled up version of our award-winning flagship stout – Broken Dream. In addition to its imperial strength and generous espresso hit, we’ve also added cacao nibs and vanilla to make this beer even more luxurious than the much-loved original. This version is nitrogenated, meaning it pours thick and drinks smooth. An intensely indulgent and unctuous treat.”
Brewer’s website: Siren Craft Beer
Expressions: Idaho 7 by Siren (Reading, UK)
DDH IPA 5.2%
Another quality Siren beer but a completely different style to Shattered Dream.
This beer is made with a single hop – Idaho 7 – and was excellent. The great thing about single hop beers is they really allow you to understand more about hop flavours.
Brewer’s note: “Our ‘Expressions’ beers are soft IPAs made to tell the story of an individual hop. Idaho 7 has only been around for 8 years, but has made a big impression in that time. Named after its home state, we love its piney, tropical, fruity and floral aromas.”
Brewer’s website: Brewer’s website: Siren Craft Beer
Sabana by Piglove (Leeds, UK)
Pollen Infused Lager 4.7%
We tried this on a visit to Piglove by the River as we thought a lager infused with bee pollen sounded interesting.
They’ve labelled it ‘almost a lager’ and I’d say that’s a good shout as it isn’t your average lager. Great beer – nice and light and refreshing.
Brewer’s note: Exciting and fresh Lager with crisp, sharp flavours owing to the infusion of Bee Pollen, Pilsner Malts, Hallertauer, and Magnum Hops. A surprising lager made with no chemicals or stabilisers using traditional ingredients to combine the perfect mix of flavour, body and aroma. A very special collaboration between Piglove and Drunk Planet.
Brewer’s website: Piglove Brewing Co
Tram by SALT (Saltaire, Yorkshire, UK)
Double NEIPA 8%
We tried this as part of our SALT beer battle and it just edged it as our beer of the night (although the Alpaca came very close). A delicious juicy NEIPA with a thick mouthfeel.
Brewer’s note: “Not named, as you might expect, after our old tram shed spiritual home, but after a weaving term; a name for double twisted silk thread; and now in our world, a silky smooth, Double New England IPA. Influenced by a mix of hops from the far-flung hop fields of the USA and New Zealand. Dry hopped and full bodied. Hazy in appearance and memorable in taste with notes of gooseberry, grape and tropical fruit with a low bitterness finish.”
Brewer’s website: SALT
* BEER OF THE MONTH *
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier (Germany)
Smoked Beer 6.5%
We’ve had lots of excellent beers this month and I have to give another mention to Siren’s Shattered Dream breakfast stout which was epic.
But this smoked beer was our beer of the month just because it was so different to any other beer we’ve ever tasted.
Brewer’s note: “Bamberg’s speciality, a dark, bottom fermented smokebeer, brewed with Original Schlenkerla Smokemalt from the Schlenkerla maltings and tapped according to old tradition directly from the gravity-fed oakwood cask in the historical brewery tavern.”
Brewer’s website: Smoked Lager Beer
I’ll admit, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it on the first sip, but the more I drank, the more I wanted. It’s hard to describe the flavour because I want to say smoked sausage, but that doesn’t sound very appealing and this was delicious.
It’s certainly unique in flavour and worth trying if you like getting adventurous with your beer.
Honourable mention
These new brews didn’t quite make it into our top five, but we still feel they are worth a mention.
Alpaca by Salt (Saltaire, Yorkshire, UK)
DDH IPA 6.6%
I’m giving the Alpaca an honourable mention because it was a close runner up in our SALT beer battle and a delicious beer.
Brewer’s note: “You know the one, like a llama, only smaller. The fleece of the Alpaca is highly prized; with fibres so soft and silky they make the sheep’s offering feel more like wire wool. Our Alpaca double dry-hopped IPA is every bit as luxurious as its namesake. From its intense tropical hop aroma to its guava, melon and following honey notes; crisp and punchy. The tropical fruits beautifully balance with a dry, bitter finish.”
Brewer’s website: SALT
Revisited
Not a new brew but a beer we’ve revisited recently because it’s one of our favourites.
Broken Dream by Siren (Reading, UK)
Nitro Breakfast Stout 6.5%
The Shattered Dream took Broken Dream to the next level, but Broken Dream is still an excellent beer and one I’d highly recommend so it’s taking a well-deserved spot in this month’s revisited section.
Brewer’s note: “An indulgence of chocolate and speciality malts, Broken Dream is smooth, unctuous and moreish. It’s brewed with milk sugar for balance and mouthfeel, along with carefully selected espresso from London’s Climpson & Sons. Awarded CAMRA Supreme Champion Beer of Britain 2018.”
Brewer’s website: Siren Craft Beer
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