In what has now become a yearly tradition, Borough Market is releasing its new limited-edition sustainably packaged beer brewed with freshly picked wet hops grown in the iconic Market Hall. This ‘Wet Hop IPA’ is a refreshing sessionable but full-bodied IPA, with upfront tropical notes packed full of flavours suggestive of a well-stocked fruit seller’s stall. Beers created from fresh hops can only be made once a year, making them one of the world’s most sought-after seasonal products. The 4.3% proof beer will be available from Borough Market’s shop, speciality beer bar The Rake and the Globe Tavern located at the heart of the Market.
The Borough Wet Hop IPA, curated by expert nomadic brewer, Daniel Tapper of The Beak brewery, has been created to celebrate 21 years of fresh produce retail at Borough Market. To underline the Market’s commitment to provenance, the session IPA is brewed using a classic English hop variety known as Fuggles, historically grown by farmers in the South East. The hop vines are planted in the heart of Borough Market’s glass fronted Market Hall, and sustainably fertilised with a combination of recycled coffee grounds from traders, and rain water harvested from the market’s roof.
For the first time, this year’s brew will be sold in cans, rather than bottles, a move that reflects Borough Market’s commitment to sustainability. Aluminium can be recycled numerous times without losing its quality. Being lighter in weight and smaller in volume than glass, cans helps reduce carbon emissions and create a more sustainable footprint for everyone involved, from production and transport to wholesale and distribution, right through to recycling.
The new beer is the fifth annual brew from Borough Market’s own hops, and has been produced in collaboration with Villages, a vibrant, local, independent micro-brewery located in nearby Deptford, which specialises in juicy pale ales, the style Borough Market has opted for this year in a radical change to previous brews.
Keeping the brewing process local gives the beer a unique sense of place and meant that the hops could be delivered in their wet, fresh state within hours of harvesting, contributing to the beer’s authentic and unique flavour. Fuggles is a traditional English hop variety, which imbue the beer with orange, marmalade, earthy and grassy flavours. This year’s brew also contains Mosaic, Ekuanot and Azacca hop varieties with strong fruity, tropical flavours, which marry very well with Fuggles, making the Borough Wet Hop IPA a very refreshing, easy-drinking beer.
A limited run of over 700 cans has been produced, and will be available from Borough Market priced at £3.90. The Borough Wet Hop IPA will also be exclusively available on draught in the Market from The Rake and The Globe Tavern.
Darren Henaghan, Managing Director, Borough Market said: “Sustainability is at the core of Borough Market and we are constantly looking for new ways to innovate. By using cans for the first time we are helping to minimise our own footprint. This new and unique seasonal beer grown with our own hops, fertilised with left over coffee grounds and brewed locally is a true reflection of this. Borough Market is a vibrant place to discover the unique and rediscover the familiar and we hope our customers will enjoy toasting 21 years since we established ourselves as a world class produce market.”
Daniel Tapper, expert brewer, said: “As both a brewer and a food writer it is such an honour and exciting experience to create a beer that not only displays genuine London terroir, but also showcases Borough Market’s unique position at the heart of our country’s food and drink scene. Every day, hundreds of people walk past the hops that are growing in Borough Market and with Villages, we have created a beer that is imbued with those unique flavours. It’s wonderful to create a new taste experience for people to enjoy using sustainable ingredients grown right here in the city.”
Source: Borough Market
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