When a brewery starts with the opening line, “is all about producing amazing beer”, of course, you can look at that many ways; sideways, or with more than a little, “oh yeah, realllly”, and then when you read on “We’re mostly concentrating on sour beers as we’re on a mission to expand the possibilities of what’s possible”, to our ears, can mean one of two things – car crash brewing, or OMG good beer. Thankfully, it’s the latter not the former. Yes, these beers, are OMG good. Chortlon Brewing Co, is one of the most exciting, eccentric and brave new breweries I have had the fortune to be introduced to!
Mike, a well travelled, eccentric character, like many had gravitated to the railway arches of Bermondsey, London to hone his brewing skills and equally satiate his palate for innovative beers with the burgeoning beer community. Then, just upped and went to Manchester to scratch that itch of opening a brewery, following the dream! Not able to actually open the brewery in Chorlton, as was planned, they are now gracing the delightful scenery of Ardwick in Manchester. Tongue firmly in cheek. But, like many, as a friend recently said, it wouldn’t be modern day British Craft Brewing, if it wasn’t in a railway arch, so Chorlton Brewing co, is in a railway arch.
Beyond the location, the route to opening the brewery, what Mike is achieving with his custom brew kit, is seriously impressive – super clean, incredibly aromatic tart ales that, trying to avoid the cliches, both push the boundaries of what sour/tart beers are, and reflect on what has gone by, with passion and devotion to the styles. Ignore the numbers on the various beer rating websites, these are really out there beers, but really accessible and great fun refreshment.
What drew me to them, was the impressive Yakima Sour, a dry hopped “berlinner weisse”, with American aromatic hop varieties, that leaves a “Jolly Rancher”/Haribo sours type experience – super fruity, but with a long tart citrusy finish. Then there is the Woodruff Berlinner, again another lacto-sour, but flavoured with natural Woodruff, so you can experience the natural flavours, that have become forgotten by the larger brewers who remain commercial brewers of this style, in Berlin.
Oh.. And every beer they ever make will be unfiltered, unpasteurised and unfined. Do not miss these guys. We’ll be increasing the range, as and when new beers emerge from the railway arch.
Looking to Buy Chorlton Brewery beers, get them right here!
Chimay
Camden Town Brewery.
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