As the craft beer revolution booms on, Bristol's local breweries keep embracing new ideas. Here are a few genius brews that have cropped up in the area recently that are well worth hunting down.
Wild Beer Co's Sourdough
Wild Beer Co often live up to their name. Sourdough saw them team up with Hobbs House Bakery for this unusual number – after all, beer and bread have both been showing off the magic of yeast for thousands of years. Fifty-eight-year-old yeast is used here and after months of trial and error, this delicious Berliner Weisse style sour beer was born.
Wild Beer Co
Arbor Ales' Chai Guy Ale
Easton's Arbor Ales have a pretty heavy rep when it comes to thinking outside the box and the Chai Guy Ale is probably one of their most forward-thinking brews yet. It's a collaboration with Arbor Brewing in Michigan, USA, which utilises English malts, American Hops and Indian Spices. They knocked on the door of Bristol's very own chai enthusiast Chai Guy to help with the recipe, then lovingly christened it after him.
Wiper and True's Milk Shake
Wiper and True have become notoriously brilliant over the last few years. Their slick white and gold branding is something to be cherished while you sup away on their many brews. Milk Shake was showcased a few months back at the The Beer Emporium's Tap Takeover. It uses sugar made from cow's milk, which gives it a sweet, creamy texture. This brew also uses chocolate malts and vanilla pods to get that unique tone.
Wiper and True
Bristol Beer Factory's Bitter Kiwi
Experimentation and innovation is the best way to grow a small brewery - words which have rung true with Bristol Beer Factory over the years. This pale ale is dangerously refreshing and can be found often be found on cask around the city. Brewed with aromatic New Zealand hops, it's got really vivid tropical fruit aromas. They also run a trio of pubs, The Barley Mow, Grain Barge and Tobacco Factory.
New Bristol Brewery's India Sugar and Spice Ale
Run by two brothers, the New Bristol Brewery pushes the boundaries of traditional brewing. India Sugar and Spice is a prime example of this. They've unconventionally combined a malty backbone with crisp lemon notes from cardamom and coriander. The beer also flaunts a generous helping of sugar from the flowers of the palm, which gives a natural maple flavour. All sounds a bit exotic, right?
Crane's Cake Stout
One for the coffee enthusiasts, this. Crane have brought together bitter chocolate, Italian espresso beans and vanilla for this smashing stout. The flavours are truly immense, which isn't surprising because this brewery have a knack for detail. They might only work in small batches, but this just makes this unique beer more highly sought after.
Moor Beer's Dark Alliance
Secrets are often shared among the beer industry in dark corners – dark corners that are most likely in pubs. Dark Alliance is another collaboration between Moor Beer, Arbor Ales and Clifton Coffee Company. It only comes around twice a year, but it's worth snaffling up a bottle while you can. Again utilising the power of the bean, this one's highly sessionable, hoppy and carries a coffee punch.
Left Handed Giant Brewing Co's Juice Bar
Newcomers Left Handed Giant have certainly been busy bees over the last few months. Juice Bar is brewed in cahoots with the experienced hands at Bristol Beer Factory, and there's so much going on we couldn't leave it off this list. It's a cloudy Hefeweizen brewed with American and Kiwi hops. Watch these guys feature among the pump clips in future months.
… And where can I get them?
The Beer Emporium. In addition to their rustic underground bar on King Street, The Beer Emporium showcases a remarkable selection of beers, both local and worldwide, in their upstairs bottle shop.
Corks of Cotham. As well as their taste for fine wines, Corks of Cotham have a passion for delivering great beers. If you're not around central Bristol then fear not because these guys have branches in Cotham and North Street.
Brew Bristol. Probably the newest beer specialist to hit the streets, Brew Bristol sits modestly on the fringe of St Nicholas Market. As well as bottles they also stock a wide variety of home-brewing ingredients and equipment.
Brewers Droop. Delivering craft-brewing supplies, ale and cider, Brewers Droop know their stuff. Perhaps the most charming asset of the Gloucester Road shop though is the fact they sell their home-brewed beers.
Check out the best pubs in Bristol.