Green Jack Brewery Coming To the U.S. In April via Vanberg & DeWulf
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MyBeer Buzz
From Vanberg & DeWulf:
For the first time ever, we are offering British Ales, and we couldn’t be prouder than to start with the Green Jack Brewery in Lowestoft, UK. Not only is it the easternmost brewery in England, but also one of the most decorated craft brewers in Britain today. Green Jack beers are due to arrive in market by April 2013 – keep an eye out for them this spring!
There is no doubt about the importance and deliciousness of British Ales. However, we have always shied away from importing them because as good as they are, they’re difficult shippers. Most British Ales are not re-fermented in the bottle (re-fermentation being very important to reducing oxidation) and they are lighter under 6% ABV, (alcohol being an effective flavor preservative). Our whole raison d’etre is to select beers that offer 99.9% the same flavor experience in the US that they do in their home market. The most happy news is in Green Jack Rippa we have found a true, great, British tasting ale that does just that. It ships in bottle as well as any Belgian beer we import. And importantly, the other Green Jack ales coming on this first shipment are in KeyKegs. This means they are virgin filled, with the lowest possible oxygen pick-up. No gas can ever touch the beer, burning off the wonderful, delicate, nuanced malt and hop flavors that are the heart of Real British Ales. By offering Green Jack Ales only in KeyKeg, we all can guarantee our customers that they’re drinking exactly what Tim Dunford, Master Brewer at Green Jack, brewed and nothing else. It’s as close as you can get to drinking Green Jack in a pub in Lowestoft.
A bit of background on how we happened upon Tim’s beautiful beers:
In the spring of 2012 we received a box of Green Jack beers at our place in Ghent. The beers were so lovely and characterful that we resolved to pay the brewer a visit at the end of our Belgian sojourn. The storybook impression made by our destination was highlighted by the route we took: from Ghent to Reyjkjavik to Florence to Copenhagen to Esberg and by overnight ferry to Harwich then along the North Sea coast of East Anglia to Lowestoft, the most easterly point in the United Kingdom. The Green Jack Brewery (6000 hectoliter) is installed in a former herring smokehouse at the end of Love Lane. Therein Tim Dunford, the idiosyncratic, playful and witty founder/brewer produces a stunning range of small batch, site-specific, Belgian-influenced beers. They’re not widely distributed (mainly sold in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridge) but real ale cognoscenti prize them for their balance, originality and finesse. The UK’s foremost cellarman, Mark Dorber, in whose company we enjoyed them at his Anchor Pub in Walberswick, numbers among them.
All Green Jack beers are brewed with Flagon winter barley, all grown and malted in Norfolk (which Dunford says is in most growing seasons the best barley in the world.) Moreover all are fermented with the same four strains of English ale yeast which can be traced back over 100 years and use whole flower hops. 90 percent of production is cask, 10% in swing top bottles. This is a stupendous little brewery and we think you are going to be delighted by every one of their very special beers!
Cheers,
Don & Wendy
Green Jack
This 8.5% ABV English triple was namedSupreme Champion Winter Beer of the UK by CAMRA in 2007, this is an amber ale redolent of peach and grape with an herbal, tropical bittersweet taste and a fruity bitter finish.RIPPA is brewed with pale ale malt, caramalt, maize, wheat, and sugar. UK Challenger hops lend a black pepper spice aroma, and Slovenian Celeia hops add bitterness.
For a full-on paean of praise, listen to the review from The Ormskirk Baron, who rates it 5/5. It’s as if a Belgian Tripel went on holiday to the Suffolk seacoast. We are proud and excited to bring you this balanced, beautiful strong ale. Available in 75cl swing top bottles (6 per case) and 30 liter KeyKegs.
Serve with fish and chips, mussels, pickled herring, kidney pie, fish stew.
Gone Fishing
Lowestoft is one of England’s most ancient settlements. From the Middle Ages onwards, it became an important fishing town – hence the name, GONE FISHING..
It’s made with pale ale, caramalt, crystal, chocolate malts, sugar, a 4 strain ale yeast, and Challenger and UK Bramling cross hops (for blackcurrant and berry notes). GONE FISHING Extra Special Premium Bitter (5.5% ABV) is amber colored with a distinctive caramel orange nose. The rich marmalade taste is soft and spicy, with a woodsy hop finish. This totally controlled and balanced ESB ale won Gold in the Best Bitters categoryin the Great British Beer Festival of 2012.
Red Herring
There are few smoked beers being made in the UK, and this one – hailing from a brewery installed in a former herring smokehouse – is a gem. Wittily named, a red herring is something that distracts attention from the real issues; supposedly, escaping criminals would drag strong smelling red herring across a trail to make pursuing blood-hounds lose the scent.
RED HERRING a 5% ABV smoked ale is made with pale ale malt, wheat malt, crystal malt, chocolate malt, and sugar, with UK Challenger hops to complement the smokiness of the grain. The resulting ale is fruity red with a bonfire smoke smell, a balanced plummy taste, gentle bitter finish, soft carbonation, and a beautiful, pillowy mouthfeel. Very easy drinking and comfortable ale. Wow! 30 liter KeyKeg only.
Another 5/5 fromOrmskirk Baron.
Trawlerboys
A Full-bodied and a copper-coloured premium bitter brewed with English whole cone hops, rich and malty with fruity hop flavours. This Best Bitter has been named after the nickname of Lowestoft Town Football Club as Green Jacks new flagship brewery is opposite Lowestoft’s Crown Meadow stadium. The pump clip features the Lowestoft-built (1978) stern trawler the Boston Sea Stallion launched by none other than Mrs. Thatcher.
TRAWLERBOYS was voted Gold Best Bitters at the 2012 Great British Beer Festival. 4.6% ABV
30 liter KeyKegs only.
Lurcher Stout
Employed by commoners over the protest of noblemen, the lurcher is a fabled hunting dog suited to poaching rabbits, hare, and game birds.
This glorious bottle-conditioned Black ale stout session beer (4.8% ABV) has a wild smoky, fruity aroma and tastes of notes of vanilla and tobacco. Tons of mellow body and flavorful for a lower alcohol beer. Green Jack’s LURCHER STOUT is made with pale ale, wheat, chocolate malts, roasted barley, sugar, and UK Challenger and US Liberty hops. 30 liter KeyKeg only.
Super duper with lamb dishes, Portobello mushroom sandwich, oysters, aged cheddars, Gruyere, Ossau Iraty, Manchego. Super companion to stout brownies.
“5/5″ – Ormskirk Baron
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