Not really but who has fallen a little flat...
Whilst the breweries I am about to discuss have undoubtedly knocked out some lovely beers in 2020, for me they either didn't quite hit the highs of 2019 or were too sporadic in their output.
1) Verdant - well I never imagined I would be writing about my long term Cornish mistress in a negative sense but here it is! For me, Verdant have just been a bit boring this year. There it is - I said it! I fully appreciate that they are only coming up to a year in their new Penryn site and that has been a year significantly marred by Covid-19 but I just feel a little underwhelmed.
Whilst I expected they might try their hand away from their signature hazy pale, IPA and DIPA style, I really meant a few chubby stouts (with adjuncts for a change), a couple of TIPAs and an intriguing sour rather than simply a pils, Westie or black lager. Don't get me wrong I want those too but just thought Verdie might push the envelope a little further this year. That said, there is no doubting their quality and they still had a beer in my BOTY Top 9 and could quite easily have had another couple ('Unconventional Tactics' and 'Degrees'). Here's hoping they really tear of the band-aid and let themselves go a little crazy in 2021!
2) Northern Monk - a very similar story to Verdant and it might be a case of delusional expectations. Monk have produced some top-draw stuff this year and should perhaps be absolved from any criticism simply by virtue of the exceptional 'Gamma Vortex' TIPA they boshed out in collaboration with New York's 'Other Half' and 'Equilibrium' breweries just past the half-way point for the year. They also know how to craft a rocking imperial stout, utilising adjuncts so well and those I have had this year have all delivered!!
However, the quality of their output has been patchy to say the least and the 'Old Flax Store (OFS)' series seems to be a channel for the creative whims of a brewer experimenting with every beer style imaginable (we had Bocks, Sours, NEIPAs, Rice Lagers and Rye IPA) to differing degrees of success. I do question whether servicing their big accounts with Tesco and Morrisons has perhaps taken up a disproportionate amount of their energies. For next year, I would like to see them knock a few gorgeous DIPAs out of the park early on to capture my focus once more.
3) Pentrich - the first Pentrich beer I sampled was 'Dream, Dream, Dreaming' an 8.5% 'imperial india pale ale' back in July (it seems ditching the title DIPA for 'Imperial IPA' was a fad of late 2020) and it certainly perked my interest!! It was big and bold on flavour but exquisitely juicy and smooth on the gob. I had unfortunately missed the boat on 'Birthdays in Isolation' the TIPA which raised this brewery's profile amongst the community and remains their highest rated beer to date, however, 'Dream' assured me this Derbyshire brewery meant business. Since that first foray, I have a had a few of their beers and whilst all have been enjoyable and certainly nowhere near drain-pour territory, the mouthfeel, carbonation and ability to carry the ABV (which these guys don't shy on) of each beer has differed wildly.
In terms of 2021, I would like to see much more consistency from Pentrich but also a little character! The website is beyond minimalist and serves the function of selling beer without giving a morsel as to who is behind the operation and the passion they undoubtedly hold for their vocational endeavour. The can designs whilst precise and arguably sleek are indistinguishable from one another which closes off another potential talking point in respect of their brews. After really exploding onto the scene in 2020 after brewing for around 5 years, I hope they build on that momentum and really showcase their talents in 2021.
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