Today marks the start of brewing operations at the new Dark Star facility, 10 miles west of the current site in Ansty, W Sussex, at a place called Partridge Green. The new facility will triple capacity to over 20,000 bbl a year.
While not as "sexy" or "controversial" as the likes of BrewDog or Thornbridge, Dark Star never fail to keep things interesting, with their 2009 offerings including interpretations of an oktoberfest and saison-style ale. Their core list of beers is consistent and solid, and getting a wider audience in London. Stockists include Cask Pub & Kitchen in Pimlico, where there's always at least one Dark Star ale on, while at The Harp in Chandos Place, recently converted to a full freehouse, Hophead has become their biggest seller. Other places where you can find it include The Seven Stars in Carey Street and The Rake at Borough Market, all good watering-holes worthy of several visits. I happily admit to being a big fan of their beers.
A little bird tells me that to mark the start of operations at the new brewery, a commemorative triple IPA with 12 malts and 6 hops will be aged in new cedar wood casks and bottled in 750ml cork and cage bottles. Maybe.
Gotcha. The first brew in the copper will be Sunburst, their bottled 4.8% summer ale. Firing up tomorrow, they tell me...
Posts
4 comments:
Now that sounds like a cracking beer!! I'm a big fan of Dark Star, hopefully they'll have a little opening so we can all go and have a look around. If you hear from that birdie again then ask for me...
Congrats Mark, you were first to bite! ;-) They didn't kick off yesterday due to a glitch with a new bit of equipment, but the first brew is Sunburst.
I hear there will be tours, I'll keep an ear out for more info.
Sounds like a possible roadtrip next fall?? Get the usual suspects together as it were!
One of my all time favorite breweries, glad to hear they're doing well...
Seems a bit too easy to reel in the beer geeks doesn't it? Personally I'm a huge fan of Dark Star and rate them up there with the best in terms of quality, consisitency and innovation (by which I mean brewing a range of beers in classic styles, not producing double imperial stouts aged in herring barrels or some such nonsense).
Post a Comment