ON THE GRAPEVINE

2022-07-13 - BY SAM WYLIE HARRIS

Hotter weather always makes us turnseek out something cold and refreshing – but what do the experts enjoy?

“When the sun’s out I often turn towards something cold and fizzy,” notes Matthew Curtis, author of Modern British Beer and co-founder of Pellicle Magazine.

“There are some incredible British-made lagers like Lost & Grounded Keller Pils,” he says, adding that fruit beers can also work well, especially from expert brewers in Belgium.

Keller Pils also gets the nod from drinks writer Emma Inch, who’s been working on a book with other writers, called World’s Greatest Beers – 250 Ales & Lagers From Pilsen To Portland, due out in August.

Says Emma: Lager doesn’t have to be bland. Utopian Brewery, in Devon, is a relatively new brewery producing a range of lagers made entirely from British ingredients.

“Their Premium British Lager is clean and crisp, while their British Pilsner has a tightly bitter finish.”

Meanwhile Melissa Cole, author of The Ultimate Book Of Craft Beer, says: “Remember, it doesn’t always have to be alcoholic. There are some top-quality non-alcoholic beers out there that will really hit the spot.”