London pub brews mince pie beer
The Mince Pie-PA, infused with real mince pies and gingerbread, will be brewed and sold by the Long Arm Pub & Brewery, Shoreditch, for £5.50.
It is “a hearty, spiced brew featuring a merry mix of flavours with notes of cranberries, dates, cinnamon and a hint of sweet caramel,” the pub said.
Elliott Mason, lead brewer at the pub, said the idea came from previous work with Toast Ale, which brews drinks using leftover bread and has been “at the forefront of creating unique mash profiles”.
“As one of my favourite festive treats, mince pies were the obvious choice," Mason said. “We were inspired to build on that experience and take it a bit further by using items that are quintessentially Christmassy.”
Seasonal perspective
He added: “From a seasonal perspective, it is really about understanding what our guests want to drink.”
Customers rarely want to drink heavy stouts or robust ales in the middle of summer, Mason explained.
“As it starts to get colder, people will tend to go for heavier beers which makes it a lot easier to get creative with flavours,” he told The Morning Advertiser.
“It’s clear that there are particular flavour and scent combinations that people crave at this time of year to get in the spirit of things, the goal of the Mince Pie-PA is to bring Londoners a glass of festive nostalgia.”
It will be sold alongside a Thierry’s Chocolate Orange Stout, described as “buttery and smooth with subtle citrus notes, providing the prefect boozy take on your favourite Yuletide treat”.
Both beers will be available from 10 December 2018 for a limited time while stocks last.
