HB&B Blog — London

Fundamentals #139 — Pressure Drop Cheese Volume 2 New England IPA

Fundamentals IPA London Matthew Curtis Pressure Drop

Fundamentals #139 — Pressure Drop Cheese Volume 2  New England IPA

When I started this column, I called it Fundamentals because I wanted it to focus on the key elements of beer and brewing. Initially, I wanted to look at the raw materials themselves, starting with the four key ingredients of water, hops, malted grains and yeast, before delving into adjuncts, from toasted coconut to tonka beans. But my concept of what I consider “fundamental” to modern brewing extends far beyond simply what goes into every keg, cask, bottle and can. The culture of beer itself and the elements that bind it together are also key to its existence. This is...

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Fundamentals #114 – Howling Hops System Auto DDH Pale Ale

Fundamentals Howling Hops London Matthew Curtis Pale ale

Fundamentals #114 – Howling Hops System Auto DDH Pale Ale

One of the greatest things about relocating to the northwest of England has been the shift in perspective it’s given me.  As a former Londoner of 15 years, my time there shaped my view of the UK, and that includes its beer culture. It’s fair to say that being immersed in the explosion of London breweries that emerged over the past decade (increasing from just 10 to over 140 in that time) gave me plenty to be excited about. Dare I say it, I might have even been a little biased towards beer in the capital as a result. Living in...

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The Beer Lover's Table: Aubergine Massaman Curry and Boxcar Brewery Double Dark Mild

Beer Lover's Table Boxcar Brew Co Claire Bullen East London London Mild

The Beer Lover's Table: Aubergine Massaman Curry and  Boxcar Brewery Double Dark Mild

If sourdough bread was very Lockdown 1, then Lockdown 3 looks more like one-pot cooking projects: long-simmered stews, tender meatballs, creamy pasta dishes. In the middle of a deep cold snap, the stove is the warmest place in the house, and standing in front of it for an extra hour or two has never felt so inviting.  Of course, there are other sensory pleasures to be had there, beyond the heat thrown off by the gas burners. If you’re making this Thai massaman curry, you can luxuriate in its beguiling, house-filling perfume right at the source. The fragrance is complex...

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Fundamentals #50 – Pressure Drop A Million Filaments Sour Fruited IPA

Fundamentals London Matthew Curtis Pressure Drop Sour beer

Fundamentals #50 – Pressure Drop A Million Filaments Sour Fruited IPA

As I type, it is June 12th. Outside, the rain is endless in its relentlessness. I have switched the heating on. This time last year we were basking in weeks of seemingly unstoppable summer heat. It would appear that we may be waiting a while for a season of similar magnitude. However, while it may be dreich outside, my glass is filled to the brim with the all the radiance of what, supposedly, should be our warmest season: A Million Filaments, a sour IPA infused with blackberry, blackcurrant and lactose (it says milk sugar on the label but for the...

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Fundamentals #49 — The Kernel Foeder Beer Centennial Hallertau Tradition

Foeder Fundamentals London Matthew Curtis The Kernel

Fundamentals #49 — The Kernel Foeder Beer Centennial Hallertau Tradition

There are few things more mesmerising within a brewery than a room full of foeders (or ‘foudres’, if the brewery decides to use the French spelling instead of the Dutch). There’s real magic inside these oaken vessels, often standing several metres tall. And that’s because there is real magic inside them: millions of wild yeasts and bacteria that nurture and mature a beer over several months or years, before it is eventually blended and packaged into something delicious for us to enjoy. Beers such as the impressive Rodenbach Grand Cru, or the equally majestic New Belgium La Folie. In fact,...

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