HB&B Blog — Siren Craft Brew

Fundamentals #140 — Siren Crescendo 10th Anniversary Imperial Stout

Fundamentals Imperial Stout Matthew Curtis Siren Craft Brew Stout

Fundamentals #140 — Siren Crescendo 10th Anniversary  Imperial Stout

Eight and a half years ago, I attended an off-flavour beer tasting hosted by beer writer Melissa Cole. Melissa took us through everything from DMS to diacetyl, enhancing our beer knowledge by putting us through the ringer [mmmm, still remember that baby sick - Ed]. At the end of the tasting, a couple of Kiwis approached me and asked if I was the beer blogger Matthew Curtis. It turns out I was, and I was currently in a state of wondering if I should pack it all in and take this beer writing full time. The couple, Jen and Glenn, told me they were opening a bottle...

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Our 2020 HB&B Big Beery Advent Calendar revealed

Anspach & Hobday Boxcar Brick Brewery Burning Sky Deep Creek DEYA Drop Project Duration Brewing Elusive Brewing Fork Brewing Left Handed Giant Lervig Makemake Neon Raptor Newbarns Pilot Polly's Brew Co Pressure Drop Signature Brew Siren Craft Brew St Bernardus The Beak Brewery Utopian Verdant Villages

Our 2020 HB&B Big Beery Advent Calendar revealed

24. Anspach & Hobday The Pfeffernusse Stout A&H says: Based on the German Christmas biscuit of the same name, the Pfeffernüsse Stout brings together a rich, malty stout with the perfect blend of festive spice. Ginger and cinnamon dominate the nose with biscuity malts and warming spices joining on the palate. We say: Merry Christmas everyone!     23. Brick Lingonberry & Sloe Sour Brick says: A heavily-fruited jammy modern sour ale, fermented with our house Lactobacillus and Kveik yeast and conditioned on Lingonberry juice and Sloe puree. We say: HB&B and Brick couldn't be much more closely linked, from being Jen and...

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Fundamentals #80 — Siren Hard Pour Broken Dream Nitro Breakfast Stout

Fundamentals Matthew Curtis Siren Craft Brew Stout

Fundamentals #80 — Siren Hard Pour Broken Dream Nitro Breakfast Stout

I have something of a confession to make. Throughout lockdown a craving has risen within me, a desire that can only be sated by giving in to its unreasonable demands: I really want a pint of draught Guinness. I’m all too aware that by publicly stating my desire to drink a beer produced by global drinks conglomerate Diageo, I am going against many of my core principles. “Drink local,” I demand of my readership, all while supping the Black Stuff directly from the teat of Lucifer himself. There’s true ritual to enjoying a nice pint of Guinness, and mine usually...

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Fundamentals #21 – Siren Craft Brew Old Fashioned Barleywine

Matthew Curtis Siren Craft Brew

Fundamentals #21 – Siren Craft Brew Old Fashioned Barleywine

Bourbon truly is a wonderful thing. The legal guidelines a spirit must follow in order to be classed as bourbon are also incredibly strict – as should be the case in the creation of such a venerable beverage. It must be produced within the United States from a grain bill that consists of at least 51% corn. It must be aged in first use, charred oak barrels and it must be distilled to no higher than 80% alcohol, entering the barrel itself at no more than 62.5% alcohol. As with all whisky – whiskey to our Irish and American friends...

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The Beer Lover’s Table: Prawn and Mango Curry and Siren Hop Candy DIPA

Beer Lover's Table Claire Bullen DIPA Siren Craft Brew

The Beer Lover’s Table: Prawn and Mango Curry and Siren Hop Candy DIPA

Double IPAs may be one of my favourite styles (if you’re tuned into the zeitgeist, odds are they’re one of yours, too). But when a friend recently asked if I’d ever featured one in this column, the answer was no. That’s not totally surprising. DIPAs are big, bold, and boozy, and they don’t always play well with others. Even richly flavoured dishes can taste wan and insipid in their wake. But the question lingered in my mind, and grew into a challenge of sorts. What does pair naturally with a double IPA? People sometimes turn to barbecue or grilled meats,...

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