Top 5: February 2025

This month we attended the Season Two premiere of The Craft Beer Channel’s Keep Cask Alive series at The Tetley. While we were there, we took the opportunity to sample some lovely cask ales. We also had a lovely selection of new brews from Polly’s as well as loads of brilliant beers both out and about and at home.

Here’s a rundown of our favourite new brews for February 2025.

We brought this home with us from Munich in December, but have only just gotten around to drinking it. It was worth the wait. A high-quality Bavarian beer with lovely malty flavours.

Brewer’s note: König Ludwig Dunkel is a Bavarian speciality beer brewed with naturally soft limestone water and selected raw materials from Southern Germany.
It has a malty aroma with a roasted flavour note and a trace of bitter chocolate.

Brewer’s website: Warsteiner International

Anthology is a microbrewery in Leeds and this 1800s Porter was one of the cask ales available at The Tetley when we were there for the Keep Cask Alive screening. It was one of three cask ales we tried during the event and it was a lovely smooth porter. Unfortunately, there are no brewer’s notes for this beer, but we got notes of coffee.

About: Anthology Brewing Company is based in Armley, Leeds. We produce a wide range of cask and keg beers, which are distributed throughout wonderful Yorkshire and further afield.

Brewer’s website: Anthology Brewing Company

One of our new brew battles was a selection of pale ales from Polly’s. A couple of nights later, we treated ourselves to this beautiful fruited gose. It was super sour with a little bit of sweetness and saltiness. Delicious.

Brewer’s note: After making frequent flirtations with the imperial gose style throughout 2023 and gaining absolutely rave reviews for each iteration, we set about looking into what we could do to one-up ourselves, as is our frequent MO here at the brewery.

Deciding to stick with the higher ABV sour beers to maintain that thick, pulpy mouthfeel to accentuate the fruits we use, we decided to bring the tart sour party very much to this beer with a hefty addition of Lime and Blackcurrant to create a full on smoothie for grown-ups; amplified to the max for a banging gose that’s equal parts sweet and sour.

With a healthy addition of local sea salt to take the edge off that smacking of tartness, this beer is perfect for those times where you want to just drink something straight up silly.

Brewer’s website: Polly’s

This pale ale from Five Points was another of the cask ales on offer at The Tetley during our most recent visit. We’ve had a couple of beers from Five Points in the past and they’ve always been good. This was no exception - a lovely light pale ale.

Brewer’s note: Five Points XPA is our certified gluten-free extra pale ale that first began as a collaboration with Field Day festival way back in 2016. Its popularity ensured it a space in our core range ever since. At 4% ABV, it's an easy drinking option for a sunny summer session with friends, or a nice option for the fridge over a weekend.

Brewer’s website: The Five Points Brewing Company

London Black by Anspach & Hobday is the best porter we’ve ever tried so when we saw their Gothic Black in Harvey Nicols, we had to try it. Not quite as good as London Black (although we did have that on draft in their taproom), but a very good traditional porter and our beer of the month.

Brewer’s note: Inspired by London’s brewing heritage, this is a truly sessionable London Porter. Brewed for a smoother mouthfeel, perfectly balanced with cascading notes of coffee and velvety chocolate. A beer that champions the rich history of London’s Porters and modern, independent brewing. The result is Gothic Black, a beer that’s easy-drinking whilst full of character.

Brewer’s website: Anspach & Hobday | Craft Brewery London

These new brews didn’t quite make it into our top five, but we still feel they are worth a mention.

I’m giving this an honourable mention because I really enjoyed it. Alex didn’t like it quite as much as me, which is why it didn’t make the top five. It was very sweet (which you’d probably expect from a chocolate, strawberry dessert stout), but I actually didn’t find the sweetness too cloying and it was very moreish. Definitely decadent.

Brewer’s note: We all scream for… A dead decadent Chocolate and Strawberry Ice Cream Dessert Stout. Craft brewed with Northern pride and bursting with sweet, chocolatey flavours.

Brewer’s website: Keep the Faith - Northern Monk

Not a new brew but a beer we’ve revisited recently because it’s one of our favourites.

We first tried this on draft back in November and it made our top five that month. Alex’s parents were with us so when they saw it in bottles they snapped up a couple for us. The head wasn’t quite as blue this time, but still an excellent beer and worth another mention.

Brewer’s note: Only the finest malts and hops are used together with our own source of natural spring water to produce this unique BEER with Christmas berry overtones and a malty rich flavour - making it the perfect winter warmer.

Brewer’s website: Bradfield Brewery